A federal judge has ruled in favor of Naples Pride, allowing the nonprofit to host its drag performance outdoors for the first time in two years.
The preliminary injunction follows a lawsuit filed by Naples Pride against the city of Naples and the Naples Police Department. The organization argued it was forced to move the show indoors and limit it to those 18 and older, violating its First Amendment rights. The judge agreed.
Callhan Soldavini, a Naples Pride board member and attorney, called the decision a big win for the LGBTQ+ community.
"We're feeling really good and just uplifted because there is so much misinformation surrounding drag and that if one drag performance can be inappropriate for children, that somehow they all are, which is illogical," said Soldavini. "A lot of rise in hateful rhetoric we've seen since we filed the lawsuit is that somehow parents who bring their children to this event are, somehow, grooming and sexualizing their own children, which is not only just bizarre, but just an absolutely terrible thing to say."
Soldavini added that the group has an entertainment committee to ensure all performances — drag and others — are appropriate for audiences of all ages.
Naples Pride also challenged the cost of this year’s event. After paying $15,520 for security in 2024, it was told it would need to pay $44,160 to hold the drag show outside this year.
The judge found the fee was based on unlawful factors and ordered the city to revisit the amount.
“He pretty much threw the ball back in the city's court and said, 'You need to redetermine what those fees are, removing those unlawful factors,'” Soldavini explained.
Naples police said the increased fee was tied to additional staffing, particularly in anticipation of protests. The department says it is working closely with organizers and the Collier County Sheriff’s Office to ensure safety during the event.
Soldavini also responded to criticism of drag performances:
“The only thing that hurts children isn't being exposed to a Pride celebration or being exposed to a drag queen, but telling them that somehow they need to fear this community, or that it's dirty, or that it's inherently lewd, when, if you look at objective evidence, that's not the case. And that's the stuff that harms children. It's not seeing a drag queen. It's telling them to be fearful and telling them to judge somebody who's different than them.”
Locals like Michael D’Ambrosio recognize a cultural shift in the city.
“I think there's a clash of the old and the new. So there are a lot of, like, younger people moving in. There's a lot of new ideas coming in,” he said.
The judge’s ruling applies only to this year’s Pridefest on June 7 at Cambier Park. The injunction expires the next day.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has announced plans to appeal the decision.
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