Gulfcoast Pride Festival & Street Party 2026 (Free Entry)

🎪 Be Part of Gulfcoast Pride 2026! 🌈

 

04:00 PM to 08:00 PM Vendor Festival

08:00 PM to 11:00 PM Street Party

(Vendors have the option to leave at 08:00 PM or stay for the duration of the event)

 

Join Project Pride SRQ for Gulfcoast Pride 2026, Sarasota’s signature celebration of LGBTQ+ visibility, joy, connection, and belonging.

 

This one-day community festival brings together LGBTQ+ residents, families, allies, artists, businesses, nonprofits, community partners, sponsors, volunteers, and supporters for a vibrant evening of Pride in Sarasota.

 

Vendor space offers an opportunity to showcase your products, services, art, resources, or community work while connecting with attendees in a joyful, inclusive, and welcoming festival environment.

 

Whether you are a local maker, artist, retailer, nonprofit, food provider, service organization, or community partner, Gulfcoast Pride is a meaningful opportunity to share your work, grow your audience, and celebrate Pride with the community.

 

📍 Location: Sarasota, Florida / Rosemary District footprint to be confirmed
🗓️ Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
⏰ Festival Time: Tentatively 4:00 PM–11:00 PM, subject to final event approvals and logistics

 

General Vendor Information

Project Pride SRQ will provide each approved vendor with one assigned 10x10 display space. Vendor space does not include tables, chairs, tent/canopy, tent weights, electricity, lighting, décor, signage, or setup materials unless otherwise noted or purchased as an add-on.

 

Vendors are responsible for bringing all materials needed for their booth setup, including tent/canopy, tables, chairs, weights, signage, product displays, and any other approved materials.

 

Tents/canopies must be properly weighted. Stakes may not be permitted depending on the final event location and surface conditions.

 

Tent rentals may be available through Project Pride SRQ during the registration process for an additional fee, subject to availability and final rental pricing.

 

Quiet generators may be permitted at vendor spaces only if disclosed in the application and approved in advance by Project Pride SRQ. Generator placement and use may be subject to safety, spacing, noise, and operational requirements.

 

Approved vendors may be able to edit their registration after submission and approval. This may include updates to:

• Day-of event contact information
• Company or organization logo
• Company or organization website URL
• Nonprofit documentation, if applicable
• Certificate of Insurance information, if required
• Other event-related information requested by Project Pride SRQ

Please note that Eventeny may have specific logo upload requirements, including file type or size limitations.

 

Certificate of Insurance information will be shared with vendors after approval, if applicable. Vendors may have the option to upload a COI or purchase insurance online through the platform, depending on Eventeny settings and event requirements.

 

Vendor Map / Booth Selection

Project Pride SRQ expects vendor booth spaces to become available for selection on the vendor map by mid-September, subject to final layout, permitting, public safety, and operational approvals.

Once vendor map selection is available, our team will send approved non-food-truck vendors a message through Eventeny with instructions for selecting a booth space.

 

Food trucks, food trailers, and other food vendors will be placed by Project Pride SRQ based on event layout, access needs, safety requirements, service-side placement, and operational flow.

 

Final booth placement remains subject to Project Pride SRQ approval and may be adjusted based on safety, accessibility, vendor mix, sponsor needs, city requirements, or event logistics.

 

Tentative Load-In / Load-Out Schedule

Vendor setup and load-in is expected to begin in the early afternoon and will be assigned by zones. Final load-in times, vendor zones, parking instructions, and event-day procedures will be communicated prior to the event.

 

Tentative schedule:

• Vendor Load-In Begins: Approximately 12:00 PM
• Vendors Fully Set Up: By approximately 3:30 PM
• Festival Opens: 4:00 PM
• Vendor Marketplace Closes: Approximately 10:00 PM, unless otherwise directed by Project Pride SRQ
• Festival Ends: 11:00 PM
• Vendor Breakdown May Begin: After 10:00 PM for hand-carry items only, if safe and approved by Project Pride SRQ
• Vehicle Load-Out Begins: After the festival closes and once Project Pride SRQ/event personnel release the applicable zone
• Vendor Load-Out Complete: Approximately 11:30 PM–12:00 AM, subject to final event logistics

Vendors may not break down early unless directed by Project Pride SRQ staff or event leadership for safety or operational reasons.

