Two Delray Beach celebrations face the loss of city support under Florida’s new restrictions on diversity, equity and inclusion. The mayor has announced an effort to keep one of them going.
For LGBTQ+ residents, the obvious question is what happens to the other.
WLRN reports that the city will no longer host or fund its St. Patrick’s Day Parade or annual Pride event in 2027. Officials say they reviewed the legislation and concluded that they cannot organise, fund or promote the celebrations.
A promise for the parade
Republican mayor Tom Carney subsequently announced work with outside organisations to preserve the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
As LGBTQ Nation reports, his statement did not include a comparable commitment for Pride. Commenters asked whether the city would also work to save that celebration.
The distinction is between what was publicly promised for the parade and what the statement left unanswered about Pride. It does not establish that Carney has explicitly refused to help Pride organisers.
What the law actually restricts
The Florida Senate’s official record for SB 1134 confirms that the law takes effect January 1, 2027. It restricts counties and municipalities from funding, promoting or taking official action relating to DEI.
Its definition includes programming designed or implemented with reference to ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Delray Beach says those restrictions prevent its involvement in both events.
That concerns local government action. It should not be described as a blanket ban on people privately organising Pride celebrations or St. Patrick’s Day events.
The city has acknowledged that private entities can sponsor these or similar events. Whether that possibility becomes a workable replacement is the question facing residents.
A celebration is also a place to belong
The city’s own parade page describes an event bringing together fire departments, veterans, schools and businesses, with entertainment for people of different backgrounds.
It is easy to understand why residents want to preserve it. Pride likewise gives people a reason to gather, see friends and celebrate a community that may not always feel secure in its welcome.
For gay couples and older LGBTQ+ residents, that visibility can be particularly meaningful: a chance to be part of the public life of their own town.
Supporting one celebration need not diminish the other. The unanswered question is whether the determination expressed for St. Patrick’s Day will also produce a publicly stated path forward for Pride.
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