The Pier is more than just a building - an inverted pyramid that has been an iconic structure in downtown St. Petersburg since it opened in 1973. It is the people who make up the building. The local businesses, the shop owners. The guy who sells fish so your children can feed the pelicans like they have done on this very site since 1938, the restaurant with the waterfront view that has been in their family for over 100 years, the specialty shop who sells products manufactured only in St. Petersburg, the captain who knows where the dolphins hide so you can have a pleasurable cruise, the employee who wears the product she sells so that even her own granddaughter didn't recognize her without her signature "hat", the owner who talks to everyone who visits while he "carves" his work in front of you. These are just a few of the people who make up The Pier.
The Pier is also the management team who oversees the building, so it is maintained, clean and safe for your visit, with events and activities to keep you entertained when you are here. The Pier is the sub-contractors who clean the building, secure the property 24/7 and provide the transportation to and from The Pier and into downtown St. Petersburg.
One quarter mile walk up the "approach" to The Pier. One inverted pyramid building with five floors to explore and six elevators. One Aquarium. One winery. One Concierge Center to answer your inquiries. Four sit-down waterfront restaurants. Four outdoor adventure options. Fourteen unique shops, galleries and boutiques.
The Pier is OPEN and here for you to enjoy for several more years before the "next generation of an iconic structure" takes its place and more people come to discover it. Visit The Pier. Shop at The Pier. Dine at The Pier. Explore The Pier. It's YOURS to enjoy!
Pier approach photo at the top provided by Valery de la Cruz and "Visitors" above provided by Lee Pearson.
4th of July Extravaganza at The Pier, downtown St. Pete
4th of July Extravaganza
Every year, The Pier offers great fun and activities for the entire family to celebrate Independence Day. This year is NO different! Join us on Monday, July 4, 2011, at The Pier in downtown St. Petersburg for a FULL day of family-oriented events to celebrate the 4th of July. ALL events are FREE, with the exception of face & body painting, where there is a minimal charge, depending on complexity of the design.
We have back-to-back bands in the Courtyard by the Bay; the Sunrise Performing Arts Academy; the River City Banjo Band; Fritz, himself, from Fritzy Bros. One Man Circus; the "Dance Heads", face painting, caricature artists, interactive music/dance video where YOU come away with a FREE DVD for each participant, AND the comedy of Erick Kand, hypnotist!
All Pier shops, galleries, boutiques, restaurants, food court and outdoor adventure providers will be OPEN on July 4th from 10:00 a.m. until later than normal times. Our activities run from 11:30 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.
Post this schedule on your refrigerator and visit The Pier on July 4th!
Courtyard by the Bay next to the NEW "Jonny Reno's Waterfront Grille & Watering Hole":
11:30-2:30 PM - "soulRcoaster", Pop Rock band
2:30-3:30 PM - "Baby Grand in the Sand" performs with dance demonstrations
3:30-6:30 PM - “Solid Core”, high energy show band
6:30-7:30 PM - "Baby Grand in the Sand" performs with dance demonstrations
7:30-11:00 PM - "Shotgun Justice", Southern Rock and Country
On The Pier approach: One Man Band - 5:00-9:00 PM
Inside The Pier near shops and the Dockside Eatery Food Court:
12:00-9:00 PM - Face and body painting by Joanne Conte and friend (nominal charge, depending on complexity of design)
12:00-12:45PM - Sunrise Performing Arts Academy
1:00-9:00 PM - Fritz from Fritzy Bros. One Man Circus
1:00-2:00 PM - "River City Banjo Band"
1:00-4:00 PM - Ronnie Crump, caricaturist (nominal charge)
1:00-4:00 PM - "George Washington" character
3:00-5:00 PM – Power Skippers
3:00-6:00 PM – Dance Heads – Interactive dance video/FREE DVD
5:00-8:00 PM – Lars-Erik Robinson, caricaturist (nominal charge)
6:00-7:00 PM – Erick Kand, Comedy Hypnotist
8:00-9:00 PM – Erick Kand, Comedy Hypnotist
Outside over the waters of Tampa Bay and Spa Beach:
The Dolphin Queen Sightseeing Tours will be offering a special 4th of July cruise to view the fireworks. Call Captain Fred for availability, times and pricing at 727-647-1538.
