Behind the Scenes of the Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival

Winter is prime growing season in Florida. And each February, thousands of folks from across descend upon the Carter G. Woodson African American Museum to celebrate one crop in particular: collard greens. This year’s Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival is set for Saturday, Feb. 19 at the Carter G. Woodson African American Museum in St. Petersburg. There’ll be plant giveaways, nutrition seminars, a collard green cook-off and more. But the significance of the Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival goes far beyond the leafy vegetables. The event attracts around 3,000 people of all ages and races to the historically Black neighborhood of South St. Petersburg, making it a celebration of diversity. Heading into the festival’s fifth year, Dalia chatted with festival cofounders Boyzell Hosey and Samantha Harris. Boyzell starts by explaining how the event came to be. Listen to the end to learn who this year’s headliner will be.Related episodes: Toni Tipton-Martin Celebrates African-American Chefs in “Jubilee” How Chef Edouardo Jordan’s St. Pete Roots Gave Him a “Chitlins State of Mind” Documentary Explores Tampa Bay’s Black-Owned Restaurants It’s Always Sunny at St. Petersburg’s Brick Street Farms Hacks to Help You Eat More Veggies