Black Friday is Nov. 27. Shopapalooza fills Vinoy Park Nov. 28-29, the Coliseum hosts two free holiday markets, and where to park downtown.

Last checked 2026-10-10. Facts come from each organizer’s own page and the City of St. Petersburg calendar. Store hours are added only as each center publishes them. This page is updated each year.**

Black Friday is Friday, Nov. 27, 2026, and Small Business Saturday is Nov. 28. In St. Petersburg the big weekend is Shopapalooza, which turns Vinoy Park into a two-day market of local makers. Two free indoor markets at the Coliseum bracket it, one the weekend before Thanksgiving and one the first weekend of December.

Plan ahead

Holiday markets

Market When Where
Tampa Bay Holiday Market, from the Tampa Bay Times Saturday, Nov. 21, and Sunday, Nov. 22 St. Petersburg Coliseum, 535 4th Ave. N
Shopapalooza Festival Saturday, Nov. 28, and Sunday, Nov. 29, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Vinoy Park, 701 Bayshore Drive NE
Cool Art for the Holidays Saturday, Dec. 5, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 6, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. St. Petersburg Coliseum, 535 4th Ave. N

Shopapalooza is run by LocalShops1 and co-sponsored by the City of St. Petersburg. Its organizers bill it as the biggest Small Business Saturday celebration in the country, with more than 350 local makers, artists and food vendors, four food zones, a beer and wine garden, live entertainment and a kids zone. Admission is free, and the festival says it is family and pet friendly.

The Tampa Bay Holiday Market is a two-day vendor expo with free admission and free parking, according to the city calendar listing; the first 250 shoppers each day get a holiday ornament. Hours on the city listing are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Cool Art for the Holidays is new this year from the Professional Association of Visual Artists, which has run the Cool Art Show each July. It promises gift-ready fine art and fine craft from more than 60 artists, with free admission, free parking and concessions inside the Coliseum.

The Saturday Morning Market also runs downtown every Saturday through the season; see farmers markets.

Parking and traffic for Shopapalooza weekend

From the festival’s getting here page:

  • Bayshore Drive in front of Vinoy Park is closed to traffic both days. You cannot drive up to the park.
  • A free trolley runs from the SouthCore Garage, 101 1st Ave. S, from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days, about every 15 minutes. It stops on Second Street South between Central Avenue and First Avenue South, and at Vinoy Park on the north side of 7th Avenue NE. The trolleys have wheelchair lifts.
  • Other garages the festival names: Sundial Garage, 117 2nd St. N, and Plaza Tower Garage on 1st Street North. Fees apply.
  • Metered and limited free street parking is strictly enforced. Accessible parking is near the baseball field in North Shore Park and fills quickly.
  • From I-275, Exit 23A becomes 4th Avenue NE and ends at Beach Drive NE.
  • Saturday, Nov. 28, is also the night of the Santa Parade and Tree Lighting downtown, so expect more closures in the evening. See Christmas parade and tree lighting.

Store hours

  • Tyrone Square Mall, 6901 22nd Ave. N, posts holiday hours on its Simon page. As of Oct. 10, no 2026 Thanksgiving or Black Friday hours were posted. We will add them when the mall does.
  • Downtown shops on Central Avenue and Beach Drive set their own hours; check each store’s site or social pages.

What this means for you

  • The free markets are the Holiday Market (Nov. 21-22), Shopapalooza (Nov. 28-29) and Cool Art for the Holidays (Dec. 5-6).
  • For Shopapalooza, park at SouthCore and take the free trolley, or ride share.
  • Bring a tote; the festival suggests it.

Related: Thanksgiving in St. Petersburg, holiday lights and Christmas events and getting around St. Petersburg.

Frequently asked questions

When is Shopapalooza 2026?

Saturday, Nov. 28, and Sunday, Nov. 29, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days in Vinoy Park, 701 Bayshore Drive NE. Admission is free, and the organizers list more than 350 local vendors.

Where should I park for Shopapalooza?

Bayshore Drive in front of Vinoy Park is closed to traffic both days. The organizers suggest the downtown garages; a free trolley runs from the SouthCore Garage, 101 1st Ave. S, from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. about every 15 minutes.

Are there holiday markets in St. Petersburg?

Yes. The Tampa Bay Holiday Market is Nov. 21 and 22 and Cool Art for the Holidays is Dec. 5 and 6, both at the St. Petersburg Coliseum, 535 4th Ave. N, with free admission and free parking.

What are Tyrone Square Mall’s Black Friday hours?

As of Oct. 10 the mall had not posted 2026 holiday hours. Check Tyrone Square’s page on simon.com in November; we will add them here when they are out.