August/September 2023 Events

RECURRING EVENTS

Tuesdays & 4th Saturday • 9am-3pm, Gulfport Tuesday Fresh Market, Beach Blvd. below 28th Ave. S. gulfporttuesdayfreshmarket.com
Fridays • 5-9pm, First Friday Art Walk, Downtown Gulfport. A juried event featuring emerging and professional artists. First Friday of every month.
Last Friday 6-9pm, live music at the John’s Pass Bell Tower, John’s Pass Boardwalk and Shopping Village, 12902 Village Blvd., Madeira Beach
Saturdays • 9am-2pm, St. Petersburg Saturday Morning Market, First Ave. SE and First St., Al Lang Stadium parking lot near the marina. Celebrating community, food, and creativity. October through May.
1st Saturday • 8am Beach Cleanup, Archibald Park,15100 Gulf Blvd. Mad. Beach.
2nd Saturday • 8:30am, Beach Cleanup. Municipal Pavilion, 11260 Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island 11185 Gulf Blvd.
5-9pm, St. Pete Artwalk. Artists and gallery owners from 40 studios and galleries in five arts districts show off their latest works. Take the trolley, drive or park and walk. stpeteartsalliance.org/artwalk
3rd Saturday • 5-9pm, Indie Faire, Beach Blvd., Gulfport. Outdoor, socially distanced event in Gulfport features local art, handmade crafts, jewelry, and pottery to locally sourced botanicals.
4th Saturday Gulfport 4th Saturday Fresh Market 9am-2pm • Pinellas Arts Walk 4-8pm, Pinellas Arts Village Walk, 5600-5800 Park Blvd. (north side), Pinellas Park. Pinellas Park Art Society, Donnelly COVE, Complete Sweet Shoppe, Pompei Factory, Studios @5663, Painting with a Twist, Bottles Pub, and Swartz Gallery.
Sundays • 9am-1pm Indian Shores Sunday Morning Market, Indian Shores Municipal Center, 19305 Gulf Blvd. Local vendors offer everything from gourmet foods to fine art.  (November-April). TheBeachMarkets.com. Library Book Sale every third Sunday.
• 10am-2pm/Summer 9am-1pm, Corey Sunday Market, Corey Ave. (74th Ave), St. Pete Beach. Almost a hundred vendors with an emphasis on local fresh, hydroponic and organic veggies, gourmet take-out treats, locally made crafts and live music. (9-1 June – Sept.)
Every other Sunday • 9am-noon, Organic Farming at Eco-Village, 302 15th St. N, St. Pete. Volunteer in a community garden that provides access to fresh organic produce, opportunities for physical activity, connection with nature.

UPCOMING

Aug. 3-Oct. 15 — Keeper of Heritage: Hidden Tales
Free, Noon-5pm, Wed-Sun., The Gallery at Creative Pinellas, 12211 Walsingham Road, Largo. Keepers of Heritage is a collaborative effort that documents, presents and promotes the contributions of Puerto Rican artists in the Caribbean and abroad. The exhibition examines and reflects on a diversity of subjects, beliefs, and stories that have been censured over the years. creativepinellas.org 727-582-2172

Aug. 5-31 — Steph Hargrove: CauseFlowers: PRIDE
Free, Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Morean Arts Center, 719 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. CauseFlowers: Pride features giant felt dahlia sculptures designed to represent pride flags from the LGBTQ community. Hargrove says recent legislation inspired her to “create a bright and bold celebration of the queer community on gallery walls and beyond.” moreanartscenter.org  727-822-7872

Aug. 11-Sept. 10 — At Home with Ethel Waters
$25-$55, times vary by date, freeFall Theater, 6099 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Written and performed by Rose Weaver. A pioneer film, stage, television, and recording star, Waters paved the way with ground-breaking performances from The Cotton Club to Broadway. Performed by artists from Ebony Repertory Theatre in Los Angeles under the direction of artistic director Wren T. Brown. freefalltheatre.com 727-498-5205

Aug. 12 — Aquatic Luau
$45/$35 children (general admission), 6:30-9:30pm, Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Experience a tropical luau at Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s end-of-summer celebration. The casual, family friendly event will have live entertainment, Hawaiian cuisine, and marine life in an enchanting atmosphere. Enjoy access to rescued dolphins, sea turtles, stingrays and other resident animals and explore marine life habitats. cmaquarium.org  727-441-1790

Aug. 16-17 — On the Rocks, by Joe Zarobinski
$10, 7pm, The Studio@620, 620 First Ave. S, St. Petersburg. Playwright Joe Zarobinski will debut his new one-act play, On the Rocks. Bernard is living in a small apartment with his brother Ralph. A struggling alcoholic, Bernard faces tensions brought on by yet another late night of binge drinking and the consequences that have truly put his life on the rocks. studio620.org  727-895-6620

Aug. 19 — Ninth Annual Monte Carlo Casino Night
$100 and up, 6-10pm, The West Events, Madeira Beach. Glitz, glamor, and casino-style gaming are the order of the evening for this ninth annual Treasure Island & Madeira Beach Chamber of Commerce fundraiser. Live music, dancing, silent auction, showgirls. For tickets, go to timbchamber.org, click on Events tab.

