Beach Drive: The Weekender 1/16-1/19


Happy weekend, St. Pete! We know we’re ready for it. This weekend is ready to go with plenty of fun for everyone! Highlights include – Thursday: the Royal Palm Market, the Doo Wop Project, and the Sunshine City Film Festival. Friday: shuffleboard, clay, and more of the annual film fest. Saturday: the St. Pete Tweed Ride, the East West Shrine Bowl, and an MLK Music and Culture Festival. Sunday: yoga and brunch at the Dali, Beethoven at the Mahaffey, and brunch at Green Bench. And don’t forget – MLK Day is Monday! Find out more about the annual parade here. Have a great weekend!

THURSDAY 1/16

Fine Art after 5PM: reduced admission to The Dali Museum, MFA & Imagine Museum

Fine art can be pricey. Thursdays after 5PM, visit the Dali for just $10, the Imagine Museum for $5, and the MFA for $10. Have a glass of wine and stroll the museums for the perfect Happy Hour.

More Dali Museum information can be found here.

Museum of Fine Arts information can be found here.

Imagine Museum information can be found here.

Royal Palm Market

Enjoy live music, food, shopping and craft cocktails every Thursday at 6PM under the royal palms of St. Pete! This weekly night market is located right next to Intermezzo Coffee & Cocktails and features local artists, boutiques, handmade goods, leather goods, wood burning, clothing & accessories, specialty dog treat vendors, soaps, candles and so much more! Bring the whole family including your pets to this free, weekly event.

The Doo Wop Project at the Mahaffey Theater

Take a journey through the influence Doo Wop has left on the American music scene. Starting from the top, the show begins with foundational classics from groups like the Crests, Belmonts and Flamingos. The Doo Wop Project traces the evolution of Doo Wop from harmonies on the street to the biggest hits on the radio today. Hear the influence on the sounds of Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, and the Four Seasons and enjoy reimagined, doowopified versions of modern musicians from Michael Jackson to Maroon 5. The stars of Broadway’s Jersey Boys, Motown: The Musicaland Chazz Palminteri’s A Bronx Tale harmonize beautifully and apply their vocal excellence to some of the greatest songs in American pop and rock history. This event starts at 7:30PM and tickets start at $25. Buy them here.

St. Pete Beach Drive Dine & Wine Tour

This tour explores the beautiful waterfront Beach Drive neighborhood via a 3.5 hour walking food & wine tour. We meet at The Vinoy Hotel the “Grand Dame” of downtown St. Pete and while sipping a signature cocktail we explore this spectacular historic resort. The tour continues along Beach Drive visiting local independent restaurants for food and drink. Dessert and coffee at Cassis. Reserve your spot for $75 here (times and dates vary)

Sunshine City Film Festival

Nominated as one of the best film festivals in the Tampa Bay Area, the Sunshine City Film Festival highlights some of the best independent filmmakers in the local Tampa Bay area and other parts of the country. From January 11-20, 2020, film lovers and filmmakers are invited to enjoy a variety of events including a pre-launch kick off party, nightly social industry networking mixers, D.I.Y workshops, and panel discussions that are designed to help enhance the creative works for local filmmakers both near and far. Visit SunshineCityFilmFestival.com for the full lineup of events (times and dates vary).

FRIDAY 1/17

Friday Night Clay at Morean Center for Clay

Spend your Friday evening playing in clay at the Morean Center for Clay! Be prepared to get dirty for two hours from 7-9PM. of wheel throwing and hand building. Bring a towel, your favorite beverage, and a group of friends or a date for a fun get-together. You’ll get to select your favorite piece at the end of the night and they will bisque and glaze it for you to bring home. Purchase your tickets for $25 online today.

Friday Nights at the St. Pete Shuffleboard Club

It’s not just for the older generation anymore! Join the fun at the world’s largest shuffleboard club to see why this pastime has regained its popularity in the Sunshine City. Free every Friday night from 7PM-11PM, locals and visitors alike flock to this private recreational club. If you’re not sure how to play, have no fear as volunteers are on hand to give you a lesson or two. Bring your own snacks and beverages – local craft beers tend to be a popular choice. There’s often live music or a DJ on-site to keep you shufflin’. Children are welcome and so are well behaved dogs.

Sunshine City Film Festival

Nominated as one of the best film festivals in the Tampa Bay Area, the Sunshine City Film Festival highlights some of the best independent filmmakers in the local Tampa Bay area and other parts of the country. From January 11-20, 2020, film lovers and filmmakers are invited to enjoy a variety of events including a pre-launch kick off party, nightly social industry networking mixers, D.I.Y workshops, and panel discussions that are designed to help enhance the creative works for local filmmakers both near and far. Visit SunshineCityFilmFestival.com for the full lineup of events (times and dates vary).

