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LGBT TRAVEL GUIDE
AREA MAP 4 - 5 EVENTS 6 BY THE NUMBERS 8 PRIDE WEEKEND 9 PRIDE 5 WAYS 10 - 11
COVER
5 LGBT St Pete residents who discuss their favorite parts of the city in “My St Pete” on page 20. Guide design by Dash Creative
STAFF
Luke Blankenship, Interim Executive Director
MY ST PETE 12 - 20
BOARD MEMBERS
Scion Crowder, President Laura Legarreta, Vice President Chrys Bundy, Secretary Stanley Solomons, Treasurer J. Aller Susan McGrath Nathan Bruemmer
DIRECTORS OF OPERATIONS Kim Chavez, Volunteer Director Tri Nguyen, Volunteer Director Tavis Geerdes, Parade Director Dan Garcia, Parade Director Danny McAfee, Parade Director George Allen, Festival Director
www.stpetepride.com |
PO Box 12647, St Petersburg FL 33733 | 2017 St Pete Pride
OUR MISSION The purpose of St Pete Pride is to promote unity, visibility, self-esteem, and a positive image of and among the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) community of Tampa Bay and throughout the State of Florida by way of cultural and educational programs and activities.
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RESTAURANTS/ BARS 41
1. 400 Beach Seafood & Tap House
18. The Garage
35. Proper Kitchen & Cocktails
2. The Avenue Eat/Drink
19. Green Bench Brewing Co.
36. Punky’s Bar & Grill
400beachseafood.com theavenuedtsp.com
3. Bandit Coffee banditcoffee.co TAMPA
4. BellaBrava 8 13
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bellabrava.com
5. The Bends
2729 Central Ave.
properdtsp.com
greenbenchbrewing.com
punkysbar.com
20. Hamburger Mary's Clearwater
37. Pro Shop Pub
hamburgermarys.com/clearwater
proshoppub.com
21. Hamburger Mary's St Pete
38. Red Mesa Cantina
hamburgermarys.com/stpete
redmesacantina.com
22. Hawkers Asian Street Fare
727-202-8931
6. The Birch & Vine thebirchwood.com
7. Bodega on Central
bodegaoncentral.com
8. Bradley's on 7th
bradleyson7th.com
9. The Canopy Rooftop Lounge thebirchwood.com
10. Cask & Ale
thecaskandale.com
11. Cassis American Brasserie cassisab.com
12. Community Café
St. Petersburg is full of communitycafestpete.com 13. Copper Tail Brewing amazing beaches, coppertailbrewing.com great food, 14. Dog Barimpressive dogbarstpete.com museums, and so 15. Engine No. 9 no9burgers.com much more. Check Enigma out 16. some of the areas enigmastpete.com 17. Florida Orange Groves Winery must see places. floridawine.com
