Project Pride marches 700-foot flag over Ringling Bridge

By Ian Swaby
| 11:25 a.m. June 30, 2024

Luna Cassandra and August Ray walk across the bridge.

Sarasota
Neighbors

Members of the LGBTQ+ community were highly visible the morning of June 29, in an area spanning much of the John Ringling Causeway.

During the Grand Flag March led by Project Pride SRQ, around 700 community members marched with what, at 700 feet, is one of the world's largest progressive Pride flags, beginning at Hart's Landing and walking to the center of the bridge.

"Today is a day of love and celebration," said Jason Champion, president of Project Pride. "We are built off the fact of honoring, celebrating and supporting the community, and today is a great way to wrap up Pride month with stretching out that 700-foot flag."

This year's version of the event took on a new meaning due to Gov. Ron DeSantis' "Freedom Summer" directive requiring that all bridges be lit only in red, white and blue colors.

Jules Rayne, a community organizer at Equality Florida, was among the speakers at the event to address the topic.

"LGBTQ+ is the prime example of what real patriotism is: the freedom from government tyranny, a place to live free, where everyone is created equal and imbued with life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," she said.

The event also featured additional speakers including Champion; Neil McCurry, husband of Project Pride co-founder Katie McCurry; India Miller, a local activist; Kira-Lynn Ferderber, an educator and liaison for Planned Parenthood, Tsi Day Smyth, executive officer and vice president of Voices of Florida; Sarah Parker, president of Women's Voices of Southwest Florida, and Zander Moricz, executive director of SEE Alliance.

Cindy Effron brings some bubbles to the scene.

Daniel Fecteau and Chris Ceruti lead the way towards the bridge.

Local activist Zander Moricz leads the crowds in a song, following his speech.

Jules Rayne, a community organizer with Equality Florida, speaks at the event.

Justyn Hunter-Ceruti, Donna Hanley and Erica Serine lead the way.

Avery Cole and his brother Kennedy Cole applaud a speaker.

Attendees, including Devin Gulliver (front) walk across the bridge.

Ryan Mulligan and his partner Donald Matthews make their way across the bridge.

Pediatric psychologist Susan Moschos showed support from beneath the bridge on a paddleboard.

author

Ian Swaby

Ian Swaby is the Sarasota neighbors writer for the Observer. Ian is a Florida State University graduate of Editing, Writing, and Media and previously worked in the publishing industry in the Cayman Islands.