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June 19 and St. Petersburg

Today is June 19, 2025, also known as Juneteenth or Emancipation Day. It is a holiday that commemorates the day enslaved people in Texas, and later the rest of the United States, learned of their freedom.

St. Petersburg, Florida, bursts into vibrant life each June as the city celebrates Gay Pride Month. St. Pete is particularly known for its St. Pete Pride Festival, the largest pride event in the Southeast United States.

This year, citizens also celebrate Juneteenth as a new National Holiday. This Gulf Coast city transforms into a stage where history and festivity meet, inviting visitors to join in the spirited commemorations.

Author created graphic on CANVA

To kick off the festivities, our St. Petersburg Mayor, Kenneth T. Welch, along with City officials and community members, gathered on May 29 at 9 a.m. outside City Hall to raise the Pride flag.

My favorite is the Gay Pride Parade will travel along Bayshore Drive, filled with colorful floats, marching groups, and tons of swag along the route, ending at Vinoy Park. Come cheer on your favorite local community organizations, spread joy, and join in the fun. Get your confetti, Pride flags, and dancing shoes ready as over 100 groups march the parade route.

Author Created Graphic on CANVA

These annual events are key to making my Webb’s Glass Series feel grounded in the local community of St. Petersburg, Florida. Like my characters, I’ll be watching the parade from a shady spot along Bayshore Drive.

What will you do with your new Juneteenth holiday this year?

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The Webb’s Glass Shop Mysteries are set in the bustling city of St. Petersburg, FL. The characters spend considerable time sampling the culinary delights of the growing, foody landscape of the downtown waterfront. Please consider buying locally. Independent bookstores need your help.

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Don’t forget to enter our Booklover’s Bench contest. We’re collecting entries for TWO free books to one lucky winner. It runs from June 1-22. Here’s the link: https://bookloversbench.com/contests/

Want to know more about our author Cheryl Hollon? visit her WEBSITE

 

Posted in with Cheryl Hollon • Tags: , , , |  5 Comments

 

5 thoughts on “June 19 and St. Petersburg”

  1. Since I have lived in Texas my entire life, we’ve always had Juneteenth celebrations. It usually gets combined with Father’s Day for picnics and such. There will be quite a few different historical things to do that are put on by different Black groups. House tours, jazz festivals, story telling etc. Me, I’ll be sitting at home with my A/C because I’m a serious introvert and can’t deal with the heat or crowds.

    Reply

    1. Hi Brenda – thanks for stopping by the bench. We’ll be soaking up the A/C as much as we can until parade time. Enjoy!

      Reply

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