A free art festival is coming to St. Petersburg’s Vinoy Park this weekend

Maggie Duffy, Tampa Bay Times
Updated ·3 min read

St. Petersburg’s downtown waterfront is always lively these days, and will be even more so when longtime tradition the Mainsail Art Festival returns to Vinoy Park on April 20-21.

Now in its 49th year, the fine art and craft festival brings artists working in painting, photography, ceramics, glass, outdoor sculpture, jewelry, wood, fiber, metal and mixed media. They vie for $60,000 in award prize money, including a $10,000 best of show prize and purchase awards judged this year by Katherine Pill, the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg’s senior curator of contemporary art.

The best part? It’s free to attend.

Each year, a participating artist’s work is chosen as the festival’s featured image, appearing on posters, tote bags and T-shirts that are for sale. This year’s piece is a painting by Stephanee Ann, and it depicts St. Petersburg landmarks including the St. Pete Pier and The Dalí Museum.

For those who purchase art during the festival, there is an art valet service available at the information tent.

Another returning tradition is the Young at Art Student Showcase, featuring work from Pinellas County School students.

Here’s a guide to making the most of the festival.

Times and location

The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Vinoy Park, 701 Bayshore Drive NE.

Parking and transportation

There is paid parking within walking distance at the SouthCore Garage (101 First Ave. S.), the Al Lang Surface Lot (230 First Ave. SE) and along Beach Drive. A special free shuttle route created by the St. Petersburg Trolley for the festival has stops at Second Street South between Central Avenue and First Avenue South, and at Vinoy Park. The trolleys come about every 15 minutes, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday and 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday. They are equipped with wheelchair lifts.

Pet policy

It’s tempting to bring your dog, but with booths filled with fragile artwork, it’s better to leave furry friends at home. Service animals are permitted, however.

How to dress

Wear a wide-brimmed hat for sun protection, as there’s not a lot of shade out there, and sunscreen. Vinoy Park can also be a bit of a dust bowl, so consider wearing closed-toe shoes and pack some wet wipes.

Activities

The Junior League’s Kids Create Tent offers five make-and-take crafts, inspired by children’s books.

Food and drinks

You can’t bring your own cooler to the festival, but there will be food and drinks to purchase. Note that the transactions are card-only.

Entertainment

Live music cranks the festival up a notch. Saturday’s lineup starts at noon with Bad Habits, followed by Push Button Rocket, Doug South Band and Memphis Lightning. On Sunday, students of the School of Rock kick things off at 1 p.m., followed by The Lint Rollers and T. Curtis and the Florida Scoundrels. Additionally, Deanna the Mime will be strolling around for your entertainment.