Weekend Top 10: From Mahler to WWE and Dalí to Star Wars – There’s Truly Something for EVERYONE This Memorial Day Weekend!
As we pay tribute to our heroes this long holiday weekend, make plans to see iconic art, go to a family fest, hear great music, see local live theater, dress up like your favorite Star Wars character, catch pro-wrestling’s best, and much more. Registry Tampa Bay shows you the way to your best possible weekend. Thursday Opening This Week – Explore the Vaults | First Gifts, 1962–1966 Museum of Fine Arts, DTSP As the 6oth Anniversary celebration continues, this eighth iteration of the Explore the Vaults series features gifts from the museum’s formative years. These objects—offered by community members to the fledgling institution—provided the foundation for the current collection. Because many early gifts to the museum, especially paintings, are already on view, this exhibition mainly emphasizes works on paper. These include an etching by Rembrandt van Rijn, as well as Japanese woodblock prints, contemporaneous pieces by modern artists, and works that celebrate St. Petersburg’s art and history. Combined with selected paintings, sculpture, and decorative art, these first gifts provide a sense of what the collection looked like in the mid-1960s. Enhancing these artworks are letters, photographs, and related ephemera that offer insight into how these collectors became donors. Together, these provide a unique and rich context for the shaping of the collection and illuminate its importance to the St. Petersburg community. Now through November 23rd Find tickets, hours, and more information HERE. Ongoing – Cooler by Craig Houk Lab Theatre Project, Tampa Time to once again support community theater. Check out Cooler, presented by, and now running at Lab Theatre Project. Here’s the promo: Three-time Oscar winner, Jack Dunn, returns to Connecticut after being gone for nearly four years in McGrath, Alaska. His closest friend, Wade Henry, also an award-winning actor, has something Jack wants. After a long evening of drinking and poker with their pals, Jack and Wade, both eager to cement their legacies, face off one last time. Or so it seems. Now through Sunday, June 1st Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. Friday Mama Mia! New Tampa Performing Arts Center, Tampa ABBA’s hits tell the hilarious story of a young woman’s search for her birth father. This sunny and funny tale unfolds on a Greek island paradise. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago. The story-telling magic of ABBA’s timeless songs propels this enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship, creating an unforgettable show. ansen Dance Project invites you on a trip to Kalokairi, Greece! The Collective Soles Youth Ensemble hits the stage for one of Tampa’s largest musical extravaganzas. Don’t miss it! Friday & Saturday, May 23rd & 24th Find tickets, and more information HERE. Saturday **Registry Spotlight Event** It’s a big deal when some of our favorite artists get invited to create murals at the Dalí Museum. Be in on the unveiling this weekend! New Murals in St. Pete shine in the Registry Spotlight this week. Opening – Outside In: New Murals Inspired by Dalí Dalí Museum, DTSP In celebration of the SHINE St. Petersburg Mural Festival’s 10-year anniversary, Outside In: New Murals Inspired by Dalí brings the vibrant world of street art into the The Dalí Museum. This unique exhibition invites both current and past SHINE artists to create dynamic murals within the Museum’s gallery, inspired by the surreal genius of Salvador Dalí, his collection and the iconic architecture of the Museum itself. See murals by various artists from around the world, including Tes One, Chad Mize, Palehorse, BASK, Miss Crit, and more – each of whom brings their own unique interpretation of Dalí’s surrealist legacy. Saturday, May 24th through October 26th, 2025 Find tickets, hours, and more information HERE. DFAC Star Wars Armor Party Open House Dunedin Fine Art Center, Dunedin Experience the creativity and craftsmanship of Bay Area Star Wars cosplay groups as they showcase:– Armor kit building– 3D printing– Costuming and prop work– Character creativity– And so much more! Don’t miss the chance to connect with fellow Star Wars enthusiasts and explore the magic of cosplay artistry! This event is free and open to the public. Saturday, May 24th @10am – 2pm Find tickets and more information HERE. Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks Craft Festival Sponge Docks, Tarpon Springs Tarpon Springs is known as the ‘Sponge Capital of the World’ and also as ‘Greektown’. It has the highest percentage of Greek Americans in the US. This means lots of authentic Greek Restaurants, Greek Orthodox Churches and shrines, and of course Greek art and culture. This weekend the always anticipated Craft Fair returns with multiple artisan vendors, plenty of delicious food, and lots to see and do. The event is FREE and is pet friendly. Saturday & Sunday, May 24th & 25th @10am Find more information HERE. Day of Play Family Festival FloridaRAMA, St. Pete Here’s another great family event presented by FloridaRAMA – The venue that’s described as “COOLER THAN A MUSEUM, SMARTER THAN A THEME PARK, WEIRDER THAN A CARNIVAL.” If you haven’t visited yet, here’s a perfect opportunity! Get ready for a day filled with family fun including art, crafts, games, food, music, and multiple market vendors. The event is presented in collaboration with Sunshine City With Kids. Saturday, May 24th @10am -2pm Find tickets and more information HERE. Don Quixote Presented by International Ballet of Florida The Mahaffey, DTSP International Ballet of Florida proudly presents an exquisite original production of Don Quixote. Set to the virtuoso score of Ludwig Minkus, witness an array of incredible guest artists including multi-winning gold medalist Stanislav Olshanskyi Principal Dancer of Miami City Ballet (former Principal Dancer of National Ballet of Ukraine) and Prima Ballerina of Miami City Ballet Dawn Atkins in their signature roles of Kitri and Basilio. Denys Nedak, international Guest Artist, Principal Dancer of Atlanta Ballet, People’s Artist of the Ukraine
Weekend Top 10: Free Stuff, Good Causes, Italian Delights, a Broadway Star, and ‘The Shape of Us’ Opening! All Right HERE!
It’s a weekend of art, theater, movies in the park, car & motorcycle shows, an Italian celebration, a big museum anniversary, and some great causes for you to support. Let Registry Tampa Bay curate your calendar and show you the very best of Tampa Bay! Thursday and Beyond Wonder: Art + Healing Symposium Ringling Museum, Sarasota Here’s a great opportunity for a day (or two) trip to our southern neighbors and the amazing Ringling Museum. Wonder is alive in museums as a powerful undercurrent of artistic expression, discovery, and meaningful connection. The 2025 Wonder Symposium will dive deep into wonder as the connective tissue between the arts and healing. We will explore the potential of the arts to inspire wonder, which in turn, promotes healing. Through thought-provoking presentations and inspiring activities and experiences, this symposium will explore the arts as agents of wonder and the role that wonder can play in emotional, mental, and physical healing. The event includes lectures, a Carnival of Wonder and Ringling WONDERground. Now through Saturday, May 16th Find tickets, schedules, and more information HERE. For a Good Cause: Word Play: A Competitive Crossword Gala Banquet Masters, Clearwater I have attended this event on several occasions, and I can tell you that it’s a truly fun evening for a very good cause. Voices of Hope for Aphasia will host its third annual Word Play event. Word Play is a fun-filled night of word-game competitions, dinner, and opportunities to support Voices of Hope for Aphasia, with a special tribute to Tampa Bay’s own puzzle master, the late Merl Reagle, the nationally known and syndicated crossword puzzle constructor. Thursday, May 15th @6:30pm Find tickets and more information HERE. Venus in Fur by David Ives – Presented by Dead Canary Theatre Company The Studio @620, DTSP David Ives’ mesmerizing play explores themes of submission, domination, and power with a fast-paced, mutable language he is known for. Reality and pretend become blurred lines in Venus in Fur, and the question of “who’s on top” always has a different answer. Thomas Novachek, a director/playwright, has suffered through a long day of abysmal auditions for his adaptation of the German sadomasochistic novel Venus in Furs, until Vanda, a crass and pushy actress, stumbles into his audition room. While Vanda shares the lead character’s name, she lacks her sophistication. However, when Thomas agrees to let Vanda read for the role, she displays a surprising understanding of the material. Working through the script with Thomas playing the masochistic male lead, the roleplay becomes intense, erotic, and less like acting. *Broadway actor and St. Petersburg native, Rachel Prather stars. Opens Thursday, May 15th and runs through Sunday, May 25th Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. Friday The Shape of Us – Opening Reception The Gallery @Creative Pinellas. Largo This is truly an important show! (I got a sneak peek). So, join in for the opening reception of