A civic celebration to honor new St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster drew several hundred guests to the Mahaffey Theater lobby and its stellar waterfront view.

"Get Jazzed About St. Petersburg" featured area musicians Rick Gee and Rick Gee's Jazz Jam, Kenny Drew Jr., the Rebecca Zapen Jazztet and the Jose Valentino Band, along with hors d'oeuvres and desserts.

It was difficult to hear Foster and master of ceremonies Al Reuchel, a news anchor at Bay News 9, but the mood was upbeat. The event, sponsored by the St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership, the Junior League of St. Petersburg, the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, the St. Petersburg Chamber and the St. Petersburg Times, was a fundraiser for Brookwood Florida, the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum, the St. Petersburg Museum of History and the Junior League.

Event chair Elise Minkoff and co-chairs Taylor Montgomery and Ann Vickstrom led a committee that included the history museum's Mary Wyatt Allen, Brookwood's Sue Cramer, the league's Chloe Firebaugh, the Woodson Museum's Terri Lipsey Scott, mayor's representative Virginia Littrell and the Junior League's Chloe Firebaugh, Mardi Bessolo, Stacy Brandenstein, Erin Connors, Rachael Russell and Christina Shinsky.

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