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Uptown Porch Party
Wednesday, September 23, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Join Preserve the ’Burg for a Porch Party in Historic Uptown and step inside a remarkable example of how an older St. Pete home can evolve while holding onto the character that makes it special.
When owner Kristy Andersen purchased this modest Florida cracker house in 2014, it had been vacant for six years and needed nearly everything. What began as a hands-on restoration soon revealed some welcome surprises—including original porch columns hidden behind later alterations—and eventually grew into a thoughtful expansion designed to meet the needs of modern living without losing sight of the home’s historic roots.
More than a decade later, the house tells a story not only of preservation and adaptation, but of a neighborhood that has undergone its own transformation. Come explore the home, hear its story, and enjoy an evening with friends and fellow preservation enthusiasts in Historic Uptown.
$25 for PTB members and $30 for non-members
PTB Road Trip: Ybor City
Saturday, September 26, 2026 at 10 AM
Join Preserve the 'Burg Executive Director, Manny Leto, for a special road trip to Tampa's Ybor City in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.
Founded in 1886, Ybor City is one of the oldest urban neighborhoods on Florida's Gulf Coast. Once home to thousands of immigrant cigar workers who created a "city within a city," Ybor was a multi-lingual, multi-ethnic enclave that defined Tampa's urban development, economy, and politics in the early 20th century.
Today, Ybor City is both a Local and National Historic District, home to some of the bay area's most most iconic architecture, from cigar factories and ornately-designed immigrant social clubs to "shotgun" cottages and updated commercial storefronts.
A 3rd-generation Tampa native, Manny has been involved in the Ybor City community for more than 20 years as a preservation advocate, museum professional and resident. Don't miss this insider's look at a truly one-of-a-kind historic neighborhood with Preserve the 'Burg!
Woodson African American Museum of Florida Porch Party
Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Join Preserve the ’Burg for a special Porch Party at the Woodson African American Museum of Florida and experience the museum’s newly renovated home, exhibits, and gardens.
Explore Many Voices, One Nation – Our Community, developed in collaboration with Florida Humanities, Smithsonian Museum on Main Street, and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. It includes the new monumental mural by Najee Dorsey, pictured above.
Blending Smithsonian resources with locally curated stories, the exhibition connects St. Petersburg and the Gulf Coast to the broader American story. Then step into the Legacy Garden for The Underground Railroad Experience, an immersive self-guided tour exploring journeys to freedom, including the lesser-known Saltwater Underground Railroad from the Southeast to the Bahamas.
Woodson staff will also share the story behind the museum’s recent renovation and offer a look at what comes next, including plans and possibilities for the organization’s future. Enjoy refreshments, conversation, and an evening exploring a place that preserves an essential part of St. Petersburg’s history while looking toward its next chapter.
Historic Kenwood Walking Tour
Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 10 AM
Join Preserve the Burg and the Historic Kenwood Neighborhood Association on a tour of St. Pete's first suburb.
Attendees will be led on a pleasant stroll through the neighborhood that has one of the largest concentrations of bungalow homes in the country. As a special treat, one of the restored bungalows will be open for the tour.
The tour will focus on the history of the neighborhood, its revitalization and current activities & events. We will end in the Grand Central District on Central Ave, a great area for lunch at one of St. Pete’s many small local businesses.
Tickets are $10 for PTB & HKNA members or $20 for any non-members.
Tour reservations are strongly recommended, space is limited.
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2026 PTB Walking Tours Sponsored By
Twilight Walking Tour: Waterfront
Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Join our expert PTB guide and past president Emily Elwyn for a stroll along the waterfront!
Tour participants will learn about the waterfront's importance to the city's efforts to promote itself as the embodiment of the Florida dream and hear stories about the civic visionaries who transformed a working waterfront into one of the country's largest waterfront park systems.
The waterfront is where baseball’s spring training got its start, was the 1914 home to the world’s first airline, the St. Petersburg - Tampa Airboat Co., and the location for the 'Burg's historic Fountain of Youth.
Tour meets at South Straub Park on the small paved plaza on the southeast side of 2nd Ave N and Beach Drive.
PTB members - $10 per person.
Guests and non-members are $20 per person.
Historic Roser Park Walking Tour
Saturday October 24, 2026, 10 a.m.
Join Preserve the 'Burg and the Historic Roser Park Neighborhood Association on a tour of St. Pete's first Local Historic District.
This casual walk will follow scenic Booker Creek through the Historic Roser Park neighborhood. Guests will learn about the founding of St Pete's first planned neighborhood, the indigenous people who first settled here, and the many historic architectural styles that make up Historic Roser Park today.
This tour will be led by representatives from the Historic Roser Park Neighborhood Association.
Tickets are $10 for PTB members or $20 for non-members.
Historic 4th and 5th Ave. N., Downtown’s Northern Edge
Saturday, October 31, 2026, 10 a.m.
Back by popular demand, join Preserve the 'Burg for a relaxing stroll led by architectural historian and preservationist Emily Elwyn. This special walking tour will take you on a stroll along the two of the most historic Avenues in St. Pete that serve as the dividing line between the Historic Old Northeast neighborhood and the the Downtown National Register Historic District.
