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Arts Alive! podcast: Localtopia’s Olga Bof
Williams Park will be bustin’ out all over, as the saying goes, when Localtopia settles in Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Localtopia, the annual gathering of homegrown St. Pete artists, craftspeople, merchants and community organizations, has grown significantly over the years. So much so that the 2026 edition, the 13th consecutive event, will be taking up one thoroughfare more than last year – a section of 2nd Street North has joined the no-traffic-allowed lineup to help accommodate some of the 300-plus vendors.
Olga Bof, today’s guest on the Arts Alive! podcast, has been the director of Localtopia since the beginning. As the founder of its parent organization, Keep St. Petersburg Local, Bof has never deviated from her mission – to focus on the people and business that she feels hold the community together as the corporate footprint continues to expand.
During this interview, Bof talks about the origins of this massive shopping experience – as many as 60,000 are expected – and how it’s evolved over the years. She explains her long-held, passionate belief that by shopping local, we are doing our part to maintain a distinct St. Pete personality.
Click on the arrow to listen to the conversation.