39. The Queens Head
eathawkers.com
thequeensheadbar.com
23. Iberian Rooster
40. Quench Lounge
iberianrooster.com
quenchlounge.com
24. The Independent
41. Red Mesa Mercado
independentstpete.com
redmesamercado.com
25. Kings Street Food Counter
42. Ricky P’s Orleans Bistro
kingsdtsp.com
rickyps.com
26. Lucky Star Lounge
43. Rollin Oats Market & Café
2760 Central Ave.
27. Mad Hatters Ethnobotanical Tea Bar madhattersteabar.com
28. Mandarin Hide
44. Ruby’s Elixir rubyselixir.com
45. Salty’s Gulfport Bar
mandarinhide.com
saltysgulfport.com
29. Meze 119
46. Sea Salt
meze119.com
seasaltstpete.com
30. Old Key West Bar & Grill
47. Silas Steakhouse
727-623-0969
silassteakhouse.com
31. Park & Rec
48. Stillwaters Tavern
parkrecdtsp.com
stillwaterstavern.com
32. Peg’s Cantina & Brew Pub
49. Tryst Gastro Lounge
pegscantina.com
trystgastrolounge.com
33. Pipo's To Go pipos1979.com
rollinoats.com
50. Wine Madonna
34. Pom Pom’s Tea House & Sandwicheria
winemadonna.com
pompomsstpete.com
HOTELS 1. Avalon Hotel
D NLOA W O D2. Beach Drive Inn Bed & Breakfast AP 727-822-2244 H I S M /map T 3. Beso Del Sol m de.coResort tpetepri s727-734-8851 727-317-5508
7. Courtyard Marriott St. Pete Dwtn 727-450-6200
8. DoubleTree Beach19 Resort 727-391-4000
19. The Vinoy Renaissance Resort 727-894-1000
20. Watergarden Inn at the Bay 727-822-1700
1. Busch Gardens
buschgardens.com
48 8 11.49Hampton Inn & Suites St. Pete Dwtn 2. Chihuly Collection 50 4 9 727-892-9900
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6. FL Museum of Photographic Arts
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6. The Cordova Inn
3rd Ave N
15. Marriott St. Petersburg
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5. Clearwater Beach Marriott Suites
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888-809-1588
17. Residence Inn by Marriott Treasure Island
4. The Birchwood
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14. Kimpton Hotel Zamora
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moreanartscenter.org
3. Creative Clay/Good Folk Gallery creaiveclay.org
4. Florida Craftsman Gallery floridacraftart.org
flholocaustmuseum.org fmopa.org
7. Morean Arts Center moreanartscenter.org
8. Museum of Fine Arts fine-arts.org
9. Ocean Blue Galleries oceanblue.gallery
10. Salvador Dali Museum thedali.org
11. St. Pete Museum of History spmoh.com
12. St. Petersburg Opera Co. stpeteopera.org
13. St. Pete Sculpture Museum jonhair.com
14. Sunken Gardens stpete.org/sunken
15. Treehouse Gallery treehousegallery.com
VENT
PRIDE WEEKEND THURSDAY 6/21 St Pete Pride Rooftop Kickoff Party
FR I DAY 6/22
The SP2 Concert North Straub Park
SATUR DAY 6/23 St Pete Pride Parade & Fireworks Downtown St. Petersburg
SUNDAY 6/24
St Pete Pride Street Festival Grand Central District
Proud to serve as your gateway to the treasures of Florida’s West Coast since 1971.
to
TA M P A B AY Visit us at TampaAirport.com or follow us @FlyTPA
0510MKT-0917
BY THE NUMBERS A LOOK AT TAMPA BAY’S COMMUNITY
AGE: 48.04% are aged 18-54 (average age 36.42)
INCOME: $36,306 per capita income SIZE: 312,157 people identify as LGBT, representing 7.18% of Tampa Bay
SOURCE: 2013. WITECK COMMUNICATIONS
AUDIENCE HISTORY 2003
TODAY
10,000 people
250,000+ people
ECONOMIC IMPACT Over $20 Million in revenue created by St Pete Pride events. Visitor Direct Expenditures: $10 Million.
