MADE IN TAMPA BAY EXPO is being held on April 9 from 2-6pm at the St. Petersburg College Epi-Center located at 13805 58th St. N, Clearwater, by the Bay Area Manufacturer Association (BAMA) and CareerSource. It is an amazing building and a great opportunity to network. It is also being billed as a “Job Fair,” so folks looking for employment opportunities are encouraged to attend. Our most loyal not-for-profit advertiser “Our Children Have Rights” plan to be exhibitors there. For more info, visit www.bama-fl.org/event-5931713.
AMERICAN STAGE COMPANY is St. Petersburg’s oldest and most acclaimed theatre company since 1986 when they performed the Taming of the Shrew. Theatre in the Park has proven their most popular attraction and they are over 80% done with a $500K fundraiser to keep the theater in the park alive. Having already achieved so much, their performance of Hair, which started in late March, runs weekends through April 27. The director knows the show well having performed in it five times, including once with the originators.
SHINE is a free program offered by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco & Pinellas. Specially trained volunteers can assist you with your Medicare, Medicaid, and health insurance questions by providing one-on-one counseling and information. SHINE services are free, unbiased, and confidential. SHINE counselors do not sell anything. SHINE Counselors can be reached by calling 1-800-963-5337 or 727-217-8111.
GULFPORT PUBLIC LIBRARY Medicare 101 Wednesday, April 16, at 1pm. A SHINE volunteer will be available to answer Medicare questions at Gulfport Public Library, 5501 28th Ave. S, Gulfport. For info call 727-893-1073.
The area’s largest assembly of certified nurseries in Florida, the GREEN THUMB FESTIVAL, returns to St. Petersburg with two days of plants, workshops, exhibitions, and fun. It features more than 120 garden, plant, and flower vendors and exhibitors. The festival takes place April 26-27 from 9am-4pm both days at Walter Fuller Park, located off Park Street at 7891 26th Ave. N. The free festival is part of the city’s annual Arbor Day celebration and includes workshops, a flower show, and the Garden Wagon Parade & Decorating Contest. In addition to the vendors on hand. there will also be a butterfly tent, tree sale, food trucks, and children’s crafts areas. If you need help getting your garden restarted, Parks and Recreation will be giving away free plants, pine seedlings, and mulch. Bring your favorite cart or wheelbarrow.
SUMMER ART CAMP at the Morean Arts Center and at the Morean Center for Clay both run from 9am-3pm, available for students in 1st-10th grades. Sign up to give your child a fun and engaging environment to explore art this summer! On April 21, they have a one-day art camp for enriching your young artists on their day off school. Seeking financial assistance? Scholarships are available. EVERYONE IS POLISH ON DYNGUS DAY, Monday, April 21. Doors & Bar Open 3:30pm, Dancing to Generations Band 5-8pm. Polka Dance Lesson 6pm. Dyngus Day Polish Platter: kielbasa (sausage), sauerkraut, pierogis (dumplings), golabki (stuffed cabbage), dessert, and coffee. Served 4-6pm Tickets: $15 at the door or $10 pre-sale. Pre-sale tix can be purchased at the club on Sundays and Thursdays or by calling Pat Hickock at 518-885-7731. Credit cards, cash, or check accepted. 1343 Beach Drive SE, St. Petersburg, 727-894-9908 www.PolishSociety.org The SUNSCREEN FILM FESTIVAL, celebrating its 20th anniversary, proudly announces its full slate of films for 2025, set to take place at AMC Theatres Sundial in downtown St. Petersburg from Thursday, April 24, through Sunday, April 27.
FOUR DOWN The festival will open with the world premiere of Four Down, a powerful documentary from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Steven Cantor. Produced in collaboration with Mark Wahlberg’s Unrealistic Ideas, Snoop Dogg’s Death Row Pictures, and Stick Figure Productions, the film recounts the harrowing true story of Nick Schuyler, who survived for 43 hours at sea after a tragic boating accident in the Gulf of Mexico. The red-carpet event begins at 5:30pm, followed by the screening at 7pm and an exclusive Q&A session with the filmmakers.
The TRADEWINDS RESORT hosts the Bucs Beach Bash once again April 24-26. Visit www.tradewindsresort.com/offers/beachbash
TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WAS RANKED #1 again by Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Awards. In 2024, ASQ did more than 700,000 surveys, helping to identify trends, set benchmarks and gauge passenger expectations so airports can better serve the needs of customers. More than 400 airports from 110 countries participated in the program. Tampa International Airport has been ranked #1 by ASQ several times over the past decade, and this year won with an overall satisfaction average of 4.40, 0.17 points higher than second-place Dallas Love Field airport (DAL).
BOATING SEASON IS HERE, and the new docks at The Wharf Restaurant in Pass-a-Grille welcome you! Cool off with specialty cocktails (the best Bloody Mary in town), cold beer and wine plus sensational seafood – mahi or grouper sandwich (or make it a Reuben!), conch fritters, sesame tuna, stuffed or coconut shrimp, scallop or shrimp baskets, crab cakes and seafood specials weekly! Wing it with boneless or bone-in wings in 10 flavors, from blackened to honey BBQ or lemon pepper or get messy with its famous Peel N Eat shrimp seasoned with Old Bay. With an old Florida vibe, a rocking jukebox and TVs in the bar, it’s where the locals hang out! You can dine at the bar, on the new back deck or the dining room with waterfront views where a wall used to be! There’s a kid’s menu, delicious key lime pie plus Fish Fry Tuesday and Taco Wednesdays. Happy Hour Mon.-Fri. 3:30-6pm (bar only). Follow them on www.facebook.com/WharfPAG. 2001 Pass-A-Grille Way, St. Pete Beach.
