Cape Coral Pride festival relocates due to lack of grant funding

CAPE CORAL, Fla. - Pride Cape Coral, a celebration that attracts thousands annually, is set for a new location this year. The 2026 parade and festival will no longer take place on SE 47th Terrace. Instead, it will be held on Lafayette Street in downtown Cape Coral.

After not receiving a grant to cover the cost of festival security, organizers decided to move the event behind Nice Guys Pizza. This year, the event will be gated and ticketed, with metal detectors at the entry point.

Melissa Moore, a board member for Pride Cape Coral, explained the reasons behind the location change.

"It really all comes down to finances with any kind of large scale event, security is number one," said Moore. "We typically use a grant that we've gotten in previous years to offset that cost, and unfortunately, we did not get that grant this year, so that was a significant factor."

The festival will take place on March 7 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. The parade will start at 4 p.m., running down Lafayette Street from Vincennes Street to Cape Coral Street.

The changes aim to ensure a safe and secure experience for all attendees.