Localtopia took place on Saturday, Feb. 22 and featured local businesses and music from across St. Petersburg.
Cassidy Schuck | The Crow’s Nest
By Edyn Gottlieb
What does it take to get St. Petersburg locals out of bed on a Saturday morning?
On Feb. 22, it was Localtopia.
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the St. Petersburg community gathered at Williams Park to explore more than 250 local businesses. This was the seventh annual Localtopia, and with thousands in attendance, its website called it the “biggest one ever.”
Diverse vendors are a staple of the festival. This year, they included ice cream from Clara Rose, award-winning empanadas from Jamboree and dog treats from Our Pet’s Kitchen.
Lori Bishop from Blush Tea and Coffee expressed her enthusiasm for the city.
“St. Pete is such an amazing community,” she said. “No way we wouldn’t want to be a part of this.”
This was Blush Tea and Coffee’s first Localtopia, and the business offered a variety of pastries, coffees and teas. It is located at 2382 Dr. MLK Jr. St. N and open Tuesday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
While many vendors appeared for the first time, others were opening their booths for the last. After seven years, Two Hangry Chicks, a nonprofit organization focused on fighting hunger, is saying goodbye. The organization is run by Daphne Boothe and Kelly Weatherby, who say their goal is to see more people happy and fewer people “hangry.”
With a bounce house, a family rest area and live music, there was something for everyone to enjoy. Children gathered to paint a large school bus provided by an art outreach program called Paint the Bus. This is the organization’s sixth Localtopia, and within an hour, the white bus was brought alive with brushstrokes in every color of the rainbow.
As time went by, it was clear that although the vendors were diverse, they were all there for similar reasons.
“We just love the local scene,” said Joel Hosler, co-owner of Seven C Music.
This was his fourth year bringing the music retail repair shop to Localtopia and he, like many others, plan to return.
