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What's On

What's On in Tampa

Events, markets, games, library and parks programs in and around Tampa, with times, prices and the organizer's own link.

Top story Tampa Winter Village ice skating: dates, tickets, parking Winter Village and its ice rink return to Curtis Hixon Park: skating is $17 with skates, $15 under 12. The 2026 opening date is not out; 2025 opened Nov. 21. · 6 min read

Coming up

The full month
  1. Now through Oct. 31 A Nightmare on Franklin Street film series Tampa Theatre
  2. Now through Nov. 8 Hamilton Straz Center
  3. Now through Oct. 31 Guppyween at The Florida Aquarium The Florida Aquarium
  4. Fri. Oct. 30 Halloween Skate Jam at Carrollwood Village 6 p.m. · Carrollwood Village Park
  5. Fri. Oct. 30 High school football: Sumner at Plant 7:30 p.m. · Plant High School
  6. Fri. Oct. 30 The Florida Orchestra: John Williams at 95 7:30 p.m. · Ferguson Hall, Straz Center
  7. Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 Oktoberfest Tampa Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park
  8. Sat. Oct. 31 The Halloween Party 2026 8 p.m. · Cuban Club
  9. Sat. Oct. 31 The Halloween Party at the Cuban Club 8 p.m. · Cuban Club
  10. Sun. Nov. 1 Fresh Market at Hyde Park Village 10 a.m. · Hyde Park Village
  11. Sun. Nov. 1 Gallery Talk with FMoPA curator Robin O'Dell 1 p.m. · Florida Museum of Photographic Arts
  12. Sun. Nov. 1 Buccaneers vs. Atlanta Falcons 1 p.m. · Raymond James Stadium

