On September 24, the Central Avenue Solstice returns for its second year. This event runs from sunrise to sunset covering the entire 7-mile span of Central Avenue in the Burg. The Central Avenue Solstice is part of the larger St. Pete Arts Fest.

Central Avenue is home to 14% of the Burg's businesses. As the sun travels from East to West attendees are encouraged to take full advantage of all the art, food, and live music happenings downtown. There will be local markets featuring the best makers in Tampa Bay, live music performances and art demonstrations, fitness classes and more. 

The Central Avenue Council will kickoff the festivities August 5 at Green Bench Brewing. Guest speakers will reveal specific details about the event schedule with live music by Florida Folk Scene and Rebekah Pulley. This year's festivities will include contests. All the events that take place on September 24 will be free and open to the public. The Central Avenue Trolley will provide free rides all day during the Central Avenue Solstice event. 

In addition to the changes happening with the Central Avenue Solstice, SHINE St. Pete adds a twist to the nationally praised street art celebration. This year, SHINE introduces the Painted Intersection Project. Led by artist Cecelia Lueza, with help from volunteers, the project will transform the intersection at Central Ave and 5th Street in downtown St. Petersburg into a dynamic artwork created using traffic paint. 

*Photo via SHINE

New for 2016, artists and art teams local to the Burg are invited to participate in the SHINE Open Call, an opportunity to showcase mural work on a grand scale with our stunning downtown area as a backdrop. Qualified applicants must be 18 years of age or older, and live or work in the greater St. Pete region.

The finalist will be selected based on criteria such as visual impact of design, and experience creating similar large-scale works. Submission deadline is July 11, 2016, and the chosen artist or team will be notified in August, receiving a $1,000 stipend plus approved supply and equipment expenses related to the project. Click HERE for full details.