What do you feel like: a party on the riverfront or a wild-ass performance at the Tampa Fringe? You’ve got three days more this weekend to make choices like that. Here are the 10 top prospects we chose for Thursday-Sunday, more or less in order of must-ness.
- Third Annual Tampa International Fringe Festival. The first full day of performances begins a 10-day romp featuring 26 shows by local, national, and international artists across four venues in Ybor City. Following the mission of the original Fringe festival, established in 1947 in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Tampa International Fringe Festival is non-juried and uncensored. Shows this year cross a wide variety of genres, including theater, burlesque, comedy, physical theater, cabaret, children’s shows, improv, musical improv, opera, spoken word, sketch comedy — and there are even a few events where the audience can jump in and participate, too. Pack your spirit of adventure and go exploring! For a great list of this year’s highlights, check out this preview by our friend Jennifer Ring at Creative Loafing (cltampa.com). Thursday, 5/2 through Saturday, 5/11, tampafringe.org.
- Movies in the Park: Raiders of the Lost Ark. What better way to celebrate the fact that we live in paradise than by watching a movie outdoors on a balmy evening in May? This is the 10th season of Preserve the ’Burg’s Movies in the Park, and it kicks off with a doozy: Harrison Ford as the uber-cool action hero/archaeologist in Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark. Festivities begin at 7 with live local music followed by the movie as the sun goes down; bring chairs, blankets and a picnic, or shop the food vendors. Thursday, 5/2, 7 p.m., Straub Park, Fifth Avenue NE and Bayshore Dr., St. Petersburg. preservetheburg.org.
- 5th Annual Tampa Riverfest. A free community event celebrating the Tampa waterfront. Events include Taste of the Riverwalk on Friday night, TacoFest and the Wiener Dog Derby on Saturday, plus a standup paddle board “invasion,” the Tampa Bay Pride Band, , beer bars, a margarita bar, a blessing of the fleet, Hillsborough County Schools performances, and much more. Additionally, many of the venues, bars, and restaurants will be activated with special activities that day. Friday-Saturday, 5/3-4, Tampa Riverwalk.
- May the Fourth Be with You. Get your geek on today with one of the multiple events paying homage to Star Wars (and if you don’t understand the connection, this day is not for you). My favorite: the Wookie howling contest at Ybor City’s legendary hangout The Castle (which may or may not have been the inspiration for the Mos Eisley cantina). Star Wars Party, Saturday, 5/4, 10:30 p.m., The Castle, 2004 N. 16th St., Tampa.
- Cinco de Mayo. Just as sure as day follows night, May the 4th is followed by May the 5th. And by far the most hallowed destination for a Cinco de Mayo fiesta is Casa Tina in Dunedin, where the attractions (besides the reliably excellent Mexican fare) include the Orquesta Infindad Salsa Band, free salsa lessons and a parade of giant papier-mâché puppets. Sunday, 5/5, Casa Tina, 365 Main St., Dunedin, 727-734-7700.
- Limelight: Jenna Bush Hager. Tampa Theatre’s new speaker series continues with a presidential daughter who’s also a best-selling author, the newly named co-host of NBC Today’s fourth hour, the chair of UNICEF’s Next Generation and an Editor-At-Large of Southern Living magazine. Thursday, 5/2, 8 p.m., Tampa Theatre, tampatheatre.org.
- Florida Orchestra: Mahler’s Symphony No. 1. Michael Francis conducts “The Titan” symphony, framed by Reich’s Music for Pieces of Wood and Norman’s virtuosic percussion concerto Switch, featuring Colin Currie. Friday, 5/3, 8 p.m., Straz; Saturday, 5/4, 8 p.m., Mahaffey.
- Graphicstudio Benefit Sale & Open House. It’s always a big deal when the world-renowned Graphicstudio at the USF Institute for Research in Art opens its doors for its annual sale, giving both new and experienced collectors a chance to purchase or just marvel at its amazing lineup of limited edition prints and sculpture multiples. Created in collaboration with Graphicstudio by legendary artists like Robert Mapplethorpe, William Wegman and Robert Rauschenberg, as well as top local names like Elisabeth Condon and Mernet Larsen, the prints will be available at discounted prices from 10 to 60% off, and Graphicstudio master printers will share insights into their processes and techniques during etching demonstrations conducted throughout the day. Saturday, 5/4, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Graphicstudio, USF, 3702 Spectrum Blvd. #100, Tampa, graphic studio.usf.edu.
- Derby Day. If horses and hats matter more to you than Wookies and Wars, you’ve got a slew of Kentucky Derby-themed parties to choose from today. Our friend Meaghan Habuda at the Tampa Bay Times suggests the rooftop bash at EDGE atop the Epicurean Hotel in South Tampa. First 25 guests score free mint juleps (you knew mint juleps would enter in here somewhere) and there are prizes for Best Hats and, who knew this was a thing, Best Pants. Oh, yeah, you can also watch the race (it’ll be on multiple TVs). And now that front-runner Omaha Beach has been scrapped from the lineup due to respiratory problems, the field is wide open. You could back a winner! Saturday, 5/4, 2-7 p.m., EDGE Rooftop Bar, Epicurean Hotel, 1207 S. Howard Ave., Tampa, 813-999-8700.
- Indigo Girls. The beloved folk duo with the unmistakeable harmonies and womyn-centric vibe return with their small band to Ruth Eckerd Hall for the first time since 2013. Amy Ray and Emily Saliers are the only duo with top 40 titles on the Billboard 200 in the ’80s, ’90s, ’00s and ’10s. One of their biggest hits was “Closer to Fine,” and I’d say they’re not just close anymore — they’ve made it all the way there. Friday, 5/3, 8 p.m., Ruth Eckerd, rutheckerdhall.com.