Howdy neighbor, happy Wednesday! Enjoy this nature-packed edition of the Sunny St. Pete Scoop. Let’s dive in.

Stargazers rejoice! The Perseid meteor shower peaks the night of August 12 into the early hours of August 13 (tonight)! The Perseids are the reliable crowd-pleaser of the meteor calendar, throwing off fast, bright streaks and the occasional fireball as Earth’s atmosphere plows through debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle.

What makes this year different is that the moon is new during the peak. No moonlight washing out the sky, so full dark arrives shortly after sunset and stays that way. At a genuinely dark site you could see 50 to 100 meteors an hour, and even from a mediocre spot the bright ones punch through.

The catch is light pollution, so skip your backyard if you can. Since the shower will be in the east/northeast you’ll want to try to find dark areas as far from Tampa’s light dome as possible. Try the Skyway Fishing Pier, Pass-a-Grille, or areas towards Fort De Soto (which is technically closed at night if you aren’t camping). Bring a lawn chair, lie back, and give your eyes a solid 20 minutes to adjust. Skip binoculars or telescopes since they narrow your view. Look high to staring at the lights over St. Pete/Tampa.

If you want to capture some photos with your iPhone, check out this tutorial using a cheap $3 app. Plus, it’s hands off, so you can be present and watch the meteors live instead of through your phone screen.

Best window is midnight to 4am, weather permitting. Obviously, you’ll need clear skies, so fingers crossed for no cloud cover. Don’t forget your bug spray!

The Sunny St. Pete Dinner Club has been a whirlwind! Seven sold out dinners so far, and I've loved meeting everyone who's come out. Bringing this community together IRL was my big goal for 2026, and it's happening.

The next two are already sold out over a month in advance, and folks keep asking about waitlists and future dates. Here's the catch: I can only secure so many reservations in one night, and after-party spots struggle with big crowds, so 120 guests is the ceiling per dinner.

We could just add more dinners, but I've also heard that some of you want more bespoke events (singles, couples, specific age ranges), while others love meeting people nothing like them.

Before I pick a direction, I’d really appreciate if you could fill out this quick survey. Two random respondents get a $25 gift card to a local St. Pete restaurant of their choice!

August is National Black Business Month, and the city (working with The Greenhouse) has put together a month of programming aimed at owners and would-be owners.

Today, August 12, there's a Lunch + Learn: "Leveraging Media Metrics to Grow Your Brand" at The Greenhouse (440 2nd Ave N) from 12–2pm. It’s a plain-language walkthrough of how broadcast, digital, and social actually work together, plus a framework for building a campaign that moves someone from "never heard of you" to a regular.

Then on Monday, August 24, Building Blocks to Business Success runs 11am–2pm at the President Barack Obama Main Library (3745 9th Ave N). It's a panel on succession planning, investing, and leveraging business assets, with resource vendors, networking, and a free lunch. Both events are free; learn more here.

And the easiest way to mark the month doesn't require registering for anything: go eat somewhere. The Deuces alone will keep you busy for a few weekends.

Grand Central turns 100 this year, and the neighborhood is marking the milestone with a room full of its best restaurants and the community energy that makes the district worth celebrating.

Taste of Grand Central: Cheers to 100 Years lands at Coastal Creative on Thursday, September 17, from 6 to 9 p.m. Your ticket gets you a welcome drink and access to tastings from more than a dozen neighborhood spots. The confirmed lineup includes Trophy Fish, Cheeky's, Pulpo, Noble Tavern, The Twisted Indian, and The Oyster Bar. Live music runs throughout and a silent auction stacks up alongside.

Every dollar from ticket sales goes back into the district, funding Halloween on Central, the Christmas Market, Pride, and the beautification work that keeps Grand Central such a wonderful neighborhood. GA tickets cost $100 for individual, or you can reserve a table.

I want to try all the food.

August in Tampa Bay means your veggie garden is mostly on hold, and that's by design. The heat, humidity, and daily afternoon rain make it a tough month for most crops, but it's one of the best times to set yourself up for a great fall garden.

If you have empty beds, now is the time to sow a cover crop or lay burlap coffee sacks over weeds before they go to seed. Turn your compost pile so it's broken down and ready when you need it in September. And start seeds for tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant indoors under a shop light now. Fall planting season sneaks up fast, and seedlings started in August are what make October harvests happen.

Your food forest? That's where the action is. Mango season is winding down, avocado season is just kicking off, and tropical cherries, carambola, pineapple, and bananas are all in play. Add a fresh layer of mulch around fruit tree bases and keep an eye out for overnight fungal issues on sugar apple and soursop. Warm and wet is their perfect recipe.

This is gardening season in patience mode. The payoff comes in October. And if you’re looking to get started gardening at any scale (even on an apartment balcony), St. Pete locally run The Urban Harvest is the place to start.

💧 The city's annual utility rate review starts this week. City Council holds a first reading Thursday, Aug. 13 at 3pm to set the public hearing, with the actual vote landing Aug. 27. Any changes to water, wastewater, stormwater, and sanitation rates take effect Oct. 1. If you have opinions about your bill, the 27th is the day to show up. See the proposed changes.

🤖 St. Pete quietly adopted its first AI policy on Aug. 3, greenlighting city employees to use Copilot, ChatGPT, and Gemini for drafting and research while barring confidential data and any legal, disciplinary, or public-safety decisions. Three days later council voted unanimously to send a broader citywide AI strategy to committee, with Richie Floyd calling the new policy "far too permissive." You get a say too: there's a 30-day public comment period and an open house Aug. 25 at the Obama Main Library.

