The Pier in Downtown St. Petersburg

Ever since it opened in 1899, The Pier in downtown St. Petersburg has been a center of life for the city. The original half-mile long wharf welcomed oranges, fresh fish and other goods to the town from nearby Tampa. Today, though, The Pier's major goods in trade is fun.

The inverted pyramid that makes up the five-story structure is a beacon for entertainment in St. Petersburg all year. Festivals and special events attract a lot of attention, and when they're not occurring, some sort of everyday amusement makes The Pier a must see at Florida's Beach.

Winter – January, February, March

The start of the year is festival season in St. Petersburg. The Pier is the perfect location to get a bird's eye view of the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, an IndyCar Series race, from the fifth-floor observation deck. The race cars reach speeds up to 105 mph on the streets of downtown St. Petersburg.

In March, Downtown and Vinoy Park host both the International Folk Fair Festival and the Cajun/Zydeco Crawfish Festival. Visitors can rent two-, four- and six-seat surrey bikes from Wheel Fun Rentals on the left side of The Pier and ride them over to the park to enjoy the weekend-long events dedicated to music and crafts and crawfish and Louisiana culture, respectively.

The temperate winter evenings are also a good time of year to enjoy The City of St. Petersburg's Gallery Walks, held from 5 to 9 p.m. on the second Saturday evening of each month. The Looper trolley takes visitors to each venue, including The Pier's own Crystal Mirage Gallery. The Gallery has been at The Pier for 18 years and features contemporary glass art by more than 200 artists.

Spring – April, May, June

Kids (and adults) can practice their angling techniques all year on the 2,400-foot span of the pier. Fishing poles are available for rent from the Pier Bait House on the ground level. Or, you can also rent the serenely quiet sea crafts from Electric Marina that move like golf carts on water to try your luck in deeper waters or to search for dolphins. There's also a Dolphin Sightseeing Cruise that leaves from The Pier.

Summer – July, August, September

The Pier Aquarium also holds a series of summer day camps, including activities like beach lab investigations, sea kayaking and dolphin training. The second level of the building is the 2,000 square foot aquarium's permanent home. It is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. In addition to viewing the tanks of tropical creatures, children can sign up to be a part of the daily fish feedings. "Official Fish Feeders" receive a certificate for their animal care help and they learn about the work the scientists at the aquarium do every day.

Fourth of July Fireworks at The Pier are the spot in St. Petersburg to celebrate the nation's birthday. Throughout the day, kids' activities, including face painting and games, are held. On-going family entertainment, bands, a drum circle, the 'Dance Heads' interactive music video and more for the family to enjoy before the fireworks add sparkle and thunder to the night sky. And, be sure to catch the area's favorite baseball team, the Ray's game will be shown at 8 p.m.

Concerts continue every Sunday in the main Pier courtyard next to the water with Music Fest. Local bands and musicians perform from 1 to 4 p.m. In cases of bad weather, the family-friendly event takes place in the Dockside Activity Room, ensuring the fun always moves along at The Pier.

For even steamier summer nights, catch Salsa En St. Pete, at Captain Al's every Friday night from 9 to 12 p.m. inside the restaurant.

Fall – October, November, December

On Saturday afternoons, family entertainment takes hold on The Pier's main level. From 1 to 4 p.m., children are treated to balloon animals, magic shows, face painting, stilt walkers or jugglers.

Beginning on the first Saturday of December the city begins its holiday celebration, Snowfest, not far from The Pier. Arts and crafts vendors are found throughout downtown. December also means the annual lighted boat parade. Starting just south of the Pier, the parade winds its way around the Vinoy Basin and around The Pier. It's a great viewing spot to see the local boats all decorated with their holiday adornments (and, yes, it does get chilly, so bring a warm sweater).

In early winter through spring, you'll also find docked at The Pier the replica of the HMS Bounty used in the 1962 film starting Marlon Brando and more recently in Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean.

On New Year's Eve, First Night St. Pete, a family-friendly celebration featuring musical performances and art, takes place at The Pier and more than 25 other downtown venues. The festivities end with fireworks welcoming the New Year.

For more events at The Pier, visit www.stpetepier.com.