As the inaugural "Bay 2 Beach Music & Arts Festival" takes over Coachman Park in Clearwater this weekend, event organizers hope it's the start of a new area tradition.

  • Event features live music, local artists
  • Organizers expect to draw over 15,000 over the weekend
  • For more information, visit myclearwaterevents.com

Parts of Cleveland Street are closed in Clearwater and the band shell at Coachman Park is crowded, all setting the stage for the big weekend event.

"It’s just a way to highlight our area, to show off all the wonderful different artists that we have, the beautiful areas," said Kris Koch, Planning Projects & Events Manager for the City of Clearwater.

The festival will highlight areas across Clearwater and bring exposure to the businesses near them.

"We’re glad to be bringing over 15,000 people into the Clearwater Beach event Thursday, Blast Friday Event on Friday and then Saturday and Sunday down here at Coachman Park,” said Koch. “And we hope all those people stay late and enjoy our downtown and some of our new restaurants and bars."

The owner of Tony’s Pizzeria and Ristorante on Cleveland Street welcomes the traffic.

"It means a lot of people will come and see our beautiful downtown, and also be more exposed to people that don’t know that this exists," said Tony's owner and manager Claudia Starova.

Visitors and locals can enjoy a variety of different types of music, as well as experience an art village,

"There will be 20 different local artists, everything from sculptors to painters to people doing live art on site," Koch explained.

For more information about the festival, visit myclearwaterevents.com.