PRIDE Cape Coral
Fifth annual celebration to take place this weekend in South Cape
A weekend celebrating diversity, inclusion and love will take place this weekend in the South Cape.
The fifth annual PRIDE Cape Coral event is set for Saturday and Sunday along Southeast 47th Terrace and will feature a parade, live entertainment, and a fundraising brunch.
PRIDE Cape Coral organizers said this is a free outdoor family-friendly event celebrating the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community in Cape Coral and across Southwest Florida.
“Visibility is so important,” said PRIDE Cape Coral representative Shannon Coke. “It is how we break down the barriers of misunderstanding and prejudice in our society. There is a large LGBTQ community in Southwest Florida and many allies who support their LGBTQ family members and friends. PRIDE is an opportunity for us all to come together to celebrate our diversity, show our strength in numbers, and to continue building the welcoming community we all want to live in. We want all people to feel welcome in Cape Coral.”
March 4 activities are from 3 to 10 p.m. and include a parade, live entertainment with local and national performers, food and drinks, carnival games, and a tutu drag race competition. An official after-party begins at 10 p.m. at Cruisers Lounge at 1517 Southeast 47th Terrace.
March 5 features a Drag Brunch on Southeast 10th Place, with seatings at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The brunch includes catered food and specialty drinks from South Cape restaurants and a drag show. Tickets for the brunch are $30.
This year’s entertainment is headlined by emcee Axel Andrews and Plastique Tiara, “The Queen of TikTok,” and a contestant from season 11 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Entertainment also includes DJ Mad Mel, South Florida Entertainer of the Year Alyssa Lemay, Miss Cape Coral Pride 2022 Daye Nada, and additional performances from local drag entertainers.
“Our hope is that everyone who attends feels welcomed, whether this is your first PRIDE event or you have attended many PRIDE celebrations before,” Coke said. “We have planned a fun two days for everybody, with the spirit of inclusion and equality in mind.”
The organization believes events such as PRIDE are a way to continue to open the eyes of the public when it comes to inclusivity and togetherness.
“Progress has been made in recent years when it comes to LGBTQ visibility and acceptance in Southwest Florida,” Coke said. “For instance, there are now annual PRIDE celebrations in Fort Myers, Naples, Punta Gorda and Cape Coral. Naples has a PRIDE Center and a new center is opening soon in Fort Myers.”
She added that the greatest challenges are coming from lawmakers who she says are targeting LGBTQ people in schools, the workplace, healthcare and in a variety of other ways.
“It is happening all over the country right now,” Coke said. “It’s important for folks to understand that many LGBTQ people still live in fear and face discrimination on a regular basis. We dream of a world where people are free to be who they are and to love who they love.”
As with all large public events in the city, the Cape Coral Police Department will have officers on patrol, and Coke said additional security has been hired to ensure a safe experience for all attendees during the event.
For more information on the Cape Coral PRIDE Parade and Drag Brunch on the Street, visit pridecapecoral.com or search @pridecapecoral on Facebook and Instagram.
PRIDE Cape Coral is a Florida non-profit with a mission to “facilitate a welcoming environment for members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community through education, support and recognition.”
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To reach CJ HADDAD, please email cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com