Beach Drive: The Weekender 2/21-2/24


The city of St. Pete never seems to run out of fun events for its residents! Start your weekend right on Thursday with Cocktails and Collections at the MFA or a social at the new No Vacancy. Friday, the festivities with the start of (off Beach) the St. Pete Greek Fest or maybe the Iberian Rooster’s Brazilian Night. Saturday is packed to the brim with the Saturday Morning Market, the St. Petersburg Walkathon, the State of the City, the Fine Arts Fest, the (off Beach) Grand Central Chili Cookoff, and more! Sunday brings things to a close with an Oscars viewing party at the Princess Martha and the St. Pete Sunday Market. As always, go out and enjoy your weekend in our beautiful city!

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 21

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.

Cocktails & Collections at the Museum of Fine Arts

Cocktails & Collections, held on the third Thursday of each month from 5PM to 7PM, is a series of themed events focusing on one of the MFA galleries or special exhibitions. Enjoy live music, a customized docent tour, light bites and art-inspired signature cocktails, all inspired by the different works & artists.

Free for MFA Members, $20 For Not-Yet Members – (members must register and log in to receive discount)

Cash bar after first cocktail.

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.

Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure – St. Petersburg

What better way is there to explore St. Pete than a city-wide scavenger hunt? Turn your smart phone into a game device and make your way through a three-hour city tour. Start at 335 2nd Ave. NE (when you’re ready), and play at your own pace! The event runs from 9AM-8PM. Tickets are purchased per team and are $44. Find them here.

Social at No Vacancy

Have you visited the new No Vacancy yet? Now’s your chance! From 7:30PM to 10PM, join New Town Connections for a social night. The event is free for NTC members and $20 for non-members. Purchase tickets here.

Salsa Class at Luna Loca

Learn all the best moves at Luna Loca from 7PM to 9PM while enjoying tapas and drinks! The class itself runs from 7PM to 8PM, followed by an hour of practice time. Admission is donation-based and you can donate here.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 22

Yoga for Lunch at Station House

Unwind and renew with a mid-day Yoga break! A soulful exploration of the body and mind will leave you feeling rejuvenated and ready to embrace the rest of your day, and the weekend ahead.  In the heart of downtown St. Pete, join us for a 45 minutes flow that will get your blood pumping, body moving and soul squealing for joy! Starts at 12pm.

St. Pete Greek Fest (Off-Beach)

OPA! Enjoy the culinary delights of Greece in St. Pete! Choose from homemade Greek foods like freshly sliced Gyros, Souvlaki, Flaming Greek Cheese, Moussaka, Pastitstio, Baklava, Greek Honey Puff, and so much more! Free Greek dancing lessons, live music, prizes and more all going down at St. Stefanos Greek Church in St. Pete Feb 22 – 24. More details in their Facebook Event page.

Brazilian Night at the Iberian Rooster

From 9:30PM to 3AM, enjoy a night of Latin music from DJ CK Scorpio in Subcentral! Cover is $10 all night long and there will be drink specials all night. For more information, text or call 813-508-3544.

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 7-9 p.m. 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.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 23

Saturday Morning Market

Check out this week’s rendition of St. Pete’s favorite way to say good morning. It’s full of all of the goods – and eats – to make your Saturday morning sweet. Stop by at 101 1st Street SE between 9am and 1pm.

St. Petersburg Walkathon

Take your pups (and yourselves) on the best walk ever! Southeastern Guide Dogs is hosting a 3K walk in Downtown St. Pete to raise money for providing service dogs to those with vision loss and veterans with disabilities. While you don’t need a dog to participate, they are going for the world-record, so bring them if you can! The event also includes a Waggin’ Tails Festival with live music, a beer garden, food trucks, doggie zone, kids’ corner, vendor fair, and a raffle. Register in-person at 9AM. The event ends at 2PM.

St. Petersburg State of the City

At 10AM in the Palladium Theater, see Mayor Rick Kriseman give the State of the City address! He will share the city’s progress and speak to our challenges and opportunities. Light refreshments will be provided. The event is free, but registration here is encouraged.

St. Pete Greek Fest (Off-Beach)

OPA! Enjoy the culinary delights of Greece in St. Pete! Choose from homemade Greek foods like freshly sliced Gyros, Souvlaki, Flaming Greek Cheese, Moussaka, Pastitstio, Baklava, Greek Honey Puff, and so much more! Free Greek dancing lessons, live music, prizes and more all going down at St. Stefanos Greek Church in St. Pete Feb 22 – 24. More details in their Facebook Event page.

