Florida souvenir fest is Saturday in Gulfport

Even the building has an historical footprint.

Built in 1934 on the edge of Boca Ciega Bay, the Gulfport Casino will be the site of Saturday’s second annual Floridania Fest, a sort of nostalgia/memorabilia bazaar featuring vintage Florida souvenirs, advertising, postcards, posters and other ephemera.

That includes books. Full disclosure: This reporter will be one of 24 vendors, with copies of Vintage St. Pete: The Golden Age of Tourism – and More, and Vintage St. Pete Volume II: Legends, Locations, Lifestyles to sell and sign.

I’ll also have Skyway: The True Story of Tampa’s Signature Bridge and the Man Who Brought it Down, including a handful of out-of-print hardbound first editions.

The ’22 event. Photo provided.

Floridania Fest is the brainchild of Ken Breslauer, the author of numerous books on Florida’s long-vanished roadside attractions and early to mid-century tourism industry.

“Last year we had 1,600 people attend, which was more than we expected,” Breslauer reveals. “More surprising was the level of interest in collecting Florida items. Many had a genuine interest in Florida history and ephemera. The show had a really fun vibe.”

For 2023, the event is opening 30 minutes earlier (at 9:30 a.m.). Last admission will be at 3:30 p.m.

Admission is $5, with age 14 and under admitted free.

As for the Gulfport Casino, click here to learn its historical secrets.