Welcome back! I hope you survived the freezing cold this past week. I’ve hardly got any room to add anything else into this packed newsletter, so I just wanted to raise awareness about the terrible tragedy that St. Pete Ceramics experienced a week ago. Sadly, their studio had a massive fire that destroyed most of their equipment and will require extensive repairs. If you’d like to help out a local, community-focused business, they have a GoFundMe.

The Super Bowl can often be a surprisingly slow night for sports bars; folks tend to stay in and have friends over to watch the game. But in case you’re looking for some energy before/during the game, I’ve pulled together a few places that have parties going on for you to attend!

Coffee Blonde Eggs & Kegs Pre-Game Party | 3 Daughters Brewing | 10am-6pm | Free
Specialty brunch before the big game

Super Bowl of Chili Cook Off | Golden Isles Brewing Co | 12-4pm | $5
Delicious blind chili tasting event

Small Bowl | Small Bar St. Pete | 5pm-late | Free
Jalapeño poppers, tacos, and volume up for halftime

Big Game Watch Party | TradeWinds Resort | 4-11pm | Free
Food, fun, and football at Rumfish grill w/ games

The Big Game Viewing Party | The Don CeSar | 10am-6pm | $25/table
Food, drinks, and games while you watch!

Superbowl Watch Party | The Don CeSar | 6:30-10pm | Free
Big Screens Drink Specials Raffle & Cash Prizes!

Ferg’s Sports Bar & Grill | There isn’t a specific event going on, but I can share from experience that America’s best sports bar will, in fact, be popping on Sunday. To get a good table, you’ll see folks showing up 3ish hours early, so be sure to arrive early if you’d like a table!

There’s a lot happening in the baseball-adjacent space right now, but in case you’re sick of hearing about the future of the Rays stadium, here’s some actual baseball news before we share updates.

The Grapefruit League (Florida’s spring training league) is back this month with six teams training here in Tampa Bay. Get tickets.

On the stadium front, Gov. Desantis said this week that the state would support the efforts for the new ballpark to be built at the Hillsborough College’s campus. While Desantis doesn’t support using taxpayer dollars to subsidize stadiums (and never offered support to help previous ownership build a new stadium in St. Pete), there are some other ways in which he could provide state support. Learn more.

Lastly, the city of St. Pete received its additional submissions (9 total now) for redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District. These proposals, submitted by a diverse range of entities, include a mix of master-planned developments, affordable housing initiatives, and community-driven approaches. The proposals vary in their level of detail, with some offering specific buildout scenarios and others focusing on governance structures and financing mechanisms. See the proposals.

Meanwhile, there are still voices in the community (now including City Council Member Brandi Gabbard) who are pushing back on the redevelopment process, claiming that the city should first complete an extensive study. Gabbard has requested a vote on a resolution to formally oppose, which states, “Best practices for large-scale urban redevelopment support the use of independent, professionally qualified planners to lead and engage residents in meaningful planning efforts.”

Welch has said that he will not be pausing, regardless of the resolution’s outcome. Learn more.

The Vinoy is launching The Vinoy Sunday Market, a curated monthly waterfront market, as part of its 100th anniversary celebrations. The first market, featuring local vendors like Life Farms, Posies Flower Truck, and Lemonicious, will be held on February 22nd and every third Sunday thereafter (from 9am - 12pm).

St. Pete residents really are spoiled when it comes to markets—I highly recommend rotating through different ones so you get a chance to see all the vendors!

Support Local Legends: St. Pete is officially launching its Legacy Business Program to celebrate and support the shops and spots that have been the heartbeat of our city for 15+ years. New spots are exciting, but I think this is a great way to honor the classics! Nominate a business.

Mayor Welch Eyes 2026: Mayor Ken Welch has officially filed for reelection, kicking off his campaign with early endorsements from both the local police and fire unions.

In case you haven’t noticed already, I’m working on a museum guide for St. Pete. So, we’ve been visiting museums most weeks. I wrote previously about the “In Caravaggio’s Light” exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts, but after visiting for ourselves at Art After Dark (discounted admission and a tour!) a couple weeks ago, I had to share again.

The museum in the evening is already a blast (great date night idea, too!), but the Baroque special exhibit was so cool. I highly recommend making your way over before March 22nd to see this collection.

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 Dewey the dog or Lil Bit the cat.

