June 12, 2025

Florida's largest LGBTQ+ pride celebration returns to St. Pete this month

June 12, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

The Sunshine City, home to the largest Pride celebration in Florida, will once again celebrate its vibrant LGBTQIA+ community during the 23rd annual St. Pete Pride.

The month-long celebration culminates with the signature Pride Parade along the downtown waterfront, drawing more than 300,000 attendees. This year’s parade day festivities kick off at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 28th at North and South Straub Parks, featuring live music, local entertainers and artists, over 100 booths and vendors, and a wide variety of food and drink.

The Pride Parade will begin at 6 p.m., starting at Albert Whitted Park and continuing along Bayshore Drive to Vinoy Park. The Trans March will precede the main parade at 5 p.m.

June 11, 2025

Poblanos Mexican Grill and Bar to replace Village Inn in Largo

June 11, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

The family-owned and operated Poblanos Mexican Grill and Bar is expanding with a new location in Largo.

The restaurant recently secured a ten-year lease at 2659 Roosevelt Boulevard in the newly constructed, 11,500-square-foot Roosevelt Crossing retail strip, located at the southeast corner of Roosevelt Boulevard and US 19, nestled between Wawa and Walmart.

Poblanos, named after the Poblano pepper native to Puebla, Mexico, will occupy a 4,600-square-foot space previously home to the Village Inn breakfast chain, which closed earlier this year.

June 11, 2025

St. Pete-Clearwater Airport to build 1,800-space parking garage amid record-breaking passenger activity

June 11, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport (PIE), now serving nearly 2.5 million passengers a year and offering nonstop flights to over 60 cities, is expanding its parking capacity to meet growing demand.

The airport, located at 14700 Terminal Boulevard in north St. Pete, recently began designing a terminal expansion project expected to exceed $110 million. As part of the plan, PIE will also build its first parking garage, adding to its current surface-level parking.

Last month was the busiest May in the airport’s history, with 242,162 passengers, 13% more than May of last year. Additionally, passenger activity is currently up 11% year over year.

June 10, 2025

St. Pete's smallest wine bar launches new coffee concept in downtown St. Pete

June 10, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

The smallest wine bar in St. Pete is now also the tiniest coffee shop in town.

The 18-seat Bar Chinchilla recently expanded with the launch of Cafe ‘Chilla, a morning coffee bar tucked inside its intimate space at 439 1st Avenue North.

Cafe ‘Chilla offers a menu of espresso drinks, cold brew, matcha, and specialty lattes from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.

Bar Manager Lynsey Carlson shared with St. Pete Rising that the idea stemmed from a desire to create a separate cafe-like experience during the morning when the wine bar is typically closed.

“We wanted to offer something for the morning crowd, especially those attending farmers markets and local events,” Carlson said.

June 09, 2025

Pete’s Bagels opens new drive-thru in restored historic building in south St. Pete

June 09, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

After two years of extensive restoration, Pete’s Bagels has officially opened its newest location in the historic 1926-built Harbordale Standard Oil Station located at 2439 4th Street South in south St. Pete.

The 320-square-foot building, which is considered St. Pete’s oldest gas station, now has an drive-thru stocked with a menu of bagels and bagel sandwiches and coffee from local roaster Look Alive Coffee.

The opening comes several years after former City Councilman Robert Blackmon purchased the property in November 2019 for $125,000 and undertook an extensive restoration with plans to transform it into a boutique drive-through café.