March St Petersburg Area Events Splashy

March Recurring Events

Spring Training

Sometimes it just doesn’t get much better than lounging about, watching professional ball players warm up for the season. While Florida teams are a bit more spread out than in say, Phoenix, you can still catch some spring training in Tampa or Clearwater. Check out the schedule here.

IndyCar Racing Series Grand Prix of St Petersburg

The Firestone Grand Prix of St Petersburg will be March 13 through March 15th in 2020.

This IndyCar race has been held in St Petersburg since 2009. And a recently renewed agreement means the race will be returning to the area for the next 5 years as well.

If you’re an IndyCar fan, the significance of the season opener needs no explanation for you. If you’ve never been to Grand Prix before, St Petersburg is a great place to get your feet wet.

Check out the website here and plan your adventure now.

Florida Strawberry Festival

Pop one in your mouth. Or maybe a few dozen

Did you know about Florida’s love affair with the strawberry? No, not the orange. (Or any citrus, really.) The strawberry! The first time I visited the Florida Strawberry Festival I thought it might be somewhat unique. It’s not. There are strawberry festivals all over the United States and even some in Canada, Australia, Italy and Japan. You can find a website with links to worldwide strawberry festivals here.

But we’re talking about the Florida Strawberry Festival, held in (where else?) Plant City, Florida in late February and early March. 11 days in all.

The website is https://flstrawberryfestival.com. You van find out about rides & attractions, musical talent and visit the livestock show. Visit the website and signup for updates via email including 2020 dates!

Gulfport Pink Flamingo Tour of Homes

Gulfport’s tour of eclectic homes returns on March 7, 2020.

This year’s event will focus on the east side of the historic downtown.

Tickets can be purchased online at visitgulfportflorida.com or at Gulfport Beach Bazaar on Beach Blvd. Facebook page here.

Run for the sake of cupcakes in Pass-A-Grille, will ya already?

Race for the Cupcake

March is all about races here, and this event is no different. OK, well it is different in that it involves you moving at high speed. Ok just moving, maybe not a high speed. And not in an IndyCar or a boat. So before you head out to the Pink Flamingo Tour of Homes, head out to Hurley Park at 1501 Gulf Way in St Pete Beach for the 2020 Race for the Cupcake. Proceeds from this event benefit Girls on the Run. Girls on the Run is a non-profit program that encourages girls to develop self-respect, to be joyful and confident, and to live a healthy lifestyle through interactive lessons, running games, and a culminating celebratory 5k run. Sounds worthwhile to me! Plus you get a cupcake! You can find the website here.

Cuban Sandwich Festival

If you’ve ever had a REALLY good cuban sandwich, the finding out that a Cuban Sandwich Festival exists is probably just a big dull “duh” to you. Am I right or am I right? Ever since I fell in love with the idea of a Cuban sandwich after Jon Favreau’s “Chef” in 2014, Cuban sandwiches are on my short list of favorite foods to try at new eating establishments. (If you must know the other items on the list are crab cakes, fish spread, flan, lobster bisque and tortilla soup.) Now this is just a guess, but I have a hunch that a great place to sample some really tasty cuban sandwiches just might be at a Cuban sandwich festival. Just sayin’ I have the inside scoop on this. The 2020 Tampa area event is on Sunday, March 29th at Centennial Park in Historic Ybor City at 1800 E. 8th Avenue in Tampa. The event is an international competition that attracts cooks from all over the world.

Maybe not quite this small

2020 Florida Suncoast Tiny Homes Festival

Oh, the irony that the 2020 Florida Suncoast Tiny Home Festival needs a larger venue.

I should just stop there.

Anyway…The 2020 event will be held March 28 and 29th in England Brothers Park in Pinellas Park and will feature more than 30 tiny structures.

If you’ve been binge-watching Tiny House Nation, then this is for you. Where else can you try on so many small structures, even if just to assure yourself that your McMansion is perfect for you?

Still, as the owner of a 330 SF “tiny home”, I’m intrigued.

Website here: tinyhomestpete.com

Gulfport Grand Prix

It’s fair to say that this event is not without controversy in our sleepy little community. Because during this event the area is anything but sleepy. Still, for 3 days at the end of March, this boat show and boat race is happening and Boca Ciega Bay is a rather unique area to experience an event like this. Visit the event’s website for the schedule maps, and other helpful information. And one thing is guaranteed – you’ve never seen Gulfport like this! GrandprixGulfport.com

Reggae Rise Up Music Festival

It’s hard to think of better music for a festival than reggae.

And it’s even more difficult to think of a better location and time of year for any music festival than Vinoy Park in St Petersburg in March.

2020 Dates are March 20-22.

Visit the website at reggaeriseupflorida.com for festival info, including the lineup, tickets, what you can bring in and what you can’t and even how to get involved.

Tarpon Springs Fine Arts Festival

When an event is in its 46th year, I think it is safe to say it has been a success. The 46th Annual Tarpon Springs Fine Arts Festival takes place March 14 and 15th in beautiful Craig Park. This park is ocated between Spring and Whitcomb Bayous. Tarpon Springs was voted best Historic Small Town for 2018 by USA Today. Tarpon Springs is home to the Sponge Docks, brick streets, Victorian mansions and intimate bungalows. The arts festival is juried, so you won’t find any mass-produced items here.