Happy Thursday, everyone! I hope y’all had a great holiday weekend and a nice (hopefully) short week so far! What temperamental weather we’ve been having, with the most beautiful day you could ask for on Saturday, tropical storm winds on Sunday, and chilliness to follow. Looking ahead though, the weekend forecast looks amazing, so take advantage and head on out to explore the full slate of events this weekend. Plus, have a look at all the movie nights early next week if that’s your thing. Let’s dive in!

When the weather turned blustery on Sunday, we headed over to FloridaRAMA for some indoor fun. If you’ve never been (or you haven’t been recently), you should definitely check out this one-of-a-kind spot.

In their own words: “Part contemporary art museum, part digital playground, part Florida roadside attraction and part escape room, FloridaRAMA blends sound, light, sculpture, scent and storytelling into a vibrant, hands-on experience that invites guests of all ages to explore, touch and play.”

While it’s fun to just walk around, I highly recommend choosing one of the add-on games that turn your trip into an escape room/scavenger hunt experience. You can choose from a variety of different games to play with varying difficulty levels. There was also an option to play mini golf all throughout the different rooms and exhibits.

As a bonus, the Lucy Sparrow Quick Shop is also included with admission through March. Sparrow is a world-famous felt artist with exhibits around the world, including London, New York City, Paris and Los Angeles. She’s created an immersive grocery store exhibit made entirely of felt where you can purchase regular staples to take home a souvenir. Who doesn’t want a felt Pop-Tarts box?

FloridaRAMA is a celebration of everything that makes Florida such a wonderful and wacky place to live! Experience the art.

Today’s Throwback Thursday takes us back 49 years to January 20th, 1977—the only recorded snow day in Pinellas County school’s history. While the snow actually fell on January 19th, schools ended up being closed on the following day due to power concerns.

Growing up, the closest thing I thought I’d ever have to a snow day was for a hurricane. Turns out, a real snow day is possible! Not sure my garden would handle a snow very well, but I have to admit that seeing St. Pete blanketed in snow would be pretty cool.

I learned about this historical tidbit because someone shared an old family photo in front of their car (covered in snow) back in 1977. If anyone has more photos of snow days (or any other cool throwback St. Pete photos/stories), please share them with me. I’d love to feature them in a future newsletter!

Hillsborough College and the Tampa Bay Rays have approved a non-binding agreement to redevelop the college’s 113-acre Dale Mabry site. The project, called “Innovation Edge, featuring Hillsborough College,” includes a new ballpark, academic facilities, and a mixed-use community. The Rays would lease the land for 99 years, with the county owning the stadium if public funding is secured.

This is only a first step, and the Rays general counsel said to think of this as a “terms sheet rather than a contract,” with a tentative timetable of 180 days for binding agreements to be ready. Read more.

Tfue, an Indian Rocks Beach native, elite esports gamer, and famous Twitch streamer, has purchased the Woody’s Waterfront property for $2.4 million. Woody’s has been a staple of St. Pete Beach for the past 35 years but suffered severe storm damage in 2024 from Hurricane Helene. Reporting from St. Pete Rising is that Tfue plans to open a new restaurant on the property.

For those unfamiliar with esports, Tfue became famous as one best Fortnite video game players in the world, amassing 11 million followers on Twitch (a platform where fans can watch other players game). After taking some time off from streaming, the 28-year-old recently started back up with a new game.

While it’s sad to see the end of an era with Woody’s, I’m excited that there are plans to finally rebuild something on the property!

TRAIL TOWN: St. Pete just snagged the prestigious "Trail Town" designation from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. This award celebrates the Pinellas Trail, which extends from St. Pete north to Tarpon Springs and weaves through the heart of the city, bringing people together around art, nature, and local commerce. We’re now in a prime spot to snag future grants that will make our outdoor infrastructure even better.

PINELLAS COUNTY SCHOOL CLOSURES: In light of declining enrollment (30,000 fewer students between ‘06 and ‘24), Pinellas County plans to close Cross Bayou Elementary (in Pinellas Park) and Disston Academy (in Gulfport). This first round of recommended closures still need school board approval. You can learn more about this and other recommendations from the district’s Planning for Progress presentation.

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 thousands of neighbors?

DOODLE TEE: Hand drawn and screen printed right here in St. Pete in collaboration with local print company Sick Dope Fresh. Available as both a crop top and t-shirt. Get yours before they’re gone.

CATCH OF THE DAY: Adopt Hank the dog or Cindy Lou the cat.

FLIGHT DEAL: Fly out of Tampa to Faro, Portugal from April 20-29 for $482 round trip, which is 50% lower than typical prices. Faro is famous for its old town and access to Ria Formosa Natural Park, and weather in April is typically pleasant.