Plan your weekend

Fourth of July Tampa Fourth of July fireworks 2027 Tampa's 2027 Fourth of July plans are not out yet. In 2026 the city's free Liberty by the Bay at Julian B. Lane Park ended with drones and fireworks at 9 p.m. · 4 min read Halloween Trick-or-treat hours in Tampa 2026 Tampa sets no official trick-or-treat hours; Halloween is Saturday, Oct. 31. Riverwalk Trick-or-Treat Oct. 24, county trunk-or-treats and safety numbers. · 4 min read Valentine's Day Valentine's Day in Tampa 2027: events, dinners, date ideas Valentine's Day is Sunday, Feb. 14, 2027. Tampa dinners and events as venues announce them, plus date ideas from Ybor City to the Riverwalk. · 3 min read Spring break Spring break in Tampa 2027: school dates, camps, what's open Hillsborough County Public Schools spring break is March 22-26, 2027, plus March 29 off. Camps at the aquarium and MOSI, and what is open in Tampa. · 4 min read Easter Easter in Tampa 2027: egg hunts, brunch and services Easter is Sunday, March 28, 2027. Radiant Church's Easter services at the Tampa Convention Center, last year's aquarium egg hunt and zoo brunch, closures. · 4 min read Mother's Day Mother's Day in Tampa 2027: brunch, events and gift markets Mother's Day is Sunday, May 9, 2027. Last year's Tampa offers, from free aquarium entry for moms to Hyde Park Village teas, plus the markets that weekend. · 3 min read Memorial Day Memorial Day in Tampa 2027: ceremonies, closures, trash Memorial Day is Monday, May 31, 2027. City offices close, trash pickup skips a day, Veterans Memorial Park hosts the regional ceremony. · 4 min read Summer Summer in Tampa 2027: camps, pools and splash pads Summer in Tampa 2027: school ends May 28. City camp registration (March 30 in 2026), 12 city pools, 10 free splash pads and aquarium AquaCamps. · 6 min read Father's Day Father's Day in Tampa 2027: events, car shows, brunch Father's Day is Sunday, June 20, 2027. Last year: free aquarium entry for dads and a Hyde Park Village brunch. Juneteenth closures on June 18. · 4 min read Labor Day Labor Day in Tampa 2027: events, closures, trash pickup Labor Day is Monday, Sept. 6, 2027. City offices close, Monday trash gets no make-up day, McKay Bay closes and city pools ran holiday open swim in 2026. · 4 min read Christmas Tampa Santa Fest parade and tree lighting: Dec. 5, 2026 Tampa's Santa Fest is Saturday, Dec. 5: the parade steps off at 1 p.m. on Madison Street, then Santa Fest at Curtis Hixon Park and the tree lighting at 6 p.m. · 6 min read High school football Friday night football 2026: Tampa schedule Tampa high school football for the rest of the 2026 regular season: Middleton at Hillsborough and Robinson at King on Oct. 16, Bloomingdale at Plant Oct. 23. · 3 min read Fall festivals Fall festivals and pumpkin patches in Tampa 2026 Tampa's fall festivals: Taste of Latino in Ybor Oct. 25, Oktoberfest on the river Oct. 30 to Nov. 1, Creatures of the Night at ZooTampa and county Halloween events. · 3 min read Halloween Halloween events in Tampa 2026 Halloween 2026 in Tampa: Riverwalk Trick-or-Treat Oct. 24, Creatures of the Night at ZooTampa, Guppyween, Howl-O-Scream and a Cuban Club party Oct. 31. · 7 min read Thanksgiving Thanksgiving in Tampa 2026: turkey trot, meals, closures Thanksgiving in Tampa is Thursday, Nov. 26: the YMCA Turkey Gobble, Metropolitan Ministries holiday meals, city offices closed Nov. 26-27 and trash notes. · 4 min read Black Friday Black Friday and holiday shopping in Tampa 2026 Black Friday is Nov. 27 and Small Business Saturday Nov. 28. Tampa mall hours as each center posts them, Hyde Park Village's Nov. 19 kickoff, parking. · 4 min read Christmas Holiday lights and Christmas events in Tampa 2026 Tampa holiday lights 2026: Busch Gardens Christmas Town from Nov. 13, ZooTampa's Christmas in the Wild, Hyde Park Village's Nov. 19 lighting, Hanukkah Dec. 4. · 6 min read New Year's Eve New Year's Eve in Tampa 2026: events, fireworks, closures New Year's Eve 2026 in Tampa: what organizers have announced, ZooTampa's daytime countdown last year, the Florida fireworks law and Jan. 1 closures. · 5 min read Brunch Brunch in Tampa: where to go and when it is served Weekend brunch in Tampa from restaurants' own pages: Oxford Exchange, Steelbach and M.Bird at Armature Works, Ro and Bulla in Hyde Park, and Willa's. · 4 min read Dogs Dog-friendly Tampa: dog parks, beaches, patios and leash rules Tampa's 18 city dog parks and two dog beaches with addresses, the leash ordinance and dog park rules, plus markets and patios where dogs are welcome. · 5 min read Kids Kids' activities in Tampa: playgrounds, splash pads, rainy days Things to do with kids in Tampa: city playgrounds and 10 free splash pads, MOSI, the aquarium and ZooTampa for rainy days, library programs and day camps. · 4 min read Trails Tampa walking and biking trails: distances, parking, trailheads Tampa trails with distances and parking: Bayshore's waterfront sidewalk, the 2.6-mile Riverwalk, the 1.7-mile Selmon Greenway and park loops from 0.9 miles. · 5 min read Riverwalk A guide to the Tampa Riverwalk: parks, museums, parking, events The 2.6-mile Tampa Riverwalk downtown: its four parks, museums, water taxis, the monument trail, where to park and the big free events on the river. · 5 min read Nightlife Live music and nightlife in Tampa: venues, rooftops, jazz Tampa live music and nightlife venues with addresses and official links: The Ritz Ybor, The Orpheum, Hard Rock Event Center, M.Bird, jazz in Hyde Park. · 4 min read Free Free things to do in Tampa: parks, beaches, markets, music Free things to do in Tampa: the Riverwalk and Bayshore, bay beaches, 10 splash pads, Ybor's Saturday market, Rock the Park, a monthly car show and free events. · 4 min read Date night Date night in Tampa: dinner, theaters, wine bars, late nights Date night in Tampa from venues' own pages: Bern's dessert room, Columbia's flamenco show, Tampa Theatre, Cru Cellars, jazz at Bouzy and M.Bird's rooftop. · 5 min read Gasparilla Children's Gasparilla: parade time, route, seats and parking Children's Gasparilla is Saturday, Jan. 23, 2027, on Bayshore Boulevard. Free; the parade starts at 3:30 p.m. and fireworks close the night at 7 p.m. · 5 min read Gasparilla Gasparilla Pirate Fest: invasion, parade times, seats, parking Gasparilla Pirate Fest is Saturday, Jan. 30, 2027: the invasion docks at 1 p.m. and the Parade of Pirates runs 2 to 6 p.m. on Bayshore. Free to attend. · 6 min read Florida State Fair Florida State Fair 2027: dates, hours, tickets and parking The Florida State Fair runs Feb. 4-15, 2027, at the fairgrounds on U.S. 301 in Tampa. Advance tickets $11.75 adults, $7.50 kids; parking $8 in advance. · 5 min read Knight Parade Sant'Yago Knight Parade in Ybor City: date, time and seats The Sant'Yago Illuminated Knight Parade lights up Seventh Avenue in Ybor City each February. 2026 was Feb. 14 at 7 p.m.; the 2027 date is not out yet. · 3 min read Gasparilla Festival of the Arts Gasparilla Festival of the Arts: dates, parking and shuttles The free Gasparilla Festival of the Arts brings 250-plus artists to Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park. 2026 was Feb. 28 to March 1; 2027 dates are not out yet. · 4 min read Restaurants Where to eat in Tampa: lists by category Every Tampa where-to-eat list: wings, pizza, Mexican, barbecue, breakfast, burgers, sushi and Asian, desserts, bakeries and patios. · 3 min read Wings Where to get wings in Tampa: Dale Mabry, Fowler and Seminole Heights 13 Tampa wing places at 18 locations, on Dale Mabry Highway, West Hillsborough Avenue, Fowler Avenue and in Seminole Heights, with hours. · 7 min read Pizza Where to get pizza in Tampa: Ybor City, South Howard and downtown Pizza in Tampa: 38 pizzerias at 42 locations plus six delivery chains inside the city limits, from Ybor City and South Howard to New Tampa. · 11 min read Mexican food Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants in Tampa: Ybor, downtown, Hyde Park Mexican and Tex-Mex in Tampa: 40 restaurants and taquerias plus five chains in the city limits, from Ybor City and downtown to Hyde Park. · 10 min read Barbecue Where to get barbecue in Tampa: Dale Mabry, Armenia and Florida Ave. 12 barbecue restaurants inside Tampa's city limits, from South Tampa and Dale Mabry Highway to North Armenia and North Florida avenues, with hours. · 5 min read Breakfast Breakfast and coffee in Tampa: Ybor, Hyde Park, downtown Breakfast and coffee in Tampa: 25 local cafes, bagel shops and breakfast restaurants plus the chains, from Ybor City and downtown to Hyde Park. · 9 min read Burgers Where to get burgers in Tampa: South Howard, downtown and Westshore Burgers in Tampa: eight burger restaurants at 10 locations inside the city limits, from South Howard and downtown to Westshore, plus the chains. · 5 min read Sushi Sushi and Asian restaurants in Tampa: Seminole Heights to Midtown Sushi and Asian food in Tampa: 23 restaurants checked on their own sites and 37 more with state licenses, from Seminole Heights to Midtown. · 10 min read Ice cream Ice cream and desserts in Tampa: Ybor, Hyde Park and Water Street Ice cream, gelato and frozen yogurt in Tampa: 16 shops at 23 locations in the city limits, from Ybor City and Water Street to Hyde Park. · 6 min read Bakeries Bakeries in Tampa: Cuban bread, doughnuts and cakes, by neighborhood Bakeries in Tampa: 17 bakeries, doughnut and cake shops at 20 locations, from La Segunda in Ybor City to Alessi on Cypress Street. · 5 min read Patios Patios and outdoor dining in Tampa: Riverwalk, Ybor and Seminole Heights Outdoor dining in Tampa: 13 places at 17 locations whose own sites name a patio, rooftop or outdoor seating, from the Riverwalk to Ybor City. · 6 min read