FLIGHT DEAL: Fly from PIE to Asheville from Mar 6-14 for $80 round trip, which is 30% lower than usual.

‘BURG ABODES: Mediterranean Estate in Old Northeast. $1,899,000 | 4bd 3ba | 2,885 sqft. Rooftop terrace, beautiful landscaping, vintage details, large corner lot.

LAST WEEK’S SCRAMBLE - Warehouse

BungalowFest 2026: Centennial Celebration | Historic Kenwood | Feb 7, 10am – 4pm | $30–$40

Celebrate a century of architectural charm at the 27th annual BungalowFest! This year’s tour honors the Centennial of St. Pete High School and showcases the legendary Craftsman Bungalows of Historic Kenwood, with featured homes dating back over 100 years.

The festivities offer a self-guided look into the "Neighborhood of the Arts." Explore stunning interiors, meet local Artist Enclave members, and enjoy the brick-lined streets via a free Jolley Trolley loop. Proceeds support vital community initiatives, including neighborhood beautification and public art projects.

Enjoy food and refreshments as you immerse yourself in one of the nation's premier historic districts.

Pro Tip: Snag early bird tickets online for $30. Prices increase to $40 at the St. Pete High registration desk on the day of the event!

Barista Olympics | The Under Grounds Coffee Co | Feb 5, 6:30pm | Free
Three round barista skills competition.

Baroque Unbound: Immersive Opera | Museum of Fine Arts | Feb 5, 6:30-8:30pm | $40-$50 🎟️
Immersive opera performance through galleries.

Noche Latina Salsa Night | Mutts & Martinis | Feb 5, 7pm | Free
Free Latin dance party

I am So Not Cool Vintage Anniversary Party | I Am So Not Cool Vintage | Feb 6, 5-9pm | Free
Featuring music, deals, painting, vendors

Symphony of Love: St. Pete Sax Quartet | Imagine Museum | Feb 6, 5-7:30pm | $5-$15 🎟️
Live sax music date night

Signature Bev | Paradeco Coffee | Feb 6, 7pm | Free
Drink crafting competition for eight teams

Asian Night Market | Win! Derby | Feb 6-8, hours vary | Free
Family friendly culture food event

Wild & Scenic Film Festival | Beach Theatre | Feb 6, 4-8pm | $45 🎟️
Inspiring nature films spark environmental action

First Friday St. Pete | Central Avenue (between 2nd & 3rd St) | Feb 6, 5-10pm | Free
Monthly block party live music drinks

Raptor Fest | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve | Feb 7, 10am-4pm | Free
Discover the amazing world of raptors

Fine Art Festival | South Straub Park | Feb 7-8, 10am-5pm | Free
Vibrant outdoor gallery of original art

St. Pete Science Festival | USF St. Pete Campus | Feb 7, 10am-4pm | Free
Families explore hands-on STEAM wonders

Mardi Gras in Grand Central | Pistil House | Feb 7, 12pm-sell out | Free (food will cost)
Mardi Gras crawfish boil and market

Matcha & Beats | L.P.C.X. Cafe | Feb 7, 10am-2pm | Free
Free matcha, DJ music, food.

Five Deuces Galleria Opening Night “Nude Visions” | Five Deuces Galleria | Feb 7, 6-9pm | Free
Art show opening with local artists

Birdies in Paradise Golf Tournament | Bardmoor Golf & Tennis Club | Feb 7, 8am-2pm | $200+ 🎟️
Friendly golf competition supports community programs

St. Petersburg Beer Wine and Spirits Fest | Williams Park | Feb 7, 1-4:30pm | $18-$42 🎟️
Global drink samples, food, games

Whiskey Riot | The Coliseum | Feb 7, 4-7pm | $90 🎟️
America's largest traveling whiskey festival

Plenty of Paws: A Valentine Dog Event | Pinellas Ale Works | Feb 7, 1-4pm | $15 🎟️
Adoptable puppies, prizes, rescue fundraising.

MarineQuest 2026 | FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute | Feb 7, 10a -4pm | Free
FWC research institute exhibits and displays

Heartizaar | St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club | Feb 8, 10am-4pm | Free
Spooky Valentines makers market club

Double Feature Movie Night | Lost & Found | Feb 8, 7pm | Free
Classic romantic comedy films showing

**There were so many events this weekend that we ran out of space (email size limits) to list events Mon-Wed next week. Be sure to check the link below if you’re looking for the week ahead!

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