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The festival hop
[Times photo: Jamie Francis 2001]
As Jamelle Robinson rides the Great Explorations trolley along the route of the 2000 Festival of States parade, he watches the waiting crowd crane their necks for a look at the first marchers. |
By Times staff
© St. Petersburg Times
published April 11, 2002
This weekend, St. Petersburg may be the most festive city in the state. With two festivals within blocks of each other, fun is never more than a few steps away.
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The downtown St. Petersburg waterfront hosts two big festivals this weekend: the final events of the Festival of States and the Cajun/Zydeco Crawfish Festival.
The last weekend of the annual Festival of States features a parade, a kids' art festival and other activities, including a new SunFest. The crawfish festival offers thousands of pounds of crawfish and Louisiana foods, plus music.
Here are the details:
Festival of States
Saturday's events start with the Trade Winds Island Resort Festival Parade, which steps off at Central Avenue and Seventh Street at 10 a.m., heads east to Beach Drive, then north to Fifth Avenue NE and east to Vinoy Park, ending in the North Shore pool area.
The Florida Power SunFest begins after the parade and runs until 8 p.m. This is a new event combining elements of the old Pierfest with new events.
New this year: a continuous music stage with headliner Dr. Hook with Ray Sawyer at 6 p.m.; a new format for the car show with customized cars, motorcycles and trucks; an Alltel sports expo with interactive games; and an exhibit from NASA.
The Kids Art Festival, with lots of free art activities for elementary age children, and the SpringSation, with games, a rock climbing wall, petting zoo and more, also are part of the SunFest, not separate events as in the past.
All activities are in Vinoy Park and North Shore Park. Admission is free, though there is a small fee to participate in some activities. For information, call (727) 898-3654.
St. Petersburg Cajun/Zydeco Crawfish Festival
[Times photo: Mike Pease 2000]
The crawfish is king at the weekend’s Cajun/Zydeco Crawfish Festival behind St. Petersburg’s Bayfront Center. |
More than 10,000 pounds of crawfish will be served up Friday through Sunday behind the Bayfront Center, 400 First St. S, along with tons of jambalaya, gumbo, crawfish, gator burgers, red beans and rice, pralines and more.
The music includes seven bands: the Porchdogs at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Geno Delafose and French Rockin' Boogie at 7:30 Friday; Chris Ardoin and Double Clutch at 12:30 p.m. Saturday; Feu Follet at 4:30 Saturday; Richard Lebouef and Two Step at 8:30 Saturday; Jesse Lege and the Southern Ramblers at 12:30 p.m. Sunday; and Damon Troy and Louisiana Beat at 4:30 Sunday.
The festival runs from 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $10 per day, $25 for 3-day pass.
You can bring the lawn chairs and the kids (ages 10 and younger get in free.) But coolers and umbrellas are prohibited. For information or tickets, call (727) 892-5767.
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