First Friday St. Pete, which would have taken place today, is suspended once again due to funding shortfalls.
The block party was first put on pause in November as the event was being "revamped" organizers said.
The two-decade-old tradition typically takes place on Central Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets and features vendors, food, drinks and live music. Hundreds would gather on the first Friday of the month and special event permits allowed attendees to drink on the street.
However, in a Facebook post, event organizers cited "a lack of interest from local businesses to sponsor the event," which requires $12,000 each month to run. First Friday St. Pete is free and open to the public.
"As much as we love this event and the history behind it, First Friday St. Pete is still paused for now. It costs $12,000 to put on the event (insurance, city sanitation and police, permits, production, etc) with no profit to our company," read the post.
In 2020, the event was shut down along with other large gatherings during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The Optimist Club previously operated the event. Nightlife Productions took over when First Friday returned in 2022. Even then, organizers said they had trouble procuring sponsorships and funding, according to a report in Creative Loafing.
Some took to social media to lament the 20-year-old tradition.
Gina Angelastro made a comparison to the Festival of States parade, which ended in 2014 due to "dwindling funding from the city and local corporations" and increased costs.
"These are St. Pete traditions and are all going away," Angelastro commented on the event's Facebook page.
Some suggested charging party-goers for vouchers, while others called for the city to step in and subsidize some of the costs. A few urged people to continue to support the businesses lining Central Avenue even without the event.
Organizers said they hope the event can return with enough sponsorships. First Friday St. Pete offers varying levels of sponsorships through their website.
