Top 15 Tampa Bay area events for the week of Oct. 11-17

Kelly A. Stefani, Tampa Bay Times
·6 min read

Tampa Pro: SPoT, as it’s known to fans, is hosting the 27th edition of Tampa Pro, one of the most important professional tournaments on the skateboarding calendar and one that draws top names in the sport and famous fans like Lil Wayne. You can watch a live webcast of Sunday’s finals at SPoTTampa.com. $15 and up, $60 for a weekend pass. 9 a.m. Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m. Sunday. SkatePark of Tampa, 4215 E Columbus Drive. 813-621-6793.

Clearwater Jazz Holiday: The 42nd annual jazz festival returns with performances by Kool and the Gang, Snarky Puppy, Gloria Gaynor, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Lettuce, Dustbowl Revival and more. Tickets start at $10 a day, with packages available. 3:30-10 p.m. Thursday, 3:45-11 p.m. Friday, 3-10:45 p.m. Saturday, 3-10 p.m. Sunday. BayCare Ballpark (formerly Spectrum Field), 601 N Old Coachman Road, Clearwater. 727-461-5200.

SHINE St. Petersburg Mural Festival: Murals created by international artists between 2015 and 2021 are available for viewing in and around downtown St. Petersburg. Go to stpeteartsalliance.org for an electronic map. Printed maps are available at the St. Pete Store and Visitors Center, 100 Second Ave. N, throughout October. Meet the artists at an opening reception from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Morean Arts Center, 719 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. In celebration of the conclusion of the festival, 77 artists will create new works depicting Shine 7 from 6 to 10 p.m. Oct. 22 at Mize Gallery, 689 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N, St. Petersburg. Free. View the murals anytime Friday through Oct. 31 in and around the Grand Central District, 1800 block of Central Avenue, St. Petersburg. 727-754-6404.

Pops in the Park: Pack a blanket and picnic basket and enjoy free music under the stars, a Florida Orchestra tradition for nearly 30 years. The show features film scores, Broadway hits and symphonic favorites. Daniel Black conducts. Free. 7 p.m. Saturday. Vinoy Park, 501 Fifth Ave. NE, St. Petersburg. Also, 7 p.m. Sunday. River Tower Park, 401 E Bird St., Tampa. 727-892-3331.

Marine Quest 2021: Join the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for a live from its St. Petersburg headquarters. Learn about current research projects during virtual visits with scientists. A question-and-answer session follows each presentation. You can also take a virtual field trip with scientists to get a closer look at data collection for three current projects. Go to myfwc.com and click on “watch live.” Free. 8:40 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday. 850-488-4676.

St. Petersburg Science Festival: This annual regional celebration gives people a chance to explore the wonders of hands-on science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM). On Friday, students can experience STEAM through a series of interactive online demonstrations and ask questions of exhibitors. Saturday is open to the general public with virtual links to hands-on activities. Go to stpetescifest.org and click on “2021 Interactive Festival.” Free. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, 9-10:30 a.m. Saturday. 727-873-4332.

Bucs Beach Bash: Party like a pirate at this three-day celebration of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Thursday features DJ dancing, contests, happy hour specials and watching the Bucs take on the Philadelphia Eagles on a big screen on the beach. Friday includes live music on the beach featuring headliner country star Angie Rey and a cornhole tournament. Saturday includes live music on the beach featuring headliner Pirate Flag, DJ dancing, contests, a cornhole tournament and fireworks. Free. 4-8:20 p.m. Thursday, 1-8 p.m. Friday, noon-10 p.m. Saturday. TradeWinds Island Resorts, 5500 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach. 727-367-6461.

Vince Neil: The legendary voice of Motley Crue performs with Great White. $40. 8 p.m. Thursday. Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 5223 Orient Road, Tampa. 813-627-7625.

For King & Country: The four-time Grammy-winning cross-genre Christian duo Joel and Luke Smallbone perform. Masks and social distancing are recommended. $20-$150. 7-10 p.m. Saturday. Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa. 813-301-6500.

CarnEvil 2: The Halloween Experience: This carnival on Westfield Street brings dark aerial circus acts, roaming characters, haunted sideshows, zombie break dancers, psychics, carnival games, a haunted pumpkin patch and more. Free. 7-10 p.m. Saturday. Westfield Brandon mall, 459 Brandon Town Center. 863-797-9962.

Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo: Four-time Grammy Award-winning rock singer Pat Benatar and her guitarist-producer husband Neil Giraldo return to Clearwater for their first show at Ruth Eckerd Hall since 2008. $54 and up. 8 p.m. Sunday. Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen-Booth Road, Clearwater. 727-791-7400.

St. Petersburg Opera: In Mozart’s comedy Cosi fan tutte, two sets of lovers test their belief in fidelity. $15 and up. 8 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Sunday. St. Petersburg Opera, 2145 First Ave. S. 727-823-2040.

Tampa Taco Fest: Tacos are the main dish at this foodie festival with Mexican delicacies and drinks, vendors, a dog kissing booth, an interactive area by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers street team and more. $5-$10. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday. Al Lopez Park, 4810 N Himes Ave., Tampa. 888-981-7218.

HR Train Show: The 73rd annual show features trains from Garden to Z scale. Find running layouts, railroad memorabilia, vintage trains, toy trains, door prizes and how-to seminars with manufacturers. $7, $3 ages 12-17, 11 and younger free. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Pinellas Park Performing Arts Center, 4951 78th Ave. N. 727-526-4682.

A Nightmare on Franklin Street: The annual 16-day horror movie festival kicks off this weekend.

  • Nightmare 2021 begins with a free screening of The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. The film’s stars, local actors Eugenie Bondurant and Paul Wilson, will be available for a Q&A, autographs and photos after the show. Free (reservation required). 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

  • Nightmare 2021 continues with a screening of the 1994 comedy Ed Wood, Tim Burton’s funny look at a creative person whose works often left people scratching their heads. $10, $7 members. 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

  • Late-night Sunday features a screening of the 1979 thriller Alien, in which a crew in deep space responds to a distress call and boards a ship taken over by a monster that preys on them. $10, $7 members. 9 p.m. Sunday.

It all takes place at Tampa Theatre, 711 N Franklin St. 813-274-8286.

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