The Shape of Us, an inspiring exhibition curated by Freddie Hughes that brings together six talented Pinellas County artists. Experience a dynamic collection of work that explores how identity, environment, and the shared narratives shape us. Meet the artists, (like Zulu Painter), immerse yourself in vibrant art, and enjoy a fun evening of creativity with music, small bites, and cash bars. This event is free and open to the public. Admission is FREE. Friday, May 16th @6pm – 8pm Find more information HERE. For a Good Cause: Parc Center for Disabilities’ Saddle Up & Support Friday Night Party & Weekend Golf Tournament The James Museum, DTSP & Bardmoor Country Club, Seminole Get ready for an unforgettable weekend of celebration, camaraderie, and community support. The festivities begin on Friday, May 16, 2025, at The James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art, featuring a “Western Theme.” So dust off your boots and Saddle Up for a night of fun! On Saturday, May 17, 2025, join us at Bardmoor Country Club for a fantastic day of golf, all in support of Parc’s mission to empower children and adults with developmental disabilities. Party – Friday, May 16th @6:30pm – 10pm Golf Tourney – Saturday, May 17th @1pm Find tickets and more information HERE. OCC Invitational Bike Show OCC Roadhouse & Museum, Clearwater Calling all bikers, builders and custom ride enthusiasts — get ready for the 3rd Annual 2025 OCC Invitational Bike Show at OCC Road House & Museum! From May 16–18, rev up for an action-packed weekend with live music, vendors, top-tier custom builders and the FREE Public Ride-In Bike Show. Whether you’re showing off your ride or just soaking in the scene, this high-octane event is one you won’t want to miss! Fridy, May 16th through Sunday, May 18th Find event schedules and more information HERE. As You Like It by William Shakespeare Carrollwood Community Players Theatre, Tampa A Shakespeare classic and A CWP Black Box Classical Comedy, As You Like It is a pastoral comedy with major themes of love, gender, sexuality, and injustice. The play follows its heroine Rosalind as she flees persecution in her uncle’s court, accompanied by her cousin Celia to find safety and, eventually, love, in the Forest of Arden. You can never get too much of the Bard, so check out Carrollwood Community Players and support local theater. Opens Friday, May 16th and runs through Sunday, May 25th Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. Saturday St. Pete Italian Fest Vinoy Park, St. Pete Come to Vinoy Park this Saturday and experience all things Italian. There will be great food, a full slate of live music and even a cool car show featuring vintage and unique vehicles. There will also be a park full of vendors, a VIP tent, and much more. What a delicious way to spend a Saturday on the beautiful St. Pete waterfront exploring the culture of Italy. Saturday, May 17th @10am – 5pm Find tickets and more information HERE. **Registry Spotlight Event** Not only is this
Weekend Top 10: Outside the Box Ideas for Mom, Plus Tropical Heatwave and the Registry Spotlight
If you want unique ideas to show Mom some love, look no further than Registry Tampa Bay! Shuffleboard, skating, outdoor concerts, great live theater, museums, even axe throwing and a safari brunch! Think outside the box with us and have a great weekend. Theater Thursday Opening: The Butterfly’s Evil Spell Presented by Jobsite Straz Center, Shimberg Playhouse, Tampa Devised in Jobsite’s captivating style as expressed in Shockheaded Peter, Gorey Stories, and Jobsite’s Alice, this imaginative English-language adaptation of Federico Garcia Lorca’s first play (El Maleficio de la Mariposa) fuses live music, visual art, puppetry, theater magic, and aerial arts into a thrilling theatrical experience. García Lorca’s mystically poetic world of beetles, fireflies, and other magical creatures is disrupted when a hypnotic, wounded butterfly enters their dewdrop paradise. A young beetle is cast under a love spell, but a hungry scorpion is sure to shake things up in this timeless tale of beauty and desire. Now through Sunday, June 1st Find tickets, performance schedules, and more information HERE. Kinky Boots Eight O’Clock Theatre @Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo Kinky Boots is the big-hearted musical extravaganza that won six Tonys including Best Musical, the Grammy for Best Musical Theatre album and London’s Olivier Award for Best Musical. Based on a true story, Charlie Price has reluctantly inherited his father’s shoe factory, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. Trying to live up to his father’s legacy and save his family business, Charlie finds inspiration in the form of Lola, a fabulous entertainer in need of some sturdy stilettos. As they work to turn the factory around, this unlikely pair find that they have more in common than they realized… and discover that when you change your mind, you can change your whole world. Joyous and uplifting, Kinky Boots will have you dancing in the aisles and discovering why, sometimes, the best way to fit in… is to stand out! Now through Sunday, May 11th Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. Amaze – Direct from London’s West End Straz Center, Jaeb Theater, Tampa Amaze is a revolutionary experience in the world of illusion. With Jamie Allan’s signature blend of state-of-the-art technology and timeless conjuring techniques, Amaze does more than just showcase magic, it places it directly into the hands of the audience – inviting attendees to not only witness but also partake in the wonder. Known the world over as an innovator of magic and groundbreaking hi-tech magician, Allan has sold millions of dollars in tickets worldwide and smashed box office records. What a great Mother’s Day outing! Now through Sunday, May 11th Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. Songs For a New World Presented by Think Tank Theatre JCC on the Cohn Campus, Tampa These are the stories and characters of today, the Songs for a New World. The first musical from Tony Award winner, Jason Robert Brown (Parade, Bridges of Madison County), this moving collection of powerful songs examines life, love and the choices that we make. With a small, powerhouse multi-ethnic cast and a driving, exquisitely crafted score that runs the gamut of today’s popular music, Songs for a New World is a great way to bring the young and the young at heart together in a shared musical experience. Opens Thursday, May 8th and runs through Sunday, May 18th Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. Friday St. Pete Tacos & Tequila festival Vinoy Park, DTSP Waterfront The 4th Annual St. Pete Tacos & Tequila Festival returns to Vinoy Park on May 9-10, 2025, bringing a waterfront celebration of food, drinks, and entertainment. Attendees can enjoy 100+ taco options from 25+ vendors, craft margaritas, palomas, and cocktails, lucha libre wrestling, live music, mariachi bands, mural artists, and more. The festival also features a taco-eating contest and the People’s Choice Taco Competition, making it a must-attend event for taco and tequila lovers! Friday & Saturday, May 9th & 10th Find tickets, times, events schedule, and more information HERE. Remembering The Skyway Tragedy w/ Author Bill DeYoung St. Pete City Theater, St. Pete Acclaimed writer Bill DeYoung will present insights from his book, Skyway, which recounts the events of that devastating day. We’re also honored to welcome Jerry Knight, a first responder who was on the scene in 1980, as he shares his firsthand experience and answers your questions.This event is a powerful opportunity to reflect on a pivotal moment in our community’s history and hear from those who lived it. All are welcome. Friday, May 9th @7pm Find tickets and more information HERE. Saturday **Registry Spotlight Event** Tropical Heatwave is one of our area’s most fun and unique concert events, and so it shines this week in the #RegistrySpotlight. Bring Mom! Tropical Heatwave Presented by WMNF The Cuban Club, Ybor City This multi-act, multi-stage, multi-genre evening of music takes place at one of the coolest venues in the Bay area. Pop from stage to stage at the Cuban Club and see top tier music acts that will keep you dancing all evening long. This is truly one of the premier music events of the year and supports our very own local radio station WMNF. Come on out, bring MOM for a special Mother’s Day treat and rock the night away! Saturday, May 10th @5pm – 1am Find tickets, band schedules, and more information HERE. *Don’t forget about Second Saturday ArtWalk. That’s a great evening out for Mom. 5pm – 9pm Sunday – Happy Mother’s Day! Dalí’s Birthday Celebration The Dalí Museum, DTSP Celebrate Dalí as you celebrate Mom with a very special day at the world-renowned museum. Here are some of the things you can expect: All-day gallery admission rate of $19.04, in honor of Dalí’s birth year (a 40% discount) Free gallery admission and Dalí Alive 360° admission for children ages 12 and under Complimentary commemorative treat (one per guest, as available) Family-friendly activities, including surreal games in the Avant-garden, Dalí-inspired photo booth and community
Weekend Top 10: Pick Sunflowers, Party on the River, and Celebrate Mom Early! Who Shines in the Registry Spotlight??
