First Friday returns to Downtown St. Pete

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — Downtown St. Petersburg’s most popular block party is back as First Friday returns to Central Avenue. First Friday takes over Central Avenue on the first Friday of the month as crowds flock to the live performances and food trucks that line the street. The future of the event was in jeopardy after cancellations in November and December when organizers struggled to find funding.

“The event does cost $12,000 to put on and we would come close, but we ended up bridging the gap with our own money from our personal savings,” said Kristen Lee, an event coordinator with Nightlife Productions, LLC. However, several bars and restaurants have pulled together to sponsor the event, which will continue to generate sales for the additional vendors that participate.

“A lot of the local businesses absorb that patronage down here,” said Kristen Lee, an event coordinator with Nightlife Productions, LLC..