 

Final event hours, load-in/load-out windows, location details, booth placement, and vendor instructions are subject to change based on permitting, public safety, event layout, weather, and operational needs.

Join Project Pride SRQ for Gulfcoast Pride 2026 as we Carry Pride Forward — together in visibility, joy, and community. Gulfcoast Pride is Project Pride SRQ’s signature community celebration, bringing together LGBTQ+ residents, families, allies, artists, businesses, nonprofits, sponsors, volunteers, and community partners for a day of Pride, connection, visibility, and belonging. Your sponsorship helps make this free community festival possible while supporting Project Pride SRQ’s year-round work to build community, strengthen belonging, and connect LGBTQ+ people and allies across Sarasota and the Gulf Coast region. Sponsorship support helps fund core festival needs such as entertainment, event production, safety, accessibility, volunteer support, community partner engagement, guest experience, and public visibility. By sponsoring Gulfcoast Pride 2026, your organization demonstrates a visible commitment to inclusion, community, and belonging across Sarasota and the Gulf Coast region. Additional Notes • Sponsorship benefits are subject to confirmation, production timelines, event layout, safety requirements, and availability. • Sponsorship recognition may vary depending on the date of commitment, payment, logo submission, booth request, tent package request, and production deadlines. • Sponsors seeking early marketing visibility are encouraged to confirm sponsorship by August 15, 2026. • Sponsor logos and materials must be submitted by September 18, 2026 to ensure inclusion in printed signage, major event graphics, and applicable sponsor materials. Preferred logo formats include PNG, JPG, EPS, SVG, or PDF. • Sponsors requesting complimentary booth space or, where eligible, a standard sponsor tent package must submit requests by September 18, 2026. • All sponsorship levels include the option for one complimentary 10x10 sponsor booth space, if requested by the applicable deadline and subject to event layout, availability, and production needs. • Complimentary booth space includes assigned event footprint only. It does not include a tent, table, chairs, electricity, weights, décor, signage, or setup materials unless otherwise noted. • Sponsorships of $2,500 and above may request a standard sponsor tent package, subject to sponsorship deadline, rental availability, event layout, and production requirements. The standard sponsor tent package includes one 10x10 tent/canopy, one 6-foot table, and two chairs. • Electricity, additional tables, additional chairs, tent walls, décor, branded signage, specialty furnishings, and other custom setup needs are not included unless expressly confirmed in writing. • Custom sponsor activations are not guaranteed and must be approved in advance by Project Pride SRQ. Activations may require additional permitting, insurance, staffing, safety review, or setup coordination. • Dedicated sponsor social media posts are only guaranteed where expressly included in the selected sponsorship level. All other sponsor social media recognition may be grouped or incorporated into general sponsor thank-you content. • Payment may be made by check, ACH, or credit card. Credit card payments may be subject to a processing fee.

Welcome to the Entertainment Application for Gulfcoast Pride Festival 2026!

 

Project Pride SRQ is excited to welcome entertainers, artists, speakers, and performers from across our community to Gulfcoast Pride 2026 — a vibrant celebration of LGBTQ+ pride, culture, visibility, joy, and belonging.

 

Whether you are an experienced performer or an emerging artist, we want to hear from you. This year’s entertainment lineup may include drag performers, musicians, dance groups, spoken word artists, youth talent, storytellers, community speakers, and more. We especially encourage submissions from BIPOC artists, trans and nonbinary performers, LGBTQ+ youth, community elders, and artists whose work reflects the diversity and strength of our Gulf Coast community.

 

We are building an inclusive and dynamic lineup that celebrates local talent, uplifts LGBTQ+ voices, and reflects the spirit of Gulfcoast Pride. If you have a performance, story, message, or creative offering to share, we invite you to apply.

 

Please complete the application below to be considered. We can’t wait to experience your talent, energy, and magic at Gulfcoast Pride 2026!

Gulfcoast Pride is Project Pride SRQ’s signature community celebration of LGBTQ+ visibility, joy, connection, and belonging. Your support helps us produce a safe, accessible, and welcoming festival with live entertainment, community vendors, family-friendly activities, health resources, local partners, and space for LGBTQ+ people and allies across Sarasota and the Gulf Coast to come together. Funds raised help support event production, entertainment, safety, accessibility, outreach, permits, insurance, volunteer support, and community-centered programming.