Naples Pride has filed an amended complaint against the City of Naples and its officials, claiming that their First Amendment rights were violated due to restrictions placed on their annual Pridefest celebration, particularly concerning drag performances.
The organization, with legal support from the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Florida, aims to challenge what they describe as discriminatory restrictions on drag performances and excessive security fees.
Naples Pride asserts that the City of Naples has violated their First Amendment rights and is seeking lasting constitutional safeguards to protect LGBTQ+ visibility and freedom of expression.
In 2023, the City of Naples stated that Naples Pride’s permit application would be rejected if it hosted a drag performance in an outdoor public space. Consequently, Naples Pride was forced to hold its 2023-2024 drag performances in a small indoor venue that, according to them, “accommodated only a fraction of the performance’s typical audience.
Naples Pride claims they faced additional restrictions and exorbitant permit fees, with security costs estimated at over $30,000 for an indoor performance.
In 2025, Naples Pride filed a lawsuit to stop the City from enforcing these restrictions. A preliminary injunction allowed the drag performance to occur outdoors for all ages, but the Eleventh Circuit later stayed this injunction just before the 2025 Pridefest, leading to further legal disputes.
Naples Pride emphasizes that this fight is about more than one event, stating, "This fight is bigger than one event or one city—it’s about the fundamental freedoms that define us as Americans."
Read the full amended complaint attached to this article.