ST PETERSBURG, Fla. — For 13 years, Localtopia has been giving local businesses and artists in St. Petersburg a huge boost in foot traffic, and this year's event is the biggest yet.
The completely local market features hundreds of artists and vendors showcasing what makes their businesses special on a very big platform.
WATCH: St. Pete's Localtopia market grows into city staple after 13 years of supporting local vendors
"I just think it's fun that it's all local people that you might not have known were out there," said Lauren Hall, who is a local participating in her second Localtopia after her successful debut last year.
Hall knew this was an event she couldn't miss after her first experience.
"People were comparing it to the Super Bowl for art markets, and it was. I did really well," Hall said.
Hall's ArtLoEb is just one of hundreds of vendors this year in what organizers say is the largest event the team behind Localtopia has ever hosted.
But it's not just arts and crafts. The event also serves as a platform for local groups like the Historic St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club.
"We're kind of like the hidden gem of local rentals for weddings. We're on Mirror Lake. We have such a beautiful spot in the middle of the city," says Ashley Nucci, president of the Shuffleboard Club. "It means a lot to really spread the word with everyone and to tell them."
Nucci, a St. Petersburg lifer, said seeing how big this event has become this year shows how the community has really come together.
"Olga Bof, who puts this together, really does a great job of making sure that every single small business is involved, that they have a place here, and people have been doing it for year after year after year. So we look forward to this event," Nucci says, "Personally, as someone that grew up in St. Pete, I like to see this grow and how it's really become such a staple in our city."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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