For Aron Bryce, the St. Pete CommUNITY Festival is a way to celebrate all things that make the city unique. The gathering, organized by Bryce’s Stronger Together St. Pete Foundation, returns Saturday (March 7) at Azalea Park from 1 to 9:30 p.m. 

“It all stemmed from an idea I had a few years back,” he explained, ”to try to put on an event outside of downtown.” 

Bryce, born and raised in west St. Petersburg, wanted to develop a festival that encouraged community and civic engagement. The goal was to get local businesses, neighborhood associations, nonprofits and first responders such as the police and fire departments involved. 

Introduced in 2023, the West St. Pete CommUNITY Picnic welcomed approximately 1,000 people. This served as a catalyst for a larger-scale event. Rebranding the concept, he said, led to a more “unifying theme that focused on our city as a whole.” 

One of the key aspects of the festival’s expansion was incorporating the arts. Bryce contacted various local musical acts to see if they would like to participate. He also reached out to artists. 

Initially planned for September 2024, Hurricanes Helene and Milton delayed the refreshed event. The date was pushed back to March 2025 – which gave Bryce more time to plan. It also helped him create a foundation for the annual gathering.  

This year’s edition adds more to the experience. Bryce said that a new artistic and vendor corridor called Shakedown Street will be introduced. Additionally, the Stronger Together St. Pete Foundation team has developed an area called the Grove. It will feature installations from local artists including a live mural from Chris Dyer.

Live music is a key aspect of the St. Pete CommUNITY Festival.

The Kid’s Corner section has also been expanded. It will feature more experiences from community partners. These include organizations such as R’Club Child Care, the Parc Center for Disabilities and the University of South Florida Center for Autism and Related Disabilities. 

“We want to be more intentional and thoughtful in the design and layout of the Kids’ Corner to make it more engaging,” Bryce explained. “We want to ensure that these different families are aware of the resources that are out there.” 

The event will feature a birds of prey presentation from the Friends of the Largo Nature Parks and a St. Petersburg Police Department K-9 Unit (canine) demonstration as well. 

There will be a variety of interactive vehicles present on the premises including BayCare Health System’s Mobile Unit, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority’s SunRunner and a Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office helicopter. Additionally, cars and trucks from both the St. Petersburg Police Department and Fire Rescue will be on location. 

Vendor Village, an area featuring craftsmen, artisans and nonprofit organizations, will return. 

“As the City of St. Pete continues to grow, the one thing I think we consistently hear all the time is that we do not want to lose ourselves,” he said. ”We do not want to lose the things that make St. Pete St. Pete.” 

The event is free to attend, Bryce explained, and vendors are not charged to participate in the gathering. This year, there will be a VIP area to show appreciation to the various sponsors that helped fund the effort. 

“Waiving vendor fees is our way of giving back to the community and supporting our small businesses in the most authentic and expressive way possible,” he said. “It just speaks to community, unity and bringing people together in every way, shape and form.” 

The St. Pete CommUNITY Festival is co-sponsored by the City of St. Petersburg. To learn more about the event, visit this link.