celebrate the power and beauty of diversity
june 22-24, 2018 MORE INFO ONLINE AT
www.stpetepride.com
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LUNCH: Bodega on Central. Sitting for a while isn’t your thing, so this Cuban inspired eatery is perfect for you with its walk-up window. Get the Cuban – trust. www.bodegaoncentral.com AFTERNOON: Urban Kai. You’ll hate yourself if you don’t do it, and the waters of Tampa Bay are the best to experience standup paddle boarding. www.urbankai.com DINNER: 400 Beach Seafood & Tap House. Offering some of the best seafood in town, this Beach Drive restaurant offers views of the bay with patio and indoor seating. www.400beachseafood.com NIGHTLIFE: The Canopy. The best views in St. Pete, guaranteed. Sitting atop The Birchwood, you’ll get full views of the bay and Beach Dr. Enjoy a cocktail by the fire, gather with friends under a cabana, or just mingle at the bar. www.thebirchwood.com/ thecanopy
WHERE TO STAY: Kimpton Hotel Zamora. Located near the “gay beach” along Gulf Blvd, this Mediterranean style 72-room hotel offers spacious and luxurious rooms. www. thehotelzamora.com
Beach Goer
LUNCH: Stillwaters Tavern. OK, so not on the beach. But it’s on the Bay and right in the heart of Downtown St. Pete. Enjoy creative cocktails, gourmet menu, and a patio with a retractable roof. www.stillwaterstavern.com
The
PRIDE FIVE WAYS
The Adventurer
WHERE TO STAY: Hotel Indigo. You won’t be far from the action in this downtown hotel. And the price point is just right so you can take full advantage of what St Pete has to offer! www.ihg.com
AFTERNOON: Sunset Beach. This is why you came to St. Pete, and Sunset Beach on Treasure Island is popular within the LGBTQ community as it’s often referred to as the Gulf coast’s “gay beach.” DINNER: Silas Steakhouse. Enjoy casual steak and seafood along the Intracoastal that’s just a short trolley ride from your hotel. www.silassteakhouse.com NIGHTLIFE: Enigma Bar & Lounge. The epicenter of the gay scene, this urban style bar has a great cocktail menu and friendly staff. It’s the place to be seen. www.enigmastpete.com
The Partier WHERE TO STAY: Ponce De Leon Boutique Hotel. Location, location, location. This boutique hotel is located downtown within walking distance to the many downtown bars and restaurants. www.poncedeleonhotel.com LUNCH: Hawkers Asian Street Fare. Let’s face it. You were out all night and your “lunch” is beginning at 3pm. This is why their $3 happy hour appetizer menu from 3pm to 6pm is just for you. www.eathawkers.com AFTERNOON: Busch Gardens. Hop in the car and head over to Tampa to spend some time at Busch Gardens. This park features multiple shows, over a dozen rollercoasters and rides, and even a ride through the Serengeti. www.buschgardens.com DINNER: Red Mesa Cantina. Offering Mexican inspired dishes, this restaurant often features live music. And the margaritas? Yeah, they’re the best. www.redmesacantina.com NIGHTLIFE: Downtown St Pete. As a partier, you know you can’t be tied down to one bar. So, begin your evening downtown along Beach Drive and then make the turn onto Central Ave. Downtown St Pete is full of bars, nightclubs and live music venues.
The
Art Enthusiast WHERE TO STAY: The Vinoy® Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort. It was named by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of the Historic Hotels of America, and is situated directly along the parade route. www.marriott.com LUNCH: BellaBrava. This casual Italian restaurant is located within walking distance to many of the galleries and museums that you’ll check out during your visit. Try the lobster mac, you’ll thank us later. www.bellabrava.com AFTERNOON: The Dali Museum. Dedicated to the work of Salvador Dalí, this
artistic building houses the largest collection of Dalí's works outside Europe. www.thedali.org DINNER: Sea Salt. Their use of salts is almost an art within itself. This seafood restaurant is located within the Sundial St. Pete, the gym of downtown. www.seasaltstpete.com NIGHTLIFE: Mandarin Hide. Cocktails and art. It’s almost a match that should’ve happened long ago. Nonetheless, it’s here now and it’s at The Mandarin Hide. www.mandarinhide.com
The