The rich collection of historic buildings represent all eras of St. Pete, giving the neighborhood a special feel and sense of place. Meet at the entrance to the Cafe at Arts & Crafts Museum located at 355 4th St. N., St. Petersburg, FL 33701. The group will gather on the corner of 4th Ave. and 3rd Street.
PTB members - $10 per person; guests and non-members are $20 per person.
Euclid St. Paul Porch Party
Wednesday, November 4, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Join Preserve the ’Burg for a Porch Party at a century-old Craftsman in Euclid St. Paul, where historic photographs, family memories, and thoughtful design guided a remarkable restoration.
Built in 1924 and home to the same family since the 1930s, the house had changed considerably over the decades, leaving much of its original Craftsman character hidden or lost. When owners Donnie Bryan and William Salladay began its restoration in 2025, photographs from the 1940s provided a roadmap for bringing that character back while reimagining the home for contemporary living.
The result pairs old and new in unexpected ways—from a restored screened porch, Craftsman-inspired woodwork, and reclaimed St. Petersburg hex pavers to a soaring interior ceiling and tucked-away reading nook. Stickley furniture, Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired details, work by local artists, and lush gardens filled with native plants further reflect the owners’ appreciation for craftsmanship and design.
Come explore the house and gardens and discover how one family brought new life to a 1924 home while preserving the character that makes St. Petersburg’s historic neighborhoods special.
PlaceMattersSP
From the Bay to the Beach: A Pedestrian's Journey Down Central Avenue
Rebecca Liebson
Thursday, November 12, 2026, 6 PM
In sprawling central Florida, getting around without a car can be a daunting endeavor. Public transportation is scarce and most roads were not designed with pedestrians or cyclists in mind.
Certain sections of St. Petersburg's Central Avenue provide a glimpse into what a less car-centric city could look like. Through downtown, the EGE District and the Grand Central District, wide sidewalks, slower vehicle traffic and quaint local businesses lining each block encourage visitors to ditch the car and explore their surroundings on foot.
But just how walkable is Central Avenue? Tampa Bay Times reporter Rebecca Liebson set out to answer that question when she walked the entire length of the street, starting at the bayfront and ending at the beach. The nine-mile journey was filled with pedestrian hazards and unexpected delights.
Liebson will share observations from her walk and reflect on how the experience changed the way she thinks about development, transportation, and urban planning.
Rebecca Liebson covers real estate for the Tampa Bay Times. She's written about the bureaucratic red tape surrounding hurricane recovery efforts, how new condo safety rules have priced Florida seniors out of their homes and the impact that Wall Street investment firms have had on Tampa Bay's housing market. Before joining the Times in 2022, she covered affordable housing for The State Newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina. She also spent a year at the New York Times working on several short documentaries including the Emmy-nominated film "Framing Britney Spears."
PlaceMattersSP is presented by Preserve the ‘Burg and USF's Nelson Poynter Memorial Library.
Lecture takes place at the Nelson Poynter Memorial Library, located on the USFSP campus.
Building labeled POY adjacent to Bayboro Harbor = Nelson Poynter Memorial Library
Central Avenue/Downtown Walking Tour
Saturday, November 14, 2026 at 10 a.m.
Did you know that the majority of the buildings lining St. Pete's Central Avenue were built before 1950?
Indeed, Central Avenue is one of St. Petersburg's defining features, a historic "main street" lined with distinctive retail storefronts and arcade buildings, many dating back more than a century.
The tour begins at Craft Kafe, 200 Central Avenue, and will include "The 600 Block," the iconic Snell Building and the Open Air Post Office along the way.
This tour will be led by former PTB President and Board Member Emily Elwyn.
PTB members are $10; Guests and non-members are $20/person.
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Saturday, November 21, 2026 at 10 AM
Attendees will be led on a pleasant stroll through the neighborhood that has one of the largest concentrations of bungalow homes in the country.
Twilight Walking Tour: Old Northeast
Tuesday, December 1, 2026 at 5 p.m.
This special installment of our Twilight Tour will take attendees around the Old Northeast neighborhood.
Old Northeast resident, historic preservationist and PTB Board member Emily Elwyn, leads this evening stroll starting at the Elwyn's beautifully restored 1924 craftsman/colonial home and will visit historically significant styles represented in the Old Northeast.
Don't miss this special guided walk with an Old Northeast insider!
Saturday December 5, 2026, 10 a.m.
Historic Mirror Lake Walking Tour
Saturday, December 12, 2026 at 10 a.m.
Tour St. Petersburg's newest Local Historic District, Mirror Lake!
Designated as a LHD at the end of 2024 after years of hard work by Mirror Lake residents and Preserve the 'Burg board members and volunteers, Mirror Lake and its surrounding neighborhood are a special part of the 'Burg. While it is just blocks from Central Avenue, the area has its own sense of place, with an array of historic buildings including the 1916 Carnegie Library, and the 1924 St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club among many others. The area still retains much of its historic integrity and is a part of the Downtown National Register Historic District in addition to its new distinction as a local district.
This tour will be a leisurely stroll around Mirror Lake, taking in the best of the past as well as discussing changes on the horizon.
$10 for PTB members and $20 for non-members.
We will begin at the Unitarian Universalist Church.
Attendance is limited; advance registration required.
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Saturday, December 19, 2026 at 10 a.m.
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