The objective of Bold Love Fest is to create a distinctive concert and festival experience that celebrates Pride month and our LGBTQ+ community. We aim to honor LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies of all ages, develop unique touch points that engage our audiences, and uplift both the Jacksonville LGBTQ+ community and the local organizations that support them. Leveraging our resources—including our partnership with the Jacksonville Jaguars, community connections, and media relationships—we wanted to create and produce a joyful Pride celebration that will champion the target audience and unify our city.
The strategy for this project focused on three key goals: securing, engaging, and establishing. We aimed to secure well-known LGBTQ+ and allied artists who are passionate about supporting the cause through performance. We also sought to engage a variety of partners, sponsors, resources, and community organizations. Lastly, we worked to establish a reputable, high-profile event with the potential for growth.
As a new event and brand, we needed to build the entire identity while finding and connecting with new audiences. It was imperative that we secure the buy-in and affinity from the local LGBTQ+ community. We overcame this challenge by reaching out to local LGBTQ+ organizations, holding a luncheon, sharing our vision, and gathering their input/feedback. We then forged partnerships with those organizations to cross-promote and amplify the event, ensuring our messaging reached the exact audiences needed. These local organizations include River City Pride, Equality Florida, PFLAG, Queer Trans Project, COLORS Jax, Queer Market, and NFAN.
This project came to life through a combination of impactful experiences. The music lineup featured prominent LGBTQ+ and allied artists, including Ava Max, Aly & AJ, G Flip, VINCINT, and local DJ Nick Fresh. The event also offered immersive experiences, such as a local vendor market, live art installations, and more. Engaging activations included a queer market, a signature drink, a cornhole tournament, sidewalk chalking, and more.
The VIP experience included exclusive meet-and-greet opportunities and dedicated VIP areas. Attendees also had access to vital information from community organizations. Nationally recognized drag performers Monet X Change and Trinity the Tuck Taylor hosted and performed, adding to the event’s star power.
Key initiatives included building and promoting the event’s brand, engaging new audiences through digital and social media channels, and utilizing paid media to amplify reach. We collaborated with several local LGBTQ+ organizations to garner support and cross-promote the event. Additionally, we established a grassroots presence at community events with special offers, giveaways, and a PR day leading up to the event for the hosts. Bold Love Fest was featured across four dedicated channels, targeting LGBTQ+ dating apps, as well as traditional radio, TV, print, and OOH advertising. We also partnered with AEW (All Elite Wrestling) and the Jacksonville Jaguars to further extend our reach.
The results exceeded the team’s objectives in several key areas. Bold Love Fest was the flagship initiative of the Jacksonville Jaguars' Pride Month content and marked the first time an NFL team supported a Pride festival with a dedicated Pride jersey. Key achievements included 362 social media posts, 165 signature sip cocktails sold, a 6.3% average engagement rate, and 100 custom posters. The event featured 8 musical performers, 8 LGBTQ+ organization partnerships, 383K+ social impressions, and over 1,200 attendees.
A local LGBTQ+ artist designed an exclusive event day poster, which was distributed to 50+ local businesses, along with coasters at various LGBTQ+ bars. We also provided complimentary booths at Bold Love Fest for our local LGBTQ+ organization partners, offering cross-promotion on social media and highlights on Bold Love Fest’s channels. Local media outlets, including CBS 47, 904 Happy Hour, and Folio, provided additional support and coverage.
