The big Trails Crossing project could add an expansive linear park to St. Pete

rendering of trails crossings with mural-covered walkways

On April 30, the community will gather at St. Pete Distillery’s outdoor Trail Garden for Golden Hour: Trails Crossing Fundraiser, an evening of inspiration, music, and momentum for one of St. Pete’s most ambitious urban projects. Running from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 800 31st Street South, the event aims to raise $150,000—a crucial milestone to unlock a matching grant from the City of St. Petersburg for the Trails Crossing Master Plan.

Get tickets here to support the future of trails in St. Pete.

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Celebrating a new community connection

The fundraiser, hosted by the nonprofit Friends of Trails Crossing, is more than just a party—it’s a rallying call for residents, trail lovers, and urbanists to help shape a vibrant new corridor of connection beneath I-275. Attendees can expect:

  • Open bar and hearty bites to fuel the fun
  • live DJ spinning under the stars
  • Inspiring talks from project co-founder John Barkett, city leaders, and artists
  • Interactive art installations led by City Art Walls
  • silent auction featuring local experiences, art, and trail-themed packages
  • And most importantly, a shared sense of purpose to transform forgotten space into a community gem

The event welcomes everyone—whether you walk, bike, roll, or simply believe in the power of public space. Complimentary bike valet makes it easy to ride in directly from the Pinellas Trail, which runs right up to the venue.

rendering of a walkable area with a park, bike paths and pedestrian trails

What is Trails Crossing?

At the heart of this event is Trails Crossing, a visionary project that reimagines the underutilized land beneath I-275 as a vibrant public destination centered around the Pinellas Trail. What is now a patchwork of concrete and shadowed lots will soon become a cultural corridor, linking North and South Downtown St. Pete through art, safe pathways, and inclusive community amenities.

Led by renowned urban planning firm LandDesign—the minds behind the St. Pete Pier—the Trails Crossing Master Plan will include:

  • Illuminated art walls celebrating local artists and lighting the way
  • Safe, well-lit trails for biking and walking
  • Public sculptures and interactive art for all ages
  • A children’s play area, green amphitheater, dog park, and more
  • Safe crossings to reconnect neighborhoods divided by the interstate

In short, Trails Crossing will take what’s long been overlooked and turn it into a destination where creativity, community, and movement intersect.

New network of biking and walking trails

The first phase of Trails Crossing will stretch from 1st Avenue South to 3rd Avenue South, with plans to eventually span 5th Avenue North to 5th Avenue South. This bold transformation includes:

  • Repurposed container buildings for pop-up retail and food vendors
  • A shaded beer garden and social space
  • Native landscaping and green infrastructure
  • A network of biking and walking trails that plug into the city’s broader trail system

It’s a plan rooted in equity, sustainability, and creativity—and one that reflects St. Pete’s growing commitment to walkable, inclusive, and artistic public spaces.

“This project has the ability to bring together a group of diverse neighborhoods with a shared sense of identity,” says Ken Smith, principal landscape architect at LandDesign.

rendering of a bike trail by a highway overpass with colorful murals around a park area

A plan 5 years in the making

The movement behind Trails Crossing began over five years ago with a community-driven vision to reclaim and reimagine space beneath the interstate. With co-founder John Barkett helping to spearhead public-private collaboration, the project has gained support from city officials, community leaders, and organizations like Forward Pinellas.

Recently, Friends of Trails Crossing, in collaboration with the City of St. Petersburg, submitted a joint application for the Reconnecting Communities Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. With the City Council agreeing to co-fund the master planning phase, Trails Crossing is now on the cusp of becoming reality—pending the success of this fundraising campaign.

Why this matters

In a city as dynamic and diverse as St. Pete, trails don’t just connect places—they connect people, ideas, and opportunity. The Trails Crossing project represents a unique chance to reshape how we move through and experience our urban core.

Tickets for Golden Hour: Trails Crossing Fundraiser are available now at Eventbrite. To learn more about the project, visit www.trailsx.org.

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