Registry Tampa Bay is bringing you yet another activity packed weekend! Enjoy a chalk festival, farm adventure, a Roaring 20s dance experience, a birthday in quirky Gulfport, and so much more. There is always a great selection right here, so mark your calendars! New Theater Thursday Kiss Me Kate by Cole Porter Francis Wilson Playhouse, Clearwater Enjoy a Cole Porter classic. Kiss Me Kate is a Tony award winner for best musical and a retelling of Shakespeare’s iconic play, The Taming of the Shrew. It’s a comic lark with backstage romances and shenanigans to create musical comedy heaven. You’ll hear all the classics you know, like Too Darn Hot, Brush Up Your Shakespeare, So in Love, and many more. Make sure you catch this final production of the amazing 95th season at FWP and support local theater. Thursday, May 1st through May 18th Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. Friday Sunflower Season Festival Sweetfields Farm, Brooksville Time for a little road trip north for the beauty and fun waiting for you at the Sunflower Festival at Sweetfields Farm. Take a FUN hayride around the farm, visit the farm animals and check out our crop fields with Veggie and Flower U-PICK (when available). Have fun in the play area, Explore the tree house and fun farm activities. Hold on to your hats as you race peddle tractors and take aim with the veggie launcher. Find your creative side in the Spring Craft activity area. Treat yourself with some DELICIOUS TREATS from the food vendors, our HARVEST BARN market and the beautiful “U-Pick” garden areas. There is SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE of all ages! Opens Friday, May 2nd and runs through May 26th Find tickets, hours, and more information HERE. **Registry Spotlight Event** There are so many great events rolled into one here, spanning the entire length of Riverwalk. Riverfest Shines in the #RegistrySpotlight for its all-encompassing 2-day agenda that’s sure to make all who attend smile. Tampa Riverfest Tampa Riverwalk, Curtis Hixon Park, and Other Locales, Tampa Riverfest is a public, two-day, FREE event that is held the first weekend in May each year. The festival spans the entire length of the Riverwalk including several parks and features family-friendly activities and events showcasing Tampa’s cultural institutions, local musicians and restaurants. The festival includes Taste of Riverwalk on Friday night and Taco Fest on Saturday to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. There is also a full concert series of regional and local bands on the main stage in Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park and a balloon glow at sunset on both nights. Other activities include a wiener dog derby, a lantern parade, yoga, a water ski show and a paddle invasion. Friday & Saturday, May 2nd & 3rd Find times, event schedules, and more information HERE. Brenda McMahon Gallery Celebrates 6th Birthday Plus Gulfport Night Market Beach Blvd. S, Gulfport Enjoy a Spring Friday evening on Boca Ciega Bay with the bustling Gulfport First Friday night market. There are so many great artists, crafters, and other vendors to make it a perfect weekend opener. Then, make sure you stop by Brenda McMahon Gallery and celebrate their 6th birthday with complimentary cake and champagne. There’s nothing like a stroll on Beach Blvd. S in the charming city of Gulfport. Friday, May 2nd @6pm – 9pm Find more information HERE. Saturday 3rd Tampa Bay Chalk Festival The Deuces (22nd St. S), St. Pete The sidewalks of 22nd street between 7th Avenue South and 9th Avenue South on the historic Deuces will be transformed into a kaleidoscope of colorful squares as professionals, beginners, and everyone in between are going to create beautiful sidewalk art before your eyes. 25 community artists will create beautiful sidewalk art with the theme “OUR WATERY FUTURES”! Plus, there will be a panel of environmental experts at the ArtsXchange @12pm who will have a discussion on ways we can fight climate change and other environmental challenges. There will also be kid’s activities and live music. Enjoy! Saturday, May 3rd @9am – 4pm Find more information HERE. For a Good Cause: Derby at the Pier The Pier, DTSP Dress to impress in your finest Derby attire and join us to #partywithapurpose at the biggest Derby themed event in Tampa Bay! We’re back for another year at the beautiful Spa Beach Park on the St. Pete Pier that provides a serene, picture-perfect waterfront venue with views of the DTSP city skyline and the beautiful bay. Proceed benefit good causes like CASA, Academy Prep, and the Children’s Dream Foundation. Saturday, May 3rd @3pm – 9pm Find event schedule, and more information HERE. La Septima Society – Tampa City Ballet’s Immersive Performance & 1920s After Party Tampa Bay History Center, Ybor City Experience this innovative experience. The Tampa City Ballet invites you to experience 1920s Ybor City with a captivating production, followed by an after-party featuring curated hors d’oeuvres and cocktails by the Columbia Café, along with an evening of live music and entertainment. This is a production and party you do not want to miss! VIP experience is available. Saturday, May 3rd @7:30pm Find tickets and more information HERE. Sunday – (May the 4th Be with You) Mamapalooza FloridaRAMA, St. Pete What a great way to celebrate Mom (a little early). Celebrate Moms and the people who love them on Sunday, May 4 at a free family festival hosted by the Museum of Motherhood — then make it a full day of discovery at FloridaRAMA, with the Super Saver Ticket for only $20.00. Enjoy music, dancing, activities, wellness pop-ups, raffles and more. The package includes general admission to FloridaRAMA, a Flower Power Hunt and a 3D Flower Puzzle! Both the memories and the flowers will last forever. Sunday, May 4th @11am – 4pm Find tickets and more information HERE. For Cinco de Mayo: 2nd Annual Cinco de Mayo Taco Fest Coachman Park, Clearwater Celebrate Cinco de
Weekend Top 10: It’s a Weekend of Big Anniversary Celebrations! Find Them Here, Plus Lots More and the #RegistrySpotlight
It’s a big weekend to celebrate anniversaries, and you’re invited! From Shuffleboard to film – dance to youth farming, the parties will be epic. Head to the beach for a Bucs Bash, see new theater, check out an Asian mega market, or inspire your green thumb. Let Registry Tampa Bay be your guide! Thursday and Beyond Sunscreen Film Festival – Celebrating 20 years AMC 12 Theater, DTSP Since 2005, The Sunscreen Film Festival has grown exponentially, screening the newest and cutting-edge offerings in filmmaking. It’s four days of film and events that will make you feel like Hollywood has come to St. Pete. MovieMaker magazine voted Sunscreen one of the “25 Coolest Film Fests” in the country and was voted the Best Tampa Bay Area Film Festival in 2012 by Tampa Bay Magazine. There will be a huge variety of films and documentaries available to view as you mix and mingle with filmmakers, stars, and more. Thursday through Sunday, April 24th – 27th Find tickets, film schedules, evets, and more information HERE. Friday 20 Years of Friday Night Shuffle St. Pete Shuffle, St. Pete It’s been 20 years since a group of preservationists, artists, and citizens approached the shuffleboard club with an idea: what if we opened the club up to the public on Friday nights, so the community could see what an amazing place this is? Join in for a 20th anniversary party to celebrate the best way to spend a Friday night in St. Pete! We’ll have a live band, The Chance Reynolds Trio, sponsored by Daddy Kool Records, cake, a food truck, and a limited edition shirt designed by Chad Mize. Friday, April 5th @7pm Find more information HERE. **Registry Spotlight Event** Beacon shines in the @RegistrySpotlight this week because it is simply a beautiful and inspiring evening of dance, music, and artful expressions of humaneness. It makes you feel – and we all need more of that. Beacon Dance 2025 – Celebrating 10 Years Hough Concert Hall, The Palladium, St. Pete Here’s an experience that I can’t recommend highly enough. As they commemorate a decade of artistic excellence, BEACON showcases six original works that push the boundaries of contemporary dance, with film, spoken word, and live music. BEACON has become a vital hub for artistic expression, nurturing collaborations and fostering growth within the dance community. This anniversary event is a testament to ten years of passion, creativity, and collaboration, bringing together artists and audiences in a shared celebration of movement. Join us for an unforgettable evening of inspiration, energy, and the transformative power of dance! Friday, April 25th @8pm Find tickets and more information HERE. Opening: Morningside by Topher Payne Stageworks Theatre, Tampa Another Stageworks hit is back this season, Morningside. Nine women have gathered at Grace Driscoll’s beautifully appointed home, fully expecting a lovely baby shower. Family secrets are revealed, propriety flies out the window as the family melts down in a side splitting, laugh-out-loud look at the modern family and sibling rivalry. No