The Grand Central District, located just west of Downtown St. Petersburg, will be hosting the Sunshine City Festival on Saturday, February 23rd , from 11am-4pm. The event will take place on the 2400-2500 blocks of Central Avenue in the heart of the Grand Central District and will celebrate the unique characteristics of Saint Petersburg with a nod to “Old Florida.”

The Sunshine City Festival will include live music, arts/crafts vendors, food vendors, and the Grand Central District’s 8th Annual Chili Cookoff. Entertainment will be provided by Tampa Bay’s own American Idol contestant Melissa McGhee, as well as local artists Steve Arvey and Scotty Lee and the Treblehooks.

The Chili Cookoff will run from 12pm-3pm and winners will be announced in multiple categories: Best Restaurant Chili, Best Business Chili, Best Individual Chili, Best Neighborhood Chili and People’s Choice Chili. The entries will be tasted and scored by celebrity judges, including Q105’s Scott Walker, and former Tampa Bay Buccaneer players. The chili tasting tickets, on sale soon, will be $15 in advance ($20 on the day of the event), and will include tastings of all the chili entries, and one (1) vote in the People’s Choice category.

Sponsorship, vendor and volunteer opportunities are available. For more information, please contact the Grand Central District Association office at 727.828.7006 or via email at chilicookoff@grandcentraldistrict.org.