Events and Festivals in St. Pete Clearwater
Events & Festivals
There’s always something amazing happening here in St. Pete/Clearwater. From major annual festivals to concerts by national touring acts, the action is nonstop. Explore some of our best events, and start counting down the days till your next ultra-fun outing.
Editor’s note: Some events and festivals may adjust their dates, please check before planning travel.
Unique Events
Don’t miss Sanding Ovations in Treasure Island, where professional sand sculptors create massive, mind-bending works of art. The Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival in Clearwater Beach also features the work of world-renowned sand artists.
Madeira Beach is home to the area’s biggest seafood event. Held at iconic John’s Pass Village in the fall, the John’s Pass Seafood Festival brings top seafood restaurants and food trucks for a multi-day cook-off.
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Looking for something fun to do on your next getaway? We've got you covered. Peruse these videos for inspiration and begin planning your best vacation yet!
Art & Music Festivals
Come experience our epic celebrations of the arts. Take Clearwater Jazz Holiday, when internationally renowned musicians perform on the city’s waterfront each October. And the Tampa Bay Blues Festival, when an amazing lineup jams in St. Pete’s waterfront Vinoy Park, typically in April.
Make plans to attend the Mainsail Art Festival, one of the longest-running and most beloved art events in the area. In the fall, muralists from around the globe come to St. Pete for SHINE Mural Festival, a weeklong celebration, where participating artists transform bare walls into brilliant murals highlighting critical causes.
St. Pete is full of murals that have a positive message, like this one, "Hands of Change," by The Happy Mural Project. Each October, the SHINE Mural Festival comes to St. Pete.
This mural, titled "The Global Currency," was painted it the Grand Central District as part of St. Pete's annual SHINE mural festival. Its message is about the dangers of overfishing.
Clearwater's Coachman Park hosts the Clearwater Jazz Holiday.
At Clearwater Beach's Sugar Sand Festival, spend the day marveling at the amazing work of world-renowned sand sculptors, check out live entertainment and more.
Be sure to snap plenty of photos of the larger-than-life sand sculptures you'll find at Treasure Island's annual Sanding Ovations sand-sculpting festival.
Heritage Events
The MLK DREAM BIG Celebration celebrates the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Black community through family-friendly events and a parade. The Greek community of Tarpon Springs comes together for Epiphany, a religious event where young church members plunge into the waters of Spring Bayou in search of a coveted cross. Dunedin honors its Scottish heritage with the Highland Games, which combine feats of strength, good food and beer. The St. Pete International Folk Festival brings together cultures from across the globe. And, of course, few events have helped put St. Pete/Clearwater on the map as St. Pete Pride has.
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The annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade and festival of one of St. Pete's biggest events of the year.
Every January, the Orthodox Greek community celebrates Epiphany in Tarpon Springs, when young congregation members dive into Spring Bayou in search of a white cross.
Every June, Pride Month culminates with St. Pete Pride, one of the biggest Pride celebrations in the South.
Every year, Dunedin celebrates its Scottish heritage with the Highland Games, when athletes test their might with intense challenges hailing from the Old Country – and beer.
Sporting Events
The Firestone Grand Prix pits top IndyCar drivers against one another with St. Pete's gorgeous downtown waterfront as a backdrop. The PGA TOUR Valspar Championship brings top golfers to Palm Harbor in April for one of golf’s most exciting events. Don't miss the Clearwater Offshore Nationals in October, one of the most exhilarating boating events in Florida.
Elite athletes head to St. Pete each October to compete in the St. Anthony’s Triathlon. St. Pete Run Fest has multiple distance runs over a November weekend along scenic routes – and a super-fun party to follow. The Tampa Bay Times Turkey Trot is a popular Thanksgiving Day favorite that runs through Clearwater, with other “turkey trots” throughout the area.
See All EventsOffbeat Events
Then there are events celebrating St. Pete/Clearwater’s quirkier side. Held in St. Pete’s Williams Park, Localtopia brings together local artists and craftspeople as well as food trucks and musicians in a celebration of St. Pete’s hipper side. See how small artists’ enclave Gulfport sends off the summer each year with GeckoFest, an over-the-top street fest that usually happens over Labor Day Weekend (pro tip: don your most outlandish tie-dye or Aloha shirt).
Small-town Gulfport has a larger-than-life vibe, with plenty of art fests, parades, farmers markets and other events to keep things lively. Stroll through downtown on most any weekend to join in the fun.
Head to Localtopia, a beloved yearly event where you can browse locally made goods, sample delicious food and savor craft beer in downtown St. Pete's Williams Park.
On Friday nights, join locals of all ages at the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club for a laid-back evening of friendly competition, BYO beverages and breezy fun.