Shopapalooza Helps Small Business and Kids

What is the antithesis of last-minute scrambling to buy your family Starbucks and Amazon gift cards for the holidays? Shopapalooza. 

Shopapalooza is a giant, two-day outdoor market in Vinoy Park, packed with local vendors, artists, and cuisine. This year it runs from Saturday, November 30 and Sunday, December 1, 10 am to 5 pm. 

Just a few days after Thanksgiving, Shopapalooza is a chance to support local businesses, and get holiday shopping under wraps, but the very best part? Partial proceeds benefit non-profits for kids in Pinellas. 

Shopapalooza founder and organizer Ester Venouziou explains that the popular festival started out as a small get-together of vendors in 2010 in the now-shuttered Sundial lot. “It was just a tiny idea, with maybe 30 or 35 vendors,” she said. “The whole idea was centered around doing something akin to Black Friday but supporting local businesses rather than the whole Black Friday at-the-mall thing.”

Originally, Venouziou wanted to host the event at midnight, but the City of St. Petersburg didn’t go for the idea, citing late-night traffic and safety concerns. 

“A lot of people don’t need more things, really, but it’s a great opportunity to find unique gifts and to buy things you’re already buying, like hot sauces or sauces, even furniture,” Venouziou said. Amidst the sea of tents, shoppers can find a rotation of live music, performances, and art demonstrations. 

“There’s so many cool people that are a part of this, and so many cool stories,” Venouziou said. “From 70-year-olds to seven-year-old vendors, everything has a story behind it.” 

Aside from the local businesses that benefit from the two days of shopping insanity, Shopapalooza donates portions of the festival proceeds to Pinellas nonprofits. This year, when you shop local at Shopapalooza, you’re also supporting local charities such as The St. Pete Youth Farm, Jump for Kids, and Live Love St. Pete. 

In early October, Shopapalooza had already raised $4,500 in early donations. Particularly in the wake of two hurricanes, organizers are hoping for a record-high number to give back this year. 

Growing with St. Pete Youth Farm

Even long-time ‘Burgers may not know that there is a small farm hidden at 1664 12th Street South that grows organic fruits and vegetables by a team of young farmers. The goal: Supply free, healthy food to an area without a lot of access to fresh produce and teach young people how to grow their own food. 

For the last three years, Shopapalooza has donated a portion of earnings to The St. Pete Youth Farm. In 2023, they raised $10,000 for them. That donation allowed the St. Pete Youth Farm to launch its community compost initiative, said program director Carla Bristol. 

The compost initiative uses the excess buckets at the farm for St. Pete residents to store their food scrapings and drop off at the farm, where they are used to create rich soil. It’s a “Circle of Life” effort to reduce waste and recycle. It doesn’t matter where you live; participants just sign up online and bring the buckets to and from. 

“What’s exciting for us about Shopapalooza is that these donations allow us to directly address food insecurity,” Bristol said. “We’re located in what I call ‘the opportunity zone’ in our city. There’s a major issue with access to nutritional food.” 

All the farmers are high-school-aged kids who are learning the importance of connection to their food. 

The St. Pete Youth Farm will be at Shopapalooza this year. They’re not selling anything, as the farmers believe in the beauty of giving back. 

“We give seeds away for free, teach people about nutritional insecurities, and what they can do,” Bristol said. “Our volunteers live in areas with some of the highest incidents of low blood pressure, hypertension, and health issues. We’re learning how to retrain our habits, starting with the youth.”

If you’ve gone to the grocery store lately for fruits and vegetables, you know that prices are not cheap. Supporting Shopapalooza is supporting fresh food for people who might not otherwise afford it. “It’s always incredible to watch the whole community come out and be supportive at this event,” Bristol said. 

Jumping for Kids 

When you grab a beer at the Shopapalooza Beer Garden, a portion of your drink tab actually goes to children – that is, Jump for Kids, a 5013c personal training company for kids.

“Shopapalooza is our biggest fundraiser, and we always need funds to pay our coaches, buy equipment, and give back to our kids,” Jump for Kids founder Jeff Pope said. “It’s important because this is a local thing, and we need locals to help with our cause.” 

But why do kids need personal trainers? 

They don’t, but they do deserve the chance to be a part of after school activities and sports programs without paying for the costs. Pope, a professional physical trainer, can certify that donations from Shopapalooza in 2023 helped the program to purchase and distribute soccer balls for Pinellas schools. Soccer balls aren’t cheap. 

“Not everyone goes to a private school,” Pope noted. “Some schools don’t have budgets for afterschool programs and play time.” 

Jump for Kids goes into Pinellas schools to bring free or affordable sports training and programming to kids who wouldn’t always have the opportunity to get in on the games. Pope and other Jump for Kids trainer and coach, Marquis Webster, dedicate three days a week to afterschool sports programs at Lakewood Elementary. With no brick-and-mortar, the charity uses participating schools’ gyms and brings the skills and enthusiasm. 

“When I was creating the concept, I thought ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if kids could get personal training a few days a week so they could have a foundation of knowledge on their own fitness?’” Pope said. “It’s something that’s needed. The heart of what we do is [helping] kids so they can be the best they can be.” 

This year’s Shopapalooza profits will also benefit Live Love St. Pete, a fundraising charity that helps with school supplies, backpacks, and school uniforms for students in need.

Learn more at shopapaloozafestival.com, stpeteyouthfarm.org, jumpforkidsfl.org, and livelovestpete.org.