Popular community events like Halloween on Central could be in jeopardy if St. Petersburg’s Main Street districts don’t receive increased funding, district leaders warned city council members Monday.

Nicole Waters, president of the Edge District, requested the city increase funding from $55,000 to $75,000 per district, citing rising costs that make it difficult to maintain current programming. Waters noted that districts must stretch every dollar to produce events like Halloween on Central, which drew thousands of attendees this year.

Council Member Gina Driscoll warned that the Grand Central District may not be able to host Halloween on Central next year without adequate support. She attempted to redirect $20,000 to each of four Main Street districts from economic development funds but withdrew the motion after city attorneys said they needed more time to review the budget details.

Council Member Richie Floyd expressed support for the funding but questioned whether other groups requesting assistance receive similar consideration.

The council approved the fiscal year budget Monday without the additional district funding. Council Member Corey Givens submitted a new business item to continue discussions about reallocating funds, with a meeting scheduled for January 22.

Halloween on Central has become one of St. Petersburg’s largest open-air events, closing 22 blocks of Central Avenue to vehicle traffic and drawing over 100,000 attendees annually.

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