‘BURG ABODES: Stunning Allendale pool home. $1,275,000 | 3bd 3ba | 2,365 sqft. Vaulted ceilings, lagoon-style pool, lush landscaping, and lots of updates.

LAST WEEK’S SCRAMBLE - Sailboat

4th Annual Plantapalooza | Sunken Gardens | Jan 25, 12-5pm | Free with membership or admission ($8-$18)

Calling all green thumbs and aspiring plant parents! St. Pete’s oldest living museum is transforming into a botanical paradise for the 4th Annual Plantapalooza. If you’ve been looking to add some serious foliage to your bungalow or balcony, this is the spot.

Wander through the historic paths of Sunken Gardens and shop from a curated selection of vibrant vendors from all over the state. We’re talking rare tropicals, orchids, fruit trees, and sustainable gardening gear. Plus, there will be garden talks from the experts to help you keep those new green babies alive.

Pro Tip: Bring a wagon or a sturdy tote bag! You might think you’re only going for "one small succulent," but we both know how that ends.

Lunar New Year Celebration | Win! Derby | Jan 23-25, hours vary | Free

Looking for a fun (and free!) way to celebrate the Lunar New Year with the whole crew? Head up to Gandy for the Mega Night Market.

It’s a full-blown festival with nonstop entertainment from Friday night through Sunday. The kids will love the "Mega Robots" and interactive games, while everyone can enjoy the Lion Dance and live music. It's an outdoor event, rain or shine, so dress comfy and get ready to explore.

There’s also a Banh Mi eating challenge. If you think you’ve got what it takes, you can find the form to sign up on the bottom of the page linked below.

Community Board Game Night | The Book Lounge | Jan 22, 7-9pm | $15 🎟️
Games, wine, snacks, good company.

The Great Plate Fundraiser Dinner | Morean Center for Clay | Jan 23, 6-8pm | $75+ 🎟️
Pottery presentations and decadent dinner.

Scenes on the Green: Migration | Coachman Park | Jan 23, 5-8pm | Free
Movie night by giant duck.

Big Girl Pants Comedy | Webbs' City Cellar | Jan 23, 8pm | $20-$28 🎟️
Comedy gameshow with female headliner.

Pinellas TacoFest | England Brothers Park | Jan 24-25, 10am-7pm | Free
Weekend of tacos and music.

Gasparilla Children's Parade | Bayshore Blvd, Tampa | Jan 24, 12-7:30pm | Free - $65+
Family fun, parade, fireworks, beads.

Duck 'n' Jeep Invasion | Coachman Park | Jan 24, 10am-4pm | Free
Live music, jeep related events.

St. Pete Street Market | Pinellas Ale Works | Jan 24, 12-4pm | Free
Daytime market for local businesses.

Sober Sweat Fest | Burg Crossfit | Jan 24, 7-10pm | $9+ 🎟️
Fitness, food, vendors, and party.

Bike & Beers | Green Bench Brewing | Jan 24, 8am-12pm | $35+ 🎟️
Cycling event followed by beer festival.

Saturday Morning Market | Al Lang Stadium | Jan 24, 9am-2pm | Free

4th Annual Plantapalooza | Sunken Gardens | Jan 25, 12-4pm | Free w/ admission or membership 🎟️
Celebrating Florida native plants and gardens.

Fort Tour | Fort De Soto Park (Shelter 11 Gulf Pier parking lot) | Jan 25, 11-11:45am | Free
Explore fort, lives of early people.

Pinellas TacoFest | England Brothers Park | Jan 24-25, 10am-7pm | Free
Weekend of tacos and music.

Kenwood Sunday Market | St. Pete High School | Jan 25, 10am-2pm | Free

Corey Ave Sunday Market | Corey Ave | Jan 25, 10am-2pm | Free

Sports Movie Night: Dodgeball | Ferg's Sports Bar | Jan 26, 7pm | Free
Movie, wings, and cheap beer.

Movie Night: Anchorman | Ferg's Sports Bar | Jan 27, 7pm | Free
Film night, discounted wings, beers.

Movie Night: Fight Club & The Matrix | Lost & Found | Jan 28, 7pm | Free
Two movies with discounted drinks.

Wine Tasting Night | Outcast Brewing | Jan 28, 7-9pm | Free 🎟️
Complimentary tasting and special pricing.

Gasparilla Trivia | Pinellas Ale Works | Jan 28, 7-10pm | Free
Pirate trivia, prizes, beer, beads.

I Smell Snow Night | Green Bench Brewing | Jan 29, 7-10pm | Free
Gilmore Girls episodes, pop-up, goods.

Want to see events beyond the next week? Use the guide below.

Looking for details on markets this week?

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

Stay Sunny,
Josh