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A Year at the Pier
St. Petersburg's Pier is a year-round attraction.
Ever since it opened in 1899, The Pier in downtown St. Petersburg has been a center of life for the city. The original half-mile long wharf welcomed oranges, fresh fish and other goods to the town from nearby Tampa. Today, though, The Pier's major goods in trade is fun.
The inverted pyramid that makes up the five-story structure is a beacon for entertainment in St. Petersburg all year. Festivals and special events attract a lot of attention, and when they're not occurring, some sort of everyday amusement makes The Pier a must see at Florida's Beach.
Winter – January, February, March
The start of the year is festival season in St. Petersburg. The Pier is the perfect location to get a bird's eye view of the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, an IndyCar Series race, from the fifth-floor observation deck. The race cars reach speeds up to 105 mph on the streets of downtown St. Petersburg.
In March, Downtown and Vinoy Park host both the International Folk Fair Festival and the Cajun/Zydeco Crawfish Festival. Visitors can rent two-, four- and six-seat surrey bikes from Wheel Fun Rentals on the left side of The Pier and ride them over to the park to enjoy the weekend-long events dedicated to music and crafts and crawfish and Louisiana culture, respectively.
The temperate winter evenings are also a good time of year to enjoy The City of St. Petersburg's Gallery Walks, held from 5 to 9 p.m. on the second Saturday evening of each month. The Looper trolley takes visitors to each venue, including The Pier's own Crystal Mirage Gallery. The Gallery has been at The Pier for 18 years and features contemporary glass art by more than 200 artists.
Spring – April, May, June
With spring in swing, The Pier comes alive with PierFest, a weekend event
of extreme sports held in either April or May. Trick bike riders, wakeboarders and skateboarders from all over the Southeastern United States come here to display their skills. You haven't seen extreme sports until you've witnessed big air motocross set against the backdrop of the blue waters of Tampa Bay.
The Pier Aquarium's Kids’ Fishing Tournament is held every May for kids 12 and under. The half-day tournament is for novices and more experienced fisherkids (it's a qualifier for the Mercury/International Game Fish Association Junior Angler World Championship Tournament). The first 500 children who pay the $1 registration fee receive a supply of bait, gift bag and lunch.
Kids (and adults) can practice their angling techniques all year on the 2,400-foot span of the pier. Fishing poles are available for rent from the Pier Bait House on the ground level. Or, you can also rent the serenely quiet sea crafts from Electric Marina that move like golf carts on water to try your luck in deeper waters or to search for dolphins. There’s also a Dolphin Sightseeing Cruise that leaves from The Pier.
Summer – July, August, September
The Pier Aquarium also holds a series of summer day camps, including activities like beach lab investigations, sea kayaking and dolphin training. The second level of the building is the 2,000 square foot aquarium's permanent home. It is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. In addition to viewing the tanks of tropical creatures, children can sign up to be a part of the daily fish feedings. "Official Fish Feeders" receive a certificate for their animal care help and they learn about the work the scientists at the aquarium do every day.
Fourth of July Fireworks at The Pier are the spot in St. Petersburg to celebrate the nation’s birthday. Throughout the
day, kids’ activities, including face painting and games, are held and music stars, living statues and comedy/hypnosis shows entertain the crowd before the fireworks add sparkle and thunder to the night sky.
Concerts continue every Sunday in the main Pier courtyard next to the water with Music Fest. Local bands and musicians perform from 1 to 4 p.m. In cases of bad weather, the family-friendly event takes place in the Dockside Activity Room, ensuring the fun always moves along at The Pier.
For even steamier summer nights, The Pier hosts Latin Nights, also in the courtyard. Free salsa, meringue and cha cha lessons are held from 7 to 8 p.m. and the music continues until 11 p.m.
Fall – October, November, December
Slow things down in the fall with free afternoon Pier Tea Dances held the first four Wednesdays of the season. From noon to 3 p.m. the Tea Dance features music from the 40s, 50s and 60s performed by a live band.
On Saturday afternoons family entertainment takes hold on The Pier’s main level. From 1 to 4 p.m. children are treated to balloon animals, magic shows, face painting, stilt walkers, jugglers and music.
Depending on the calendar, November or early December has The Pier welcoming Snowfest, the city’s holiday celebration. Arts and crafts vendors are found throughout downtown and the Jingle Bell boat parade begins and ends at The Pier. At night crowds gather to watch the lighted boat parade where locals deck out their crafts in holiday decorations (and yes, it does get chilly, so bring a warm sweater).
In the late fall and early winter you’ll also find docked at The Pier the replica of the HMS Bounty used in the 1962 film starting Marlon Brando and more recently in Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean. Due to shipboard renovations, The Bounty will not be docked at The Pier in 2006, but will return in 2007.
On New Year’s Eve, First Night St. Pete, a family-friendly celebration featuring musical performances and art, takes place at The Pier and more than 25 other downtown venues. The festivities end with fireworks welcoming the New Year.
For more events at The Pier, visit www.stpetepier.com.
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Copyright ©2006 St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. All rights reserved.