Floridiana Festival & Highwaymen Artist Show

The “Floridiana Festival & Highwaymen Artist Show” will return to the historic Palladium Theatre in downtown St. Petersburg, on Sunday, February 24th from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Celebrate Florida’s cultural and historical legacy - and meet the Florida Highwaymen artists – at this eclectic antiques and collectibles show! From vintage Weeki Wachee mermaid memorabilia to souvenirs of long-closed roadside attractions, this show is a shopping emporium of old Florida fun. Kitschy-kitschy cool rules, with everything from vintage Florida ephemera including postcards, old Florida travel maps, and citrus/cigar box labels, to plenty of tacky Sunshine State tourist treasures such as alligator handbags, flamingo figurines, and orange grove glasses. Discover tropical touches of old rattan furnishings, lighting made from Cypress knees, vintage wall mirrors with flamingo images, ceramic statues of tropical birds, and old Florida art galore. Fans of tropical attire will enjoy the huge selection of Aloha shirts by one of our favorite exhibitors! Several exhibitors will be bringing vintage accent rattan pieces, so this is a great chance to tropical-ize your entire house!

The legendary Florida Highwaymen artists will be participating too, showing and selling their iconic Florida land and seascape paintings. The Florida Highwaymen were a group of 26 African-American artists who began painting in the 1950's and 1960's, traveling Florida's highways and selling freshly rendered paintings from the trunks of their cars. The February 24th show is a wonderful opportunity to meet and mingle with some of the Highwaymen artists, including James Gibson, Issac Knight, R.L. Lewis, Roy McLendon Sr. and Carnell Smith.

Another special feature on February 24th will be complimentary valuations (with paid admission) of your vintage Florida paintings - including that of the Highwaymen - by Robert LeBlanc of highwaymen-buy-sell-trade, an appraiser and expert in the field. If you’re not sure what your old Florida art is worth, or who the artist is, bring your paintings along!

Several Florida authors will be participating too. Larry Roberts, author of "Florida's Golden Age of Souvenirs: 1890 to 1930 “ and considered by many to be the "guru" of collecting old Florida memorabilia will be exhibiting and selling, as well as Ken Breslauer, author of "Roadside Paradise -- the Golden Age of Florida's Tourist Attractions 1929-71," Wayne Ayers, author of numerous Florida history books, including “Tampa Bay's Gulf Beaches: Fabulous 1950's and 1960's” and “St. Petersburg: The Sunshine City” and Adele Woodyard, author of “The Shell and the Starfish and other stories” and “Florida ‘Freebies’ and ‘Cheapies’ - 250 Daytrips for Little or No Money.”

Sunday, February 24, 2013, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm at the Palladium Theater,

253 Fifth Avenue North in downtown St. Petersburg.

Show admission is $6.00; children under three years are $3.00.

Art valuations are included in the price of show admission.

For further information, visit www.hulahula.biz or email hulahula@tampabay.rr.com.

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