What’s happening, squad? How’s everyone holding up in this heat? I tell you what, summer is my favorite time of year, but that’s because I really love summer thunderstorms. This drought is something else.

My garden and I are praying for rain, and I’ve been talking about it so much that my two-year old nephew has learned to say “we needed it” anytime it rains. I’m a proud uncle.

Lots going on this week. Let’s dive in!

This is the big one. St. Pete Pride, the largest Pride celebration in Florida, hits its main weekend June 26–28, with the city expecting hundreds of thousands downtown.

Friday, June 26 — Slay the Bay at Al Lang Stadium: a concert and night market capped with fireworks. Saturday, June 27 is the centerpiece — the TransMarch steps off in the afternoon, and the Pride Parade rolls out at 6 p.m. from Albert Whitted Park up Bayshore, with more than 100 groups marching. North and South Straub Parks run festival-mode 2–10 p.m. with 100+ vendors, live music, and food. Sunday, June 28 winds down with the street fair on Grand Central, where St. Pete Pride was born.

If you’re a fan of RuPaul’s Drag Race, vets Sam Star and St. Pete’s own Discord Addams will be in the VIP tent (tickets required, see link below). Ask me if I’ve seen Drag Race, and I’ll ask you if you’ve met my wife.

Sunny St. Pete will be a vendor on Saturday in North Straub Park, so if you’ve been eyeing any of our merch, but didn’t want to pay shipping, here’s your chance!

Bring water, sunscreen, and comfortable shoes. Rideshare or PSTA if you can (parking will be a beast). Find more info on the free park and ride options here.

Not able to attend? Downtown will be packed, so plan accordingly. Sashay away! See the schedule of events here.

In celebration of two big anniversaries this year, you have a chance to win the ultimate St. Pete Staycation. This year, the Vinoy turned 100 and Elliott Aster turned one, and they're marking it with a giveaway worth entering: a complimentary two-night summer weekend stay at the resort, plus dinner and brunch for two at Michelin-recommended Elliott Aster.

To enter, like the giveaway post, follow @vinoyresort and @elliottasterstpete on Instagram, and tag whoever you'd bring along.

Heads up! This one's time-sensitive: entries close at 11:59 p.m. tonight, Wednesday, June 24, with the winner announced Thursday, June 25.

The name is a portmanteau of "idyllic" and "vice": the idea that simple daily pleasures are their own kind of indulgence. Coffee, afternoon soda, end-of-day glass of wine. That covers the menu at Idyll Vice, soft-opening this month at 667 Central Avenue in the old Sorrento Sweets space, between The Lure and Graphi-ko Gallery.

Owner Witney Dupree's daughter Rene drove the concept, and Witney describes the model as "the sweet spot between a daytime cafe and a bar." The headline is dirty sodas (soda, flavored syrups, purees, and cream), alongside coffee, tea, and a self-serve wine wall with 16 rotating pours in 1, 3, and 5-ounce options. Baked goods, flatbreads, and salads fill out the food side.

Grand opening is planned for July. Once open: daily, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Follow @idyllvicestpete for the soft-open date.

Long-time readers know I’m an animal lover, so I’m sharing some quick announcements for our four-legged neighbors this week.

Pet Pal Animal Shelter is running low on supplies and asking the community to pitch in: paper towels, dog waste bags, bleach, and Dawn dish soap. Drop-offs are welcome Tuesday–Saturday, 11:00 AM–4:30 PM, at 405 22nd St. S. An easy grab on your next Target run, or donate directly here.

And a timely reminder as summer hits full swing: Florida pavement runs way hotter than the air: an 86° day means 135° asphalt, hot enough to burn in under a minute. If it's too hot for your bare hand, it's too hot for their paws. Walk in the cooler hours, stick to grass and shade, and test the pavement before you head out. 🐾 ❤️

My passion fruit vine has been completely taking over my side fence for the past couple years (very sorry to my neighbor). I now have to bend completely over just to fit under my gate, but I’ve been waiting to prune things back because the vines have been heavy with fruit.

Passion fruit doesn't signal ripeness the way most fruit does. The skin starts smooth, then shrivels as it matures. That dimpled, slightly deflated look means the vine is concentrating the sugars inside. The ripest ones fall off on their own.

Collect them off the ground, cut in half with a serrated knife, and scoop straight out of the shell with a spoon. The pulp is orange, gelatinous, packed with small black seeds you can eat right along with it. The flavor hits like tropical fruit crossed with guava, floral, tart, then sweet. You’ll definitely think of a tropical fruit punch flavor, but there’s nothing quite like it.

Over yogurt with a little honey is a real treat. You can also stir the pulp into a gin cocktail, spoon it over vanilla ice cream, or (and this is my plan with this batch) use it in kombucha for a second ferment, where the floral tartness plays really well. All solid moves.

If you've got a vine in your yard, look for the wrinkled, ugly ones. Or, if you don’t have one but you would like to try it/plant it, I keep seeing tons of listing for both the fruit and vines on Facebook Marketplace!

If you have a yard and like futuristic gadgets, consider this your excuse to get yourself a new toy. A new UF/IFAS study found that autonomous robot mowers (the little Roombas of the lawn world) actually handle Florida turf really well.

Because they trim a tiny bit every day instead of scalping everything once a week, the grass grows back denser and healthier, and that thicker turf turns out to be more resistant to pests and disease. Less weekend sweat, fewer chemicals, a better-looking lawn. It's an especially good fit for our climate, where the grass basically never stops growing.

If you've been eyeing one of those wandering little mowers, the science is now on your side. Bonus: more time for the beach.