📷 St. Pete police issued their most detailed explanation yet of the city's roughly 50 Flock license plate readers, after a resident's cardboard-on-a-pole protest against the cameras went national. Chief Anthony Holloway says the cameras log vehicle plates, make, model, and color (not faces), that officers must document a legitimate law enforcement reason before searching, and that data auto-deletes after 30 days. Critics aren't satisfied: commenters note the department has been rejecting public records requests for Flock search logs since April.

💰 St. Pete is hiring a consultant to design a fire assessment, just in case. If Florida voters approve Amendment 3 in November, expanding the homestead exemption, administrators estimate the city loses $33 million from the General Fund in FY2028 and another $21 million the year after. Property taxes currently cover roughly $174 million of the police budget and $29 million of Fire Rescue. A fire assessment is one of the few legal replacements, and courts have upheld it because fire service benefits property directly. No fee has been proposed yet.

Want to spread the word about your business, a project you’re working on, an exciting event, a hiring opportunity, or just want to say hi to 11,000+ neighbors?

SUNNY SAVINGS: Mangosteen - Happy Hour! Half off on all beers and wines everyday 3-6 pm | Bottles of wine not included. Plus sushi specials on weekdays.

CATCH OF THE DAY: Adopt Cheyenne the dog or Marlie the cat. See them here.

CORDUROY CAP: Show your love for manatees and look cool doing it. Get yours.

LAST WEEK’S SCRAMBLE: Candidate

FLIGHT DEAL: St. Pete → Greenville . $82 round trip in November (43% less than usual). Check out waterfalls and breweries!

‘BURG ABODES: Mediterranean Bay Point Drive Oasis $3,200,000 | 4bd 3ba | 2,984 sqft. High end finishes, heated saltwater pool and a 2.5 car garage on a protected canal. Does the giraffe statue convey?

Follow @ashleymarbetnuccio to see more historic to modern homes or contact her to set up a showing!

Your contributions go directly towards keeping Sunny St. Pete alive and well so we can have more fun and build a stronger community. I appreciate any and all contributions to keep this locally-owned newsletter (and passion project of mine) going strong!

Get exclusive early access to the MFA’s newest showcase, New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations, two days before its official public opening! Immerse yourself in contemporary African masquerade art while DJ Nilla Green fills the galleries with live Afrobeats.

Every adult ticket includes a handcrafted house spritz from Café Clementine. Plus, sip on organic wines and Green Bench craft beer while sampling gourmet sweet and savory bites during the café's L’Apéro hours.

Admission is $25 for non-members, and $10 for members.

Pilates on the Pier w/ Rare Body Pilates | St. Pete Pier | Aug 12, 6 PM | Free
Free waterfront Pilates session with studio

Bonsai & Brews | 3 Daughters Brewing | Aug 12, 7 PM | $80 🎟️
Create bonsai alongside local craft beer

Makers & Shakers Market | St. Petersburg Distillery | Aug 13, 5-9 PM | Free
Forty vendors showcase Tampa Bay creativity

Proppy Propagation Workshop | Coastal House Vintage | Aug 13, 7 PM | $45 🎟️
Make propagation frames with plant cuttings

CAGESTOCK 2026 | Cage Brewing | Aug 14-16 | Free
Three-day festival of music and brews

Joke Wrld Fest | Coastal Creative | Aug 14-15 | $97+
Comedy festival of sets podcasts personalities

Welcome To The Farmers Market | Welcome To The Farm | Aug 15, 11 AM | Free
Morning fitness market with music vendors

Wildflower Walk | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve | Aug 15, 10 AM | $5 🎟️
Guided walk through blooming native flowers

YoGAY: Sweat, Slay, Repeat; Community Party Yoga | Cocktail St Pete | Aug 15, 10 AM | Free
Poolside yoga party with BOGO drinks

Menagerie at The Museum 2026 | The James Museum | Aug 15, 10 AM - 4 PM | $5 🎟️
Live animals at the Museum. Sold out, but limited walk up tickets every half hour

St. Pete Country Crawl | The Henley | Aug 15, 12 PM | $10.70 🎟️
Brunch buffet shots and country music

Bee an Insect Investigator | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve | Aug 15, 1 PM | $5 🎟️
Discover bee society and pollination science

Rowdies vs Rhode Island FC | Al Lang Stadium | Aug 15, 7:30 PM | $24-$48 🎟️
Rowdies host Rhode Island FC

Yoga at The Dalí | The Dalí | Aug 16, 9 AM | $10 🎟️
Waterfront yoga inspired by Dalí's energy

St Pete TCG Trade-N-Play | The Coliseum | Aug 16, 10 AM - 5 PM | Free
Trade cards with fellow local collectors

Tree Walk | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve | Aug 16, 10 AM | $5 🎟️
Guided exploration of diverse preserve trees

Sunshine City BBQ Brunch | Green Bench Brewing | Aug 16, 11 AM - 1 PM | $42 🎟️
Southern barbecue brunch with beer pairing

Want to see the full list of events this weekend and in the coming months? Plus, local shows and concerts coming up? Peep the new Event Calendar page.

Looking for details on markets this week?

Thanks so much for reading! As always, you can reply directly to this email with any feedback.

Stay Sunny,
Josh