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. TI Waffle House, 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.
ONGOING
Through Feb. 26 – Imagine Blackness exhibit
Free, Noon-5pm, Wed. through Sun, Gallery at Creative Pinellas, 12211 Walsingham Road, Largo. A collaborative exploration of Blackness and Black representation through AI-generated images created by artist McArthur Freeman II and sociologist Elizabeth Hordge-Freeman. Inspired by Black speculative fiction and Afro-Futurism, the project offers viewers interactive opportunities to question, inspire, and escape by engaging the viewers’ own imaginations in the co-construction of the future and alternate worlds.
Through Feb. 26 — Blues in The Night
$45-$55/ $25 age 18 and under, 2pm and 7pm, freeFall Theatre Co., 6099 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. This Tony-nominated musical set in a 1948 Chicago hotel that has seen better days interweaves stories of Blues in The Night to evoke the struggle and humor of life, love, and dogged determination to do more than just survive. The drama reveals itself through songs by Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Alberta Hunter, Harold Arlen, Jimmy Cox, Ida Cox and more. freefalltheatre.com
Through Feb. 28 – St. Petersburg Celebration of the Arts
Various venues. This fifth season of the Celebration has a diverse collection of performances from a spectrum of local artistic talent, from The Florida Orchestra, American Stage, and the One City Chorus to talks on the many expressions of freedom. For a partial list of the dozens of activities planned, visit artsofstpete.com/calendar
UPCOMING
Feb. 3 – 10th Annual Raptor Fest
Free, 10am-4pm, Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, 1101 Country Club Way S, St. Petersburg. See trained raptors in free flight, learn about Florida’s native raptor species, take photos with live birds of prey, and enjoy activities for children and families. This event supports the preserve’s Birds of Prey program. No Pets Please! Parking at Lake Vista Recreation Center and Lakewood High School. Handicap sticker can park on-site.
Feb. 10 – Cajun Occasion seafood boil fundraiser
$100/$1,500 table/other sponsorships available, 5:30-10:30pm, Bilmar Beach Resort, 10650 Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island. This event benefits the under-construction Sunny Green Acres rescue for exotic and farm animals. The evening will include a Gator Bite Sunset Toast, seven-piece New Orleans jazz band Hot Tonic, a DJ, silent auction, games, dancing, and fun! For information, sponsorships, and tickets visit sunnygreenacres.org. Proceeds will go to building habitats, an outdoor pavilion, education programs and conservation efforts.
Feb. 11 – Reclamando Our Narrative Writing Series (Session 3)
Free, 1:30-4:30pm, hybrid meeting. In-person and virtual workshop series for the Latinx community to claim their stories, heal and connect, and participate in conversations about race equity, unity, and advocacy. Meetings are once a month through May 12. The series is organized by Mi Gente Mi Pueblo. For more information, and to register, visit the Reclamando Our Narrative Writing Series on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/events/1265133814270883/?active_tab=discussion) and scan the QR code.
Feb. 11-12 – Gulfport Fine Arts Festival
Free, 10am-5pm, Gulfport Veterans Park 5350 31st Ave. S. This boutique festival welcomes artists in all media, and those who participate in this annual celebration of fine art say they love the festival for three reasons: the intimate gathering, the caliber of the buyers, and a show in a seaside city that celebrates art and artists in every corner.
Feb. 17 – Arts Legacy REMIX: International Women’s Celebration
Free, 7:30-9pm, Riverwalk Stage, Straz Center, Tampa. Arts Legacy REMIX celebrates the many varied cultures and talented local artists who reside in the Tampa Bay area. This month will focus on women throughout the generations whose unique experiences will be brought to life through diverse artistic mediums.
Feb. 17-19 – ReadOut Literary Festival
Free, registration required for Zoom access, Gulfport Library, 5501 28th Ave. S. This year’s festival will celebrate published and emerging authors from across LGBTQ+ and allied communities. Presentations will be on-site, live streamed or prerecorded. Feb. 17: opening panels; Feb. 18-19: panels, authors readings, workshops. Keynote Sunday 1:30pm by Brian Broome at the Gulfport Casino and live streamed. His debut memoir, Punch Me Up to the Gods, is an NYT Editor’s Pick and the winner of the 2021 Kirkus Prize for Nonfiction. Details at: readout@lgbtqgulfport.org; register at Eventbrite.