Event news

Nutcracker Nutcracker in Tampa 2026: dates, times and tickets Next Generation Ballet's Nutcracker plays the Straz Center Dec. 18-22, with six shows. Tampa City Ballet dances it at USF Dec. 5-8 and in New Tampa Dec. 11-19. · 4 min read Veterans Day Tampa Veterans Day 2026: tribute, parade and closings Hillsborough County's 62nd Veterans Day Tribute is 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Veterans Memorial Park. Free. City offices and schools close; trash notes. · 5 min read Gasparilla Bowl Gasparilla Bowl 2026: date, kickoff, tickets and parking The Gasparilla Bowl is Friday, Dec. 18, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. at Raymond James Stadium on ESPN. Teams are picked Dec. 6, and tickets go on sale after that. · 4 min read Arts Arts and exhibitions in Tampa: October 2026 Tampa arts to late November: Hamilton at the Straz from Oct. 21, Jobsite's Misery, David Hockney at the Tampa Museum of Art and A Soldier's Lens at FMoPA. · 5 min read Things to do Things to do in Tampa this weekend, Oct. 16 to 18 Tampa this weekend: the Pig Jig on the river Saturday, Bucs vs. Steelers Sunday, the Lightning, Creatures of the Night at ZooTampa and Spooktacular Science. · 5 min read