If you're looking for something fun to do this weekend (January 12-14), there's plenty of action happening around the Tampa Bay area.

Friday, January 12

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off at Tampa Theatre

When: 4 p.m. 
Where: Tampa Theatre at 711 North Franklin Street, Tampa
Cost: $10
Info: Matthew Broderick stars as Ferris Bueller in this love letter to Chicago and playing hooky. Ferris wants to take a day off of school, and he’s taking his girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara) and his best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) with him, provided Cameron will “borrow” his dad’s prized Ferrari. But to experience every part of the Windy City, they’ll have to dodge their dogged principal (Jeffrey Jones), suspicious parents and siblings with traps around every corner. 

2018 Manatee County Fair

When: January 11–21
Where: Palmetto Fairgrounds at 1303 17th Street West, Palmetto
Cost: $8
Info: The fair is a showcase for the best of Manatee County. This year's fair features exciting exhibits and vendors, livestock shows and auctions, competitions, a thrill-packed midway, a variety of great entertainment and, of course, fair food — all packed into ten days and nights. Come celebrate Manatee County and the warmth of the community. You are always welcome at the Manatee County Fair.

Art Garfunkel: In Close-Up

When: 8 p.m. 
Where: Capitol Theatre at 405 Cleveland Street, Clearwater
Cost: $49.50
Info: Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter, Art Garfunkel returns to the Capitol Theatre after his sold-out debut in 2014! Garfunkel has made an indelible mark on the music world as both a solo artist and half of the unrivaled Simon & Garfunkel. Revered for his chart-topping songs and albums with partner Paul Simon, their greatest hits collection—which includes Mrs. Robinson, Scarborough Fair, The Sound Of Silence, The Boxer, Bridge Over Troubled Water, and many others—is one of the biggest selling albums ever.

Nikki Glaser at Tampa Improv Comedy Theater

When: 8:30 p.m. 
Where: Tampa Improv Comedy Theater at 1600 East 8th Avenue, Tampa
Cost: $25
Info: Nikki Glaser was recently seen as the creator, executive producer, and star of the hit Comedy Central series Not Safe w/ Nikki Glaser. The show featured some of comedy’s funniest voices as they joke, learn, and share their personal stories about sex, relationships, and other taboo topics. She’ll be performing standup at Ybor City’s Tampa Improv Comedy Theater. 

Saturday, January 13

Tampa Bay Black Heritage Music Fest 2018

When: January 13-14
Where: Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park at 600 North Ashley Drive, Tampa
Cost: $10
Info: The Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival is the ultimate regional destination leading up to the Martin Luther King Holiday Weekend. This 2-day celebration includes live entertainment, exciting cultural events, relevant health tutorials, business advising seminars, renowned speakers, food vendors, craft vendors, a music fest with national recording artists and more. Tampa Bay’s annual family-friendly festival commemorates the many contributions and influences African Americans and the African Diaspora have made in our society.

Gasparilla Block Party

When: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. 
Where: Hyde Park at 744 South Village Circle, Tampa
Cost: Free to the public, but registration is required
Info: Arrgghh you ready for Gasparilla?! Join us Saturday, January 13th for our Gasparilla Block Party from 11am-2pm to celebrate Tampa's invasion. Enjoy live music, Gasparilla merchandise, special appearances by the YMKG Pirates and more!

Kite Festival & Sport Kite Competition

When: January 13-14
Where: Thunderbird Beach Resort at 10700 Gulf Boulevard, Treasure Island
Cost: Free
Info: Come be amazed by talented kite flyers from all over the U.S. on Treasure Island Beach. Representatives from Revolution Kites and Prism Kites will be giving flying demonstrations and allowing people a chance to learn how to fly. The free event runs from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. both days behind the Thunderbird Beach Resort.

Sunshine Music Festival

When: 12 p.m. - 11 p.m. 
Where: Vinoy Park at 701 Bay Shore Dr NE Historic Old Northeast, St Petersburg
Cost: $61.45
Info: The Sunshine Music Festival kicks off this weekend at Vinoy Park in St. Pete! Tedeschi Trucks Band, Mike Gordon, Galactic and many more will be playing. 

Monster Jam at Raymond James Stadium

When: 5 p.m. 
Where: Raymond James Stadium at 4201 North Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa
Cost: $15
Info: Monster Jam is adrenaline-charged family entertainment providing jaw-dropping displays and gravity-defying feats that promises to always leave fans entertained. Our world-class drivers push these perfectly engineered Monster Jam trucks to their limits in Freestyle, 2-Wheel Skills, and Racing competitions that will put families on the edge of their seats and leave them craving more of this unexpected, unscripted and unforgettable event!

Gasparilla Ball 

When: 6 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Where: American Victory Ship at 705 Channelside Drive Channel District, Tampa
Cost: $75
Info: Calling all pirates! Kick off the Gasparilla season in style at this shipboard costume gala. Dress in your pirate finest and dance the night away with the popular local R&B rockers The Black Honkeys. Live music, grog, and merriment await you. Krewes, groups and individuals are welcome to this community celebration.

Sunday, January 14

Florida Wedding Expo

When: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. 
Where: Tampa Convention Center at 333 South Franklin Street, Tampa
Cost: $12
Info: Check out the biggest wedding expo of the year at the Tampa Convention Center! The event will feature over 100 vendors, giveaways and much more! The first 500 general admission brides will receive $1,000 in Wedding Expo Dollars (WEDs) to spend with participating vendors and a $200 gift card for Symbolize It. 

Yoga at The Dali Museum

When: 10:30 a.m. 
Where: The Dali Museum at 1 Dali Boulevard, Saint Petersburg
Cost: $15
Info: Join Lucky Cat Yoga every Sunday at The Dali – a remarkable environment where Dali’s energy infuses the physical, mental and spiritual inspiration of yoga. Classes are held in the Raymond James Community Room or Avant-Garden, both with incredible views of the waterfront. Each student is encouraged to awaken and sustain their practice at their own pace. Please arrive early on a light stomach. Don’t have a mat? We have several on hand to lend. 

Forever Plaid Musical

When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Straz Center for the Performing Arts at 1010 North Macinnes Place Downtown, Tamp
Cost: $42
Info: When four young singers are killed in a car crash, they posthumously take the stage for one final gig in this goofy, 1950’s nostalgia trip. This deliciously fun revue is chock-full of classic barbershop quartet harmonies and pitch-perfect melodies! Singing in close harmony, squabbling boyishly and executing their charmingly outlandish choreography with over-zealous precision, the Plaids are a guaranteed smash, with a program of beloved songs that keep audiences rolling in the aisles when they’re not humming along to some of the great nostalgic pop hits of the 1950s.

————