ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Derrick Hanson deals in sweet things.
The businessman sells 65 varieties of freeze-dried candies, including saltwater taffy, M&Ms, even Jolly Ranchers.
“We just really like candy,” he said.
But Friday night, he experienced something even sweeter than a sugary confection.
First Friday returned to Central Ave. in downtown St. Petersburg. Hanson was one of the many vendors at the beloved event.
“Really, it’s the soul of St. Pete in a lot of ways. This venue, along with a lot of stuff they do in Vinoy Park — all of those things are part of what makes us the biggest small town on the planet,” he said.
For 20 years, the street festival has been a mainstay for local bars and restaurants, and the people First Friday brings there to enjoy them.
“It brings people in from Tampa, Sarasota, Bradenton — people that don’t generally come downtown,” said Mark Acchione, the co-owner of Forward Hospitality Group, which operates multiple bars and music venues in the area.
Two months ago, First Friday suddenly stopped. According to its operations director, it couldn’t find sponsors or funding. As a result, First Friday was canceled for both November and December.
Acchione's businesses immediately felt an adverse impact.
“We saw 10 to 15 to 20-percent drops — in November and December,” he said.
So, he and a few other business owners in the area set out to change things. They ultimately rebooted First Friday with new funding, new sponsors, and new excitement from people like Alex Cabrera.
“It’s one of the few things that’s all ages that we can do outdoors. We can walk around, get exercise, and enjoy the weather,” said Cabrera, who took her family to the event’s return Friday night.
Acchione said the event is here to stay.
