If you're looking for something fun to do this weekend (February 23-25), there's plenty of action happening around the Tampa Bay area.
Friday, February 23
SunWest Crab & Shrimp Festival
When: Feb. 23 - 25
Where: SunWest Park at 17362 Old Dixie Highway, Hudson
Cost: $5
Info: The SunWest Crab & Shrimp Festival is back for a third year, and this time around, they’ve added more seating, bigger bands and extended hours so you have more time to enjoy the festival! This event brings thousands of individuals to SunWest Park with 3 days of live bands, crab races, carnival rides, Big Storm Brewing beer garden, crafter & business vendors, photo booths, kids area and a ton of seafood options.
BMX Gator Nationals
When: Feb. 23 - 25
Where: Oldsmar Sport Complex at 3120 Tampa Road, Oldsmar
Cost: Click here for more information
Info: Thousands of BMX racers from several countries will participate in this 3-day national USA BMX competition! Watch all the extreme action go down at the state-of-the-art Oldsmar BMX Supercross track.
2018 St. Petersburg Jazz Festival
When: Feb 23 - Feb. 25
Where: The Palladium Theater at 253 5th Avenue North, St. Petersburg
Cost: $20
Info: The 2018 St. Petersburg Jazz Festival is February 21-25! The lineup includes the original compositions by the Tal Cohen trio, Jeff Rupert Quintet with Veronica Swift, B3 Fury with the Shawn Brown Quintet, The Helios Jazz Orchestra with singers Whitney James & Chuck Wansley and Latin Jazz with the Gabriel Hernandez Trio. All of the concerts are at the Palladium Theater and Palladium Theater Side Door venues. The jazz festival is designed to provide an optimum environment for listeners of jazz. You won't find food trucks, stadium seating or massive columns of speakers at the St. Petersburg Jazz Festival. What you will find is an intimate concert experience with pure sound quality and a great appreciation of the jazz artists performing.
Tampa’s Fourth Friday
When: 4 p.m.
Where: Downtown Tampa
Cost: Free
Info: Fourth Friday Tampa is a monthly celebration of Tampa’s rich arts and culture scene! An evening of special offerings and programs by cultural venues, restaurants & more! From 3-D printing and photographic arts to medieval games and crafts, there’s plenty to check out on Friday night.
Grown Up Night at the Glazer Children's Museum
When: 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Where: Glazer Children's Museum at 110 West Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa
Cost: $20 online, $25 at the door
Info: Adults will take over the Glazer Children's Museum while enjoying a beer garden on the terrace with panoramic views of downtown Tampa! Learn the Pop Art technique of screen printing! Play like a kid again with parachutes, slinkies, and hula hoops or climb and jump on the exhibits. Free snacks and beer will be served until it’s gone. A cash bar will also available.
Movies in Craig Park: Storks
When: 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Where: Craig Park in Tarpon Springs
Cost: Free
Info: Grab your lawn chairs and come enjoy a free showing of the movie ‘Storks.’ Popcorn and other concessions will be available.
Pro Wrestle Jam
When: 7:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Where: Tampa Carrier Hall at 3003 West Cypress Street, Tampa
Cost: $20
Info: Watch live pro wrestling at Tampa Carrier Hall Friday night! Check out former WWE superstars Adam Rose, Jack Swagger, Chris Masters, Sami Callahan and many more take to the ring. There will also be a live DJ and full liquor bar.
Dvorak’s The New World Symphony
When: 8 p.m.
Where: The Mahaffey Theater at 400 1st Street Southeast, St. Petersburg
Cost: $15
Info: Rising star composer and Tampa native Michael Ippolito writes a work inspired by Florida especially to honor the 50th anniversary of the orchestra. The other works on the program are old favorites: Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 and Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, with the TFO debut of Cuban pianist Aldo López-Gavilán.
Saturday, February 24
Sarasota Dubfest
When: Feb. 24 - 25
Where: Ringling Park at 125 South Tuttle Avenue, Sarasota
Cost: Free
Info: The Sarasota Dubfest is bringing together the area’s best air cooled Volkswagens! Bring the whole family for a fun packed day of show cars, swap meet parts and camping.
Repticon Tampa Reptile & Exotic Animal Show
When: Feb. 24-25
Where: Florida State Fairgrounds at 4800 U.S. 301, Tampa
Cost: $10
Info: Repitcon is coming to Tampa! This 2-day event will feature thrilling reptiles, amphibians, exotic pets, pet products, educational seminars, door prizes, and much more.
