Port St. Lucie, FL cancels Saturday's Pride parade and restricts event to 21 years and older

[Eugene]

Source: Treasure Coast

Port St. Lucie cancels Saturday's Pride parade and restricts event to 21 years and older

Gianna Montesano, Treasure Coast Newspapers
Thu, April 20, 2023 at 4:38 PM EDT

Port St. Lucie city officials have canceled Saturday's Pride parade and restricted event access to people 21 years and older because Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to sign SB1438 into law soon.

Pridefest is the first Pride event in Florida to be affected by the "Protection of Children" bill, which the House passed on April 19 and the Senate passed on April 12 to block establishments from allowing "a child" to see an "adult live performance," which LGBTQ advocates have long worried will have a chilling effect on drag shows.

Pride Alliance of the Treasure Coast, which organizes the annual Pridefest, said they are "upset and disheartened" at the last-minute change, and some parents who had planned to take their children said they are angry. Pridefest has always been an all-age event and the community was excited to have the parade for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic hit the Treasure Coast in March 2020.

The event will be from noon to 6 p.m. at the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Event Center in Port St. Lucie, with indoor and outdoor food, vendors and entertainment. Security will be checking identification to enforce the age restriction.

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Read more: https://news.yahoo.com/port-st-lucie-cancels-saturdays-182951120.html