Festival organizers say events like this are critical to the area’s recovery.
ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — After a year marked by hurricanes and long recovery efforts along the barrier islands, a beloved St. Pete Beach tradition is returning — bringing with it a sense of normalcy, community, and economic relief.
The Corey Avenue Art & Craft Festival is back this weekend, kicking off its 31st season and transforming the Corey Avenue district into a lively open-air gallery filled with handmade art, jewelry, ceramics, home décor, and wearable art from regional and national artisans.
For organizers and local businesses, the festival’s return carries special meaning.
St. Pete Beach was among the hardest-hit communities during the 2024 hurricane season, when Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused storm-surge flooding that damaged storefronts, destroyed inventory, and forced some businesses to shut down for months.
Festival organizers say events like this are critical to the area’s recovery.
“It’s huge,” said Ken Hautmann, president of the Corey Area Business Association. “It’s such a financial boost for us to have these here. And we’re excited — we’re going to have five a year now of the art and craft festivals.”
Local business owners say the renewed foot traffic has been both emotional and economic.
“We appreciate the notoriety from the customers that come in,” said Sherri Talcott, a Corey Avenue business owner. “They say thank you for reopening. You know, we know this has been hard. Everybody tries to support the areas that were hit hard, and we appreciate it.”
Visitors say they weren’t sure what they would find when they arrived — but many have been pleasantly surprised by how much the area has rebounded.
“We really didn’t know what to expect, but it looks great,” said Olivia Kaltved, who is visiting the area. “We popped into a few shops today, and they are all super friendly and super eager to have customers — and have people back in.”
Her companion, Chase Kaltved, said the festival highlights how far the community has come since the storms.
“It’s a nice area, and it looks grown — you’d never know it was underwater a year ago,” he said. “We’re excited to come check it out and see what it has to offer. And the beautiful weather is hard to beat.”
In addition to dozens of artist booths, the festival also includes a Sunday Green Market and encourages visitors to explore nearby restaurants and boutiques — helping drive business throughout the historic district.
Hautmann says the recovery effort has underscored the strength of the community.
“What we’ve learned after the storm is that we have a great community that we’re a part of,” he said. “The year-round residents, the tourists, the snowbirds — everybody has just been amazing.”
He added that most hotels have reopened, beaches are back open following nourishment projects, and momentum is building.
“It’s just good to get the word out that we’re back,” Hautmann said. “And we’re here — please come and enjoy the show.”
The Corey Avenue Art & Craft Festival runs Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. along Corey Avenue in St. Pete Beach. The event is free to attend and is family- and pet-friendly.
Organizers recommend arriving early and using nearby public parking or ride-share services, as traffic and parking can be limited during peak festival hours.