actual teddy bears were injured making this play. Opens Friday, April 25th runs through Sunday, May 11th Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. Asian Mega Night Street Food Market – Lao New Year 655 28th St S., St. Pete Get ready for a night filled with delicious Asian street food, vibrant cultural performances, and a lively market atmosphere! Mega Night Street Food Market is hosting a Lao New Year Festival – which means amazing food, multiple vendors, a light show, live entertainment, kids activities, and so much more. You have 3 nights to get in on the action, so don’t miss it! Friday through Sunday, April 25th – 27th Find more information HERE. Saturday For a God Cause: St. Pete Earth Day – Celebrating 5 Years St. Pete Youth Farm, St. Pete It’s our 5th Annual St. Pete Earth Day at the Farm! Join us for a day in celebration of the one place we all call home. We’ll have lots of games, painting, music, food, resources, workshops on sustainability, and more. This is a FREE family-friendly event, all are welcome Saturday, April 26th @9am – 1pm Find more information HERE. Green Thumb Festival Walter Fuller Park, St. Pete St. Petersburg’s annual Arbor Day Celebration, the Green Thumb Festival, brings together plant and flower lovers, as well as individuals and families looking for a fun weekend activity. With more than 120 garden, plant and flower vendors and exhibitors, the annual event brings the community together for a weekend of fun. Saturday & Sunday, April 26th & 27th @9am – 4pm Find more information HERE. Bucs Beach Bash Tradewinds Resort, St. Pete Beach Bring your Krewe to a day of fun in the sun at Bucs Beach Bash, presented by TradeWinds Island Resorts! Enjoy a cornhole tournament, drinks, prizes, a Kids Zone and more all weekend long. Admission is free. 12:00 PM: Cornhole Tournament Check-In/Practice 1:00 PM: Cornhole Tournament Bucs Activity Zone – fun for all ages! Catch appearances from Bucs Mascot Captain Fear, TB Buccaneers Cheerleaders, Pirates, and Street Team, plus contests, giveaways, inflatable games, and more! 8:15 PM: Live Beachfront Concert with national act LOCASH – named “country music’s iconic feel-good duo” by PEOPLE. There are also activities on Thursday & Friday during the draft for you to check out. Saturday, April 26th @12pm – 8pm Find more information HERE. Los Vinos de Dalí 2025 Dalí Museum, DTSP Hosted by The Guild at The Dalí, Los Vinos de Dalí is the perfect blend of art, wine and culinary creations – all in support of The Dalí Museum. Proceeds directly benefit the Museum’s non-profit mission to preserve and share the works of Salvador Dalí while offering cultural experiences that educate, inspire and enrich our community and beyond. Stroll through The Dalí while savoring exquisite wines from around the world, perfectly paired with signature bites from top local restaurants. Immerse yourself in
Weekend Top 10: Easter Fun, Race Car Rides, Free Trees, New Live Theater, and a Mini Review of freeFall’s New Comedy
Happy Passover and Easter Weekend to all. Registry Tampa Bay has some great ideas about how to spend it. Want to ride in a race car with a pro? Have breakfast with dolphins? Plant a new tree for free? See a live stage show? Find out how, when, and where, plus much more, right here! New Theater Thursday The Bridges of Madison County Presented by Tampa Repertory Theatre The Straz Center, Jaeb Theater, Tampa From Producing Artistic Director, Amelia Sargent – “When two kindred souls come together under chance circumstances, their lives are forever changed. How can they go back to before? The best-selling novel and movie have been adapted into a stunning musical with Tony Award-winning music & lyrics by Jason Robert Brown. Experience this passionate story in our biggest production yet!” Opens Thursday, April 17th runs through Sunday, April 27th Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. Opening: Meteor Shower by Steve Martin TheatreFor, Clearwater On a warm, summer night in Ojai, California, Norm and his wife, Corky, are hosting a dinner party. They invite Norm’s tennis partner, Gerald, and his wife, Laura, over for an evening of polite small talk while they watch a once-in-a-lifetime meteor shower from their backyard. However, as the night goes on, the dinner party begins to spiral out of control. The couples begin to flirt and fight, and wild antics ensue. This absurdist comedy from Steve Martin weirdly shows that true love can be as rare as a meteor shower… Opens Thursday, April 17th runs through Sunday, May 4th Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. Spring Dance Concert HCC Mainstage, Ybor Campus, Tampa (HCC) Dance Program proudly presents its Spring Dance Concert at the HCC Mainstage Theatre. This year’s performance will showcase original choreography by guest choreographers and feature members of the HCC Dance Ensemble. The concert highlights the creative works of Christina Acosta, Jason Cameron, Helen French, Richard Allan Ploch, Sea Lee, Sarah Walston Philips, and Jessica Williamson. Their choreography spans a variety of movement styles, offering an engaging and inspiring evening of dance. Thursday – Saturday, April 17th through the 19th Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. **Mini Review** For Closure freeFall Theatre, St. Pete Sometimes you need to laugh. When the world feels a bit complicated, theater can be a wonderful way to escape the worries of the day and live in another reality – at least for a few hours. That’s what For Closure by Hannah Benitez did for me this past weekend at freeFall Theatre. It’s a good-hearted romp with just the right notes of satirical and political messaging. It’s light, yet recognizable and relatable – oh, and ridiculous. My favorite part. Set in a fictional (?) Gulf coast Florida town, Amanda (Sara DelBeato) and Raven (Renata Eastlick) are a couple trying to keep Amanda’s late mother’s real estate “empire” afloat. Raven’s job in the arts, income they sorely need, is cut by the new Mayor, (I told you – recognizable), and tenants are leaving in droves because of the strange happenings at the historic home that is weighing down the couple’s hopes of success. Did I mention that Amanda’s mother was eaten by a gator? All but the one finger… Anyway, enter the clairvoyant Camille Chevalier Milk (Matthew McGee), with his faux tanned face and awful (and by that, I mean perfect) wig, to clear the house of the mischievous spirits and to help Amanda and Raven get funds from the Mayor to convert the old house into a profitable museum. Can they all survive a dinner together? Will they get the money? Can Camille rid the house of spirits? Hilarity ensues, hijinks are schemed, and secrets are revealed. As he has a reputation for, McGee steals the show as the delightfully outrageous Camille Chevalier Milk. The loudest laughs come when he is on stage., and you haven’t lived until you’ve seen him on a motorized chair. DelBeato and Eastlick have a great connection and comic timing, particularly shining in the second act. Shout outs to Kelly Pekar and Glenn Giron for playing the multiple roles that pull all the antics together. Shout outs also to the stagehands that so adeptly assisted with set conversions. Directed by Founding Artistic Director, Eric Davis, For Closure will tickle your funny bone, warm your heart, and have you leaving the theater with a smile. Runs through Sunday, May 11th Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. Friday Easter at DK Farms DK Farms & Gardens, Largo There’s nothing like Easter on a farm! There are animals to cuddle, easter egg hunts, pedal carts, bounce houses, golf, a game zone and lots of other optional activities like gem mining, pony rides, and a mechanical bull! There will be food trucks and adult beverages available, so pack up the fam and get down to the farm for the ultimate Easter experience. Friday – Sunday, April 18th – 20th Find tickets, events, and more information HERE. Pretty Woman The Musical Ruth Eckerd Hall Based on one of Hollywood’s most beloved romantic stories of all time, Pretty Woman The Musical springs to life with a powerhouse creative team led by two-time Tony Award®-winning director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray, Kinky Boots, Legally Blonde). PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL features an original score by GRAMMY® winner Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance (Summer of ’69, Heaven), and a book by the movie’s legendary director Garry Marshall and screenwriter J. F. Lawton. This show will lift your spirits and light up your heart, but the run is limited, so get your tickets now! Are you ready to fall in love all over again? Friday & Saturday, April 18th & 19th Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. Saturday Seaside Easter Breakfast Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Clearwater Experience an unforgettable Easter Breakfast at Clearwater Marine Aquarium! Enjoy delicious breakfast favorites with beautiful bay views, fun
Weekend Top 10: Art Made of Flowers? Art Made of Sand? Beauty & Fun is All Around This Weekend. Find it Here!
