Delray Beach will not host its St. Patrick’s Day parade in 2027, ending a city tradition that has run since 1968, because of a new Florida law that bars local governments from funding or promoting diversity, equity and inclusion activities. The city is also canceling its annual Pride event for the same reason.
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The city announced the decision Tuesday on Facebook and on the parade’s website. Officials said they reviewed Senate Bill 1134, which Gov. Ron DeSantis signed and which takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, and concluded the city is “legally prohibited from organizing, funding, sponsoring, promoting, or marketing” either event next year.
Diversity, equity and inclusion, usually called DEI, refers to programs meant to support groups based on things like race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. The new law blocks cities from funding, promoting or taking official action on activities that fall under its definition of DEI. According to the city, that covers “certain programming and activities designed or implemented with reference to ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity.” A parade celebrating Irish heritage falls under ethnicity, and Pride falls under sexual orientation and gender identity.
The law does make exceptions. Cities can still celebrate holidays set by federal law, including New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. St. Patrick’s Day is not a federal holiday, so the city said the parade does not qualify. “As a result, the annual parade is subject to the law’s restrictions,” the city said.
The law also lets cities issue event permits in a content neutral way and provide public safety services. That leaves room for a private group to put the events on without the city running them.
Residents did not take the news well. “It’s ridiculous,” one resident told WPBF. Another asked whether the city was going to cancel the Christmas parade next, though Christmas is one of the holidays the law protects.
Within hours, Mayor Tom Carney, a Republican, posted a statement promising to save the St. Patrick’s Day parade. “The St. Patrick’s Day Parade isn’t just another parade,” he wrote. “It’s engrained in the DNA of the Delray Beach community.” He added that “the city is working feverishly with multiple entities to ensure the 2027 St. Patrick’s Day parade goes on as scheduled!”
His statement did not mention Pride. Commenters on his post quickly asked whether the city would fight for the Pride event too. CBS12 later reported that Carney said he would also support private funding for Pride, but the city has not announced any effort to save it.
City Manager Terrence Moore told the Sun Sentinel that a private sponsor could be the path forward for the St. Patrick’s Day parade.
The problem was flagged before the bill passed. Earlier this year, State Sen. Lori Berman, a Democrat, told the Delray Beach City Commission that the bill was worded so vaguely that the city’s funding for its St. Patrick’s Day parade could be considered a violation.
The parade is usually held on the Saturday closest to March 17 and draws tens of thousands of people to Atlantic Avenue each year. In 2025, Delray Beach produced or was affiliated with 21 annual events, including the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival, Christmas tree lighting ceremonies and a menorah lighting.
