![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SPIFFS-dragon.jpg\")
Scene from the 2025 SPIFFS Fair. Credit: c\/o SPIFFS<\/p>\nScene from the 2025 SPIFFS Fair. Credit: c\/o SPIFFS<\/p>\n
In 1975, thousands of immigrants had recently moved to Pinellas County as the Vietnam war made their home countries inhospitable. As anti-immigrant reactions spread, the St. Petersburg International \u200bFolk Fair Society <\/a>(SPIFFS) was formed to showcase the beautiful things people from other cultures can bring to our community.<\/p>\n In the decades since, SPIFFS has held annual events celebrating the customs and food of the many ethnicities that make up Pinellas and surrounding counties.<\/p>\n This weekend, the festival marks a milestone with its 50th International Folk Fair.<\/p>\n Set for Saturday, March 7,\u00a0 Mar. 7 at England Brothers park in Pinellas Park, the festival includes two dozen nationalities presenting a mix of music, food, dance, martial arts demonstrations, sword fighting, handmade goods, and more from 10 a.m.\u20136 p.m.<\/p>\n SPIFFS will even have an international beer tent and two performance stages. The \u201cParade of Nations\u201d will end in a naturalization ceremony for new U.S. citizens. The event wraps with a Vietnamese dragon dance.<\/p>\n Many of the groups are staffed by first or second-generation U.S. residents. Countries represented at this year\u2019s festival include Vietnam, Germany, Ukraine, Jamaica, and Eritrea\u2014where Olympic medalist and Tampa resident Meb Keflezighi<\/a> was born back when it was still a part of Ethiopia.<\/p>\n \u201cFifty years later, we are celebrating what immigrants have brought to our country and added to the fabric of our country. That mission is still exactly the same,\u201d SPIFFS contributor JoEllen Schilke told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. \u201cIt\u2019s just really sad that we need it just as much as we needed it 50 years ago. You\u2019d think in 50 years, maybe we would have gotten a little bit better.\u201d<\/p>\n SPIFFS is also hoping people can connect with their roots through the event. Schilke said that the Scottish and Indian tents at last year\u2019s fair saw a lot of people with Scottish or Indian heritage approaching to try to learn more about where they came from. \u201cIs your grandma from Poland? Is your auntie from Venezuela? \u2026 Let\u2019s celebrate the roots of where they\u2019ve come from,\u201d Schilke said.<\/p>\n Beyond fighting anti-immigrant sentiment and connecting people with their roots, SPIFFS just wants everyone to have an affordable good time. Ticket prices haven\u2019t gone up since before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (general admission is just $14), parking is free, and Schilke says all the food is priced between $3\u2013$10.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we can do is present the joyful side of (immigration),\u201d Schilke told CL. \u201cThe side that people sometimes forget about when the news is trying to gin up drama. You know, here are people who are making delicious food.\u2029Here are people who work really hard. Here are people who are proud of being American and proud of their history.\u201d<\/p>\n Tickets to the SPIFFS Fair happening Saturday, March 7 at England Brothers park in Pinellas Park are still available for $14.<\/a><\/p>\n Pitch in to help make the Tampa Bay Journalism Project a success.<\/a><\/p>\n Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.<\/a><\/p>\n Follow us:\u00a0Google News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0NewsBreak<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Reddit<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Facebook\u00a0<\/a>|\u00a0BlueSky<\/a><\/p>\n This article appears in Feb. 26 \u2013 Mar. 04, 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n \t![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SPIFFS-China.jpg\")
Scene from the 2025 SPIFFS Fair. Credit: c\/o SPIFFS<\/p>\n