ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — A country concert planned in St. Pete Beach is raising concerns from environmentalists.
Country Thunder Florida 2026 is scheduled to take place at Tradewinds Resort in May, but local protesters have raised concerns that the concert may disrupt the nesting season of turtles and skimmers.
The concert is from May 8 through 10, but demonstrators said the setup would start weeks before and cause major problems.
“Protect our wildlife,” St. Pete Beach resident Cindy Perry said. “This is one of the precious things that we have here on St. Pete Beach.”
Coastal Wildlife Advocacy Group Founder Lisa Reich said if Country Thunder Florida 2026 continues as planned, there will be major consequences for both species.
“This is a time where the nesting females come up, and we also start getting a black skimmer colony,” she said. “The impact to their habitat, having this event at this time, is going to deter any nesting.”
In a statement from Tradewinds Resort, they said in part:
“A survey conducted on March 30, 2026, found no nests on the property. Further precautions include the nightly removal of temporary walkways and the careful placement of fencing to ensure unobstructed passage of sea turtles along the shoreline.”
However, Reich said the steps they’re taking are not enough. They want the date of the concert moved or a venue change.
“If we allow this to happen, it’s going to send the message that we don’t care, and we do,” she said. “So that’s why we’re doing this, to say we care.”
A spokesperson for the city of St. Pete Beach said in a statement to Spectrum News that “no permits have been issued by the DEP or by the city.”
They added that they’re still looking at environmental factors as well as traffic, public safety and more.
In addition to Saturday morning’s protest, the group launched an online petition.