Fireworks will be seen over the Bay at 9:00 p.m., compliments of the City of St. Petersburg! 3-D Prism glasses will be provided by Aveda Institute to enhance your fireworks watching experience. Supplies limited between 6:00-9:00 PM.
The 4th of July Extravaganza is sponsored by The Pier, the City of St. Petersburg and the St. Petersburg Times.
Fireworks, boy with American flag and crowd shot above by Tim Boyles Photography.
NCECA “Clay Around the Bay” @ The Pier
The Pier is surrounded by water. We're nautical. We are part of NCECA's events and "Clay Around the Bay". At The Pier there are TWO galleries - the first being Crystal Mirage Gallery on the first floor, featuring some unusual pieces such as a clay Hawaiian print shirt, a large mermaid's tail and Lady Gaga shoes, to name a few. The second gallery is located on the Third Floor of The Pier with artists flying in from all over the country.
You'll see a (clay) small child playing in the sand, while a turtle approaches her, videos projected on the walls, "Seven" black creatures on a crate, and a large submarine strung from the ceiling - just to name a few.
The gallery hours are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. now through Saturday, April 2nd, and there will be receptions on Thursday evening, March 31, from 6:00-9:00 p.m. Admission is FREE!
EXHIBIT # 2: Third Floor Gallery at The Pier
Title of Show: Dead Reckoning: Boats, Buoys, and Beyond
Artists: Shay Church, Pattie Chalmers, Gerit Grimm, Jeremy Hatch, Mathew McConnell, Peter Morgan, Adam Shiverdecker, Liz Zacher
Exhibition Description: A nautically themed group exhibition that explores many different facets of seafaring and its surrounding myths. Material approaches range from the site-specific mixed media installations, to commodified consumer products, to trompe l'oeil cast porcelain objects. With diverse styles and methodologies, the invited artists examine many facets of man's complex and storied relationship with the sea.
Exhibition Dates & Times: March 28 - April 3, 2011 - 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Entrance Fee with NCECA Name Badge
Reception Date and Time: Mar 31, 2011 - 6:00-9:00 p.m.
EXHIBIT # 1: Crystal Mirage Gallery at The Pier - First floor 727-895-1166
Title of Show: Whimsical Raku Pottery
Artists: Nolan Windholtz, Andres Goff, Allison Stowe- Castellano, Lynn Merhige.
Exhibition Description: Narrative, often satirical, clay sculpture fired in raku–or embracing the philosophy thereof. Parameters are defined when producing the work, but allowing a dialogue with the fire leaves room for the unexpected, and opens one to the possibility of divergent results. The fire has the final word. Curated by Carol Gray. 
Exhibition Dates and Times: Free and open to the public. March 15 - April 15, 2011. Sundays: 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.; Monday - Thursday: 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Reception Date and Time: March 31st, 5:00-9:00 p.m. for the NCECA Group.
Area Restaurants: Columbia Restaurant, Cha Cha Coconuts Tropical Bar and Grill and Fresco's Waterfront Bistro. (P.S. Coming soon - "Jonny Reno's" to a Pier near you!)
The Pier has more than five stories!
Some people think The Pier only has five stories.
The first story has shops, galleries, boutiques, a winery and a food court. The second story houses The Pier Aquarium. The third story is our special event space and available for a variety of events. The fourth floor features the Columbia Restaurant. The fifth floor tops off The Pier with Cha Cha Coconuts Tropical Bar and Grill, as well as our Observation Deck.
Actually, it has thousands of stories.
There are stories of engagements. First dates. Last dates. Promotions. Boating with the grandkids. Celebrations. Celebrity sightings. Business meetings. Chance meetings.
