Community Corner

A Busy Weekend in St. Petersburg: Sing, Shop, Sail, Run or March!

The following is a press release submitted on behalf of the city of St. Petersburg: 


St. Petersburg shares a bountiful harvest this weekend with live music, CraftArt 2013, pre-Black Friday bargains,  marching bands, college sailing, and a 13-mile trek through downtown.

Catch the Beat - Grammy(r)-nominated hip-hop magnate Rick Ross makes a stop in St. Petersburg as the hip-hop heavyweight' teams up with the 1500 Or Nothin' band at the Mahaffey Theater tonight. Saturday, the Florida Orchestra presents Elgar's Cello Concerto featuring TFO principal cellist James Connors. Tickets for both 8 p.m. shows are available at www.themahaffey.com

Shop Til You Drop - The public is invited to browse the latest in athletic gear, fitness wear and nutrition information during the Women's Running Series St. Pete Expo today and Saturday before Sunday's Half Marathon. The free Expo is open from 3 to 7:30 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday for shopping and race packet pickup at the Renaissance Vinoy Hotel. For more information, visit http://womensrunning.competitor.com/st-petersburg/expo.

Also on Saturday, everyone's invited to shop local during Shopapalooza, St. Petersburg's annual pre-Black Friday retail event in North Straub Park. Now celebrating its fourth year, the free 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. shopping extravaganza features discounts from more than 120 local businesses, restaurants, galleries, service providers and community organizations, raffles, giveaways, a gift wrapping station, children's area, live entertainment and food. Visit www.localshops1.com for information. 

Art at its Finest -  Browse fine craft art from more than 100 of the nation's established and emerging craft artists during the 16th annual CraftArt 2013 festival this weekend. Artists from all over Florida and as far away as Colorado, Minnesota and Washington will display works in jewelry, clay, fiber, glass, wood, metal, paper and mixed media from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Central Ave. between Fourth and Sixth Sts.  Attendees can watch weavers at work, etch a glass plate with the DMG School Project, custom-dye a scarf or enter a raffle to win artwork donated by a participating CraftArt artist. The free festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Visit www.floridacraftsmen.net for information.

Chill Out - Relax under the stars as smooth jazz glides over the waterfront during Saturday night's 6th annual Bert Smith St. Petersburg Chillounge Night in Straub Park. Experience al fresco dining paired with fine wines and craft beers, a cigar lounge, or see the latest fashions during a runway show and daybed parade, before heading south of the border for a Brazilian Samba parade and fireworks display. Proceeds from Chillounge Night benefit Creative Clay and the Woodson Museum. Tickets are available at www.chilloungenight.com/stpetersburg2013.html

Go For a Run - On Sunday, about five thousand athletes hit the streets of downtown St. Petersburg for a pre-Thanksgiving workout during the Women's Half Marathon and 5K presented by Publix. Residents and visitors to the downtown area will see road closures, delays and parking restrictions along the route from 4:30 a.m. Sunday until approximately noon and are advised to plan travel routes accordingly. Motorists are encouraged to use 28th St. S., the interstate or roads further west for north and south travel to avoid congestion during the event.

The half marathon begins and ends at Albert Whitted Park, stretching as far 
north as 34th Ave. NE and as far west as 26th St. S. Major roads affected 
include Bayshore Dr., Snell Isle Blvd., Coffee Pot Blvd. NE, Second Ave. NE, 
roads around Mirror Lake, Central Ave. from the 600 to 2600 blocks, First Ave. S., First St. S. and Fifth Ave. S.  An embedded 5K follows a similar route 
utilizing Bayshore Dr., Second Ave. NE, Sixth Ave. N., First Ave. S., First 
St. S. and Fifth Ave. SE. Roads will be re-opened on a rolling basis when all 
participants have safely passed. A route map is available at 
http://womensrunning.competitor.com/st-petersburg/course.

Parking restrictions will be in effect from approximately 4:30 a.m. Sunday until the race is completed. Visitors and residents holding residential parking permits are advised to obey posted signage and find alternate parking locations during the event to avoid receiving a citation or having vehicles relocated. Residential parking permits do not exempt permit holders from receiving citations or vehicle relocation during special events.

Traffic officials anticipate delays along the race route for vehicle traffic, some for lengthy periods of time.  Snell Isle Blvd. will have very limited access between 7 and 10 a.m. Residents of Snell Isle are encouraged to find alternate travel routes and allow extra time if entering or leaving the area during the event.  Uniformed officers will allow traffic to cross only when safe breaks in the field occur.

Residents and guests of the Renaissance Vinoy Hotel and Vinoy Place Condos will also have limited access through a cone line during the event. Access to Demen's Landing, meanwhile, will be closed between 7 and 7:30 a.m. to allow participants to make a clean start. After 7:30 a.m., access to Demen's Landing will be allowed from Central Ave. and Bayshore Dr. only during gaps in the field.

Parking is available all weekend at either of the two city-owned downtown parking garages - BayWalk, 117 Second St. N., or South Core, 100 First Ave. S -- as well as in the Mahaffey Theater parking garage. Surface parking is available in the Al Lang Stadium lot, located on First Ave. S. between First St. S. and Bayshore Dr., and in the two Pier parking lots on Second Ave. NE.

Parking at South Core on Saturday will cost $3 until 2 p.m.; after that, an all-day rate of $5 will apply. On Sunday, the normal $3 rate applies. At BayWalk on Sunday, expect to pay $1 per vehicle to park from 5 to 10:30 a.m. After 10:30 a.m., parking fees return to the regular weekend rate. Parking in the Al Lang Stadium lot is available after 2 p.m. on Saturday for $5 and all day on Sunday, while at the Pier lots, parking will cost $3.

Other noteworthy events in St. Petersburg this weekend include the 2013 College Sailing Match Racing National Championships at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club and Florida Marching Band finals at Tropicana Field. For a full calendar of events and activities, visit www.stpete.org/events



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