🏗️ Two downtown landmarks just changed hands for a combined $32.5 million. Naples-based Stock Development bought the former Tampa Bay Times downtown tower (rendered uninhabitable after a construction crane toppled into it during Hurricane Milton in 2024) plus the historic 1929 Tramor Cafeteria building at 123 4th St S (most recently Hofbräuhaus). The plan is to demolish the Times complex for a high-rise condo tower with ground-floor retail, across from 400 Central, the city's tallest building. The Tramor is a designated historic structure and can't be torn down, so the developer says it'll work with preservation officials to fold the old Spanish-Mediterranean building into the project.

🗳️ The City relaunched its "St. Pete Votes!" initiative for the historic 2026 election, which is the first time St. Pete voters pick a U.S. Senator, Governor, Mayor, and City Council on one ballot. Check your registration at VotePinellas.gov; the primary is Aug 18 (register by July 20) and the general is Nov 3 (register by Oct 5).

💦 Pinellas County outdoor watering restrictions have been extended through October 1, keeping most residents to one day a week with overnight-only windows. Your watering day is address-based: north of SR 580, even-numbered addresses water Saturdays and odd addresses water Wednesdays; south of SR 580, even addresses are Tuesdays and odd are Thursdays. Violations carry a $193 fine with no warning period.

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 10,000+ neighbors?

DINNER CLUB: July 1 is sold out, but July 29 just dropped. Reserve your seat while you can! Especially if you’re a guy 😁. If you applied to be an ambassador, I’ll be reaching out soon!

DOODLE CROP: Designed by my wife and screen printed here locally in St. Pete by Sick Dope Fresh. Only a few of these left! Get yours.

CATCH OF THE DAY: Adopt Puck the dog or Auggie the cat. See them here.

FLIGHT DEAL: TPA → San Juan, PR. $108 round trip in August (55% cheaper than usual). First time in San Juan, mi hijo? Capital of Puerto Rico. Find yourself immediately enchanted…

‘BURG ABODES: Waterfront views, private dock, and a pool on Coffee Pot Bayou. $3,000,000 | 4bd 3ba | 2,997 sqft. If you buy it, will you let me launch my paddleboard here?

LAST WEEK’S SCRAMBLE: Sandwich

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!

The St. Pete Shuffleboard Club's historic clubhouse is hosting game night to hide from the heat. Bring a favorite board or card game, a snack to share, and a willingness to lose graciously.

It's a low-key, friendly way to meet people at one of the city's most beloved (and most photogenic) institutions: the oldest and largest shuffleboard club in the world, est. 1924. Roll the dice, draw a card, make a few new friends.

Free for members and kids under 16. $10 for non-members. You might as well just get you annual membership while you’re at it.

RSVP here.

Celebrate the Cold Tub Coffee Club's second anniversary with a morning wellness rave along the waterfront! Fuel your Sunday with a high-energy mix of cold plunges, fresh coffee, movement, and live music. Your ticket includes access to all recovery experiences plus tons of complimentary products and samples.

Bring your swimwear, a towel, and positive vibes. Spots are limited—secure your ticket online to lock in the $30 early bird rate before it jumps to $35 at the door!

Get tickets.

Outcast Brewing Community Clothing Swap | Outcast Brewing Company | Jun 24, 7-9:30pm | Free
Bring & swap your clothes

Ice Cream Social at FloridaRAMA | FloridaRAMA Cafe, 2606 Fairfield Ave S, St. Petersburg | Jun 25, 6–8pm | Prices vary
Ice cream & live DJ night

Bourbon and Bites at MAACM | Museum of the American Arts and Crafts Movement | Jun 25, 6-8pm | $45 🎟️
Bourbon tasting at art museum

St. Pete Pride Transtastic | Downtown St. Petersburg | Jun 25, 6-10pm | Free+ 🎟️
Pride week trans celebration

House Plant Bingo at Webb's City Cellar | Webb's City Cellar | Jun 25, 6-8pm | $30 🎟️
Plant bingo with Proppy SP

Bad Art Night: Disastrous Dinosaurs | North Community Library | Jun 25, 6:30 PM | Free 🎟️
Disaster-piece collage art competition

Free Comedy Show at Golden Isles | Golden Isles Brewing Co. | Jun 25, 7-9:30pm | Free
Stand-up comedy + wine tasting

Flick & Splash | Shore Acres Pool | Shore Acres Pool | Jun 26, 7-10pm | Free
Family movie night at the pool

Mega Night Street Food Market | Win! Derby | Jun 26, 5-11pm | Free
Late night street food market

St. Pete Pride Slay the Bay Concert & Night Market | Al Lang Stadium | Jun 26, 4-10pm | Prices vary 🎟️
Pride concert & night market

After Hours 21+: The Alchemist at MFA | Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg | Jun 26, | $65-$75 🎟️
Adults-only museum after-hours party

St. Pete Pride Festival 2026 | Downtown St. Petersburg | Jun 27-28, | Free
Annual Pride parade and street festival

Anchors, Anthems, & Ales Concert | Nova 535 | Jun 27, 7-11pm | $25+ 🎟️
America 250 patriotic concert

VHS Club presents: Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999) | Green Light Cinema | Jun 27, 8-10pm | $10 🎟️
Cult classic mockumentary screening

Critical Mass Ride St. Pete | Downtown St. Petersburg | Jun 28, 7-9pm | Free
Monthly community bike ride

Vibes Market at Shuffle St Pete | St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club | Jun 28, 11am-4pm | Free
Vintage & artisan indoor market

Spider Hike at Boyd Hill | Hammock Hall | Jun 28, 10-11:30am | $5 🎟️
Ranger-led spider hike

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