When I was a little girl, my brother had a birthday party on the "Captain Mac Show", which was housed here at The Pier on WSUN-TV. We watched Captain Mac, dressed in his safari clothes, talk about animals, tell us to put our bikes away at the end of the day, and to drink our Foremost milk. Years later, I now work at The Pier and love coming here every day to plan events, activities and ways to bring people to The Pier to increase sales for our shops, restaurants and outdoor adventure providers.
On my days off, I often bring my children and grandchildren to The Pier for lunch or dinner, or to captain our own Electric Boat, see dolphins aboard the Dolphin Sightseeing Cruise, rent a bike from Wheel Fun Rentals or feed the pelicans at The Pier Bait House.
The interactive Pier kiosk has the ability to send a postcard to your family and friends, share your favorite “story” about The Pier and create new memories.
Visit our interactive kiosk at The Pier Concierge Center - meet here, make history and add YOUR story to The Pier.
Downtown St. Pete – Annual Lighted Boat Parade
The St. Petersburg Lighted Boat Parade began in 1987, with a small core of volunteers, centered by one man – Lee Goff. The Lighted Boat Parade grew over years of development, and became a fixture of the holiday festivities along the waterfront of downtown St. Petersburg. The parade peaked with a dazzling performance in 1997 with over 40 boats, thousands of dollars in donated prizes, a gala party with entertainment food and volunteers.
In October of 2001, Urban Retail Properties LLC took over management of The Pier and I met Lee Goff within the first two weeks of my employment to discuss the event and how we could make it better. WMTX was brought on board as a radio sponsor along with the St. Petersburg Times. During the 14 year history of the event, participation had gotten less as other communities in Pinellas County started their OWN Lighted Boat Parades, which conflicted with the downtown event.
In 2005, Lee Goff passed away and he turned the event over to a group of volunteers from the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. The Children’s Dream Fund was brought on board as a charity to receive a portion of the proceeds from boat entries, WSJT was secured as the new radio partner, along with the St. Petersburg Times and MarineMax was obtained as a major sponsor of the event, which was a HUGE success with five “dreams” granted for the Dream Fund!
In 2007, the Rotary Club of St. Petersburg approached The Pier and asked to take over management of the Lighted Boat Parade with its large club of members. Bruce Watters Jewelers came on board as the title sponsor and the event has been called the Bruce Watters Jewelers Illuminated Boat Parade since then. Proceeds benefit the Children’s Dream Fund and other Rotary charities. It has now expanded into a Chili Cook-Off and provides entertainment in Spa Beach Park from 3:00 p.m. until the award’s ceremony following the boat parade.
The Pier continues to hold activities leading up to and after the Boat Parade and this year these include the Voices of Jazz, a 22-piece ensemble performing at 2:00 p.m. in the Courtyard by the Bay, followed by the Sunrise Performing Arts group in the Dockside Activity Room from 3:15-4:00 p.m., a Drum Circle from Giving Tree Music from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the Courtyard and an annual performance by Tuba Christmas at 7:30 p.m., following the parade, which begins between 6:00-6:30 p.m.
The boats still “muster” at the Harborage and still go around The Pier – just as Lee Goff had designed back in 1987. Some things never change – 23 years later.
Susan Robertson, Advertising and Promotions Manager, The Pier
Re-discover The St. Pete Pier!
The St. Petersburg Pier has been a favorite attraction for many local and international tourists for years. But are you aware that the present 5-story Pier is the 7th pier to “apPier” in St. Petersburg? The Railroad Pier was built in 1889; Brantley’s Pier was constructed in 1896 and the short-lived Tomlinson Pier, built in 1900, was washed out by the Hurricane of 1921. The famous Electric Pier, erected in 1906, was a privately owned pier extending 3,000 feet into the bay and the deep-water harbor was used for docking a 500-passenger vessel called “Favorite”. The Municipal Pier was only eight years old when the Hurricane of 1921 destroyed all standing piers in the area. The world famous Million Dollar Pier lived up to its legacy when it opened in 1926 with a Mediterranean-revival casino style building featuring a central atrium, an open-air ballroom with terrazzo floors and an observation deck. In 1967, the badly deteriorated building was demolished and the current inverted pyramid structure known as “The Pier” opened its doors in January 1973.
