Taking place on Thanksgiving weekend, the annual Shopapalooza Festival is one of the biggest shopping events in the entire Tampa Bay region, and this year’s rendition promises to be better than ever. The huge (and free) vendor market takes place in St. Petersburg on Saturday and Sunday, November 30 and December 1, from 10 am – 5 pm on the waterfront in Vinoy Park. This annual extravaganza is more than worth crossing the bridge, and you can even get easy access without driving by taking the CrossBay Ferry.
Kicking off on Small Business Saturday (and continuing into Sunday), this year’s Shopapalooza is an excellent opportunity to support local vendors, including many affected by the hurricanes. LocalShops1 Founder Ester Venouziou is the prolific mind behind this celebration of small businesses, and the event is made possible with support from the City of St. Pete.
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In addition to more than 350 great local businesses, the event features an array of outdoor food halls, live entertainment and activities all weekend long, food trucks, beer and wine gardens, and the most glam seating lounge. And the best part: it’s completely free. As LocalShops1 points out, you can save that money for shopping. The event is family-friendly and open to all ages. Well behaved pets on leashes are also allowed.
Shopapalooza is the biggest local shopping event of the season
Each food hall will feature snacks, drinks, entrees and desserts for everyone to enjoy. Selections include options for vegans and those with more carnivorous sensibilities.
A kids zone featuring crafts, play and learning stations will also be set up, featuring photo ops with Princesses, Ms. Florida and Santa, yard games, crafts table, and more. The section also includes food and dessert trucks, animal rescues, and vendors specializing in gifts for children and parents.
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While RSVP is not required, those who register in advance can win one of several incredible prizes, including personal shopping assistants, shopping sprees, and much more. Learn more and register (for free) here.
This family-friendly event is absolutely free to attend. You can even win a $500 shopping spree by registering in advance on Eventbrite (one winner will be picked for each festival day). This year’s nonprofit partners are Jump for Kids and St. Pete Youth Farm. The festival is co-sponsored by the beautiful City of St. Pete.
Food halls, kid zones, and more at Vinoy Park
“Every year, Shopapalooza Festival kicks off the holiday shopping season by celebrating the great independent businesses that make Tampa Bay such an amazing place,” says Ester Venouziou, LocalShops1 and Shopapalooza founder. “These past couple of years, especially, we all saw how much we depend on small businesses and all they do to keep our communities going, from giving meals to schoolchildren and first responders, to raising funds and donating supplies to neighbors in need. The local business community went above and beyond, and if we want them to stick around, it’s time for us all to give back and support them as much as we can. This year’s Palooza is the biggest one yet: 11.3 acres filled with pure local awesomeness, and many surprises to be discovered.”
Vinoy Park is located at 701 Bayshore Drive NE in St. Petersburg, FL. Parking is available at garages across downtown St. Pete. There will be free trolley rides to and from Shopapalooza at the Southcore Parking garage, which is located on 2nd Street South between Central and 1st Avenues.
Learn more about the vendors and the event on the Shopapalooza Festival website or Facebook event. Keep up with everything happening with LocalShops1 on its website!
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