From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb 18, thousands of visitors will flood the streets to celebrate local businesses.
Courtesy of Localtopia
By Aubrey Carr
Localtopia is back for its 10th year, celebrating a day filled with crowded streets, shopping and support for St. Petersburg’s entrepreneurship.
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 18 in Williams Park, 350 Second Ave. N., visitors can shop at over 300 vendors, each from businesses around the city.
Sponsored by the City of St. Petersburg, the community staple turns the heart of downtown into a free-to-attend festival spreading love for the local economy.
Vendors are separated into a variety of different “villages,” collections of booths matching a particular theme. This year there are four unique villages –– arts, family, health and wellness and #AllThingsPlants.
The arts village, located at Fourth St. N., features creative works from the city’s most talented artists and makers –– including a booth run by the University of South Florida St. Petersburg’s graphic arts students.
Courtesy of Localtopia.
Family is located at Third St. N and includes family-friendly vendors and activities for everyone to enjoy. The NOMAD Art bus, a recurring attraction at the event, encourages creativity by allowing guests to paint the vehicle. Other exciting sights, such as a stunt performance by the St. Pete Fight Team and a traditional Native American dance performance by D. Smith Studios make the village a can’t miss stop.
Health and Wellness, held within the park, aims to encourages a “healthy St. Pete” and features sellers whose products focus on mental and physical wellness-being. The section also includes shows from Underground Cirque, allowing visitors a chance to see jugglers, aerialists, acrobats and more.
#AllThingsPlants, also within the park, is a fan-favorite area that provides shoppers with everything they need for a perfect natural oasis. Farm-fresh produce, flowers, plants, seeds, handmade pots and plant-based products are all available for purchase here.
In addition to the official villages, the surrounding areas will hold food trucks, craft beer stations, boutiques, a literary corner and more.
If your budget is tight, or you just want to come out and enjoy the ambiance, no worries. Localtopia has free performances by St. Petersburg-based bands throughout the day. The lineup includes Charlie G, Sierra Amora, Rebekah Pulley and The Reluctant Prophets, Nasja Mone, Boho Sideshow, Danfield, Shevonne Philidor and a variety of local DJs.
St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch will kick off the event with an opening speech and performers will follow inat forty-five-minute increments throughout the day.
With the surrounding streets closed off and plenty of foot-traffic from pedestrians, it’s best to plan accordingly if you want to drive to Localtopia. Free parking is available at Tropicana Field (One Tropicana Drive), with a trolly provided to transport you to the event. For guests journeying without a car, free transportation is provided via the SunRunner bus service. A bike valet will also be available at an added cost.
For more information, directions and a complete list of vendors, visit localtopia.keepsaintpetersburglocal.org.