The Pier houses thirteen unique shops, three waterfront restaurants, a food court, and The Pier Aquarium.
SHOP
You can pick up a picnic basket at The Pier Winery and enjoy daily free Wine Tastings; purchase an autographed baseball bat, posters and other memorabilia in DD Collectables. THE perfect fall chapeau awaits you in Just Hats and historic treasure and artifacts can be found at Lost in Time. Discover paperweights, which are signed original glass art, and Swarovski Crystal in Crystal Mirage Gallery.
Sunwatchers carries beautiful necklace and earring sets, sunglasses and swimwear; Bay Breeze has men's and women's clothing items, shoes, beach bags and jewelry; and MJ Toons has children's clothing, plush animals, historic postcards and more in this colorful fun shop.
DesTnation is more than just a tourist shirt shop! Picture the type of shirt you would find featuring the name of the "port" at your favorite resort or aboard a cruise ship. That is what you will find at DesTnation!
The St. Pete Candle Gallery can carve a specialty candle for that special someone and Rainforest Gifts has wind chimes, wine bottle holders and unique home wares.
The Pier Aquarium's Gift Shop is another treasure with books, glow-in-the-dark items, and plush animals for the kids. Peppers on The Pier is the bright green store at the front of The Pier and carries hot sauce, fabulous hand-painted stemware - wine and martini glasses - along with aprons for the chefs in the family and Pier cookie cutters!
DINE
Cha Cha Coconuts at The Pier is located on the rooftop open-air deck. Relax as the breathtaking views of Tampa Bay and warm breeze embrace your senses at the restaurant voted “Best View in Tampa Bay.” Choose a seat on the outside deck, or inside the restaurant. Live music Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Waterfront views and outstanding Spanish/Cuban cuisine are what you'll find at the Columbia Restaurant at The Pier. A panoramic 360° 4th floor waterfront view of sailboats drifting by and dolphins playing in Tampa Bay complement their award-winning family recipes, fresh seafood from the Gulf of Mexico and other specialties.
At Fresco's Waterfront Bistro, you can enjoy your day the way you want to. Fresco's is downtown St. Pete's premier waterfront dining restaurant, and Chef Jason Esposito's Italian-Creole cuisine is on top of the metro area's culinary destinations.
The Dockside Eatery Food Court will delight your fast food tastes with burgers, salads, pizza, ice cream and Chinese food at Burger Bay, Hong Kong Corner and Cones on The Pier.
EXPLORE
Don't miss the boat! The Pier Dolphin Cruises are THE way to see dolphins “up close and personal”. Captain Fred cruises the waters of Tampa Bay and will show you the area's treasured wildlife and the other beautiful sights St. Petersburg has to offer. Cruises leave daily from the dock next to The Pier Bait House (where you can stop and feed the pelicans before or after your cruise!) For times and pricing, call 727.647.1538 or visit them on the web at pierdolphincruises.net.
Forget about fuels costs.... enjoy Tampa Bay the Eco-friendly way! The Electric Marina Boat Rentals has Florida's only electric, wind and people-powered boat rentals and are inside the Dolphin Parking Lot/South Vinoy Yacht Basin. Check out their easy to navigate electric boats at electricmarina.com or call them at 727.898-BOAT (2628).
Rent some fun! Wheel Fun Rentals has unique bikes and way more for you, your family and friends! Peddle your way around downtown St. Petersburg, along our beautiful waterfront, and get some exercise at the same time! Make sure the folks in the back seats are helping! Visit wheelfunrentals.com or call to reserve your wheels at 727.820.0375.
