350+ LOCAL BUSINESSES TAKING OVER VINOY PARK FOR SHOPAPALOOZA FESTIVAL 2022
LocalShops1’s holiday extravaganza expected to be largest Small Business Saturday (and Sunday!) event in the nation!
What: Shopapalooza Festival 2022. LocalShops1’s holiday shopping/community event returns bigger than ever, this time featuring more than 350 local small businesses, including artists, makers, food trucks and nonprofits. Special sections and activities include Shopping Spree Giveaways, Holiday Decor, Beer + Wine Stations, Food Halls, Live Music, Aerial Performances, the Peace Flag Project, White Lounge Seating, Pop-Up $1 Bookstore, and other Interactive Activities for Children and Adults. The Main Stage will feature live entertainment throughout the weekend, and pop-up photo-opps will be scattered throughout the park. Santa and Mrs. Claus will both be there throughout the weekend, of course. Admission is free and open to the public. This is the 12th annual Shopapalooza Festival. Would have been 13th, but the pandemic got in the way!
When: Thanksgiving Weekend, 10 am – 5 pm Saturday, Nov 26 and Sunday, Nov 27, 2022
Where: Vinoy Park, 701 Bayshore Dr NE, St. Petersburg 33701
Why: To make it fun & easy for people to do their holiday shopping with local small businesses. Shopping local is critical as small businesses are facing economic challenges with threats of a recession, while still recovering from the pandemic’s impacts. Shopapalooza’s nonprofit beneficiaries this year are Jump for Kids and St. Pete Youth Farm.
Admission is FREE and open to the public. Free trolley to and from Shopapalooza will be available throughout the weekend (9:30am-6 pm Nov 26 and 27) from Sundial Parking Garage. The shuttle stops will be at Sundial (east side of 1st St Mid-block between 1st Ave N & 2nd Ave N) and Vinoy Park (at 7th Ave NE & Bayshore Drive).
Website: www.ShopapaloozaFestival.com
Please visit our website for list of the 350+ vendors, plus entertainment/activity lineups, parking and directions, and everything else you’ve ever wanted to know about the biggest shopping event of the year.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Ester Venouziou, ester@localshops1.com / 727.637.5586
St Petersburg, FL — More than 350 local makers and small businesses are coming together at St. Petersburg’s Vinoy Park on Thanksgiving Weekend for LocalShops1’s Shopapalooza Festival. The 2-day extravaganza celebrates local businesses, local arts, local tastes, local music, and the local vibe that makes Tampa Bay such a special place.
The free community festival takes place 10 am to 5 pm Saturday 26 and again Sunday Nov 27, 2022. With more than 350 local makers and small businesses participating, Shopapalooza is expected to be the biggest Small Business Saturday (and Sunday!) celebration in the nation, Shopapalooza is a fun and easy way for families to do kick off their holiday dreams while shopping, drinking, dining and supporting local makers and small businesses.
A complete list of the participating businesses is available at shopapaloozafestival.com/vendors.
Admission to Shopapalooza 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.
Free trolley rides to and from Shopapalooza will be available throughout the weekend (9:30am-6 pm Nov 26 and 27) from Sundial Parking Garage. The shuttle stops will be at Sundial (east side of 1st St Mid-block between 1st Ave N & 2nd Ave N) and Vinoy Park (at 7th Ave NE & Bayshore Drive).
“Every year, Shopapalooza Festival kicks off the holiday shopping season by celebrating the great independent businesses that make Tampa Bay such an amazing place,” says Ester Venouziou, LocalShops1 and Shopapalooza founder. “These past couple of years, especially, we all saw how much we depend on small businesses and all they do to keep our communities going, from giving meals to schoolchildren and first responders, to raising funds and donating supplies to neighbors in need. The local business community went above and beyond, and if we want them to stick around, it’s time for us all to give back and support them as much as we can. This year’s Palooza is the biggest one yet: 11.3 acres filled with pure local awesomeness, and many surprises to be discovered.”
