An extravaganza of shopping, eating, music and more is coming to the The Trop this Saturday, August 5. Hosted by Saturday Shoppes, the BBQ & Seafood Fest is filling up the parking lot at Tropicana Field, in shaded Lot 4, from 12-5 pm, complete with a giveaway of 2,000 backpacks stuffed with school supplies.

The event, hosted in partnership with the City of St. Pete, is free to attend, an afternoon of family-friendly fun and revelry. Some of the Bay’s best pitmasters and seafood chefs will be in attendance dishing out hot plates of fresh goodness, alongside tons of St. Pete’s favorite food trucks, plus bartenders slinging great local beers.

In addition to the food, there will be live music and a sprawling market full of local artists, makers, boutiques and more. Attendance is free and parking in open spots in the parking lot is also free, subject to availability. The festival will also feature line dancing, a teen market, bounce houses, and even a kids area. There will be interactive arts and crafts stations, as well. Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair, relax, and enjoy the free entertainment while they eat, drink and browse.

Saturday Shoppes to distribute 2,000 backpacks to children in need

School is almost back (how did summer go by so fast?), and to ease the return, Saturday Shoppes has teamed up with local organizations to provide free backpacks and school supplies for area children in need. Together, they are giving away 2,000 backpacks full of school supplies on Saturday, August 5, from 12-5 pm at Tropicana Field.

The giveaway is in conjunction with Saturday Morning Shoppe’s monthly market, and the partnership hopes to provide much-needed help for under-served schoolchildren in St. Pete and the surrounding areas. The giveaway is completely free, with no registration required. The only stipulation is that backpacks are given out on a first-come, first-served basis, so they are only available as long as supplies last.

“Our sole purpose is to give back to the community, allowing an opportunity to ease the economic strain associated with school starting back up,” said Renee Edwards, Founder of Saturday Shoppes.

Saturday Shoppes provides opportunity for emerging small businesses

Renee Edwards is the brains behind the Saturday Shoppes operation. The goal of the event has always been to create economic development opportunities for emerging businesses through these fast growing monthly markets. Edwards has also founded the Saturday Morning Shoppe Academy to provide business coaching, business etiquette, resources, marketing, and licensure that would allow hobby vendors to grow their business and income.

Using her knowledge and platform, Edwards is able to assist nearly 150 businesses every month by connecting incredible makers and owners to the community they serve.

Upcoming Saturday Shoppes events after this weekend’s include Tacos at Margaritaville on August 12 and the Jazz & Caribbean Vendor Fest on September 2.