By JON WILSON, Consulting Editor, TB Reporter

Check out this list of upcoming activities.

ST. PETERSBURG — From flowers and fine dining to live waterfront concerts and a community sing-a-long, arts and culture blooms in St. Petersburg in April.  Here are some ways to welcome spring in the Sunshine City.

Floral Fusion, April 7-11. The talent of top Bay Area professional florists, hobbyists and members of the Stuart Society blossoms inside the Museum of Fine Art during Art in Bloom, where museum gardens and galleries come alive with fantastically artistic floral designs. Meet designers of more than 50 sumptuous arrangements and table displays inspired by the museum’s current collection, or brush elbows with Alexandre Renoir, great-grandson of Pierre Auguste Renoir, whose works may be found in the museum’s Impressionist collection. www.mfastpete.org

Catch the Blues, April 8-10. Part of an all-star musical lineup, headliner blues artists Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Aaron Neville and Walter Trout jam during the 22nd annual Tampa Bay Blues Festival in Vinoy Park. Following each day’s concerts, the party continues with more great music during after-shows at the nearby Palladium Theater. http://www.tampabaybluesfest.com/ or www.mypalladium.org

Spring for the Arts! April 9. Enjoy a springtime stroll or trolley ride through the Sunshine City and learn why the sun shines so brightly on arts and culture during Second Saturday ArtWalk. Browse galleries, meet artists and tour studios during “opening night” every second Saturday monthly. www.artwalkstpete.com/

Table for Two, April 14. St. Petersburg sets a place for fine dining when white linen, sparkling silver and glass line Bayshore Drive for The Longest Table. The benefit allows patrons to experience epicurean delights of top Bay Area chefs al fresco with spectacular views of St. Petersburg’s picturesque waterfront. www.wusf.usf.edu/the_longest_table_2016

Art in the Park, April 16-17. The Mainsail Art Festival is another reason why St. Petersburg is one of the Southeast’s premier emerging arts destinations. More than 100,000 people are expected to browse 250 temporary artist studios along the Vinoy Park waterfront. The annual free juried festival blends from a palette of visual and performing arts: live music on two stages, a Young at ARt student show, a kids’ art tent, culinary arts food court and more. www.mainsailart.org

Celebrate Earth, April 23. Join one billion people across the globe marking Earth Day in St. Petersburg’s Williams Park. Browse earth-friendly products from local green businesses, go hands-on with family-friendly environmental activities, and get tips for a healthy, sustainable home, community and planet during the free festival. www.earthdaysp.com

Sing, Sing, Sing, April 26. Come out of the shower and join the Florida Orchestra in singing everything from classical compositions to popular pieces during Sing Out! Tampa Bay at the Mahaffey Theater. Enjoy your turn onstage right from your seat — all for a pay-what-you-can price. www.floridaorchestra.org

And the “Oscar” Goes To, April 28-May 1. Independent filmmakers get top billing as screenings and industry workshops provide both fans and filmmakers with a behind-the-scenes look. Attend A-list parties or walk the red carpet at the annual Sunscreen Film Festival’s version of the Oscars. Famous faces dropping by past festivals have included John Cena, Ron Perlman, Ed Asner, John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Patrick Wilson and Billy Dee Williams. www.sunscreenfilmfestival.com

Magic in the Park, April 13-May 8. Talented thespians break a leg when American Stage in the Park brings Spamalot to Demen’s Landing Park. Relax on a blanket or lawn chair for an evening of comedy under the stars during this Tampa Bay tradition of more than 30 years. www.americanstage.org

Get Creative, April 24. Embrace your inner Monet or other favorite artist en plein air during the Museum of Fine Arts’ annual free family Painting in the Park. Meet local artists and learn about their craft, explore erupting or bubble painting or make your mark through graffiti car art. Supplies provided. www.mfastpete.org

St. Petersburg’s arts and culture scene includes our seven arts districts, where The Dali, Museum of Fine Arts, the Chihuly Collection and the Mahaffey Theater sparkle alongside spectacular waterfront views. In the eclectic Grand Central and EDGE Districts, art and culture blends seamlessly with specialty restaurants, live music venues, and shopping. In the Warehouse Arts District, industrial art encompasses more than nuts and bolts. On The Deuces, brushstrokes of the city’s African American past paint a colorful future. In the M.L. King North District, local folk rub elbows with artists and writers in a collection of locally-owned galleries, restaurants and antiques shops.
In the coming months, St. Petersburg’s downtown arts district adds two new cultural elements when the Museum of American Arts and Crafts Movement and an extensive collection of Western and American Indian art belonging to Raymond James CEO Tom James open their doors.

For more St. Petersburg’s unique arts and culture experiences, visit www.stpete.org/events.

St. Petersburg | Events | Art Shows | Plays | Films | Music  | TB Reporter

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