It is GECKOFEST weekend! Gulfport’s 25th annual GECKOFEST promises a full day of family-friendly fun on Saturday, August 30th 10am-8pm. The streets of the waterfront village will be filled with live music, food & beverage vendors, art and craft vendors, and up close and personal street theater performances. Make plans to spend Saturday getting a little weird in Gulfport. Learn more at www.paradisenewsfl.com/geckofest-2025/.
Register Now for the 40th International Coastal Cleanup
Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the ICC with Keep Pinellas Beautiful (KPB) and the Ocean Conservancy by volunteering at one of KPB’s events from September 1st to October 31st! Join the global movement and become a citizen scientist to help KPB collect, count, and document the litter found at sites throughout Pinellas County. For more information or to host a cleanup during the ICC, contact Megan Jackson at mjackson@kpbcares.org.
Looking for more ways to support the ICC this year? Consider becoming a sponsor! Last year, 4,943 volunteers removed 65,806 lbs. of litter at 357 community projects. Help us expand our reach! Email sellington@kpbcares.org to inquire about sponsoring.
City of SPB Freebee Rideshare Registration
The City of St. Pete Beach has begun accepting resident registration for the Freebee ride service. As of 8/6/25 they have registered 159 residents for the service. To continue receiving the service free of charge, residents must pre-register in person at the Community Center. Residents can register at the St. Pete Beach Community Center year-round, so long as they register prior to taking their first FreeBee ride to avoid the $3.00 charge.
Learn more at https://www.paradisenewsfl.com/st-pete-beach-freebee-faq/.
Reach Locals & Visitors with a Print Ad in Paradise News
Paradise News will print & distribute 30,000 copies monthly this winter, mailing 20,000 to some of the most affected homeowners & businesses In the Tampa Bay Area. Email Peter Roos at sales@paradisenewsfl.com about placing an ad in Paradise News this summer. Learn more about the benefits of placing an ad in Paradise News in print or online at https://www.paradisenewsfl.com/reach-pinellas-county-locals-this-november/.
NEW TIDBITS:
- The August/September Issue is NOW online. Read it here.
- Find the tidbits from our August/September issue at https://www.paradisenewsfl.com/tidbits-as-2025/.
- Subscribers to St. Pete Opera’s 20th Season get a 10 percent discount and invitations to special events. You choose the day and your seats – Friday at 8:00, Sunday at 2:00 and Tuesday at 7:30 and – relax knowing you won’t miss a show. St. Pete Opera has an amazing lineup of operas for their Season 20. Learn more at https://stpeteopera.org/. Call now to reserve the best seats available for our spectacular 20th Season. Box Office: (727) 823-2040, ext. 1.
- Get ready to feel the heat as the 25th Annual I Like It HOT! Festival spices up Largo on September 13 and 14. This hot n’ spicy food show which is the longest running in Florida is painfully delicious, big on flavor and cooked up to be one of the hottest events of the season. Learn more at https://www.paradisenewsfl.com/25th-i-like-it-hot-fest/.
- Paradise News will print & distribute 30,000 copies monthly this winter, mailing 20,000 to some of the most affected homeowners & businesses In the Tampa Bay Area. Email Peter Roos at sales@paradisenewsfl.com about placing an ad in Paradise News this summer. Learn more about the benefits of placing an ad in Paradise News in print or online at https://www.paradisenewsfl.com/reach-pinellas-county-locals-this-november/.
- Let us know what you are thinking about what is happening on our local beaches and St. Petersburg by submitting a Letter to the Editor at https://www.paradisenewsfl.com/letter/. Letters will be considered for inclusion in an upcoming issue of Paradise News.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
- Gulfport Night Market- First Friday & Third Saturday Every Month INFO
- Monster Energy St. Pete Powerboat P1 Grand Prix- September 5-7 INFO
- St Pete Open 60th Annual Spearfishing Tournament- September 6 INFO
- Flavors of Spain Dinner featuring Wild Child at The Dalí- September 9 INFO
- SPMOH Historic Baseball Trolley Tour- September 13 TICKETS
- 25th Annual I Like It HOT! Festival- September 13-14 INFO
- ARTS ALIVE Free Museum Day at MFA St. Pete- September 20 INFO
- Drop Dead Dangerous Beach Bash 3- September 25 INFO
- St. Pete Beach October Concert Series- Fridays in October INFO
- IRB Oktoberfest on the Beach- October 11 INFO
- Treasure Island Trick or Treat Trail- October 24 INFO
- Johns Pass Seafood Festival- October 24-26 INFO
- Sueños de Dalí- October 25 INFO
- Treasure Island’s Barktoberfest- October 26 INFO
- Fall King of the Beach- November 6-8 INFO
- Sanding Ovations- November 19-23 INFO
- Treasure Island Holiday Lighted Boat Parade- December 20 INFO
REMINDERS
- The August/September Issue is NOW online. Read it here.
