Walking out of the wreckage that was 2020 and cautiously moving forward through 2021, festival organizers struggle to make the tough decision of whether to cancel, postpone or go virtual. Meanwhile, art lovers and festival goers patiently wait to see what the spring will bring and how they will be adapting to the “new normal.”
Whether in person or streaming from the comfort of your home, here are two festivals that shouldn’t be missed!
St. Petersburg Fine Arts Festival
The art festival season kicks off with the 8th annual St. Petersburg Fine Arts Festival in St. Pete’s South Straub Park. With picturesque views of the bay, this downtown venue is the perfect backdrop to view and purchase original artwork from over 100 artists. Co-sponsored by the City of St. Petersburg and coordinated with the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance, the festival will feature a wide array of visual art including paintings, photography, sculpture, metalwork, digital art, jewelry, glass, ceramics, woodworking, mixed-media, fiber art and metalwork.
With strategic hand sanitizers in place, booth arrangement, social distancing and mandatory masking, the festival will observe proper Covid-19 precautions in order to protect artists and attendees alike. This fine arts festival is free and open to the public and will run from 10 am-5 pm the weekend of February 27th and 28th
St. Petersburg Fine Art Festival | Event Information
Gasparilla Festival of the Arts
Last year was a big year for the Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts. Celebrating their 50th anniversary and a relocation to Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, they featured over 250 artists and gave away over $80,000 in awards. This annual not-for-profit event is dedicated to celebrating its local artists and enriching Tampa Bay’s cultural arts.
“The Gasparilla Festival of the Arts has really impressed me with the breadth, quality and diversity of the works on view. It offers a wide range of approaches to art making, from in depth engagements with craft to contemporary issues. The festival is an incredibly impressive and rewarding experience,” said Paul Galloway of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and last year’s designated juror.
Like many other events, the festival will be held virtually this year. Complimentary access will run from March 1-21 and programmed events March 6th and 7th. They will host online interactive experiences, music streaming, children’s activities and highlight young artists in the community. With the Gobioff Foundation, they’ve recently added their Local Artist Spotlight to the line-up where they recognize three local artists not participating in the festival.
Stream this amazing event in March at https://gasparillaarts.com/
Tampa Riverwalk’s International Food and Art Festival
While art enthusiasts and international foodies were disappointed last fall to see this festival get postponed, the Tampa Riverwalk’s International Food and Art Festival is excited to announce they will resume their normal schedule in the spring. This multi-cultural food and local art extravaganza will now take place starting from 10 am until 7 pm on April 3 and run until April 4th from 10 am until 4 pm.
Situated on the beautiful Hillsboro River, Water Works Park Tampa will host this free-to-the-public event, while observing social distancing. Festival goers can come enjoy live music, children’s art activities, various art classes, and delicious grub from chefs from all over the world. Several safety measures are in place for the safety and health of the public including appropriate spacing of vendors’ booths and various hand sanitizer stations set up around the venue.
Food and Arts Fest- Your Tampa Markets
Article written by Laura Parrinello