Hipster WHERE TO STAY: Avalon Hotel. This centrally located hotel offers a great home base in St Pete. The rooms offer an art deco vibe, and hotel features a pool, a funky lounge, and is within walking distance to the 600 Block. www.avalonstpetersburg.com LUNCH: Red Mesa Mercado. This is an urban drive-by dining style restaurant unique to the streets of Mexico and offers recipes rich with flavors and fresh ingredients. www.redmesamercado.com AFTERNOON: The 600 Block of St Pete. Central Ave between 6th and 7th Street is filled with local art galleries, music venues, and bohemian style boutique shops. www.facebook.com/the600block DINNER: The Queens Head. Situated within the Grand Central District, dine al fresco in a private cabana with live entertainment at this Britishstyle bar and restaurant. www. thequeensheadbar.com NIGHTLIFE: The Bends. Nothing in St. Pete define hipster like The Bends. There’s no sign. Just look for the finger pointing to the entrance. www.facebook. com/thebendsbar
ST PETE Some of the area’s finest give us the lay of the land
Ashley brundage
Birthplace: Tampa, FL Occupation: National Vice President, Diversity & Inclusion for PNC Financial Services Group Seafood or Cuban food: Fresh grouper without a doubt. Such amazing restaurants by the beach. Favorite annual event: Grand Prix of St Petersburg - it’s an intriguing combination of fast, loud, and fun. Favorite LGBT event: I love our takeover of the Mahaffey Theater with our annual Equality Florida Gala. Food, dancing, performances, and activism at its best! St Pete in one word is: Innovative What’s a St Pete must-see: St. Pete Mural Tour What makes St Pete unique as a city: St. Pete for me has always been a place of excitement, with its avant-garde artist scene, its flourishing food frontier, and its constantly growing city centerand all nestled between the gorgeous beaches on the Gulf of Mexico and beautiful Bay-front Beach Drive. A St Pete must have: Crab Cakes from the historic Vinoy Hotel. St Pete’s best hidden gem: The Avenue - hands down the BEST Burgers, and AWESOME tater tots!
Local St Pete hero: Steve Kornell first openly gay city commissioner for St Pete and a great voice for our community. Favorite place to eat: Mazzaro’s Italian Market Favorite brunch in town: Cider Press Café. My wife and I were excited to have a local place she can easily brunch with gluten free and vegan options. Favorite happy hour: Hands down this would be Quench Lounge in Largo. The drinks are affordable and the atmosphere is even better! Favorite attraction: Ft. Desoto Park, because of the rich history of the military outpost there. It’s neat to walk around the entire fort then hang out at the nearby beach. Favorite beach: I love Sand Key for the large sand area and how close you are to Clearwater beach. Favorite nightlife spot: Canopy at the Birchwood - great drinks and atmosphere. It also helps to have an amazing water view. What’s on your St Pete bucket list: I would love to try parasailing as I am sure the views of the beach from the water would be really cool.
Miguel Fuller
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia Occupation: Radio Morning Show Host – HOT 101.5 – The Miguel & Holly Show Seafood or Cuban food: Cuban – love me some Cuban sandwiches! Favorite annual event: St Pete Pride Weekend – what is better than 200,000 plus people descending on your city and celebrating love and equality?! Favorite LGBT event: St Pete Pride Street Festival – There’s nothing better than walking around and seeing big and small businesses show support for the LGBT community. St Pete in one word: Relaxed What’s a St Pete must-see: The Canopy. Whenever someone visits I love taking them up there to look at the Bay. What makes St Pete unique as a city: The food, the people, the community and especially the art. A St Pete must have: I’m a hamburger person so all the different choices at The Avenue make my mouth water. Local St Pete hero: Mayor Rick Kriseman – it starts from the top. When you have someone who
fights for equality at the top, the rest of the city takes notice. Favorite place to grab a bite: Bella Brava – the drinks and the Italian food is magical. Favorite brunch in town: The Oyster Bar! It doesn’t get better than being able to pour your own mimosas! Favorite happy hour: Engima – their 2 for 1 prices with strong drinks is a favorite of mine. I have so many Engima chips stacked up. Favorite beach: Treasure Island. Nothing like seeing your friends on a Sunday after the beach laying out. Favorite nightlife spot: Enigma – the happy hour place turns into one of my favorite spots for a good drag show! What’s on your St Pete bucket list: Still haven’t been to a Rowdies game. I really want to make that happen this year. I’m ashamed to admit that I haven’t been to Dalí yet, either. Your perfect day & night out in St Pete: Brunch at the Oyster Bar, drinks afterwards at Mandrian Hide, one pit stop at Enigma for drinks, then spending the rest of Sunday Funday at the Flamingo!