The Bay Area Renaissance Festival
When: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Where: The Bay Area Renaissance Festival at 11315 North 46th Street Terrace Park, Tampa
Cost: $18.95
Info: Take a time-travel adventure into the 16th century at the annual Bay Area Renaissance Festival! Join the Queen in a jubilee! Journey back in time as more than 100 merchants contribute to the atmosphere of this charming 16th-century village. Experience live armored jousting, 12 stages of entertainment, seven theme weekends, and fun and food for the whole family! The Festival is open from 10 am – 6 pm, Rain or Shine. Parking at the Bay Area Renaissance Festival is always free! Discount tickets are available at participating Circle K stores.
71st Annual Fiesta Day in Ybor City
When: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Where: Ybor City East 7th Avenue, Tampa
Cost: Free
Info: This family-friendly street festival celebration commemorates Cuban, Italian, Spanish, Jewish and German immigrants that settled in Ybor City in the late 1800’s as the cigar factories thrived. Fiesta Day attracts families and people of all ages. The 71st Annual Fiesta Day promises great ethnic food, music, entertainment, arts and crafts.
Olate Dogs Performance
When: 1 p.m.
Where: Capitol Theatre at 405 Cleveland Street, Clearwater
Cost: $21
Info: Winners of America's Got Talent Season 7, The Olate Dogs make their way to Clearwater for their Capitol Theatre debut! The Olate Dogs are a high-energy, fast-paced act filled with doggie friendly and amazing pet tricks. The all-new live theatrical show include the infamous jumping rope, twirling spinning and fun-loving Olate Dogs made famous on America's Got Talent Season 7. With a doggy fashion show, a classic comedic routine by Richard Olate, music by Nicholas Olate and amazing cycling and juggling by his wife, this show is fun for kids of all ages! While on tour, they spend much of their time supporting dog rescues and animal shelters, bringing awareness to the need for families to rescue and adopt stray dogs and pets.
The Lights Fest
When: 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Where: Little Everglades Events at 17951 Hamilton Road, Dade City
Cost: $45
Info: What happens when you combine thousands of families, friends and foodies, with live music, dancing, and an eruption of sky lanterns? – Welcome to The Lights Fest. Thousands of lanterns will light up the night sky in Dade City on February 24. The Lights Fest will feature live music, food trucks and lanterns you can light and set free into the sky.
Supercross Live
When: 6:30 p.m.
Where: Raymond James Stadium at 4201 North Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa
Cost: $15
Info: Come watch top professional athletes in dirt bike racing at Supercross this weekend! Featuring jumps, tight turns, fast races and whole lot of dirt!
Sunday, Feb. 25
2018 Tampa Bay Jewish Food Festival
When: 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Where: Temple B'nai Israel Clearwater at 1685 South Belcher Road, Clearwater
Cost: Free Admission
Info: A celebration of Jewish food, culture, and community! This day-long, annual event features the best Jewish foods, including Carnegie Deli corned beef and pastrami, falafel, knishes, matzoh ball soup, and delicious pastries and much more. Local Jewish Agencies will be in attendance to educate the community of their presence and missions. There will be hours of Jewish music with choirs from local synagogues performing, a massive tent for eating, and a fun and safe child zone. Anyone is welcome to come celebrate the Tampa Bay Jewish Food Festival.
VOLTA by Cirque du Soleil
When: 8 p.m.
Where: Tampa Greyhound Track at 8300 North Nebraska Avenue, Tampa
Cost: $37
Info: Cirque du Soleil is bringing a month-long performance to Tampa Bay! The Volta show, written and directed by Bastien Alexandre, will play under the Big Top next to the Tampa Bay Greyhound Track in Tampa starting February 14. It features acrobatics, ballet, BMX, parkour and much more. Tickets start at $37 and the show runs until March 18.
Andrew Schulz Standup
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Tampa Improv Comedy Theater at 1600 East 8th Avenue, Tampa
Cost: $17
Info: A native New Yorker and internationally touring standup comedian, Andrew Schulz is known for his hilarious and unapologetic comedy. Schulz challenges conventional wisdom with an NYC tone that is often idiotic, at times brilliant, but always hysterical. He recently starred in the sitcom Benders, now on Netflix. He can be seen in Amazon’s Sneaky Pete and the new season of HBO's Crashing, and he also co-stars in the new Hulu dramedy, There's Johnny, premiering in November.
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