Vinoy Park in St. Petersburg is about to fill with more than 350 local makers, artists and small businesses as Shopapalooza marks its 16th year on Saturday, Nov. 28, and Sunday, Nov. 29, running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Admission is free, and organizers say the weekend will celebrate local businesses, arts, tastes, music and Tampa Bay's local vibe.
The festival is organized by LocalShops1 and co-sponsored by the City of St. Petersburg, according to the Shopapalooza Festival media page. As Tampa Bay 28 reports, this year's lineup again features more than 350 local businesses taking over the St. Pete waterfront for a full weekend of shopping, entertainment and more. Admission remains free and open to the public, per the St. Pete Catalyst.
Getting There and Getting Around
Visitors driving in should plan ahead: Bayshore Drive directly in front of Vinoy Park will be closed to vehicles during the festival, according to Visit St. Pete-Clearwater. A free festival trolley is scheduled to run from SouthCore Garage both days from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., arriving roughly every 15 minutes, the same listing notes.
Once inside, attendees can expect four food zones filled with local eats and sweet treats, plus a Beer & Wine Garden near the Main Stage for guests ages 21 and older. New for this year is Dockside Sessions, an acoustic performance area that the tourism board describes as new for 2026.
Art, Family Activities and a Grinch Cameo
A collaborative Community Mural with Phi Phi Artland will be among the weekend's hands-on attractions, according to the festival's art-in-action page. Families can also head to KiddoPalooza, which offers free activities and appearances by Santa, princesses and even the Grinch, the same page states.
A Festival That Has Grown for Sixteen Years
Shopapalooza's footprint looks nothing like its earliest days. The event began in 2010 with about 30 to 35 vendors at BayWalk in downtown St. Petersburg, according to LocalShops1. By 2018, the festival had grown enough to outgrow its venue, per the Shopapalooza media page, and in 2019 the festival relocated to Vinoy Park, skipping 2020 because of the pandemic.
Last year's 15th annual event drew more than 350 local shops, artists, nonprofits and food vendors to the same waterfront park, according to FOX 13 Tampa Bay. Ahead of the 2025 festival, WUSF reported that approximately 365 makers and small businesses were scheduled to participate, with the free event also running 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days and live music featuring rock, pop and blues performers across the weekend.
This year's festival again promises a packed waterfront schedule, free admission and an easier trip in thanks to the SouthCore Garage trolley. With Bayshore Drive closed to cars for the weekend, the festival offers shopping, family activities and music at Vinoy Park as it marks its 16th year.