HERE IS WHAT TO EXPECT:
• Free Admission!
• 350+ 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 more. Many booths will offer BOGOs, holiday specials, and new merchandise not yet available elsewhere. The vendor lineup will be available at shopapaloozafestival.com in mid-October.
• Four food halls, each featuring snacks, drinks, entrees and desserts for everyone. Selections from more than 40 restaurants, bakeries and food trucks include options for vegans and carnivores, and whether looking to stay healthy or indulge!
• Four beer + wine stations, with 100 percent of proceeds going directly to local nonprofit Jump for Kids. Drink sponsors include Mermosa, 3 Daughters Brewing, Mastry’s Brewing and Great Bay Distributors.
• $500 Shopping Spree for a lucky shopper each day! It is FREE to enter this raffle. Registration is required and winner must be present to receive prize. Visit shopapaloozafestival.com/win-500 for details!
• Holiday Surprise created by award-winning designer Frank Clemente of FrankLyn Visual Marketing in St. Petersburg.
• Santa Station complete with a letter-writing station, Santa and Mrs Claus, and more fun surprises.
• Kids Zone featuring crafts, play and learning stations sponsored by Great Explorations Children’s Museum, Santa Station, activities with Pathfinder Outdoor Education, plus face-painting, desserts, food, animal rescues, gift ideas for children, and lots more.
• Main Stage, with local bands and performers throughout the weekend. Lineup subject to change
Saturday Nov 26
11a Kasondra Rose
12:30p BoHo Sideshow
2p Rev RCStage
3:30p Mad Science
4:15p Jay Camaro
Sunday Nov 27
11a Savannah Lee
12:30p Urban Gypsies of Florida
2p Jengle Slap
3:30p Troy Chiappone
• Music by Cal Morris, both days, 11a to 2 p
• Ink the Bay Zone, featuring aerial performances, live mural painting, art cars and more.
• 10,000-square foot Chillounge Seating
• Pop-Up Bookstore selling books, videos and more for $1 each to raise money for school supplies
Shopapalooza Festival is a LocalShops1 Event, co-sponsored by the City of St. Petersburg. Our nonprofit partners this year are Jump for Kids and St. Pete Youth Farm.
Gold Sponsors: Great Explorations Children’s Museum, Ink the Bay, Island Flavors And Tings, Treehouse Gallery
Silver Sponsors: All American Gutter Protection, Arnold Jewelry, Bahko Eyewear, Carlos’ Consuming Fire Hot Sauce, Cutco, Forever Sticky, Frontier Communications, Hibiscus and Palms, LeafFilter North, Live to Fish, Love, Liz Xo Designs, MattLaw, Morgan Exteriors, New Hotel Collection, Reece Windows and Doors, St. Pete Wellness & Med Spa, St. Petersburg Area Chamber, Sticks and Stones Gems, Tumbler Bar
Media Sponsors: I Love the Burg, UNation, MOR Tampa Bay, Paradise News
Photo Sponsor: Moorman Photographics
Infobooth Sponsor: Wine On Wheels
Holiday Decor Sponsors: FrankLynn Visual Marketing, SelfieMe
Palooza Shirt Printing Sponsor: Safety First Printing
Drink Sponsors: 3 Daughters Brewing, Great Bay Distributors, Jump Fitness, Mermosa Wines, Mastry’s Brewing Co., Shave Cave, Watts Dental
Chillounge Seating Sponsors: Compass Land & Title, Florida Furniture Rental, La Budde & Sons
North End Seating Sponsor: Gabro Event Services
ABOUT LOCALSHOPS1 + SHOPAPALOOZA FESTIVAL
LocalShops1, launched in 2008, is Tampa Bay’s source for all things local. Our mission is to provide advocacy, support and education to locally owned, independent businesses throughout the region. Shopapalooza Festival is LocalShops1’s annual holiday extravaganza, and it’s expected to be the largest Small Business Saturday (and Sunday!) event in the Southeast, possibly the nation.