Making Strides, Science in the Sun and Pops in the Park

Finding something to do around downtown St. Petersburg shouldn’t be a problem this weekend. With three upcoming major events planned, city officials are working to get the word out about parking, road closings and what to expect from the festivities at hand.

Here’s the skinny on the weekend’s happenings, according to the city.

Making Strides Strolls into Vinoy Park

An estimated 3,000 to 4,000 people are expected to take part in this annual event that starts at 9 a.m. Saturday at Vinoy Park.

In an email to media, the city wanted to pass along this information about Saturday’s walk:

“Participants will walk on city streets, separated from traffic by cone lines along North Shore Dr. NE; Fifth Ave. NE to Bayshore Dr. NE; and Seventh Ave. NE to Beach Dr. Cones will also line the following streets where they intersect with North Shore Dr. NE: Seventh, Eighth; 11th; 13th; 15th; 17th, and 18th Aves. NE. Motorists are encouraged to use caution when traveling the
event route.

While traffic around Vinoy Park is expected to be heavier than usual Saturday morning, access to the Renaissance Vinoy Hotel, hotel garage, and the Vinoy Place Condos will be permitted via cone lines. However, access along Fifth Ave. NE from Beach to Bayshore Dr. will be restricted to residents of the Vinoy Place condos and guests of the hotel or condos.

Parking restrictions will be in place along Fifth Ave. NE from Bayshore Dr. NE to Seventh Ave. NE and Bayshore Dr. NE. Restrictions will also be in effect along the east side of North Shore Dr. NE from Seventh Ave. NE to 18th Ave. NE. Downtown residential parking permit holders are encouraged to avoid citations or vehicle relocation by finding alternate parking locations for Saturday’s events in Vinoy Park.”

Science in the Sun/Marine Quest 2014

Here’s what residents need to know, according to the city:

“The public is invited to learn and explore the mysteries of science in the sun and underwater tomorrow when the St. Petersburg Science Festival and the 20th annual open house for Florida Fish and Wildlife, MarineQuest 2014, host a free day of hands-on experiments, demonstrations and family fun on the USF St. Petersburg campus and at the nearby Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Center, 100 Eighth Ave. SE. Festival hours in both locations are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and free parking is available at the USF parking garage at the corner of 5th Avenue S. and 3rd Street S.

The Science Festival features more than 90 hands-on interactive exhibits, games and activities, including Science Jeopardy, while the MarineQuest open house presents encounters with live fish and wildlife, conservation tips and children’s activities. www.stpetescifest.org, http://myfwc.com.

The public is also invited to see the waterfront’s newest addition, “Current Collections,” a 40ft. wide, 30ft. tall sculpture made from recycled and reclaimed marine debris, including melted plastic bags collected by volunteers in local coastal cleanups. “Current Collections” will be on display in Poynter Park during the festival.

Roads closed for the science festival include Eighth and 11th Aves. S. to Third St. S. Meanwhile, parking restrictions will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on both sides of Third St. S. from Eighth Ave. to 11th Ave. S.”

Art and Music Pop in the Park

The city has this to say:

“Attend the first-ever arts festival preview to Saturday’s Florida Orchestra Pops in the Park concert featuring hands-on arts and crafts, live painting, artist displays, live entertainment and a petting zoo for musical instruments from 4 to 6:30 p.m. in Vinoy Park. The festival and the Florida Orchestra Pops in the Park event are presented by Ashley for the Arts.

Road closures include Fifth Avenue NE at Bayshore Dr. NE. However, access to the Renaissance Vinoy Hotel, hotel parking garage and Vinoy Place Condos will be permitted via a cone line.
Festival and concertgoers should also be aware of parking restrictions on Fifth Ave. NE from Bayshore Dr. NE to the intersection of Seventh Ave. NE and Bayshore Dr. NE and on the east side of North Shore Dr. from Seventh to Ninth Aves. NE.

Parking for the arts festival and Pops in the Park is available in the Sundial parking garage and in the Al Lang Stadium parking lot. A free event shuttle will provide transportation from Sundial, the Al Lang parking lot and from Vinoy Park between 6 and 10 p.m., with stops approximately every 15 minutes.

The shuttle is equipped with a wheelchair lift. For information, visit www.stpetetrolley.com/Events.html.”