The annual celebration looks a little different as Richey Suncoast Theatre and several businesses collaborate with the local non-profit to bring PRIDE to downtown New Port Richey
September 20, 2025
By Michele Miller
What’s What New Port Richey
It’s been some time since Pasco Pride launched its inaugural Pride Fest with a celebration in Sims Park in downtown New Port Richey in 2018, and another held the following year. That was the last of it for the west side of the county, with the following Pride Fests moving to Heritage Park in Land O’Lakes, where Pasco County Parks & Rec offered a safe and more welcoming space, as well as a more central location.
“Pasco Pride has always served all of Pasco as best we can,” said Executive Director Diana Shanks, adding that the collaboration over the years with Pasco County was nothing short of awesome. “The experience felt wonderful. Felt safe. And it cost less to put it on.”
But there was one drawback.
“We have no complaints where we were in Heritage Park, except that there is nothing else out there,” they said of the park located on US Highway 41. “It was a beautiful venue, but there was no place local to go after the festival was over. None of the businesses we approached around there wanted to work with us.”
So when Richey Suncoast Theatre board member Kate Connolly reached out with an offer to host Pasco Pride 2025 at the downtown New Port Richey theatre, organizers were intrigued, even though the theatre’s open dates would move the event from its traditional February date to September.
The idea sounded great in that it would be perfect for staging the traditional drag show, guest speakers, and poetry and live music performances that would allow participants to do their acts onstage, uninterrupted by the handful of bull-horn and sign-toting protesters that tend to show up year after year.
It just wasn’t big enough to accommodate an entire festival.
“We wanted to have more interactive activities – things people could touch, things people could do. We wanted to have good food and drinks, vendors, and entertainment all day,” they said.
“We didn’t want to shrink the festival.”
Then came the idea to involve downtown businesses that could host portions of the festival within their establishments and capitalize on the influx of downtown foot traffic coming to New Port Richey for the day.
It’s been coming down to the wire a bit for organizers who, at interview time, had 11 downtown businesses opening their doors, with a couple more reaching out to show interest. The logistics have taken some working out in figuring out what elements of the fest will go where, and with some of the businesses having to arrange employee coverage to open earlier than usual.
“This event is entirely on private property, so the business owners can exert control of who can come in and out,” Shanks said. “The hecklers were at the City Council meeting fussing about our festival, so they’ll certainly be in the area, but it is not in a park or on any public property this year. There will be no road closures for the fest. All of the elements of the festival, from the main stage to the vendors to the children’s space to the interactive art exhibits, are all housed inside downtown New Port Richey businesses.”
“This will be a safer and more relaxed Pride,” they added.
This also grows the festival area-wise so organizers have created an interactive Google Map to help attendees cover more ground to get from one event to another.
“Coming from (US Highway) 19, the (participating) businesses start on Main Street at the Dented Keg Ale Works, down to The Florida Room, and over to Sip on Grand and the Community Congregational Church on Circle Boulevard by Orange Lake,” Shanks said.
Every single business will have something going on, whether a fun activity, or providing space for vendors or artisans, they said, listing a few solidified events.
The main event will be held from 12 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, September 27.
- Entertainment, including guest speakers, two drag shows, poetry readings, music performances, and interactive games, will be held throughout the day at the Richey Suncoast Theatre on Grand Boulevard.
- Doggie Salon on Main Street will host an 8-foot coloring wall.
- The historic Hacienda Hotel will have vendors set up on the back patio.
- Sip is hosting the volunteer hospitality area.
- The Community Congregational Church will host a kids’ activity zone and the “Free Mom Hugs” group.
- The Florida Room is where you will find the Pasco Pride merch tent and, later on, the 21+ after party.
- Ordinance One, Bourbon on Main, Emerald Coast Brewing, Dented Keg, and Growing Together Plant Co. will have interactive activities or vendors.
Photo Courtesy of Free Mom Hugs
Florida State Chapter
“It is so affirming that businesses in downtown have stepped up so we can house the elements of the festival and not lose anything that makes Pasco Pride a festival. It’s rooted in a deep sense of trust, and getting so many “yeses” has been really uplifting,” Shanks said.
Volunteer participation has also been up with organizers closing out volunteer sign-ups, meeting their quota of 80 early on.
“It’s certainly an experimental way of doing a pride festival,” Shanks said, noting that one more change being made is to start the after-party earlier than usual at 8 p.m..
That leaves attendees with a two-hour window to shop, eat, and drink at downtown establishments throughout the city.
“This is such a collaboration between Pasco Pride and local businesses, and we hope people will go out and eat dinner – maybe get a cocktail somewhere. Pasco Pride will actively direct people to local businesses.”
IF YOU GO
Pasco Pride Festival will be held from 12 – 6 p.m. in several locations in downtown New Port Richey. For an interactive map and list of planned events, click here.
A 21+ Afterparty will be held starting at 8 p.m. at the Florida Room on Main Street in downtown New Port Richey. $20 presale | $25 at the door. Register here.
LINK To – Pasco Pride Festival Website | Facebook