Great new theater, cultural festivals and rodeos, mountains of sand, and lots of beautiful music, including the Tampa Bay Blues Festival. As always, there’s loads of fun to be found this weekend in Tampa Bay. Let #RegistryTampaBay help you find exactly what you’re looking for! Thursday Art in Bloom Museum of Fine Arts, DTSP Indulge in the breathtaking beauty of floral interpretations inspired by masterpieces from the MFA Collection. This annual tradition brings together a diverse array of floral designs created by a mix of seasoned professionals, talented hobbyists, and esteemed members of The Margaret Acheson Stuart Society. Each arrangement offers a unique perspective, breathing new life into iconic artworks and inviting viewers to see them through fresh eyes. It’s a stunningly beautiful event. Don’t miss it! (Thursday evening is the Flowers After Hours Gala.) Thursday, April 10th through Sunday, April 13th Find tickets, related events schedules, and more information HERE. Love Bird The Off Central, St. Pete Have you ever felt a bit….different? Maybe a little weird? Love Bird follows Nigel, the sole inhabitant of a small island, who has fallen in love with someone they made out of trash. As storms and trash increase, a strange visitor forces Nigel to choose between who they were and who they could be. Love Bird is a show about understanding, evolving, and making the best with the trash you have been dumped with! Opens Thursday, April 10th and runs through Saturday, April 19th Find tickets, performance schedules, and more information HERE. Opening: Luci Westphal – Post-Historic St. Pete Craftsman House Gallery (Thursday) & Forever Florida Real Estate (Saturday), St. Pete Post-Historic St. Pete is a cohesive mixed-media (wood, concrete, glass, metal) photography series juxtaposing iconic, historic buildings with new high-rise constructions. There will be two opening receptions this weekend – one on Thursday and one on Saturday to coincide with the Second Saturday ArtWalk. Craftsman House Reception – Thursday, April 10th @6pm Forever Florida Reception – Saturday, April 12th @5pm – 9pm Find more information HERE. Friday and Beyond Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival Pier 60 & Clearwater Beach, Clearwater Get ready to dig in to a roaring good time at this year’s Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival with our dino-mite theme: Dinoshores – Prehistoric Adventure in Sand! Step back in time to a world where colossal sand sculptures bring mighty dinosaurs to life, now spanning an expanded 24,000 square feet of jaw-dropping prehistoric wonder. But hold onto your fossils—this year, we’re unearthing a whole new level of excitement with augmented reality and projection mapping, making these ancient creatures stomp, roar, and roam before your eyes. Don’t miss this triassic-sized adventure, where history meets technology in a festival 65 million grains in the making! Opens Friday April 11th and runs through April 27th For event schedules and more information HERE. Tampa Bay Rodeo & Family Festival Hillsborough County Fairgrounds, Dover Ready, Set, Rodeo! For a rip-roarin’ good time, don’t miss the all-new Tampa Bay Rodeo & Family Festival, presented by Bartow Ford, at the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds on April 11 & 12, 2025! The best cowboys and cowgirls in the Southeast are saddling up for a FULL RODEO, featuring 2 action-packed days of bull riding, bronco busting, barrel racing, calf roping, team roping and bull dogging. Feel the adrenaline as riders take on powerful bulls and lightning-fast horses in the ultimate test of skill and courage. Come early for the Family Festival where the fun starts with live music, delicious food and exciting activities for the whole family. Friday & Saturday, April 11th & 12th Find tickets and more information HERE. **Registry Spotlight Event** There’s nothing like a weekend of great music by the Bay. The Tampa Bay Blues Festival has become a much-anticipated event each year and. this year, it shines in the #RegistrySpotlight! Tampa Bay Blues Festival Vinoy Park, DTSP It’s America’s finest waterfront blues festival, with great food vendors, full liquor bars, craft beers and wines. TBBF is the winner of the International Blues Foundation’s “Keeping the Blues Alive” award as the nation’s top blues festival. Please order your tickets and VIP passes now to join your friends and neighbors in the ‘Burg for three great days of blues by the beautiful bay! Artists include Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Tab Benoit, JJ Grey & Mofro, Walter Trout, Taj Farrant, Ana Popovic, Curtis Salgado, Ruthie Foster, North Mississippi Allstars, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Selwyn Birchwood, Mathias Lattin, Tad Robinson, DK Harrell, Sierra Green & The Giants Friday through Sunday, April 11th – 13th Find tickets, schedules, and more information HERE. Opening: For Closure freeFall Theatre, St. Pete In this farce set in a small Florida seaside town, Raven and Amanda are trying to keep the family real estate agency afloat in trying times. When a nefarious local politician threatens to bring even more disruption to their lives, they must join forces with the enigmatic psychic Camille Chevalier Milk to expose the true nature of this threat to the town before it’s too late. This over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek romp is a hilarious and satirical look at the foibles and hypocrisies of modern life, set on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Opens Friday, April 11th and runs through Sunday, May 11th Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. Saturday For a Good Cause: 12th Annual Empty Bowls Coastal Creative, St. Pete SVdP CARES 12th Annual Empty Bowls Campaign brings attention to the devastating impact homelessness has on people and engages the private community in support of solutions-based response to rapidly rehouse without barriers. Bowls are handcrafted by local artisans and delicious soups are served in them. There is live entertainment and a silent auction. When the event is over, you take your bowl home as a reminder of the good it represents. Saturday, April 12th @11:30am – 2pm Find tickets and more information HERE. 20th Annual Tampa Bay Caribbean Festival Perry Harvey Sr. Park, Tampa You know how I
Weekend Top 10: Final Four on the Court, Daredevils in the Sky, Vampire Slayers on Stage, and Highland Games in the Park!
