St. Petersburg's EDGE District to vibrate with art this weekend

The inaugural Booker Creek Arts Festival, a vibrant celebration of creativity, will transform St. Petersburg’s EDGE District this week (Nov. 12-15). The festival, born from a thousand ideas coalesced by Leslie Curran, aims to reinforce St. Petersburg’s identity as a “City of the Arts” and showcase art in unexpected places, extending beyond traditional galleries and venues. The event delivers a professional, juried art show directly into nearly 40 EDGE District businesses, ranging from hotels and boutiques to breweries, salons, restaurants, and even the St. Petersburg Police Department, fostering connections between art and the community.

The Genesis of an Arts Festival

The concept for the Booker Creek Arts Festival began with Leslie Curran’s vision to demonstrate that art can be accessible and integrated into everyday life. “The City wants to keep saying we’re a City of the Arts,” Curran explains, “And I think we’re on the cusp of something really good. But it doesn’t always have to be the same, if it can just be shown that art is everywhere.” The festival is named for the natural stream that winds through the EDGE District, a nod to the area's resilience and character. The event features 127 original pieces of art, carefully curated and displayed within participating businesses, creating a self-guided walking tour experience for attendees. To ensure a high standard of artistry, all submitted works were created by Florida artists and selected through a rigorous jury process. Curran declined to accept sculptures, opting instead for 2D and 3D art hanging on walls, with the exception of the Police Department, which was granted permission to use easels.

A Curated Experience

The festival isn’t just about viewing art; it’s about engaging with the creative process. Artists are competing for up to $50,000 in jury-awarded prizes, and visitors will have the opportunity to vote for the People’s Choice Awards. “The idea is, I did a Call to Artists – Florida artist only – and they each submitted three pieces,” Curran explains. “I had a selection panel of five arts professionals and we looked through all of those. Once the top tier was selected, they went back in and chose one piece from each artist. “Then I had to curate the art for each business. Because I didn’t want to just willy-nilly throw anything where it fit – it need to fit and look good with their business. I tried to curate everything so it fit the space that it was in.” This careful curation ensures each piece complements its surroundings and enhances the overall experience for visitors.

Festival Highlights

Throughout the festival, attendees can participate in a variety of art-related activities. Carrie Jadus will be creating a Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation mural at Green Bench Brewing, while Duncan McClellan and his team will conduct glass-blowing demonstrations outside 1201 Central. Jenee Priebe and No Good Deeds are hosting a Mural Paint-Off outside Intermezzo Coffee & Cocktails, and Chad Mize’s latest pop-up art show, Go With the Flow, will take place at Green Bench. The NOMAD (interactive Art Bus) will offer a unique community canvas experience. A particularly anticipated event is “An Evening Illuminated,” a “jaw-dropping outdoor illuminated visual display” produced by Haddy, the Ringling College of Art, and the St. Petersburg Museum of History, viewable from Ferg’s. The St. Petersburg Police Department is participating in the event.

Curran’s Legacy and the EDGE District

Leslie Curran, a long-time champion of the arts in St. Petersburg, has been instrumental in fostering a vibrant creative community. As the owner of ARTicles Art Gallery & Custom Framing and Leslie Curran Gallery, she brings decades of experience and passion to the festival. Her previous service as a St. Petersburg City Council member (1989–1997, 2006–2014) saw her consistently advocating for arts initiatives, including the yearly First Night New Year’s Eve celebration and her long-standing involvement with the EDGE District (originally the Dome District). “I believe in art, she says. “I believe in the healing power of it. You may have two people standing in front of a piece, and one person loves it, the other one doesn’t.”

Economic Impact and Community Building

Curran emphasizes the importance of supporting artists and recognizing the economic impact of art. “That’s the whole idea,” she explains. “The people who might normally not come to the area will now see how you can form a relationship through art. And art is an economic driver.” The festival aims to showcase the EDGE businesses, emphasizing their potential as cultural centers. The event’s focus on Florida artists and its integration into local businesses underscores its commitment to supporting the local creative economy. The City of St. Petersburg is committed to supporting such initiatives, recognizing the vital role art plays in enriching the lives of its residents.

Festival Details

The inaugural Booker Creek Arts Festival runs Thursday through Sunday, with a variety of activities scheduled throughout the week. A detailed schedule is available below:

• Thursday-Sunday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Festival artwork displayed (individual venue closing times may vary), district wide
• Thursday-Sunday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. ArtPhrazeology by John Monteiro – test your skill deciphering the idioms, VIV
• Thursday-Sunday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Effloresce Pyramids by Dana Blickendorfer, Moxy Hotel lobby
• Thursday-Saturday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation mural painting by Carrie Jadus, Green Bench Brewing
• Thursday-Saturday: 7 p.m. “An Evening Illuminated” outdoor illuminated visual display, 1301 Central Ave. (suggestion: watch from Ferg’s)
• Friday: 5-6:30 p.m. Arts Conservatory for Teens live performance, Ferg’s indoor stage
• Saturday: 12-4 p.m. Duncan McClellan glass blowing demonstrations, lot adjacent to 1201 Central
• Saturday: 12-5 p.m. Postcard Project with Sarah Norine James (interactive postcard expressions), 1201 Central
• Saturday: 12-5 p.m. Color a Creek Critter with Alli Arnold (interactive critter illustrating), 1201 Central
• Saturday: 12-5 p.m. NOMAD Art Bus (interactive community canvas), lot at Cappa Law
• Saturday: 12-5 p.m. Radio St. Pete broadcasting live, Sourdough Co.
• Saturday: 3:30-5:30 p.m. Art Battle – mural paint off by No Good Deeds (with audience voting), Intermezzo palm lot
• Saturday: 6-10 p.m. Go with the Flow Art Show curated by Chad Mize, Green Bench Brewing
• Saturday: 7:15 p.m. Winners announced for juried awards, Green Bench Brewing
• Saturday: 8 p.m. People’s Choice Voting ends
• Sunday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Global Love Project – interactive chalk drawing, 11th Street and Central
• Sunday: 12 p.m. Winners announced for People’s Choice Awards and Plein Air Painting Competition, Green Bench Brewing
• Sunday: 12-4 p.m. Postcard Project with Sarah Norine James (interactive postcard expressions), 1201 Central
• Sunday: 12-4 p.m. Color a Creek Critter with Alli Arnold (interactive critter illustrating), 1201 Central
• Sunday: 1-4 p.m. Radio St. Pete broadcasting live, Sourdough Co.

For more information about the Booker Creek Arts Festival, please visit the EDGE District website. Residents are encouraged to explore the festival, support local artists, and experience the vibrant culture of St. Petersburg.

The Booker Creek Arts Festival promises to be a memorable event for the entire community, showcasing the power of art to connect, inspire, and enrich our lives. It’s an opportunity to celebrate St. Petersburg’s unique identity and reaffirm our commitment to fostering a thriving creative ecosystem for generations to come.