Top Events Taking Place In Tampa Bay Feb. 15-17

TAMPA BAY, FL -- Wondering what to do this weekend? Here are some ideas:

Bay Area Renaissance Festival

Step back 400 years in the past and explore the world of knights, minstrels and damsels in distress at the annual Bay Area Renaissance Festival, opening Feb. 16 at the Museum of Science & Industry, 11315 N. 46th St., Tampa.

Running each weekend from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through March 29, the event features themed weekends, a recreated 16th-century marketplace with more than 100 artisans, 12 stages of minstrel, marionette, magic, court jester and dance shows as well as full armor jousting competitions, a live mermaid cove, roaming musicians and traditional and modern-day treats and savory eats.

Advance tickets are $18.95 for adults and children over 13 and $10.95 for children age 5 to 12. Click here.

Tickets at the gate are $21.95 and $13.95. Students and seniors pay $17.95 at the gate.
There will be a blood and food drive during the first three weekends of the festival.

Those who donate blood will receive a free ticket and those who donate four cans of food will receive a bogo voucher.

For more information, click here.

Florida State Fair

The Florida State Fair will continue through Feb. 18 at the Florida State Fairgrounds on U.S. 301 in Tampa, just off Interstate 4.

The fair features deep-fried food, midway rides, agriculture exhibits, equestrian events and entertainment.

Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and President's Day, the gates will open at 9 a.m. with the midway opening at 10 a.m. Gates will close between 9:30 and 10 p.m.

Click here for discount tickets.

Arab Festival

The Arab American Community Festival will host its ninth annual Arab Festival on Sunday, Feb. 17 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Water Works Park, 1710 N. Highland Ave., Tampa.

The festival will include live music and dance performances, interactive visual arts, food vendors and craft exhibitors. For the first time, the AACC is teaming up with Art2Action Inc. (a Tampa-based nonprofit arts organization), to bring hip hop artists to the Arab Festival from around the U.S. National guest artists will include Muslim-American hip hop dancer Amirah Sackett and rap artist Waheeb Nasan.

Locally based artists and performers will include visual artist Ameena Khan, who will facilitate interactive community painting for children and adults, throughout the day.

For information, click here.

Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival

The annual Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival will take Saturday, Feb. 16 from noon to 6 p.m. at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, 600 N. Ashley Drive, Tampa.

It's a day of beer sippin', bourbon tastin', music listenin', cigar smokin' and barbecue eatin'.

All guests will receive a souvenir glass for tastings.. There will be more than 40 bourbons to taste and 60 beers on tap.

Local restaurants will be cooking up their best barbecue.

There will be seminars in the Tasting Theater with Master Distillers, Brewmasters and Pit Masters From the Deep South.

Live rock and blues will be performed on the main stage and there will be a giant Jenga and cornhole tournaments along with competitions including Tampa's Best Beer Belly, Drink Like A Lady and Bacon Eating.

General admission tickets are $40. Click here.

PurpleStride

PurpleStride returns to Vinoy Park in St. Petersburg on Saturday, Feb. 16, to raise funds and awareness for pancreatic cancer. A signature event of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, PurpleStride is a day when patients, their families and friends can come together to gain both comfort and encouragement.

To register, click here.

Art And Seafood On The Waterfront

The Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce will host Art & Seafood on the Waterfront Feb. 16-17 in Waterfront Park in Safety Harbor, 110 Veterans Memorial Lane, Safety Harbor, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

This new and improved event builds upon the momentum of the city's 17-year Seafood Festival.
The event will feature a juried art show in addition to the area's top restaurants and food trucks offering seafood dishes and more.

Featured food vendors include Frenchy's, Crabby Bill's, Broke n Bored, Got Lobstah, Daydreamers Cafe, Fllapjacks, First Quaiity Sausage, Southern Steer, Coffee Kuz, Froyo Fresh, Kona Ice, Hawaiian Honeycomb, GoGoGlacier, Mookies and Tea Jug.

The event is free to the public. VIP tickets are available for $75 per day and includes access to VIP covered seating, snacks and beverages and a catered meal from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday.

Click here for tickets.

Tampa Bay Chocolate Festival

The fourth annual Tampa Bay Chocolate Festival will take place Saturday, Feb. 16 from 2 to 9 p.m. at the Carrollwood Cultural Center, 4537 Lowell Road, Tampa.

Sponsored by the Carrollwood Village Home Owners Association, the festival will feature food trucks that incorporate chocolate into their menus, local gourmet chocolate vendors, live music and Generation Championship Wrestling stars.

Click here for information.

Dave Mason And Steve Cropper On Stage

For the first time at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Dave Mason and Steve Cropper come together on one stage Saturday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. Special guests include Lords of 52nd Street and Legends of the Billy Joel Band.

Tickets are $83, $55, $39 and $29.

A $135 pre-show party package includes a premium seat and access to the party lounge including high-end appetizers, dessert and coffee, plus one beer, wine or soda, beginning two hours prior to show time.

Click here.

Cruisin' At The Cap

The sixth annual Cruisin' at the Cap Car Show will take place Sunday, Feb. 17 from noon to 5 p.m. on Cleveland Street in downtown Clearwater.

Look over classic cars while enjoying live music from Sail On: The Beach Boys Tribute Band and Kayla Ember.

Specialty food vendors will have food and beverages available for sale.

Admission is free. Click here.

The Golden Boys

The Golden Boys starring Frankie Avalon, Fabian and Bobby Rydell return to Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater Sunday, Feb. 17 at 1 p.m.

They will perform some of their greatest hits from the '50s and '60s.

Tickets are $125, $78.75, $52.75, $42.75 and $30.

Click here.

An Evening With Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac will perform at the Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa, Monday, Feb. 18 at 8 p.m.

Tickets are still available through Ticketmaster and range from $142 to $6,614. Click here.

Image via Renaissance Fest

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