SATURDAY 1/18

Saturday Morning Market

The Saturday Morning Market is the largest weekly fresh market in the Southeast US, serving around 10,000 customers a week. The market includes 130 vendors, offering everything from fresh produce to homemade soaps to ready-to-eat food from 15 different cultures. The free-to-enter market runs from 9AM to 2PM every Saturday at Al Lang Stadium in downtown St. Pete.

St. Pete Walking Mural Tour

Hear the inside stories of the making of more than 30 murals found in the Central Arts District in downtown St. Petersburg. The four-block tour begins at Florida CraftArt, 501 Central Ave., each Saturday morning at 10AM and concludes at 11:30AM. Call 727-821-7391 or email gallery@FloridaCraftsmen.net to book a tour, which costs $19 for adults and $11 for children. A portion of the proceeds from the tours will be used to fund future murals.

Poolside Yoga and Brunch

If there weren’t enough yoga options for you already, here’s another: poolside yoga at the Hollander Hotel at 8:30 followed by brunch. Salute the sun with Allison Moonbeam Archer then cool off in the Hollander Hotel Downtown St Petersburg’s beautiful pool. All levels are welcome for this slow flow class and mats will be provided as needed. $5 Body Electric monthly and annual members; $10 pre-registered; $15 at the door.

Drag Brunch

Head to the Iberian Rooster’s SubCentral for a morning of food and entertainment! This weekly event starts at 11AM. Drag queens Adriana Sparkle, Nicole T. Lane, and Juno Vibranz bring the fun while you bring your appetite. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased here.

Sunshine City Film Festival

Nominated as one of the best film festivals in the Tampa Bay Area, the Sunshine City Film Festival highlights some of the best independent filmmakers in the local Tampa Bay area and other parts of the country. From January 11-20, 2020, film lovers and filmmakers are invited to enjoy a variety of events including a pre-launch kick off party, nightly social industry networking mixers, D.I.Y workshops, and panel discussions that are designed to help enhance the creative works for local filmmakers both near and far. Visit SunshineCityFilmFestival.com for the full lineup of events (times and dates vary).

Nick Schnebelen at the Ale and the Witch

Check out the Ale and the Witch courtyard for another night of live music and fun! Nick Schnebelen is a founding member of the award winning, popular blues group “Trampled Under Foot” and is taking the world by storm with his high energy Rock n’ Blues. This event runs from 3:30PM to 6:30PM.

Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3, 8PM

Michael Francis and TFO bring together the arts, combining music with MFA’s new Tobin exhibit and the Tampa City Ballet. Music includes Swiss pianist Gilles Vonsattel on Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Golden Cockerel, and Stravinsky’s Pulcinella. In addition, Garcia’s the impending silence, commissioned by The Florida Orchestra and the School of Music at Florida International University. Free tickets for kids and teens in advance. For more information and tickets, call 727.892.3337 or 800.662.7286.

St. Pete Tweed Ride

It’s time again for the most fashionable event on two wheels! You are cordially invited to attend the 9th Annual St. Pete Tweed Ride and Gala at the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club. Come dressed in your best tweed and take a leisurely bike ride through St. Pete! This annual club fundraiser opens at 2PM with registration, pre-ride tea and scones, and a dance lesson from The Cat’s Meow. The ride kicks off at 4PM and will be escorted by the St. Pete Police Department through DTSP! After the ride, enjoy live music by Junco Royals, a photo booth, food by Eat This (included with tickets) and more! Tickets are $25 for members and $30 for non-members. Buy them here.

MLK Music and Culture Festival

Head to Albert Whitted Park for the first Music and Culture festival in beautiful downtown St. Pete, FL. This FREE waterfront event will have vendors and live entertainment right in the heart of the thriving downtown area. This event runs from 11AM to 7PM.

East West Shrine Bowl at Tropicana Field

The best college football players are coming to St. Petersburg to take their talents to the next level. The Shrine Bowl is the oldest college football all-star game and it benefits Shriners Hospitals for Children. Kickoff is at 3PM and tickets are available for $15 here.

St. Pete Beer and Bacon Festival

The 4th Annual St. Pete Beer and Bacon will be on Saturday, January 18th, 2020 from 12pm – 7pm at Vinoy Park! This festival includes unlimited sampling of 75+ craft beers & 20+ craft spirits and cocktails (3-7pm), 50+ bacon dishes from 20+ food vendors, live music by The Black Honkeys and other bands, and more! For more information & to purchase tickets, go to www.StPeteBeerandBacon.com/tickets.html.

SUNDAY 1/19

Yoga at The Dali

Come with your yoga mat and get ready to be inspired! Join Lucky Cat Yoga at 10:30 AM every Sunday at The Dali Museum for yoga. Classes are held in the Raymond James Community Room or outside in the Avant-garden, both with incredible views of the waterfront. The cost to participate is $10 for members and $15 for non-members. Tickets can be purchased at the Member’s desk.

