However, this pause is necessary for the organization to regroup, reassess our long-term strategy, and identify additional avenues of funding to secure the future stability of Tampa Pride events,” the group wrote. Asked about the cancellation, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, the city’s first openly gay Mayor, said she expects a pride celebration to still occur in the city next year “in some form.”“Tampa’s Pride events have been volunteer-driven and supported by the community. Meanwhile, St. Pete Pride, which hosts the largest pride parade in the Southeast U.S., has vowed that its 2026 events will continue. “Be assured that we remain firmly committed to keeping Pride alive across Tampa Bay,” the group wrote on Instagram. The Tampa Pride cancellation comes as GOP leaders at the state and federal level continue to push back against LGBTQ+ issues, particularly transgender issues.