Aug. 19 — Freakin’ Warehouse Party 5.0
$30, 8pm, The Factory St. Pete, 2622 Fairfield Ave. S, St. Petersburg. A night of underground Progressive House and Techno: DJs, Bliss Lounge, flow performers, and local vendors. Lineup features special guest Austin Pettit, an emerging artist in the underground progressive scene. thefactorystpete.com

Aug 25-26 — Road 2 Tampa Bay Volleyball Invitational
$15 and up, 6pm, Amalie (25th)/Yuengling (26th). Four elite teams will compete to help launch the 2023 NCAA Women’s Volleyball season as Tampa Bay prepares to host the national championship in December. Event information, including tickets, match schedules, times and locations can be found at Road2TampaBayVB.com.

Aug. 26 — 2023 Gulfport Gecko Ball
$30, 6-10:30pm, Gulfport Casino Ballroom, 5500 Shore Blvd. A major social event in the hamlet of Gulfport, the Ball promises to take you “Around the World in 80 Geckos.” It will be a night of live music, dancing, and costumes, as well games, snacks, and live and silent auctions. The Gecko Queen will be crowned! Tickets available at Gulfport Beach Bazaar or online at visitgulfportfloride.com. Proceeds benefit the Gulfport Merchants Chamber of Commerce.

Aug. 29-Sept. 30 — Selby Gardens 43rd Annual Juried Photo Exhibition
Free, virtual. Photographs have been taken at either of the Selby Gardens campus – Downtown Sarasota or Historic Spanish Point – within the past year in the categories of Living Art, Make a Splash, Plant Portraits, The Birds and the Bees, and  Black and White. Submissions are open Aug. 7-14. Complete rules and requirements are at the photo submission portal, which is accessible via selby.org

Sept. 2 — Geckofest
Free, 10am-10pm, downtown Gulfport. The 23rd Annual Gecko Fest will celebrate the end of summer with its largest festival of the year, honoring this waterfront village’s unofficial mascot and favorite reptile, the Gecko! This year’s theme is “Around the World in 80 Geckos,” which hopes to inspire a wide array of costumes, as well as music, dancing, food and drink. Festival-goers are always encouraged to arrive in costume.

Sept. 11 — 9/11 Remembrance Ceremonies

Many organizations and communities in Pinellas County will be among those around the United States that plan to commemorate the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001. Below is a list of local ceremonies announced by Paradise News deadlines. Contact the sites for event time.
• Gulfport
8:30-9:30am
Casino Ballroom
5500 Shore Blvd. S
• Madeira Beach 

8:45am
Patriot Park, 424 150th Ave.
• Palm Harbor
Curlew Hills Memory Gardens
1750 Curlew Road
727-789-2000

Sept. 9-10 — I Like it HOT Festival
Free, Sat 10am-5pm/Sun 11am-4pm, Largo Event Center, 6340 126th Ave. The annual I Like it Hot! Festival & BBQ is back, with HOT and fiery foods and sauces to sample and purchase along with a large variety of HOT pepper plants; lots of HOT BBQ too. Enter the pepper eating contest, hot hula hoop contest or the Hot Sauce or Salsa competitions! A live band! www.largoeventcenter.com  727-266-4295

Sept. 9-Oct. 26 — Ermin Tabakovic: Transcending Space
Free, Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Morean Arts Center, 719 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Tabakovic’s work is described as “mature, colorful and bold representations of his core vision and aesthetic steeped in geometric form and a structural sensibility.” Influenced by 20th Century modern art movements, Tabakovic notes that “I tend to fuse all these different influences and combine them with my own personal aesthetic to create a new visual language that transcends the past and points to something new and different.” moreanartscenter.org  727-822-7872

Sept. 15 — Art & Aces
$185 and up, Oxford Exchange, 420 W Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. Participants are promised an unforgettable night of entertainment, games, and philanthropy supporting the Tampa Museum of Art. Engage in roulette, craps, blackjack, casino slots, and more as you challenge your luck at the gaming tables. Place bids on an array of exciting items in the silent auction. Enjoy premium cigars and an open bar while you network and socialize with fellow art enthusiasts and museum supporters. Tickets/sponsorships at https://tinyurl.com/mr2922jx

Sept. 16-17 — 2023 Madeira Beach Nautical Flea Market
Free admission and parking, 9am-3pm, ROC Park, 200 Rex Place, Madeira Beach. If it’s nautical, you’ll find it here — all types of boating equipment, fishing gear, nautical antiques and artwork, scuba gear, beach attire, boat shoes, jewelry, motors, anchors, tackle, hard to find parts and manufacturer close-outs! Get a deal on new and used boats, motors, trailers and jet-skis. For information and vendor opportunities visit https://tinyurl.com/5n6nyzku/

Sept. 29 — Rocky Horror Picture Show
$39-$153, 8pm, Mahaffey Theater. Join the original “Brad Majors” – Barry Bostwick – for a screening of the original unedited movie with a live shadow cast (Tampa Bay’s Hell on Heels) and audience participation! Limited exclusive tickets include a VIP meet & greet with Bostwick, a personal photo and an autograph. No outside participation items allowed. themahaffey.com 727-300-2000

Oct. 14 — Octoberfest Indian Rocks Beach
Free admission, noon-6pm, Kolb Park. 507 Bay Palm Blvd. Enjoy live music, great beer, international food vendors, arts and crafts vendors, contests for keg throwing and stein carrying, a silent Auction, and a 50/50 raffle. Hosted by IRB Action 2000 and the city of Indian Rocks Beach.

Leave a Comment