The Pier Aquarium is located on the second floor of The Pier and features hands-on displays and interactive exhibits, as well as tanks of different sizes and shapes with exotic fish and corals on which to feast your eyes. The Pier Aquarium performs outreach programs in the community to educate, encourage and empower its guests to become stewards of the environment.
If you're on Facebook, don't forget to "Like" The Pier and find out about our upcoming events and activities or "follow us" on Twitter.
The Pier is a landmark that, perhaps more than any public building, defines our city and reflects our heritage. The Pier has undergone many changes in form over the years, but it has always maintained its function as a downtown anchor, economic catalyst and amenity for local residents. The Pier is not just a downtown matter. It is a matter of importance to the whole city and to Pinellas County. We are OPEN and look forward to seeing YOU at The Pier, soon!
Healthy Dining Options at The Pier
Everyone's thinking about healthy dining options lately and The Pier has some choices for YOU when visiting us for entertainment, activities, meetings or just getting together with your friends.
If you're in the Dockside Eatery food court, you might want to check out Burger Bay, Cones on The Pier, Hong Kong Corner or Morrow's Cafe. Burger Bay offers Falafel sandwiches, a veggie burger, Greek salad, chicken salad and fresh fruit daily. Cones on The Pier has low fat frozen yogurt, sugar-free ice cream and non-dairy Italian ice. Hong Kong Corner prepares sauteed mixed vegetables (add grilled chicken for protein) and stir-fried rice - made fresh to order. Morrow's has dark chocolate, dried pineapple and papaya and gummy bears if you're having a sweet tooth and Morrow's Cafe whips up fat free smoothies.
The Waterside Grill & Bar (undergoing a name change from Captain Al's Waterfront Grill & Bar) prepares a mean grilled cheese and tomato sandwich on whole wheat bread, and offers a Luau chicken sandwich, Mahi Mahi on a hearty roll, Southwest chicken salad, a classic garden entree salad (you can add shrimp or chicken to this), a veggie or Bayou fish wrap. Waterside Grill & Bar is located on the first level of The Pier at the water's edge and also holds FREE Salsa dancing every Friday night from 9:15 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
Cha Cha Coconuts Tropical Bar & Grill on the 5th floor of The Pier (and on the Observation Deck with the BEST view of downtown St. Petersburg) was voted one the "healthy choice restaurants for Pinellas County"! Their offerings include fish tacos, a veggie burger, grilled tropical Mahi entree, sweet potato sticks (YUM!) and a medly of fresh green salads.
The Columbia Restaurant on the 4th floor of The Pier has been a staple in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties (and other counties in Florida) for over 100 years. THIS Columbia also has the amazing view of Tampa Bay from any table in the restaurant and will prepare their famous 1905 Salad tableside - with turkey or shrimp, if you don't want ham. They also have black beans & rice, Eggplant Riojana, and the 1905 Langostino (grilled shrimp), which is FABULOUS!
Last, but by no means least, is Fresco's Waterfront Bistro at the beginning of the approach to The Pier - corner of 2nd Avenue S.E. and Bayshore Boulevard. Fresco's talented chef, Jason Espositio, offers the following healthy options: Black Bean Zucchini Quesadillas, Garlic Mussels, Marinated Conch Salad, Portobello Tower, Roasted Mediterranean Veggie Au Gratin and Smoked Salmon Flatbread Pizza.
So, now that your mouth is watering.....head out to The Pier to try our healthy dining options!
Fireworks for the 4th @ The Pier
Photgraphy by Tim Boyles - Fireworks over The Pier
As a child, my first memories of the 4th of July were those of spending on the beaches of Manatee County with my best friend, Margaret, and her family. She came from a large family - with six children in all - and each summer her cousins, aunts and uncles would gather at the family beach house for a picnic on the 4th of July. We, as smaller children, would like sparklers and run up and down the beach with our "torches" until they burned out. Sometimes, we would throw them into the water and watch as they sparkled against the night sky until falling into the Gulf of Mexico. As I grew older, I would spend the 4th with my parents, and sit on the seawall of the Manatee River and watch the county's fireworks display shot off a barge in the middle of the river - visible to the residents of Palmetto and Bradenton at the same time.
