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November 15, 2019, St Petersburg, FL – More than 225 local businesses are uniting at St. Petersburg’s Vinoy Park on Thanksgiving Weekend for LocalShops1’s 10^th annual Shopapalooza Festival. The event has expanded into a 2-day extravaganza celebrating small businesses, local arts, local music, and the local vibe that makes Tampa Bay such a special place. 

Shopapalooza Festival takes place 10 am to 5 pm Saturday Nov 30 and Sunday Dec 1. Expected to be the biggest Small Business Saturday and Sunday celebration in Florida, the event is a fun and easy way for families to do their holiday shopping with local small businesses.

Admission is free and open to the public. Registration is not required, but those who do sign up are entered into a free drawing for a $500 shopping spree. There will be one winner each day.

The event, co-sponsored by the City of St. Petersburg, is family-friendly (keep reading for details on the kids zone!) and well-behaved pets on leashes are welcomed. 

“Shopapalooza Festival celebrates and spotlights the great independent businesses that make Tampa Bay such an amazing place,” says Ester Venouziou, LocalShops1 founder. “This year we moved our festival to Vinoy Park, giving us space for more artists, more small businesses, more food, more entertainment, and more surprises! It’s going to be 11.3 acres filled with pure local awesomeness.”

SPECIAL EVENT FEATURES INCLUDE:

•  Free Admission!

•  225+ Local Shops, Artists, Makers and Nonprofits, featuring gourmet food products, home decor, handcrafted jewelry, clothing and accessories, health and beauty products, fair trade goods, vintage finds, pet treats and toys, books, candles and much more. Visit www.shopapaloozafestival.com/the-vendors.html for the full vendor lineup.

•  $500 Shopping Sprees for a lucky shopper each day! It is FREE to enter this raffle. Advanced registration is required and winner must be present to receive prize. Visit www.shopapaloozafestival.com/win-500.html for info on how to enter and win!

•  Christmas Trees Display sponsored by the Council of Neighborhood Associations (CONA). Ten St Pete neighborhood groups are entered into a tree decorating contest, with voting from public and celebrity judges including the City of St. Petersburg’s Mayor Rick Kriseman.

•  Main Stage, with emcee Pat Largo, of Comedians Uncorked. SCHEDULE: Saturday- 11a: Paul Fournier, 1p: Dean Johanesen Duo, 3p: Kimi Tortuga & LaRue Nickleson. Sunday- 11a: Scott Bihorel Yañez, Mylon Shamble & Nelson Mariscal, 1p: Steve Connelly & Ed Woltil, 2p: Veronica Naumova & Rick Bales 

•  Community Performances, featuring St. Petersburg Music Factory’s superstars in training. SCHEDULE: Saturday – 10:30a: Spoon Goblins, 12:30p: Anika Sky, 2:30p: Part Time Models, 4:30p Burning Days (4:30 pm). Sunday – 10:30a: Key of G, 12:30p: Wave Check, 2:30p: Lucent, 4:30p: Reactants.

•  Strolling Performances both days by Tampa Bay Ukulele Society and Thrill St Pete.

•  Live Painting and Sketching features artists from Creative Clay, St. Petersburg High School’s Visual Arts program and Derek Donnelley’s Public Art Project.

•  Activity Zone, sponsored by WannaGo St Pete, includes cycling, running and yoga classes;  aerial yoga and belly dancing performances; wall climbing; and pop-up beach volleyball!

•  Kids Zone featuring crafts and learning stations sponsored by Great Explorations Children’s Museum, St. Petersburg Museum of History, and Chart 411. 

•  Outdoor Living Room, Treehouse Gallery’s 1,000 square-foot seating lounge

•  Food Hall featuring snacks, entrees and desserts for everyone. Selections include options for vegans and carnivores!  

•  Snacks + Drinks throughout the park, including a human-powered frozen beverage machine!

Shopapalooza Festival is a LocalShops1 Signature Event, co-sponsored by the City of St. Petersburg and made possible with the support of our partners and sponsors, including Chart 411, WannaGo St. Pete, Council of Neighborhood Associations (CONA), Moorman Photographics, Treehouse Gallery, St. Petersburg Music Factory and Ace High Printing. Visit www.ShopapaloozaFestival.com for more information.