Feb. 18 – Localtopia 2023
Free admission, 10am-5pm, Williams Park, 330 Second Ave. N. Localtopia is St. Pete’s largest “Community Celebration of All Things Local,” showcasing over 300 of the city’s independent businesses and community organizations. It’s been referred to as “the most St. Pete-esque event a resident or visitor can attend.” Because of the expected large crowds, PLEASE leave the pets at home.
Feb. 18 – Madhatter’s Casino Night
$60/$110 a couple after Feb. 7, 7-10:30pm, Holiday Inn & Suites Harbourside. The evening will feature casino games, silent auction items, a 50/50 raffle, hors d’oeuvres, and an open bar from 7-8 p.m. Cocktail attire and a fun hat are encouraged. Proceeds benefit Gulf Coast Dance Theater, a youth dance company for training future professional dancers. https://www.gulfcoastdancetheater.org/mad-hatters-casino-night.html
Feb. 21 – afroQuantum Experiences: ArtMaker Talks
Free, 7-8pm, Creative Pinellas, 12211 Walsingham Road, Largo. Virtual at Facebook Live – Facebook.com/CreativePinellas. Join Artist Laureate Jake-ann Jones as she talks one-on-one with leading artists, thinkers, critics, and creators about arts and artists in the Black and Brown community and in society as a whole. 727-582-3600
Feb. 25 – Gulfport’s Get Rescued
Free, 10am-5pm, 3101 Beach Blvd. S, Gulfport. This annual event has evolved from one block and a handful of animal rescue groups to a festive event representing rescue groups from throughout the region. Activities will include pet care education, pet services, a pet food and supplies drive, animal rescue groups, free samples, training demos, food, and music. Additionally, animal-related vendors, artists and crafters offer their wares to festivalgoers. All profits benefit participating non-profit rescue groups.
Feb. 25 – Second Annual Iconic: Portrait Edition
$175/$150 members, 7-10pm, The Morean Arts Center, 719 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Witness the portraits of three local icons being created live, as nine talented artists compete head-to-head for a variety of prizes. Watch the creative process from start to finish, then vote for your favorite artist’s portrait in the People’s Choice awards at the end of evening. The event includes cocktails and cuisine from some of St. Pete’s most ICONIC vendors. https://moreanartscenter.org/iconic/
March 3 – Ninth Annual MUSE Awards
$125 and up, 7-10pm, Morean Center for Clay, 420 22nd St. S. Sponsored by the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance, the MUSE Awards celebrate the diversity of the arts and culture in St. Petersburg. Winners will be announced in the categories of Ambassador of the Arts, Literary Arts, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Patron of the Arts, and Art and Technology. www.stpeteartsalliance.org
March 3-4 – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in Concert
$52.50 and up, March 3, 7:30pm/March 4, 2pm, Straz Center, Tampa. The Harry Potter™ Film Concert Series returns to The Straz Center with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in Concert, the fifth film in the Harry Potter series. Ron Spigelman will conduct The Florida Orchestra in performing the score live while the entire film plays in high-definition on a 40-foot screen. www.strazcenter.org
March 3-5 – Lift Every Voice: New Play Festival
$100 (all access), James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art, 150 Central Ave. A collaboration between the museum and American Stage, the festival will include readings of five new plays currently in development, conversations and forums with working artists and a keynote address from an established playwright. Plays, artists and speakers not available at press time. www.americanstage.org
March 4 – Gulfport’s Pink Flamingo Home & Garden Tour
$25/$30 at door, check-in begins 10am. The 2023 Home Tour takes you through Gulfport’s Garden District. This popular neighborhood, the northernmost of Gulfport, offers a glimpse into Gulfport living, with homes with architectural styles ranging from bungalows to mid-century Florida ranch homes. The tour also includes some of the Garden District’s thoughtfully – and beautifully – crafted gardens.March 10 – Listening Room Festival Showcase
$45/$100 (VIP), 7:30-10pm, Palladium Theater, 253 Fifth Ave. N, St. Petersburg. The evening will feature intimate stories and uplifting songs in a “listening room atmosphere” from Ariella, Peter Mulvey, A Tale of Two, and Jeffery Straker. The VIP after-party will feature The Rough & Tumble. Festival runs March 9-12, with house concerts each day. https://listeningroomfestival.com