After celebrating the 20th anniversary of Come Out with Pride last year, event organizers say Orlando’s massive celebration of LGBTQ+ culture will be even bigger this year and a chance for the community to come together.
More than 200,000 people are expected to gather at Lake Eola Park on Saturday in a show of solidarity following a year of attacks against people in the LGBTQ+ community. Held one week after National Coming Out Day, Come Out with Pride Orlando will feature all the festivities, including drag performances, trance rallies, the signature “Most Colorful Parade,” a fireworks finale, and more.
“Our theme this year is ‘We The People,’ because the flag is ours too. We are just part of the fabric of the American experience,” said Tatiana Quiroga, executive director of Come Out with Pride, a nonprofit organization that hosts the annual celebration at Lake Eola Park. “It’s important that people understand that we are part of the Central Florida community and we are not going anywhere.”
As one of the largest Pride celebrations in the Southeast, the event draws visitors from far and wide and generates an estimated $30 million in economic impact for the region.
On Saturday, the festival begins at noon at Lake Eola Park, with a market lined with stalls and two stages for entertainment.
The event footprint has dedicated space for community members with a variety of needs. Sober Space is designed for individuals who don’t want to drink, and Family Spot is set up for young LGBTQ+ individuals and children of queer parents. This year, the Trans Pride Area, which will relocate closer to the main entrance, focuses on the transgender community.
The culmination of the festival is the Most Colorful Parade, featuring more groups than ever before. The route begins at Orange Avenue, continues on East Central Boulevard, turns onto North Rosalind Avenue, and ends at East Robinson Street.
“There are more parade participants than last year. People really feel the need to participate in the celebration,” Quiroga said. “I think this is going to be the biggest year yet because people need it.”
That’s especially true in a year when Pride Southwest Florida was canceled this November and Tampa Pride announced a “one-year hiatus,” meaning it would not be held in 2026. Come Out with Pride is facing headwinds this year due to a decline in corporate sponsorship. Meanwhile, security concerns and costs continue to increase.
“We’re walking a very fine line between making people feel safe and at the same time not making them feel fear,” Quiroga said, adding that it’s important that allies show up this year. “We need to show that representation in numbers. There’s a reason this is the biggest event in Central Florida. This is a representation of us as a community…It’s a celebration and a fight for our future.”
In the name of celebrating LGBTQ+ pride culture, the event will feature local drag queen Angelica Sanchez, who will host the Diva Stage alongside RuPaul’s Drag Race judge Ts Madison. Georgeous, a former contestant on the show, will headline the evening starting at 9 p.m. The full day of events concludes with a colorful fireworks display over Lake Eola at 9:30 p.m.
Through celebrations, members of the LGBTQ+ community can find a way to feel included and gain a sense of belonging.
“There’s something magical about being in a space that affirms who you are that most people don’t get in their everyday lives,” Quiroga said. “At Pride, people look around and see thousands of people who are there to celebrate themselves and celebrate you. It’s really incredible.”
If you go
Come Out With Pride Orlando will be held at 512 E. Washington St. in Orlando on Oct. 18 from noon to 10 p.m. Participation in the event is free. VIP tickets are also available. The event has three entrances: Rosiland Avenue, East Central Boulevard and Eola Drive, which are equipped with metal detectors and security. WESH 2 will broadcast the parade. For more information, visit comeoutwithpride.org.