Annual Grand Central Chili Cookoff

The Annual Grand Central District Chili Cookoff will take place from 12-4 PM in the Grand Central District of Central Avenue in St. Pete (the 2400-2600 blocks of Central Ave)! In addition to the chili competition, the event will feature live entertainment, arts & crafts vendors, food vendors and beer tastings from local craft breweries! Tickets for unlimited tastings are $20 and $25 for chili + beer.

St. Petersburg Fine Arts Fest

Check out the city’s 6th annual Fine Arts Fest from 10AM to 5PM in South Straub Park! The park will be transformed into an outdoor gallery with a vast variety of art on display for everyone to enjoy. All artwork will be for sale, so be sure to bring your wallet!

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 10 a.m. and concludes at 11:30 a.m. 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.

Wine Down St. Pete

Spend the evening in your best 1920s garb staring off into Daisy’s green dock light, enjoying live music, heavy appetizers, wine tasting, and a full glass of wine at Rococo Steak. The night also includes a silent auction, costume prizes, professional photography, wine cork drawings, and more! Proceeds benefit the Kind Mouse, a kids-focused charity for the children and families of Pinellas County. Tickets are $70 and can be purchased here.

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 24

St. Pete Sunday Market

LocalShops1 will be hosting a Sunday Market at Caddy’s on Central! This runs weekly from 12PM to 4PM each Sunday through April. Sip mimosas, enter raffles, and enjoy live music as you shop a variety of local vendors!

Yoga at The Dali

Bring along your yoga mat and come ready to be inspired! Join Lucky Cat Yoga at 10:30 a.m. 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.

St. Pete Greek Fest (Off-Beach)

OPA! Enjoy the culinary delights of Greece in St. Pete! Choose from homemade Greek foods like freshly sliced Gyros, Souvlaki, Flaming Greek Cheese, Moussaka, Pastitstio, Baklava, Greek Honey Puff, and so much more! Free Greek dancing lessons, live music, prizes and more all going down at St. Stefanos Greek Church in St. Pete Feb 22 – 24. More details in their Facebook Event page.

The Oscars Viewing Party

If you love film, this is for you! Head to the Princess Martha to watch the Oscars, enjoy hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar with wine, beer, and cocktails. There will also be Oscar trivia to win VIP passes to the 2019 Sunscreen Music Festival as well as a silent auction and a raffle. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased here.

MUSEUMS

James Michaels: An American Pop Life Exhibition

The James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art brings pop art vibes to its galleries with this exhibition James Michaels: An American Pop Life. This special exhibition features Pop Expressionist and Painterly Realism paintings from Michaels, a Tampa Bay artist. The exhibit runs November 17th, 2018 through March 3rd, 2019. The museum is open daily from 10AM – 5PM and until 8PM on Tuesday evenings.

Rock & Roll Exhibition at The Florida Holocaust Museum

Explore the extraordinary life of renowned music promoter Bill Graham (1931 – 1991) who helped launch and promote the careers of countless rock & roll artists. This exhibition also traces the indomitable spirit of a man who was brought to the United States as an eleven-year-old Jewish refugee fleeing the Nazis, fueling lifelong passion and advocacy for social justice.

GLOW: The Hand-Painted Photographs of E. G. Barnhill

This special exhibition of the Museum of Fine Arts St. Pete features hand painted photographs of E. G. Barnhill (1894-1987) which offer a unique voyage into the natural splendors of Florida during the early part of the twentieth century.

Jewels of Imagination at the Museum of Fine Arts

The glittering jewelry designs of Jean Schlumberger were the epitome of mid-century elegance. Inspired by nature, his creations graced such notable style icons as Jacqueline Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn. This exhibition highlights the work of this innovative artist, placing his jewelry and objets d’art as inimitable examples of twentieth-century design. This exhibition brings together the extensive Schlumberger collection of Rachel Lambert “Bunny” Mellon, donated to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts between 1985 and 2015. It is the largest, most comprehensive public collection of Jean Schlumberger’s work in the world.

Magritte and Dali: A Surreal Exhibition

The Magritte & Dali Exhibition challenges reality with the works from the world’s two most celebrated surrealists – Rene Magritte and Salvador Dali. In addition to viewing the 30+ works on display in the special exhibit, immersive installations allow you to be part of some of their most iconic pieces of art. The exhibitions runs through May 19, 2019 and tickets are available here.

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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