The NCAA Women’s Final Four happens right here! But if that’s not your speed, we’ve got Mainsail, Buffyfest, the Highland games, the Aerospace Expo, St. Pete Motor Classic and so much more! #RegistryTampaBay always curates the coolest events for your weekend fun. See what’s in store for you right here! Thursday Ongoing: Sun-N-Fun Aerospace Expo Pipkin Rd., Lakeland Time for a visit to our neighbors to the north for one of the most exciting events of the year. Everyone loves the daring do and great showmanship of the pilots. From its humble beginnings in 1974 as a fly-in for sport aviation enthusiasts, the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo has grown into one of the largest and most successful aviation events on earth. They are Florida’s largest annual convention of any kind, and each year over 200,000 visitors flock to what has become known as “Aviation’s Season Opener” or “Spring Break for Pilots.” Now through Sunday, April 6th Find tickets, schedules and more information HERE. Opening: The Sunshine Boys by Neil Simon Francis Wilson Playhouse, Clearwater Lewis & Clark, AKA, the Sunshine Boys, were a very popular vaudeville act in their younger years, but time has not been good to their relationship, to put it mildly. Now one’s nephew, a talent agent, attempts to bring the two legendary (and cranky) comics together for a reunion and revival of their famous act. It’s a Neil Simon classic, funny and poignant. Put theater on your calendar this weekend. Thursday, April 3rd through Sunday, April 13th Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. Friday Artist Opening: Nathan Beard – Ten Measure Tune The Werk Gallery, St. Pete Ten Measure Tune is Beard’s first solo-exhibition in St. Petersburg in over 10 years. This homecoming exhibition will showcase a selection of his classic “Exit Music” paintings, as well as a number of new bodies of work in the “Exit Music” vein that he developed for exhibitions and projects outside the region over the last decade, from Illinois and Ft. Lauderdale to California and Japan. As a proud owner of an early “Exit Music” piece, I highly recommend you come and see Nathan Beard’s work for yourself. It’s an experience. Opening Reception: Friday, April 4th @5pm – 9pm Runs through May 11th Find more information HERE. Artist Opening: Spring Blossoms Featuring Bobbi Pratte Brenda McMahon Gallery, Gulfport It’s time for First Friday in Gulfport – a vibrant art street fair that everyone loves to visit, This Friday, visit the Brenda McMahon Gallery for the opening of Spring Blossoms, featuring Bobbi Pratte, a Gulfport artist. Bobbi loves flowers and says her garden inspires her studio work. Join us for our OPENING NIGHT with Spring Blossoms. Come for the art, stay for the music! Jazz singer, Fiona Frensche will serenade you with her sultry tunes playing all night long. You don’t want to miss this amazing night of talent. Opening Reception on Friday, April 4th @6pm – 9pm Find more information HERE. Saturday **Registry Spotlight Event** Of Course, the Final Four is a very big deal, but 50 years of Mainsail is a big deal too – and Mainsail is ours, so we shine this week’s spotlight on one of the premier arts events in the country that happens each year, right here in Tampa Bay. 50th Annual Mainsail Art Festival Vinoy Park, DTSP For half a century, the Mainsail Art Festival has been one of the premier cultural events on St. Petersburg’s outdoor calendar. Each year, more than 100,000 visitors attend the festival to enjoy and purchase quality art and to listen to live musical entertainment. The Mainsail committee of hard-working volunteers produces this annual fine arts festival exhibiting artists competing for $60,000 in prize money. Saturday & Sunday, April 5th & 6th Find event and entertainment schedules, and more information HERE. Dunedin Highland Games & Festival Highlander Park, Dunedin This is a really entertaining event that takes us across the pond to the beautiful traditions and culture of Scotland. Celebrate the Heritage of Scotland with great music, dancing, athletics, good food, drink, and friends! The flags are flying, the Celts are gathering, and everyone is a Celt for the weekend! What a great, unique way to spend your Saturday – in charming Dunedin. Saturday, April 5th @8am – 6:30pm Find tickets, schedules, and more information HERE. Buffyfest – The Florida Björkestra The Palladium, DTSP Here’s a must see showcase that you won’t soon forget. The greatest Buffy the Vampire Slayer tribute concert in the world is back! Join The Florida Björkestra for the return of Buffyfest, the live concert performance of all the songs from Once More with Feeling (the Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical episode) and Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog. This concert features a 30 piece ensemble of some of Tampa Bay’s best performers. Saturday, March 5th @7:30pm Find tickets and more information HERE. Sunday St. Pete Motor Classic Straub Park, DTSP The show, which is free to the for spectators, is open to both Club Members and non-members, and features a carefully curated selection of 250+ vehicles from the 1880’s through today. There is something for every motoring taste, from antiques and classics through modern exotics, and even boats or motorcycles. There are 25 classes covering every era of motoring, each judged by a “People’s Choice” metric. Additionally, a Best of Show is awarded. VIP Experience available. Sunday, April 6th @10am Find more information HERE. NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four – Games and Events Tourney Town presented by Capital One Tampa Convention Center, Tampa Tourney Town is a FREE festival within a festival jam packed with special appearances, autograph signings, interactive games, giveaways, basketball contests, youth clinics and more. Thursday, April 3rd through Sunday, April 6th Find hours and more information HERE. Semi-Finals Amalie Arena, Tampa Game 1 – South Carolina vs. Texas @7pm Game #2 – UConn vs. UCLA @9:30pm Friday, April 4th
Weekend Top 10: Who Says You Can’t Have Fun Supporting Good Causes? Get Your Good Deed Doer Hat Right Here
You can gamble at a yacht club, eat great seafood on the beach, see a classic live stage play, play a round of golf, see fashion at a museum, listen to live music, or just walk your dog! All the fun things you might usually want to do, can be done for a good cause. All you have to do is choose! #RegistryTampaBay has your ‘feel good’ weekend right here. New Theater Thursday Hair in the Park Presented by American Stage Demen’s Landing, DTSP American Stage in the Park brings us another unforgettable classic and a blast from the past. As the Vietnam War rages on and the civil rights movement heats up, the Tribe, a group of young hippies, is right in the thick of it. Through catchy tunes like “Aquarius” and “Let the Sunshine In,” they belt out their hopes for peace, love, and freedom while sticking it to the man. This is the ultimate musical tribute to the 60s, to hippiedom, to tie dye, and to a by gone era never to be forgotten. Help keep American Stage in the Park going strong! Now through Sunday, April 27th Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. Friday **Registry Spotlight Event** All these great causes deserve a spotlight! I’ve chosen The John’s Pass Seafood Festival simply because of the level of devastation caused to a mainstay area central to our coastal existence for decades. Locals and visitors from all over the world visit each year and we need to bring the area back to its former glory. Shine on John’s Pass and Madeira Beach! Help to Rebuild the Beaches: 43rd Annual John’s Pass Seafood Festival John’s Pass Village, Madeira Beach If you live in the area, you know how much devastation was caused on the beaches by Helene and Milton. The fact that this festival is on at all is a testament to the hard work of a lot of people. Now they need our support more than ever – to join in, eat a lot, hear great live music, spend locally, and help John’s Pass continue to recover. It’s a wonderful way to have a great time while doing good and showing your support. Friday, March 28th@12pm – Sunday, March 30th @6pm Find more information HERE. For a Good Cause: Blackjacks and Birdies Weekend – Junior League of St. Petersburg St. Petersburg Yacht Club & Bayou Club, St. Pete & Largo Get ready for a weekend of high-stakes thrills and low-swings fun with exciting games, delectable bites & cocktails, exclusive prizes, and unforgettable memories at the Junior League of St. Petersburg’s Blackjacks and Birdies Weekend! Whether you join us for the whole weekend or just one event, it’s an experience you won’t want to miss! Casino Kickoff Party: Friday, March 28 at 7:00 PM, St. Petersburg Yacht Club Golf Tournament: Saturday, March 29 – Shotgun start at 1:00 PM, Bayou Club Friday & Saturday, March 28th & 29th Find tickets, schedules, and more information HERE. Saturday For a Good Cause: Do Good Day – St. Pete’s Premier Non-Profit Fair Ferg’s Sports Bar, St. Pete At the heart of what #RegistryTampaBay tries to do, is to draw attention to the many good-deed-doers and their causes throughout our community. Here’s a opportunity to visit with many of those good deed doers all in one place. Do Good Day is a one-of-a-kind event where local nonprofits gather to showcase their missions and connect with community volunteers. If you’ve been looking for a great cause to give of some of your time, this is the place to find it! Saturday, March 29th @11am – 2pm Find more information HERE. For a Good Cause: SPCA 34th Annual Pet Walk N Straub Park, DTSP & Largo Central Park, Largo Get in your steps while supporting a great cause. Register as an individual or team and bring out your fur babies to help find animals in need good and loving homes. Pet Walk is a celebration of team and walker fundraising for SPCA Tampa Bay, our community’s only open admission shelter. Teams and individual walkers will compete for the title of “Top Dog,” raising funds for homeless pets from November – March. Saturday, March 29th @8:30am – 12pm Find more information HERE. For the Kids: Third Annual Youth Baseball Clinic Fossil Park Sports Complex, St. Pete It’s almost opening day and many of our thoughts are turning to opening day of the Major League Baseball season! Time to get the kids ready! Gulf Coast Community Church wants to serve our community through teaching the finer points of America’s pastime to our young people. John Stuper (1982 World Series Champion and former Yale baseball head coach) along with other experienced coaches will lead the clinic to help kids of every level. Saturday, March 29th @4pm – 7:30pm Find Pre-registration (only $5), and more information HERE. For Good Causes: Tampa Bay Empanada Festival Perry Harvey Sr. Park, Tampa A festival that brings together a tantalizing array of flavors and fillings, uniting people in the joy of this beloved Latin American pastry. It’s so much more than Empanadas. This year there are many more vendors and tasty cocktails. There will be great music and fun games like beer pong, corn hole, and giant Jenga. And you know how much #RegistryTampaBay loves good causes. Part of the proceeds benefit great local charities. Saturday, March 29th @12pm – 8pm Find more information HERE. Support Arts Education: CITY: Fashion+Art+Culture featuring Balmain Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa The Tampa Museum of Art announces the return of its signature fundraising event, CITY: Fashion+Art+Culture, on Saturday, March 29, 2025. Now in its fourteenth year, this highly anticipated occasion will feature the iconic luxury fashion house Balmain. In an exclusive collaboration, the Tampa Museum of Art will be the only location in the United States to host a Balmain runway presentation in 2025, offering an
Weekend Top 10: Celebrating a Beloved Local Bar’s 90th – Plus Brooms and Trashcans Make Music, and Endless Crawfish!
