The gathering will feature over 300 local vendors including artisans, jewelry makers, handbag sellers and clothing companies. Additionally, representatives from organizations such as the Florida Holocaust Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg, the Clay Co-op and the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance are scheduled to attend.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There will also be a variety of offerings from St. Pete-based food trucks and breweries. The goal is to create a \u201cmindful representation of our city,\u201d Bof said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even selecting Williams Park as the venue was a carefully made decision. Every single Localtopia event has been held on the property, she added. The park was St. Petersburg\u2019s first and was named after<\/a> city co-founder John C. Williams.\u00a0<\/p>\n Former presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan have given speeches there as well. Ford spoke to a group of senior citizens<\/a> on the premises in 1976 \u2013 on Valentine\u2019s Day.\u00a0<\/p>\n Despite welcoming thousands of guests every year, the festival does not come without its challenges.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cEvents like this have actually started to fold with our world being the way it is and how expensive everything is,\u201d Bof explained. \u201cFunding something like this is beyond challenging. But, this is a mission-led event, not a profit-led event and it\u2019s the most visible manifestation of Keep Saint Petersburg Local\u2019s mission.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Live entertainment at the Williams Park bandstand is always part of the Localtopia experience.<\/p>\n Valentine\u2019s Day will be a key part of the festivities.\u00a0<\/p>\n Guests can honor their favorite businesses on a Wall of Local Love created by Second Shift Printing. Additionally, attendees can write positive notes for strangers in the \u201cTake a Petal, Leave a Petal\u201d community experience led by floral company<\/a> The Roaming Petal and The Ripple Effect project.\u00a0<\/p>\n A marriage proposal area is even planned.\u00a0<\/p>\n Some of the event\u2019s entertainment is also Valentine\u2019s themed \u2013 including stilt walkers and aerobatic shows performed by Underground Cirque at 12 and 1:30 p.m.\u00a0<\/p>\n Live music is scheduled as well. A whole new block has been added to the festival\u2019s boundaries.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe have this unique community that has definitely tried to continue to survive and thrive and it needs our support,\u201d Bof explained. \u201cWe need to show up for local businesses \u2013 not just on Localtopia day, but daily.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Money can circulate and be kept in the area, she said, by purchasing products from St. Petersburg-based companies. This can help keep these businesses open for the long term.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we are putting on on Saturday is really our biggest love note to our city,\u201d Bof added. \u201cIt\u2019s not just about representing our vendors well. It\u2019s about giving this community this day in light of the world we live in.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/489816319_1207258551409123_8948995878492681835_n-1024x683.jpg\")
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