TAMPA BAY WATCH is thrilled to present the 20th Annual Tarpon Rodeo on Friday, June 6. Mark your calendar and gather your team for this signature one-day fishing tournament full of fun, fishing, and fundraising! This all-catch-and-release tournament will launch from Fort De Soto Park’s boat ramp and offer prizes in the Sport ($1,000), Guardian ($2,000), and Inshore Slam ($1,000) divisions. The awards ceremony and after-party will be held at Island Grille & Raw Bar, in Tierra Verde. Register today! Contact Grace Horne at ghorne@tampabaywatch.org with questions. Registration for SUMMER CAMP AT TAMPA BAY WATCH is open. Two locations, one unforgettable experience! Choose from exciting camp weeks and fun, hands-on leadership programs for participants ages 6-18. www.tbwdiscoverycenter.org/camp
LAURIE LOYST, a NYC cabaret singer who had retired to St. Pete Beach, came out of retirement to do a St. Valentine’s Day show at the community center. It was such a success that she is aiming for a slightly larger and more professional venue for her next show. She had auditioned for Broadway shows in the past and performed this show 20 years ago throughout Idaho. With Danny Beal and the Little Big Band behind her, this event is sure to be great entertainment. Make plans now to see Broadway Baby Wannabe at the Catherine Hickman Theater in Gulfport for Mother’s Day, Saturday, May 10, at 7:30pm. Tickets, $40-$50. If someone you know loves the old Broadway shows, like Chicago, Cabaret, Miss Saigon, Aida and Grease, scan the QR code in her advertisement in this issue.
YOGA AND PILATES classes are now being offered up to 12 hours daily at Carve, 780 Central Ave., in the Chihuly Museum block. At CARVE Pilates, you’ll challenge your mind and body with the most transformative workout. By leveraging the environment, music, and communal energy, CARVE will push you towards your goal of achievement no matter what level of fitness you are combining with modern Pilates and strength training. www.letsgetcarved.comIf you are looking for a workout on the barrier islands, check out Top Shape Fitness in the courtyard at Dolphin Village Shopping Center which recently reopened after last year’s storms. They have an open gym offering personal trainingInBody testing and infrared saunas. www.TopshapeSPB.com Mention Paradise News for $5 off your first visit.
MALIO’S BEACH HOUSE restaurant has been very busy since their ribbon cutting, which was covered in our March edition. They reputably already have a reputation for the best cocktails, steaks, and seafood entrees around. Plenty of parking is available there at 4945 Gulf Blvd. in St. Pete Beach. Call 727-202-6992 or visit www.maliosbeachclub.com.ST. PETE BEACH’S
ENHANCED BEACH ENFORCEMENT The City of St. Pete Beach has the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) working on an enhanced beach ordinance enforcement pilot program which runs Feb. 14 through April 30. The city wants to keep the beaches clean. Regulations they are enforcing include: alcohol restrictions on the public beach, consumption in cabana service areas, trash disposal, staying off the dunes, keeping dogs off the beach. St. Pete Beach’s Code Enforcement and PCSOincreased patrols and employed “a zero-tolerance policy.”The city stated this information will be “on social media, the city’s website and on variable message boards posted by PCSO on 75th Avenue and where the Bay Way hits the beach.”
CREATIVE CLAY continues its 30th anniversary celebration with a vibrant series of events that uplift the voices of artists with disabilities and invite the community to connect through folk art, live music, and creative expression.
Everyone is invited to attend and cover the following events, meet artists, and learn how Creative Clay’s mission – to help people with disabilities achieve full and inclusive lives through expressive, educational, and vocational experiences in the arts – is being lived every day in St. Pete and beyond.
Through April 30, visit TRANSPORTATION, a vibrant new exhibition at the St. Pete Beach Library. Part of the “Dewey Discoveries” series, this show features original artwork inspired by the theme of transportation. Created by Creative Clay member artists, the pieces reflect imagination, accessibility, and movement. The exhibit is free and open to the public during regular library hours at 365 73rd Ave., St. Pete Beach.
Saturday, April 12, 5-9pm brings the SECOND SATURDAY ARTWALK EXHIBIT RETROSPECTIVE 30: Featuring 30 Years of Creative Clay’s Artists at Creative Clay’s Good Folk Gallery. Enjoy decades of paintings, sculptures, and ceramics alongside live T-shirt printing with Big Frog, a plant sale, portrait drawing, and music by Deb Ruby. All events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.creativeclay.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn (@creativeclaystpete).
15TH STREET FARM EARTH DAY celebration with Sans Market Saturday, April 19, 12-4pm, $35 early bird, $40 After April 13, kids under 12 FREE www.sans.market/products/earth-day-celebration-ticket
Celebrate Earth Day at the farm with:
- Guided tasting tours (12:30 & 2:30pm)
- Farm-fresh wood-fired pizza & local kombucha
- Eco-education booths
- Sustainability giveaways & prizes
Partners include Sans Market, Mad Mycologist, Trash Caulin, Remora, Surfrider Foundation Suncoast, Renuable, and Climate First Bank. 15th Street Farm 342 15th St. N, St. Petersburg, Mobile 727-249-4222.