ST. LOUIS – Anheuser-Busch will end its sponsorship of PrideFest, the annual LGBTQIA festival in downtown St. Louis, after more than 30 years of partnership.
Pride St. Louis announced the decision Tuesday morning, expressing sadness over losing such a historic supporter. The festival, which is scheduled for June 28 and 29 at Soldiers Memorial Park, is facing a $150,000 funding shortfall compared to last year.
PrideFest is the largest parade in St. Louis, culminating a weekend of celebration for the LGBTQIA community. Marty Zuniga, the President of Pride St. Louis, expressed hope that the community will step up where Anheuser-Busch has stepped down.
Pride St. Louis is working to modify the budget for the event to ensure the festival can still take place. In response to the funding challenges, Pride St. Louis is launching a fundraising campaign called #45 for 45, commemorating 45 years of advocacy for the LGBTQIA community.
As Pride St. Louis navigates the financial challenges, the organization remains hopeful that community support will help fill the gap left by Anheuser-Busch’s withdrawal.
All facts from this article were gathered by KTVI journalists. This article was converted into this format with assistance from artificial intelligence. It has been edited and approved by KTVI staff.