Josh Cruz
Birthplace: Hartford, CT Occupation: Comm. Director Seafood or Cuban food: Cuban Favorite annual event: St. Pete Grand Prix Favorite LGBT event: St Pete Pride of course! St Pete in one word: Welcoming What’s a St Pete must-see: The Dali Museum What makes St Pete unique as a city: St. Pete is not afraid to be weird. This is the Portland of Florida. A St Pete must have: Lechon Plato at Bodega. Almost as good as my abuela’s…sorry grandma! St Pete’s best hidden gem: Weedon Island Park is a local’s natural oasis – paddle board or kayak Riviera Bay. Local St Pete hero: Ashley Brundage - she totally embodies the diverse spirit of this city. Favorite place to grab a bite: Bandit Coffee - technically not food, but the best coffee in the city! Favorite brunch in town: The Birch & Vine. They change the menu seasonably, but great service is always a staple.
Favorite happy hour: Intermezzo – technically not a happy hour, but the craft cocktails and vibe could easily make you think you’re in NYC’s Nuvo-cool Lower East Side. Favorite attraction: St. Pete Beach Favorite beach: Sunset Beach. Drink, party, YOLO – enough said. Favorite nightlife spot: Enigma - DJ Craig Dirty and the queens have really turned this into the premier LGBT nightlife spot – without any pretensions. What’s on your St Pete bucket list: Caladisi State Park - you can only get there by ferry, but it has idyllic undeveloped beaches just north of Clearwater Beach. Your perfect day & night out in St Pete: Paddle boarding off Northshore Park, brunch with the boys at Birch & Vine (request the Reilly Room for groups 8+), relax on Sunset Beach for the day, Dinner at Brick and Mortar and dance the night away at Enigma. Best day trip destinations: Gulfport - it’s authentically bohemian and down-home. It’s a Cape Cod village’s Florida cousin.
VISIT US | DONCESAR.COM | 727.360.1881
T H E RO M A N T I C P I N K PA L AC E . . . C E L E B R AT I N G LOV E S I N C E 1 9 2 8
#THEDONCESAR #STPETEPRIDE 3400 GULF BLVD, ST. PETE BEACH, FL 33706
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We warmly welcome all LGBTQ travelers near and far. Our all-inclusive staff will work hard to ensure your needs are met during your stay.
SAVE 10% – ALL ROOMS Use VP+®/Promo Code 622962 when making your reservation.
Discount good at Red Roof Tampa Bay-St. Petersburg only. Restrictions based on availability. Offer cannot be combined with any other discount or offer.
Red Roof Tampa Bay-St. Petersburg – #866 4999 34th Street North • St. Petersburg, FL 33714 phone: 727.527.8421 • redroofsaintpetersburg.com For reservations, visit redroof.com or call 800.RED.ROOF (800.733.7663)
Court Bishop
Birthplace: Clermont, Florida Occupation: Content Director at Media Garage Group, Inc. Seafood or Cuban food: Cuban Favorite annual event: Keep St. Pete Local’s “Localtopia” at Williams Park downtown Favorite LGBT event: St Pete Pride! St Pete in one word: Independent What’s a St Pete must-see: It’s hard to choose one but I’d recommend a St. Pete mural tour. There are mural maps online for the Type As who need a plan of action. Crazy photo ops! What makes St Pete unique as a city: The genuine nature of the people and small businesses here. Everyone is “in it” together and more than happy to help one another out. It’s refreshing. A St Pete must have: My top 3 are: 1. Local artist Chizzy’s “World Tour” tees; 2. All the delicious local craft beer you can drink (responsibly); some of my favorite breweries; 3. The Saturday Morning Market, St. Pete Indie Market or any pop-up market. They’re great for people watching and soaking up the vibes of the city.
