Derek Donnelly’s Fairgrounds St. Pete mural was inspired by vintage Florida post cards and incorporates hints to what’s inside.
Fairgrounds St. Pete: Magic in the Making
A peek behind the scenes at the immersive art experience everyone’s buzzing about. BY DAVID WARNER PHOTOS BY TODD BATES
Wander through an other-worldly motel and find yourself in a hall of mirrors and lamps. Follow the shimmer from a swimming pool made of reflected light. Peer through the portals of a structure that’s part spacecraft, part Futuro house, part Twistee Treat. And prepare to encounter a ravishingly beautiful Black mermaid. Those are just a few of the surprises in store for visitors to Fairgrounds St. Pete, an immersive art experience opening soon in a 1,500-sq-ft. building on the outskirts of the Warehouse Arts District. It’s one of eight buildings that once belonged to Madico, Inc., a manufacturer of window film, and all are now part of The Factory, an arts and culture campus-in-progress in which Fairgrounds will be the anchor tenant.
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A vision board for Fairgrounds St. Pete at The Factory.
