WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Delray Beach canceled its 2027 St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Pride event after reviewing restrictions in Florida’s SB 1134.
- The law bars county and municipal governments from funding, promoting, or taking official action involving diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Residents called the cancellation ridiculous and warned that losing the parade could hurt local businesses during the season.
- Mayor Tom Carney said the city is working with several groups to preserve the popular parade.
A Florida city has canceled its annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Pride event for 2027, citing a new state law that restricts government funding and promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, as reported by The New York Post.
The decision in Delray Beach has angered residents who questioned the sweeping cancellations and warned that losing the popular St. Patrick’s Day celebration could hurt local businesses. City officials maintain that the law leaves them legally unable to organize, finance, or promote either event.
The legislation, SB 1134, takes effect statewide on Jan. 1. It passed both chambers in the State House and was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in April.
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Under the law, county and municipal governments are prohibited from “funding or promoting or taking official action as it relates to diversity, equity, and inclusion.” The restrictions also affect city events celebrating heritage and ethnicity.
Officials who violate the new law can be declared to have committed misfeasance or malfeasance in office. According to the state constitution, they may face suspension, administrative discipline, or removal from office by the governor.
Delray Beach officials announced Tuesday that they had reviewed the legislation and concluded the city could not continue handling the two events. The declaration put both the community parade and the Pride gathering on the chopping block.
“Following a review of the legislation and its requirements, the City has determined that it is legally prohibited from organizing, funding, or promoting these events in 2027,” city officials said.
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“These restrictions include certain programming and activities designed or implemented with reference to ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity.”
Residents did not exactly greet the news with a polite round of applause. They challenged the reasoning behind the cancellations and expressed concern about the potential economic consequences for Delray Beach.
“Disappointed? Ridiculous. You know, it’s just – are they going to cancel the Christmas parade as well? So, there’s a lot of issues going on here, and it’s weird,” resident Randy Biro told WPBF.
Police volunteer Kenny Moskowitz said the St. Patrick’s Day Parade normally attracts a large crowd during the middle of the season. He argued that the event brings customers to the avenue while offering residents and visitors a good time.
“Middle of the season, it’ll bring business to the avenue. And it’s good and it’s fun. And it’ll probably bring, I guess, 50-60,000 people here,” Moskowitz told the outlet. “It’s ridiculous. Why would they cancel it? It’s just, it’s beyond anything we can imagine.”
Delray Beach Mayor Tom Carney also expressed frustration about the cancellation, although he said the city has little room to maneuver because of the state law. In a Facebook post Tuesday, he described the parade as a central part of the community.
“The St. Patrick’s Day Parade isn’t just another parade. It’s engrained in the DNA of the Delray Beach community,” Carney wrote.
Carney said the city was working “feverishly” with several groups in an effort to preserve the parade. He did not disclose additional details about those discussions or how another arrangement might work under the new restrictions.
“For those who live, work & play in Delray, we want the Delray Beach St. Patrick’s Day parade to stay!” Carney added.
The mayor also indicated that the impact may not stop with the parade and Pride event. Other programs organized by the city could potentially face cancellation because of the limits imposed by SB 1134.
“This bill puts severe restrictions on how cities can pay for community events such as the St. Patrick’s Day Parade along with potentially other city-sponsored events,” he said.
The law does not prohibit celebrations of certain holidays recognized under federal law. Those include Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
For Delray Beach, however, the immediate fight centers on whether the St. Patrick’s Day Parade can survive without the city organizing, funding, or promoting it. Residents and the mayor want the tradition preserved, while city officials say the new law legally blocks their previous role.
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