The Brief
- More than 350 local shops, artists, and food vendors are filling Vinoy Park for one of the nation’s largest Small Business Saturday celebrations.
- The festival is organized by LocalShops1 and the city also features live music, art installations, a Kidpreneur Zone, and plenty of food.
- Shopapalooza continues Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with free admission, pet-friendly activities, and a shuttle running from the South Core Garage.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla – The 15th Annual Shopapalooza Festival kicked off Saturday at Vinoy Park, transforming 12 acres of St. Petersburg’s waterfront into one of the largest Small Business Saturday celebrations in the nation.
Organized by LocalShops1 and co-sponsored by the City of St. Petersburg, the two-day event features more than 350 local shops, artists, nonprofits, and food vendors — along with live music, hands-on art installations, interactive zones, and family-friendly activities.
This year, it also introduced expanded food halls, a local beer garden benefiting Jump for Kids, and a Kidpreneur Zone showcasing youth-run businesses. Festivalgoers could take part in paint-by-number art, aerial performances, and a 10,000-square-foot glam lounge curated by VPN Studios.
One of the standout vendors is Pawcasso, a local business offering dog-made artwork through a nontoxic, peanut-butter-powered painting process. …