Many years later, when working for Club Corporation of America at the Plaza Club in downtown Bradenton, I invited my family to the club's July 4th buffet located on the top floor of the Plaza Del Rio building and to watch fireworks. It was funny, though, because even though you could SEE the fireworks through the glass, you couldn't HEAR them and there was no "ooohhh" or "aaahhhh" sound coming from the spectators. So, we started our own "noises" inside the 7th floor private dining club.
This year, I celebrate my ninth 4th of July celebration at The Pier, as part of the management team for this amazing city-owned property in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. Each year has been wonderful with full days of activities and music aimed at all ages and all demographics of our beautiful city and county. We have had the pleasure of meeting Ashlee Simpson when she performed here, meeting an American Idol finalist, seeing Brooke Hogan and her famous father, "Hulk", and even having pictures taken with Taylor Swift! In 2006, I even had to coordinate the events in a wheelchair from a broken ankle injury a few weeks prior to the 4th! In recent years, our celebration has been toned down, somewhat, with partnerships lessening, budgets what they are and our celebration does not include a celebrity performer, but it is still fun! We have had the "Dance Heads" for the past few years, where our guests have made music videos of themselves while sitting in front of a green screen and kept the DVD as a rememberance of their time here.
This year, we have a full line-up of fun, too, which includes back-to-back bands in our Waterside Courtyard from 1:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. with "Bob, the World's Strongest Juggler" performing during the band's set-up/tear-down. We begin at 1:00 p.m. with the "Daniel B. Marshall Band", performing folk and rock originals along with contemporary covers until 4:00 p.m., followed by "Fast Lane" with R&B and funk music from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Our headliner band is "Save the Radio", featuring alternative, pop and acoustic rock sounds from 8:00-11:00 p.m. with a break at 9:00 p.m. for fireworks!
Inside The Pier there will be characters with whom to interact from 1:00-5:00 p.m. - a unicylist, a magician, a caricature artist and "George Washington". Face and/or body painting will be offered for a nominal charge (today), depending on the design and complexity from 1:00-9:00 p.m. We also welcome back the hilarious entertainment of Erick Kand, comedy hypnotist who will be performing TWO shows - one from 5:00-6:00 p.m. and the second one from 7:00-8:00 p.m. in the Dockside Eatery food court area. Guests volunteer to be hypnotized and it creates a full hour of laughter and fun for those watching!
At 6:00 p.m., we will welcome the Miss Florida contestants who will be introduced by radio personality, Jack Harris, from WFLA, followed by a "Meet and Greet".
Of course, at 9:00 p.m. fireworks will be shot off Spa Beach Park, at the base of The Pier - compliments of the City of St. Petersburg. (They COULD be shot as early as 8:30 p.m. or as late as 10:00 p.m. - weather dictating - but if they are not shot by 10:00 p.m., they won't be seen this July 4th.) All day parking is available for $5 in either the Pelican or Dolphin Parking Lots at The Pier, Valet Parking will be $6 or you could park in any of the downtown parking garages and jump on the Central Avenue Shuttle or the Looper to get to The Pier.
Remember, NO coolers can be brought to the parks and no alcohol can be brought to The Pier. We have our Dockside Eatery food court, and four sit-down waterfront restaurants from which to choose your dining and/or beverage options - Captain Al's Waterfront Grill & Bar on the 1st level, Cha Cha Coconuts Tropical Bar and Grill (who will have two bands on the 5th level from 1:00-8:00 p.m.), the Columbia Restaurant on the 4th level and Fresco's Waterfront Bistro on the corner of Second Avenue and Bayshore.
