Fairgrounds, St. Petersburg

At “Fairgrounds St. Pete” you are immersed into the weird, wacky, and wonderful of Florida. Bringing together Fairground-inspired exhibits and 60+ local artists you are invited to explore an immersive world of playful art and technology.

Sit and take a moment to soak in the views of the Everglades and the Mermaid Star Motel facade. This experience is anchored by a 50-foot projection-based digital landscape Everglades Arena Projection made by Fairgrounds St. Pete in collaboration with Olivia Sebeskey. We encourage you to linger longer and be sure to watch out for thunderstorms.

Created by Fairgrounds St. Pete's internal art and tech team, CentCom is an amalgamation of Florida references. It pays homage to Twisty Treat, Futuro houses, and Central Command at MacDill Airforce Base. Check out our tech team’s invented touchless buttons and be sure to play with the talk tabulator. The triptych Topographia Chlorophobia by Eddie Lohmeyer is also not to be missed.

Welcome to the Mermaid Star Motel! Created by the Fairgrounds St. Pete internal art team. Dive deep and pay close attention. The lobby contains artworks by several artists as well as ephemera belonging to the motel owners. Be sure to check out the dioramas and the Local Distractions brochure rack. We love a good pun.

Rendered in a style we call retro-futuristic, the Mermaid Star Motel facade was created by the Fairgrounds St. Pete internal art team. From the mer-scale wainscotting to the mermaid-starred doors, we’re not afraid to go deep into mer-culture. Look up and check out the penthouse windows which display digital works by Nick Davis and Jaurice Moore.

Composed of hacked LED light bulbs coded to sync together, this symphony of lights has a transformative effect. Be sure to stand in the mirrored corner to get the coveted infinity view.

Romance and mystery are in the air of the Sunnymooners Suite, a creation of Fairgrounds St. Pete’s internal art and tech team. Look around and see colorful and fun artwork by several artists.

The water isn't the only restorative element of the Mermaid Star Motel Pool Area. Take a moment to rest and recline and take in this art-packed zone. Look overhead to see Matt Cambell’s suspended pool Dialogical Analogues in Chlorine. Can you identify the various species in Beck Conrad’s Wall of Eyes? Did you know Tess Oldfield’s work consists of 200 hand-made ceramics? Be sure not to miss the Flora-Da-Scope.