June may be the busiest month for Pride celebrations, but local groups are ensuring that visibility remains throughout the year. This November, St Pete Pride is expanding its year-round celebration of LGBTQ+ community and culture by officially bringing Sapphic St Pete under its umbrella for a weeklong series of events centered on lesbian, queer women, and sapphic-identifying communities.
Set to take place during the first week of November 2026, the festival marks a new chapter for an event that quickly became a standout addition to Tampa Bay’s LGBTQ+ cultural scene after its debut in 2025.
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Originally founded by local artist, event organizer, and creative consultant Rachel Covello, Sapphic St Pete launched to celebrate lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, trans, nonbinary, queer, etc., women. The inaugural festival featured comedy shows, art exhibits, speed dating events, parties, and community gatherings that created intentional spaces for connection and visibility.
Creating international spaces
“My goal was to partner with an organization that could support the funding and growth potential I envisioned for this week-long sapphic celebration while respecting its foundation and continuing several of its inaugural events that resonated well with the sapphic community,” Covello said. “I could not think of a better organization to take on Sapphic St Pete than St Pete Pride.”
The partnership represents a continued expansion for St Pete Pride, which has increasingly focused on creating programming beyond its annual June festivities. Under the leadership of Executive Director Bior Guigni, the organization says it is committed to ensuring that LGBTQ+ identities, often overlooked in larger Pride celebrations, receive dedicated visibility and support.
“I am absolutely ecstatic that Sapphic St Pete is joining the St Pete Pride family,” Guigni said. “Creating intentional space for our lesbian and sapphic community matters deeply, and I am so proud that we are expanding our legacy to ensure every identity feels seen, celebrated, and centered.”
Celebrating Pride all year long
While Pride celebrations traditionally emphasize broad LGBTQ+ unity, organizers say sapphic voices have historically been underrepresented in many marquee events. Sapphic St Pete aims to change that by creating spaces where queer women and sapphic individuals can celebrate identity in ways that feel both personal and affirming.
According to Dr. Byron Green-Calisch, the addition of Sapphic St Pete aligns closely with the organization’s broader mission of inclusion and representation.
“We are truly overjoyed to welcome Sapphic St Pete under the St Pete Pride umbrella,” Green-Calisch said. “Expanding intentional queer spaces, especially those centered on sapphic voices and experiences, is deeply aligned with our mission to foster visibility, inclusion, and belonging for all.”
Founded by Covello and powered by LuvHer Events, Sapphic St Pete has already established itself as an important cultural space within the Tampa Bay LGBTQ+ community. Now, with the support of St Pete Pride, organizers are looking ahead to an even larger celebration of queer joy this fall.
