Know
First Friday canceled for December; future uncertain
Another St. Petersburg tradition is circling the drain.
First Friday, the monthly block party held since the 1990s on Central Avenue, between 2nd and 3rd Streets, has been canceled for December. Organizers say they’ve simply run out of money.
“It costs $12,000, with no profit to us at all,” said Kristen Lee, Director of Operations for Nightlife Productions, LLC. “It’s a lot of work.”
About half of the cost goes to the city (police presence and other fees), with the rest covering insurance (increasingly expensive these days), sanitation, city and state permitting fees, production costs and payment to the live band.
“It’s totally put on by sponsors, and whenever we didn’t have enough to fill the gap, we’ve been paying it out of our own pocket,” Lee continued. “And it’s gotten to the point where we just can’t do that. We’re barely making ends meet to make it happen.”
Lee is the lead singer for the rock band 22n, and a co-director of 22n Productions, which provides stage lights and sound for events around the bay area and the west coast of Florida.
Her band frequently performed at First Friday, operated for its first 20 years by the St. Petersburg Breakfast Optimist Club.
With the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, the Optimist Club was forced to shut First Friday down.
When it was safe to people to co-mingle once again, Nightlife Productions picked it up.
“When the possibility of bringing the event back came up, we looked forward to it,” Lee said. “Because it is such a longstanding event with a lot of history.”
Last spring, the internet provider Wow! signed a six-month contract as stage sponsor. Producer, sponsor and the City agreed to table the event in July and August, the hottest months of the year.
Many of the businesses on the block also ponied up with sponsorship dollars. “Even with their sponsorship, it didn’t come up to $12,000,” Lee said. “A second sponsorship, with Budweiser, through the sale of Bud Lite, didn’t bridge the gap either.
While December is officially off the books, First Friday might still have a future.
“The city has offered to help us move it west down Central, if we want to, but we’re trying to stay down where it has historically been held,” Lee explained. “It takes less police presence down there, because there’s not as many people, but again, it’s getting sponsors to run it.”
Lee stressed that the cancellation of the December event was not related to the early morning shooting Oct. 7 on 3rd Street near Central. A man opened fired and seven people were injured. “That happened well after the event,” she said. “And it wasn’t on the site, it was around the corner.”
She remains hopeful. “I used to live in Wisconsin, and I moved to St. Pete in 1995. St. Pete is very dear to my heart.
“And that event – playing it, and seeing all the people – that event is a staple for the area. So I’d really hate for it to go away.”
Brent Everett
November 29, 2023at4:18 pm
I agree, Hal. It is a staple of the city. $5 admission would not hurt either.
Blair
November 29, 2023at8:51 am
Those organizers underestimate “the people “ – if it’s a $12k event just ASK attendees to drop $5 in the basket and I’ll bet you’ll make yr budget – try to finance “ the next one” this way – perhaps some entrepreneurial types who love their town will make a bridge loan to enable this & get paid back once people who come contribute. “ for less than the cost of two long range howitzer shells you too can put on a hella party”
OriginalJud
November 28, 2023at6:54 pm
It would be perfect down near that roundabout at the edge with all those new hotels coming down there they need to move it a little more west down central
Jim
November 28, 2023at5:09 pm
So how much money are they short to host the event???? Let me know so our companies carmaker it happen
HAL FREEDMAN
November 28, 2023at4:48 pm
Slowly but surely, long-term, traditional events in St. Petersburg are disappearing: the Night Parade, First Friday, etc. First Night, St. Petersburg’s New Years Eve celebration…art in unexpected places…came close to being a casualty in what will be it’s 30th year. We were able to pull together a scaled down version, thanks to the Tampa Bay Rays, Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, Power Design, and a few private sponsors…4-8pm, FREE, falcohol-free, and all in North Straub Park. People can get their kids home and come back for the City’s Pier event and fireworks that start at 9pm. Let’s not let First Night disappear!
Alexander Gowdey
November 28, 2023at4:33 pm
Let’s organize something different on the first Friday is every month like a day people come out voice the opinions on things that matter to everyone. Like a community party/conference discussions.