Pictured: Formerly known as the Harvey Milk Festival, Be Fabulous Pride Festival has been amplifying LGBTQ+ voices for 14 years. Photo courtesy of Be Fabulous.

Kicking off last night with the opening of the “Empowered” exhibition at SEE Space Sarasota, the annual Be Fabulous Music & Arts Pride Festival continues into the weekend with performance art tonight at the Players Studio, followed by a free community festival and concert from 3-10pm this Saturday at the Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center, complete with live music, local vendors, a silent auction, and a closing drag show.

Formerly known as the Harvey Milk Festival, the Be Fabulous Pride Festival has highlighted and celebrated queer and non-binary artists throughout the region for 14 years, building community and raising awareness of issues affecting that community. And this year, says festival founder Shannon Fortner, the event holds particular significance.

“In light of everything that’s been happening in Florida,” Fortner says, “it's important for us to show we’re resilient—to bring the community together and create these safe spaces and celebrate your community.”

Tonight, that celebration looks like an evening performance by the queer art collective Swamp Yell, which will be debuting new work and works-in-progress at the Players Studio in the Rosemary District. Comprised of four local artists—Jess Pope, Gabriel Keusch, Erne Murphy and Mike Murphy—Swamp Yell performances and projects include everything from dance and movement to spoken word poetry and even experiments in projection and shadow, with room for audience interaction. The performance starts at 7pm and tickets are $15. ($10 for students.)

The festival comes to its climax on Saturday, with an outdoor celebration and concert, free and open to the public. Musical performers include Zeta The Babe, a saxophone player and vocalist who loops live onstage, as well as local artist Brittany Zeff, who will be debuting some original music for the festival, and Nowincolor, a younger band gaining traction in the region. “I love their energy,” says Fortner. “They have such a sound and a sense of community; you see how a music scene can thrive here.” MeterEYES, Fortner’s band, will also play a set, as well as Summer Hoop and Gracie Cespedes. The festival’s keynote address will be given by Jules Rayne, a community organizer with Equality Florida.

The close of Saturday’s event also marks the end of the festival’s silent auction, currently ongoing, where donated offerings up for bidding include gift certificates to Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe and Sage Restaurant, day passes to the Ringling Museum or the Sarasota Art Museum, tickets to the Asolo, spa services and even a $1500 staycation package. Proceeds from the auction will go to a new program from the Fabulous Arts Foundation, parent organization of the Be Fabulous Pride Festival, to provide mental health services that address the needs of the queer community.

Fortner hopes to have more solid information on that development later in the summer. For now, there’s the festival this weekend, the Friendly City Pride in Manatee on May 26, and plans already in motion for next year’s 15th-anniversary celebration.

“This community is my family,” Fortner says. “And being able to provide a safe space for the community to feel seen and heard has always been a passion of mine.”

Pictured: Formerly known as the Harvey Milk Festival, Be Fabulous Pride Festival has been amplifying LGBTQ+ voices for 14 years. Photo courtesy of Be Fabulous.

For tickets and information on the Be Fabulous Music & Arts Pride Festival, click here.