How about some never-ending crawfish? Want to dive into the world of Noir? Maybe a circus full of art, music, and entertainment is more your speed. Want to look at or buy some art right out of an artist’s yard? Did you know trashcans can make music? Well, you can explore all that and much more this weekend! Click some links and make your plans. Theater Thursday Ongoing: Trust Me by Paul Fell Lab TheaterProject, Tampa Life is filled with choices. Some people don’t make the best ones. To the outside world, John Scanlon appears to be a successful businessman, a leader in his church, and happily married to Rene. This image means more to John than anything else in his life. But it is a façade behind which John carries out nefarious business activities. This front begins to unravel when John falls behind on his payments to a loan shark and Lou, a representative of the loan shark arrives at his home. Lou is here to offer John a way out of this financial morass. However, Lou’s also falling in love with Rene. Ultimately, they all must make a choice that their lives may depend on, who do they trust? This Production is Theatre Tampa Bay recommended. Runs through Sunday, March 30th Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. Ongoing: A Lighter Shade of Noir by Michael Cote TheatreFor, Clearwater I love the Noir genre, and this production offers up a range of short stories to appeal to your Bogart/Bacall sensibilities. A Lighter Shade of Noir is an evening of 8 short plays celebrating the noir genre of theatre, some dark, some light, with characters ranging from classic hard-bitten detectives and femme fatales, to some of your favorite fairy tale characters in a darkly comic setting, to a few other surprise guests, these stylish pieces are sure to entertain. This weekend is your last chance to see it. Runs through Sunday, March 23rd Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. UniverSoul Circus Raymond James Stadium Parking Lot, Tampa UniverSoul Circus is a highly interactive combination of circus arts, theater, and music. This show is fresh, funky, bold, fun, and challenges your imagination like no other circus. UniverSoul Circus embraces and celebrates the unique and familiar aspects of urban pop culture globally by bringing them center stage with a cast of international performers. Through performance, they reflect the cultural diversity of the world in which we live. Opens Thursday, March 20 through Sunday, March 30th Find tickets, performance schedules, and more information HERE. Friday Killer Author Club on Tour Tombolo Books, St. Pete If you’re like me, somewhere along the line, an obsession with true crime was born. Here’s a chance to see some prolific ‘killer’ authors come to local fave Tombolo Books to talk about the genre. On tour, the Killers will use a format similar to their bi-monthly Killer Authors Club podcast. In addition, they’ll be sharing their experiences as podcasters, interviewers, and bestselling authors juggling live shows and deadlines. When it comes to discussing their own work, the killers will focus on their latest and upcoming titles. Friday, March 21st @7pm Find more information HERE. Mastry’s Bar 90th Birthday Party! Mastry’s Bar, DTSP When I moved to the ‘Burg in 1991 from Tampa (by way of NYC), Mastry’s was only one of a very few neighborhood bars downtown during an era when the rest of the sidewalks rolled up after 5pm. Some may call it a ‘dive bar,’ but it is one that has been much loved through the decades and still manages to attract both locals and visitors in the midst of all the new bars and full-service restaurants that have opened – over the last decade, in particular. The staying power of almost a century is certainly noteworthy, and so we pay tribute to Mastry’s – a true St. Pete treasure. Friday, March 21st @7pm Find more information HERE. Saturday 32nd Annual Hyde Park Village Art Fair Snow Avenue, Hyde Park Village, Tampa Whether you’re a local or just visiting, this free event is not to be missed. Explore the work of over 100 talented exhibitors as you stroll through the stunning displays of life-size sculptures, spectacular paintings, one-of-a-kind jewelry, photography, ceramics, and more. You’ll be amazed by the incredible talent and creativity on display, and the opportunity to chat with the artists themselves about their inspirations and techniques. The historic brick-lined streets of Hyde Park will be transformed into a vibrant outdoor gallery. It’s become an annual arts staple, so don’t miss it! Saturday, March 22nd @10am – 5pm Find more information HERE. Art in the Yard! Throughout the City of Gulfport Come to my neck of the woods this weekend for a truly unique art experience. When people ask me about Gulfport, I describe my eclectic neighborhood as a charming cross between Greenwich Village and Key West – and this arty experience is a perfect representation of that analogy. This bi-annual community art sale will transform the funky City into an open-air gallery, showcasing the talent and creativity of local artists in their own front yards. Gulfport Art in the Yard is a unique opportunity for residents and visitors alike to experience and purchase original artworks created by Gulfport’s very own artists. Saturday, March 22nd @10am – 4pm Find more information HERE. 5th Annual Crawfish Boil Bayboro Brewing, St. Pete Celebrate Bayboro Brewing’s 5th Anniversary Weekend with the ultimate Crawfish Boil! They’re serving all-you-can-eat crawfish, with 3-4 rounds of boil to keep you satisfied—so come hungry! The first drop kicks off at 3 PM, and each round will take about 45 minutes to an hour. But don’t worry, craft brews will keep you refreshed. There will be live music in the Biergarten to enjoy while you wait. It’s a yummy weekend celebration you won’t want to miss—get your tickets now and get ready to
Weekend Top 10: Not Into Pub Crawls? Find Unique St. Paddy’s Events Right Here! Plus, a Mini Review of “When the Righteous Triumph”
Registry Tampa Bay is giving you an entire bonus section for St Paddy’s Day, so don’t miss it! There is also great new theater (with a mini review), art events, BIG golf tourneys, and BIG concerts to enjoy, so create your plan of attack and take Tampa Bay by storm! New Theater Thursday The Pillowman Presented by Jobsite Theater Straz Center, Shimberg Playhouse, Tampa The Pillowman is an electrifying and savagely funny black comedy about a fiction writer (Georgia Mallory Guy) in an unnamed totalitarian state who is interrogated when a number of bizarre incidents occurring in her town resemble the gruesome content of her short stories. Is this life imitating art or something more sinister? Now through Sunday, April 6th Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. Trust Me Lab Theater Project, Tampa To the outside world, John Scanlon appears to be a successful businessman, a leader in his church, and happily married to Rene. This image means more to John than anything else in his life. But it is a façade behind which John carries out nefarious business activities. This front begins to unravel when John falls behind on his payments to a loan shark and Lou, a representative of the loan shark arrives at his home. Lou is here to offer John a way out of this financial morass. However, Lou’s also falling in love with Rene. Ultimately, they all must make a choice that their lives may depend on, who do they trust? Thursday March 13th through Sunday, March 30th Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. **Mini Review** Limited Run: When the Righteous Triumph by Mark E. Leib, Presented by Stageworks Straz Center, Jaeb Theatre, Tampa If you’re a history buff – especially a local history buff- and if you relish big drama in the telling of said history, then When the Righteous Triumph is definitely for you. This Stageworks production was presented several seasons ago, and was quite successful, but this time around the buzz has been huge, especially as we witness present day attacks on equality. Timeliness of message and the support of high-profile public servants like Jim Davis and Alex Sink has made this production the subject of a huge amount of media coverage and it will be the subject of a PBS/WEDU documentary later this summer. Multiple groups of students have been invited to see the play and, no doubt, it will leave long lasting impressions on them – as it did on me. The story recounts 1960 lunch counter sit-ins in Tampa, led by Reverend A. Leon Lowry of the NAACP. Despite the frightening resistance of KKK members and other hate mongering segregationists, negotiations between Lowry (played by Clay Christopher), then Mayor Julian Lane (Played by David Warner), and civil rights attorney, Cody Fowler (played by Jim Wicker), produced a blueprint for peaceful desegregation in Tampa Bay, and set an example for other Southern cities. The language is rough and difficult to hear, but if we are to understand the past in a way that positively informs the future, we must not forget. While the entire cast gives wrenching and convincing performances, I