We also have a variety of unique shops, boutiques and galleries on the first level with collectables, hats, artifacts, jewelry and more, as well as The Pier Aquarium on the second level where their fish can entertain you. Wheel Fun Rentals will be offering temporary tattoos at their space in front of The Pier and don't forget to visit the Dolphin Queen for guaranteed sightseeing tours or take a spin around the Yacht Basin in an electric boat from the Electric Marina Boat Rentals (behind the Dolphin Parking Lot).
PEEPS at The Pier
1st place winner in the Information Technologies (IT) charity fund Peeps contest at Raymond James Financial
There are PEEPS in the Food Court at The Pier! Yes, the same marshmallow chicks, bunnies and ghosts available during the holidays at your local grocery store. Why are they at The Pier?
Now in its seventh year, the IT charity fund Peeps contest at Raymond James allows IT associates to show off their creative talents while supporting the community. Each spring after Easter, Peeps artists display their creations and work and associates vote on the best choice by making a donation. The donations go to the IT charity funds “adopt a child” program. This program gives lower-income children Publix gift certificates at Thanksgiving and also provides them with toys, clothes and Walmart Gift certificates at Christmas. Last year, the IT charity fund was able to “adopt” 164 children!
Of the 11 entries in the contest, The St. “Peepers”burg Pier was voted 1st place! It was created not only to raise money for IT’s charity fund, but also to gauge associates’ opinion on whether or not to keep The Pier. IT associates overwhelmingly voted that The Pier should be kept!
The Pier was created by the Middle Office Operations Software Development team including: Beth Fox, Debra Durant, Gene Lane, Harriet Freed, Joel Ott, Linda Boyle, Maureen McKinnon, Nancy Chapman, Paula Halsey, Srinivas Avancha, Sue Pfahler, Greg Seller, Bill Swan and Marshal Heney. Overall, the Peeps contest was a success and raised more than $2,087 for the “adopt a child” program! It took 27 hours to create one Marshmallow Peep in 1953, but takes just six minutes today!
About the IT Charity Fund
The IT charity fund was created over 20 years ago by associates in the IT Department at Raymond James Financial to raise funds throughout the year to help make contributions to the community. This is accomplished by selling sodas and snacks every day, as well as hosting special events, such as pizza sales, bake sales and even the Peeps contest.
The St. “Peepers”burg Pier will be on display in the Dockside Eatery food court for several weeks. Please come by and see it, but don’t touch or EAT the display!
Peeps are marshmallow candies, sold in the US and Canada, that are shaped into chicks, bunnies, and other animals. There are also different shapes used for various holidays. Peeps are used primarily to fill Easter baskets, though recent ad campaigns tout the candy as "Peeps - Always in Season". They are made from marshmallow, corn syrup, gelatin, and carnauba wax.
Peeps are produced by Just Born, a candy manufacturer based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Peeps were introduced nationally in 1958 by Pravin Pant Sr., a Nepali immigrant. When Just Born acquired Rodda Candy Company in 1953, they automated the process (originally the chicks were formed by hand) and mass-produced them. The yellow chicks were the original form of the candy — hence their name — but then the company introduced other colors and, eventually, the myriad shapes in which they are now produced.
Just Born has expanded its product line to include bats, cats, pumpkins, and ghosts for Halloween; hearts for Valentine's Day; eggs for Easter; trees, gingerbread men, snowmen, the word "JOY", and stars for Christmas; and red, white, and blue chicks and stars for the 4th of July.
Although the original Peeps were standard marshmallow flavor, some of the newer flavors include chocolate mousse (bunnies for Easter, cats for Halloween, reindeer for Christmas), strawberry and vanilla (hearts for Valentine's Day), cocoa (cats and bats for Halloween), sugar cookie (gingerbread people for Christmas), and orange (eggs for Easter).
In 2009, Just Born expanded the Peeps product line further by introducing Peeps Lip Balm in four flavors: grape, strawberry, vanilla, and cotton candy. The first Peeps & Co. store opened in November 2009 in Prince George's County.
The Pier, located at the end of Second Avenue N.E. on the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront is accessible off I-275