The 10th edition of this popular Florida "antiques & collectibles" event returns to St. Petersburg for its 10th edition on Saturday, January 29, 2011, from 10 am to 5 pm at the historic Garden Club of St. Petersburg. 

A celebration of Florida's historical, cultural and tourism legacies, this annual show features an abundance of old roadside attraction kitsch, as well as vintage Florida art and old tropical décor   Featuring old Florida souvenirs and memorabilia for sale, spanning the range from alligator ashtrays, flamingo figurines, and citrus-shaped radios, to postcards and other fun ephemera from the Sunshine State's old parks and hotels, the Floridiana Festival brings together premier exhibitors and collectors of vintage Floridiana, clamoring to be the first ones to discover some unique Florida finds.  Serious collectors will enjoy the selection of memorabilia such as souvenir sterling silver spoons and hotel china from Florida's "golden age of souvenirs," while more casual collectors of kitsch can find postcards of bathing beauties and old tourist attractions, alligator purses and other Florida fashion.  Kitsch rules at this show, definitely, but for decorators looking for some serious, vintage tropical furnishings, it’s also a hot spot to pick up some old rattan, tropical lamps, and beautiful wall art.  

A special feature of the Floridiana Festival & Highwaymen Artist Show is the opportunity to meet and mingle with many of the Florida Highwaymen artists.  The Florida Highwaymen were a group of 26 African American artists (one woman and twenty-five men) who traveled Florida's roads (mainly on the east coast) in the late 1950's and early 1960's, selling their art from the trunks of their cars.  They targeted the many new small motels, doctor's and lawyer's offices that were popping up along the roads, and often sold their paintings while they were still wet.  Although the surviving artists are now well into their 60's and 70's. their art today is as beautiful as those pieces they painted almost 50 years ago.  In addition to the paintings the Highwaymen artists will be selling, several of the Florida souvenir exhibitors will also be selling vintage upson board Highwaymen paintings, including some from the those Highwaymen artists now deceased.  

In addition to the abundance of Florida memorabilia for sale, other show highlights include:  

• Meet and mingle with the Florida Highwaymen artists, who will be selling their beautiful Florida sea and landscape paintings.    Highwaymen artists appearing on January 29th include James Gibson, Issac Knight, Robert Lewis, Willie Reagan, Roy McLendon Sr., Mary Ann Carroll, Carnell (aka Cornell) Smith and Curtis Arnett.  
• Lectures, slide presentation and book signings by author Lu Vickers on her books "Weeki Wachee: City of Mermaids" and "Cypress Gardens: America's Tropical Wonderland"...PLUS, you just might meet some of the original mermaids who will be on hand to discuss their time at Weeki Wachee.  
• Meet Florida authors, including Larry Roberts, author of "Florida's Golden Age of Souvenirs: 1890-1930," Ken Breslauer, author of "Roadside Paradise: The Golden Age of Florida's Tourist Attractions 1920-1971,"  and Wayne Ayers, author of "St. Petersburg, The Sunshine State."