want to take a moment to comment on the tremendous talent that is Clay Christopher. The last time he performed at the Jaeb, it was in the role of Frank-N-Furter in last season’s Rocky Horror for Jobsite (and he was incredible). The transformation into the thoughtful and dedicated NAACP leader, Reverend Lowry, is nothing less than a triumph and a testament to the range of this polished performer. Keep an eye on him… I also wanted to give a shout out to the expert set design by Jarrod Bray. It was especially beautiful, almost becoming another character in the play. Everyone involved in this production made it exceed all my expectations. Now for the bad news, When the Righteous Triumph ends its run on SUNDAY, so if you’d like to catch it, I suggest you buy tickets RIGHT NOW. There will be a talk back after the Sunday performance. Runs through this Sunday, March 16th Find tickets, performance times and more information HERE. Saturday Fossil Fest Florida State Fairgrounds, Tampa FossilFest is an annual event where vendors of fossils, rocks, minerals, and general cool stuff come together and show case their items for sale. There is also other activities such as Paleo Talks, Kids Mine, Silent Auction, Raffle Prizes, and much more! It is great family fun for all ages and for anyone interested in fossils and pre-history! Saturday & Sunday, March 15th & 16th Find tickets, and more information HERE. Tour of the Arts Kenwood Neighborhood, St. Pete The Artist Enclave in Historic Kenwood is hosting its 8th annual Tour of the Arts (formerly Artist Studio Tour). It’s a wonderful self-guided event that allows you a peek inside the artist’s studios and into their creative worlds. When you see something that speaks to you – and with all these artists participating, there’s a good chance you will – it will be ready to go home with you. Plus, visiting stops, adding to your collection, or buying gifts for friends and family can help you win raffle prizes from local businesses. It’s a lovely way to spend a weekend day. Saturday & Sunday, March 15th & 16th Find more information HERE. Sunday Studio Spotlight – Art Studio Tour 3 Studio Locations, St. Pete This marks the first Studio Spotlight: a tour of three talented artists’ studios, and they are three of my favorites – Heather Rippert, Patricia Kluwe Derderian, and Richard Logan. Believe me when I tell you, they are fantastic! Meet the artists, see their work up close, get a glimpse into their process and learn about what inspires them to create. Sunday, March 16th @12pm – 5pm Find more information HERE. **St. Paddy’s Day Doings** BONUS Paddy Fest St. Pete Williams Park, DTSP Welcome to Paddy Fest St. Pete! Join
Weekend Top 10: A Dream Weekend with Sleeping Beauty, Sondheim & Kerouac – Plus a Huge Bargain Hunt! Don’t Miss a Minute!
Would you like to laugh with Lewis Black this weekend? How about the new Stageworks play? Maybe a carnival is more your speed – or a book fair at the Kerouac House. St. Patrick’s concert? Bourbon & BBQ? Whatever you’re into, Registry Tampa Bay curates the very best stuff to do…just for you. New Theater Thursday **Registry Spotlight Event** We’re starting right off with the #RegistrySpotlight. Read on about this timely, prophetic (or should I say, ‘prephetic’) production, and you’ll see why… Opening: When the Righteous Triumph by Mark E. Leib Presented by Stageworks Straz Center, Jaeb Theatre, Tampa There’s been an awful lot of press surrounding this production, and for good reason. This true story comes back around to us at a key moment in the historical timeline of our lives in this community, and in this country. It so impactfully reminds us about the perils of not taking to heart the lessons of history. In 1960, a little-remembered sit-in at a Tampa Woolworth’s lunch counter sparks – not a riot, or bloodbath, but a civilly negotiated and peaceful outcome that ushered in the era of desegregation. (Sorry, it’s a 65-year-old spoiler.) The extraordinary efforts and forward-looking vision of three men – Tampa’s Mayor, a civil-rights Leader, and a progressive lawyer, come together to facilitate the successful avoidance of the fate so many Southern cities of the time suffered. Time to relearn that lesson. See you tonight at the premier! Opens Thursday, March 6th runs through Sunday, March 16th Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. 56th Annual Pow Wow Festival 2025 Seminole Recreation Center, Seminole Here’s just a sample of what you’ll find at this year’s festival. With 55 years under their belt, Seminole knows how to do it right! Carnival Rides & Food~ DJ Columbo~ Vibe Dance Studio~ Jessica Rose~ Luminosity~ Festival Fireworks~ Mascot Mania Character Meet & GreetFlorida Twisters Baton & Irish Dance Presentations~ Trike Races~ Pride of Wrestling Show. So much fun in one place over three days. Don’t miss it! Thursday, March 6th through Sunday, March 9th Find more information, entertainment schedules, and more information HERE. Friday Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival Curtis Hixon Park, Tampa My mouth is watering just writing this entry. Enjoy TWO BIG DAYS of beer sippin’, bourbon tastin’, music listenin’, cigar smokin’, and barbecue eatin’. Your admission buys you a sampling glass so you can enjoy an all-you-care-to-taste sampling of beer and bourbon. Food options (a la carte) are aplenty and you are sure to find something new and fun. VIP experience available. Friday & Saturday, March 7th & 8th Find tickets, times, and more information HERE. The Sleeping Beauty Presented by The State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine Duke Energy Center for the Arts @The Mahaffey This production features lavish sets, hand-painted scenery, exquisite costumes designed by the most talented artists of Ukraine, and Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, which promises an unforgettable experience. Led by a cast of world-class dancers, the State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine’s artistry and flawless execution will transport you into a world of wonder and magic. Experience the enchanting tale of Sleeping Beauty brought to life in this mesmerizing ballet. Friday, March 7th @7pm Find tickets and more information HERE. Opening: A Little Night Music Presented by St. Pete Opera The Palladium, St. Pete A Sondheim classic comes to the Palladium this weekend presented by our friends at St. Pete Opera. It’s a whirlwind of intrigue centering on the tangled relationships between a middle-aged lawyer, his very young wife, his former lover, and her current paramour. The lush, waltz-inspired score includes the iconic ballad, Send in the Clowns as it weaves a complex web of bittersweet passion, jealousy, and second chances. My POV is, if it’s Sondheim, I’m all in. Friday, March 7th, March 9th & March 11th Find tickets, performance times, and more information HERE. Saturday Old Southeast, Tropical Shores, and Rosier Park Annual Garage Sale Throughout the Neighborhoods, St. Pete Bargain hunters unite! Three Mighty neighborhoods are joining forces to bring us one huge sale – we’re talking some 100 or more homes throughout the Old Southeast, Tropical Shores, and Rosier Park. You’re bound to find some real treasures and enjoy exploring the neighborhoods while you’re at it. Gather your shopping buddies, hit the ATM, and get on this! Happy bargain hunting. Saturday, March 8th @8am – 2pm Find more information HERE. Tarpon Springs Fine Arts Festival Craig Park on the Bayou, Tarpon Springs This year’s Tarpon Springs Fine Arts Festival will host an array of talented artists exhibiting their original works in many categories including delicate drawings, pastels, art for the home, abstract and realist works, monumental sculptures, wearable art and much more. In addition, there will be food court, craft beers and live music – all in the beautiful setting of Craig Park on the Bayou. Saturday & Sunday, March 8th & 9th Find more information HERE. Opening: Kimono – The Triumph of Japanese Dress Museum of Fine Arts, DTSP The word kimono has a much broader meaning than the Geisha imagery we may imagine. It encompasses clothing not just for women, but for men, girls, and boys. These garments range from exquisite ceremonial robes to simple everyday clothing, many of which follow the same, simple but sophisticated construction. This exhibition, organized around several interwoven themes, will feature over one hundred extraordinary kimono dating from the late Edo period (1603-1867) through Shōwa era (1926-1989). It will include examples of furisode, the kimono with beautiful, long sleeves worn by young women or stage performers, and men’s juban, the austere but elegant under-kimono often decorated with mythical scenes or wrestlers. Saturday, March 8th through Sunday, June 8th Find tickets, museum hours, and more information HERE. The Underground Book Fair Jack Kerouac House, St. Pete Meet and shop with local authors, booksellers, pop-up shops, artists, and more while exploring Jack Kerouac’s St. Petersburg home. Authors will read from