ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA — The 42nd Florida Antiquarian Book Fair returns to this city’s historic Coliseum March 1-2, 2025. This year’s theme, Discover Your Treasure, pays tribute to the region’s colorful, swashbuckling past but also exemplifies the literary treasures awaiting book lovers at the event.
The region has a long history of treasure hunting. The Caribbean pirating era started in the 1500s and lasted some 300 years. The peninsula now known as Florida served as hiding place for those desperados of the seas, and sometimes, a place to stash their booty.
Even in modern times, the saga continues. Every year for more than 120 years, Tampa Bay celebrates a legendary privateer, Jose Gaspar, who was said to have used the region as a refuge. Gasparilla, with its mock pirate invasion sailing into Tampa Bay, is one of the largest events in Florida. And, of course, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers football team taps into that swashbuckling history.
Meanwhile, book lovers will converge on The Coliseum in search of a trove of literary treasures to add to their own libraries as more than 80 antiquarian booksellers present all kinds of printed prizes. The book fair is truly the Book Lovers’ Paradise (TM).
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Fairgoers will find modern fiction, Americana, Florida history and literature, travel and exploration, fine bindings, poetry, cooking, military history, world history, the classics, art books, religion, children's literature, and illustrated books. Some dealers will feature maps, prints, post cards, ephemera, autographs, and other paper collectibles.
Items range in price from a few dollars to several hundred thousand dollars.
A complete listing of the exhibitors and their specialties is available at the Florida Antiquarian Booksellers' website: https://www.floridaantiquarianbookfair.com/exhibitors
Florida Antiquarian Book Fair is the largest and longest running fair of its kind in the southeastern United States and features specialized booksellers from all over the country.
The book fair is open Saturday, March 1, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, March 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tickets for Saturday and Sunday are $6 for each day or $10 for the weekend. Children 12 and under, and students with valid identification, are free. Parking is free. Tickets are available online at Eventbrite.com and cash only at the Box Office.
A portion of ticket sales benefit the St Petersburg Public Library, a library system that operates seven locations and serves the community with a plethora of programs and services for adults, teens, and children.
Food and beverages, including cash bar, are available inside The Coliseum.
St. Petersburg’s 1920s-era Coliseum at 535 Fourth Avenue North is known as “the finest ballroom in the South.” The venue has played host to such famed artists as Louie Armstrong, Buddy Rich, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, and Harry James, among others.
The City of St. Petersburg, which bought the facility in 1989, restored it to its original splendor, with polished oak floors and a high arched ceiling. The Coliseum boasts plenty of free parking and is conveniently located for easy walking to downtown hotels, shops, and restaurants.
The Florida Antiquarian Book Fair is sponsored by WUSF. It is presented by the Florida Antiquarian Booksellers Association, Florida’s quality rare book organization since 1981.
