Localtopia features artists, vendors, food and more around Williams Park and the surrounding streets.
Courtesy of the City of St. Petersburg
By Sophia George
After the COVID-19 pandemic made last year’s event challenging, Localtopia is back for its ninth year “bigger than ever before.”
Organized by Keep St. Petersburg Local (KSPL) and presented by Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, the festival is advertised as the “best way to show local love” to over 300 St. Petersburg-run businesses.
Localtopia takes place on Feb. 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Williams Park located at 330 Second Ave. N.
Last year’s event was the first one since the start of the pandemic, and at the time, the number of spots for vendors was reduced for social distancing.
“We did it because we understood how much the participants needed that income (most vendors have a record sales day at the festival), and we knew how much they had endured since COVID-19 changed our world. It pained us to have to reduce the number of spots due to distancing issues,” Olga Bof, founder and executive director of Localtopia, said in a press release.
According to a press release, one of Localtopia’s goals is to preserve the small businesses St. Petersburg is known for.
“We said that we would make our 2022 festival our biggest one yet to be able to include as many of St. Pete’s favorite businesses as we could. We hoped that by the time 2022 rolled around, we would be in a different place and that things would get better for our local businesses,” Bof said.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, local businesses have struggled with supply chain and labor shortages, inflation and rent increases. Additionally, with St. Petersburg consistently developing, big corporations threaten small businesses.
The festival will be separated into “villages” spanning from Williams Park to the surrounding streets –– Arts Village (near Fourth Street North), All-Things Plants Village (Williams Park), Family Village (near Third Street North) and the Health & Wellness Village.
In the Arts Village, festival attendees will find art galleries and local artisans selling hand-crafted products like jewelry, pottery and home décor.
The All-Things Plants Village will offer an array of botanical goods –– plants and planters, as well as plant-based skincare, food and drinks.
Family Village offers more artists and a way to connect with other community members and local organizations. Here, festivalgoers can help paint the NOMAD Art Bus, learn about the environment with Sweet Water Education Events Training, go book shopping at Literary Corner and more.
Shows featuring aerialists, jugglers and acrobats will be hosted by Underground Cirque in the Health & Wellness Village.
Local food and drinks will be available at Food Truck Rally Alley on Fourth Street North. Some of the food trucks that will be at this year’s event are Latin Lunch Box, PB & Jelly Deli and St. Pete Taco Lady.
On Second Avenue North, more food trucks, restaurants and beverage vendors will be available including Grassroots Kava House, Curious Cat Bakery, 4th Street Pizza and The Wooden Rooster.
For local craft beer and wine, attendees can head over to Second Avenue North. St. Pete Brewing Company, 3 Daughters Brewing, Pinellas Ale Works and other popular breweries from the Tampa Bay area can be found here.
The festival will feature live music and entertainment all day at the Williams Park Bandstand as well as the new Second Street Stage on Second Avenue.
Surrounding streets that will be closed for the event include:
- Second Avenue between Second and Fourth Street North.
- Third Street between First and Third Avenue North.
- Old bus lane on Fourth Street North.
For more information on Localtopia, visit KeepSaintPetersburgLocal.org/Localtopia.