- Reach snowbirds, locals & tourists in 2025 with a print ad in Paradise News! Email Peter Roos at sales@ParadiseNewsFL.com to place your ads in Paradise News in Print.
- Pinellas County Sheriffs Offices wants you to please lock your car doors and stow valuables out of sight.
- CLICK HERE to signup for ALERT PINELLAS to get vital updates during hurricane season.
- LocalShops1 is offering more opportunities for businesses to be a part of this year’s Halloween on Central festival taking place Sunday, October 26 from noon to 5pm. The Voodoo Vendor Village is expanding from four blocks to five blocks which means more opportunities for creativity, shopping and for local businesses to take part in this spooky celebration. The Voodoo Vendor Village will cover Central Avenue between 16th and 21st streets, featuring local makers and small businesses, food trucks, candy stations and more. Learn more at https://www.paradisenewsfl.com/voodoo-vendor-village-expands/.
- Vendors can sign up now for Skyway Marina District’s Halloween Arts & Crafts Fest on October 25th at 2200 31st St. S., St. Petersburg FL. CLICK HERE to sign up.
- Savor St. Pete is coming back to Vinoy Park this fall! Join Savor St. Pete November 1 & 2 a gourmet experience where flavor, fun, and the Florida sunshine come together on the waterfront. Use Access Code: EARLYBIRD20 for $100 General Admission tickets (retail value of $120) in August. Get tickets now at https://savortheburg.com/tickets-2/.
- The Fresh Market offers visitors the opportunity for a relaxing day trip in a small town full of “Old Florida” charms every Tuesday this summer 9am-2pm. The Gulfport Tuesday Fresh Market is open year-round. Parking in the village is free. Learn more at https://visitgulfportflorida.com/event/gulfport-fresh-market-2/.
- Summer rains can sweep lawn and landscape fertilizer right into our waterways, causing algae blooms and killing marine life. That’s why Pinellas County Ordinance prohibits purchase or use of fertilizers with nitrogen or phosphorous from June through September. Do your part to protect our environment. Learn more at https://pinellas.gov/fertilizer-landscape-information/.
- More than 350 local makers and small businesses are coming together at St. Petersburg’s Vinoy Park on Thanksgiving Weekend for LocalShops1’s Shopapalooza Festival. The 2-day extravaganza celebrates local businesses, local arts, local tastes, local music, and the local vibe that makes Tampa Bay such a special place. Learn more at https://www.paradisenewsfl.com/15th-annual-shopapalooza/.
- Stay up-to-date with the latest Pinellas County news by signing up for their new monthly newsletter- The Wave. From beach restoration to countywide road construction, The Wave will the most important news from Pinellas County Government to your inbox each month. Sign up now at https://pinellas.gov/the-wave.
- The Madeira beach social club is an active senior group located in Madeira Beach, Florida. Their club provides a wonderful opportunity for seniors to socialize, participate in various activities, and build lasting friendships within our community. Click here to learn more.
- The City of Gulfport Senior Center’s Telephone Reassurance Program is a free service for Gulfport Residents 50 years of age or older. Volunteers provide daily phone calls to registered members and provide comfort, security, and peace of mind to members and families. Registration is simple and free. If you or someone you know could benefit from this service during this difficult time, please call (727) 893-2237 and register today.
- Reminder to our residents and visitors. No Dogs On The Beach! If you see something, say something. Contact Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Non-Emergency Line at 727-582-6200.
- Connect with the City of Gulfport through their app! CLICK HERE to learn more and download it.
- The City of St. Pete Beach is now using See Click Fix for residents to submit issues to the city. Click here to learn more.