Mimosas & Masterpieces: Brunch at the Dali

Raise a glass to an artistic take on Sunday Fundays at Café Gala with Mimosas & Masterpieces! Enjoy a Catalan-inspired brunch, visit the galleries, stroll the grounds, contemplate the Avant-garden, browse the Museum Store and soak in all the brilliance of the world-famous Dali Museum. Enjoy this inspired brunch between 11AM to 4PM. Visit the Facebook event page here.

Sunshine City Film Festival

Nominated as one of the best film festivals in the Tampa Bay Area, the Sunshine City Film Festival highlights some of the best independent filmmakers in the local Tampa Bay area and other parts of the country. From January 11-20, 2020, film lovers and filmmakers are invited to enjoy a variety of events including a pre-launch kick off party, nightly social industry networking mixers, D.I.Y workshops, and panel discussions that are designed to help enhance the creative works for local filmmakers both near and far. Visit SunshineCityFilmFestival.com for the full lineup of events (times and dates vary).

Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3, 2PM

Michael Francis and TFO bring together the arts, combining music with MFA’s new Tobin exhibit and the Tampa City Ballet. Music includes Swiss pianist Gilles Vonsattel on Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Golden Cockerel, and Stravinsky’s Pulcinella. In addition, Garcia’s the impending silence, commissioned by The Florida Orchestra and the School of Music at Florida International University. Free tickets for kids and teens in advance. For more information and tickets, call 727.892.3337 or 800.662.7286.

Tang & Biscuits: Eggs & Kegs Brunch

Join Green Bench to celebrate shuffleboard, beer, and brunch! Being that St. Pete Shuffle is the largest shuffle board club in the world, LOKO Cuisine decided to create a menu named after the sports “Tang” cue stick and “Biscuit” puck. You’ll be living in a Tangsta’s Paradise with this 4-course spread which includes one beer, cider or wine. Webb’s City Cellar doors will also be open for business during the event. You’ll be able to try your hand on a few rounds of speed shuffle for prizes and Ginger Beard Coffee will be slangin’ nitro infused cold brew coffee and tea. Snag tickets soon to this sure-to-sell-out event before they’re gone. St Pete Shuffleboard Club will be on-site with their portable shuffleboard court and prizes! This event runs from 11AM to 1PM. Tickets are $34 and can be purchased here.

MUSEUMS

Beaches, Benches and Boycotts

Beaches, Benches and Boycotts” is an original exhibition of The Florida Holocaust Museum. The focus of most Civil Rights history is written about places like Alabama and Mississippi, as if few challenges occurred elsewhere. Tampa Bay remained racially segregated at the dawn of the Civil Rights era and many local institutions and establishments held out on integration for several years after Brown vs. the Board of Education and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Under “Jim Crow” every aspect of African American life in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota and their surrounding cities was segregated. Restricted covenants were in place that segregated residential neighborhoods. African American children had to attend segregated schools that were under-funded and often in disrepair. Blacks could only be cared for at “Black only” hospitals, and other public and private establishments like restaurants and beaches were often segregated – if blacks were allowed in at all. The Civil Rights Movement in Tampa Bay may have had characteristics similar to other areas of the South but its stories are its own. This exhibition will illuminate our region’s struggle with racial equality and shine a light on the local leaders who changed our cities. This exhibit runs through March 1st.

Imagined Realities – Virtual Reality at the Imagine Museum

Check out the newest addition to the Imagine Museum: virtual reality exhibits. With five fun, educational options (Google Tilt Brush, Google Earth VR, The Body VR, Apollo 11 VR, and Overview VR), visitors can create stunning 3D artwork, explore the solar system, or visit studio glass hotspots. Make 20 minute reservations online or at the front desk. The Apollo 11 exhibit is available at a reduced $5 price for the month of July and all other exhibits are available for $10 each. This runs from 5PM to 7:40PM on Thursdays and 10:30AM to 4:30PM on Saturdays.

Midnight in Paris at the Dalí

When Salvador Dalí & Luis Buñuel’s film Un chien Andalou premiered in the City of Light, Paris was an avant-garde hothouse rife with artistic conflict and friendly rivalry. Midnight in Paris: Surrealism at the Crossroads, 1929 immerses visitors in this particularly rich and vital creative era by examining the works, friendships and clashes of Jean Arp, André Breton, Luis Buñuel, Alexander Calder, Giorgio de Chirico, Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst, Alberto Giacometti, René Magritte, Joan Miró, Francis Picabia, Man Ray, Yves Tanguy and others. This exhibit runs through April 5th.

About the author

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Gina Marks

Gina is a graduate of the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, with a love of all things writing and St. Pete-themed. Originally from Grand Rapids, MI, she moved with her family to Florida in 2009 and has been in love ever since. When she's not studying or working, she spends her time reading, writing, and working on her fashion blog, ellisfashionco.com.


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