St Pete’s best hidden gem: The local metaphysical shops such as The Looking Glass, Wings Bookstore and Roots of the Sun Local St Pete hero: Our Mayor, Rick Kriseman Favorite place to grab a bite: The Burg Bar & Grill. Great burgers and Greek food. Amazing craft beer selections. Favorite brunch in town: The Mill - the food and craft cocktails are as aesthetically pleasing as the space. Favorite happy hour: Punky’s Bar & Grill or FarmTable Kitchen downtown (upstairs at Locale Market). Favorite attraction: The Dalí Museum. There are always new exhibits highlighting collaborations between Dalí and other artists. Favorite beach: I’d recommend Sunset Beach (“The Gay Beach”) to people who want to have a more lively, party-type environment. Favorite nightlife spot: Green Bench Brewing. What’s on your St Pete bucket list: Standup at an open mic night.
tAp rOoM. bReWeRy tOuRs. bEeR aNd mErChAnDiSe tO gO.
fLoRiDa iNsPiReD. tAmPa bReWeD. VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO VIEW OUR TAP SELECTION AND TOUR SCHEDULES
2601 E. 2ND AVE | TAMPA, FL 33605 | YBOR CITY | WWW.COPPERTAILBREWING.COM
Eric Skains
Birthplace: Houston Occupation: Regional General Manager of Sprint (former Executive Director of St Pete Pride) Seafood or Cuban food: Cuban Favorite annual event: Localtopia is a true collection of all things St Pete Favorite LGBT event: I’d be biased if I said St Pete Pride, but I will anyway. Seeing the entire city come together in celebration of diversity is amazing. It’s rainbow flags from downtown to the beaches! St Pete in one word: Diverse What’s a St Pete must-see: The Central Avenue Art Block What makes St Pete unique as a city: For a mid-sized city, it’s loaded with museums, art galleries, local breweries, the best beaches in the US, a diverse night-life, shops and entertainment. A St Pete must have: A “London. Paris. Tokyo. St Pete.” shirt. They can be found everywhere. What would you say is St Pete’s best hidden gem: Caladesi Island. It’s a great experience and is completely secluded. It’s only accessible by boat, so it’s less crowded than other beaches.
Local St Pete hero: Larry Biddle. Larry has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Tampa Bay LGBT community. We enjoy many things in St Pete because of Larry. Favorite place to grab a bite: The Avenue. Their 50 cent wing nights are great! Favorite brunch in town: The Oyster Bar. Buffet and unlimited Bloody Mary’s. Enough said. Favorite happy hour: Enigma. They have great 2 for 1 specials until 9pm! Favorite attraction: The Dalí Museum. The architecture of the building is worth seeing alone. Favorite beach: Fort Desoto Beach. It has one of the few dog beaches around. Favorite nightlife spot: MacDinton's St Pete, Mandarin Hide, The Bends, Tryst and Bar@548 make up my top 5. What’s on your St Pete bucket list: Kayaking through Caladesi Island. Your perfect day & night out in St Pete: Lunch downtown followed by some shopping along Central Ave. In the evening, dinner along the beach while watching the sunset over the Gulf.
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GET YOUR PRIDE ON. It’s the perfect getaway: 35 miles of white-sand bliss, surreal museums, quirky neighborhoods and 1000 things to do. Start with St. Pete Beach and Clearwater Beach, ranked in the Top 5 U.S. Beaches by TripAdvisor in 2017 – or Treasure Island’s Sunset Beach, the LGBTQ hot spot. Then, hit up St. Pete’s Grand Central District, host to Florida’s largest Pride parade, and cap the night with a moonlight stroll along Tampa Bay. The vibe is yours.