Top Events Taking Place In Tampa Bay Feb. 1-3

TAMPA BAY, FL -- Wondering what to do this weekend? Here are some events taking place in Tampa Bay that may be of interest:

St. Pete Beach Seafood & Music Festival

The St. Pete Beach Seafood & Music Festival on Corey Avenue in downtown St. Pete Beach will run Feb. 1-3.

Food booths will open at noon on Friday with live music kicking off from 4 to 10 p.m.

The festival continues Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with free admission.

Visitors can choose from a variety of seafood, meat and vegetarian dishes prepared on site by local restaurants and food purveyors. Both alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic will be available.

While dining, visitors can enjoy some of Florida’s top R&B, blues, jazz, rock and Caribbean sounds.

Performers Friday night are Mike Tozier (country, folk, Delta blues), The New Rulers (ska, reggae, soul, rocksteady) and the Bob Marley Tribute Band featuring Yvad, former lead singer of the Wailers (reggae).

Rocking the event on Saturday are Kettle of Fish (rock), CeCe Teneal & Soul Kamotion (blues, soul, roots), the Billy Rice Band (country rock), Reverend Barry & The Funk (funk, soul) and the Caribbean Chillers (Jimmy Buffet Tribute Band).

Sunday performers are the Sarasota Steel Pan Band (calypso, reggae, Latin, Brazilian), Twinkle & Rock Soul Radio (rock, soul), the Black Honkeys Band (funk, rock, R&B) and the U.S. Stones (Rolling Stones Tribute Band).

The event also will include a marketplace of fine arts, crafts and select fine products and food items.

Light Up The Night

The Pasco County Sheriff's Office is raising awareness to end human trafficking by hosting the Light Up the Night concert with Christian music artist Jonny Diaz and a candlelight vigil on Saturday, Feb. 2 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Trinity College of Florida, 2430 Welbilt Blvd., Trinity.

All donations will benefit organizations that help human trafficking survivors.

Click here for information.

2Cool Art Show

The eighth annual 2Coll Art Show, hosted by the Professional Association of Visual Artists, the City of Gulfport and the Gulfport Merchants Association. will take place Feb. 2-3 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the historic Gulfport Casino Ballroom, 5500 Shore Blvd. S., Gulfport.

This juried fine art and fine craft show gives winter visitors a sampling of the high-caliber work for which the summer Cool Art Show is so well known. Thirty-five juried artists will show and sell a variety of hand-crafted visual and functional works in paint, wood, ceramics, photography, metal, glass, mixed media and jewelry.

Admission and parking are free. The Gulfport Trolley will be in operation during the show.

World Ukulele Day Festival II

The Tampa Bay Ukulele Society will host the World Ukulele Day Festival II on Saturday, Feb. 2 from 1:30 to 8:30 p.m. at John R. Lawrence Pioneer Park at 420 Main Street, Dunedin.

The event will include ukulele jams, performers, lessons, food vendors, merchandise and raffled. Bring your chairs and coolers for this festival in the park.
The event will include free ukulele workshops for kids age 8 and up from 3:25 to 3:30 p.m. and from 3:30 to 3:55 p.m. Tampa Bay Ukulele Society members will show children how to hold, strum and play a few chords to sing along children's songs. Twenty loaner ukuleles will be available if you don’t own one. Sign up at the society booth on event day to reserve a uke. Lessons will be amplified so the whole audience can participate.

Click here for a schedule of events.

Puppy Bowl

Join Achieva Credit Union and the Dunedin community for a grand re-opening ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 2, to celebrate the expansion of the Achieva Paw Park. Dog lovers and their furry friends are invited to dress in their NFL best at this free event that features a Puppy Bowl, an array of vendors and adoptable dogs from Dunedin Doggie Rescue.

Dunedin Mayor Julie Ward Bujalski and members of the Dunedin Parks & Recreation Department will join Achieva in a ribbon-cutting at 10 a.m. to officially unveil the expanded Paw Park.

The Puppy Bowl starts at 11 a.m., featuring a group of adoptable chihuahuas available through Dunedin Doggie Rescue. Other breeds of adoptable dogs from Dunedin Doggie Rescue will also be at the event.

Achieva Credit Union teamed up with the City of Dunedin on the dog park’s expansion as a way to bring dog owners together in a community setting – specifically to help fill the need for a bigger dog park in Dunedin, since Happy Tails Dog Park will permanently close in February.

The expanded 1.25-acre Paw Park, which is next door to Achieva’s corporate headquarters in Dunedin, has plenty of room for dogs of all sizes to roam and play. Among the highlights of the park are a taller fence for the large dog area, new trees for additional shading and more seating options. Other amenities include agility poles, dog tunnels, water fountains and waste stations.

Pup Crawl

Five bars in St. Petersburg's Grand District Central Association will host the annual Pup Crawn dog-friendly fundraiser Saturday, Feb. 2 from 4 to 8 p.m. Join us for our Annual Pup Crawl! This is a dog friendly fundraiser that includes a walk to five local bars in the Grand District Central Association.

The crawl will begin at Pinellas Ale Works, 1962 1st Ave. S., with a Pre-Pawty Check-In from 2 to 4 p.m. to register and make sure all pups are up to date on their vaccinations. Participants will also collect their swag bags and raffle tickets while saving $10 on the $35 admission. Additionally, these dog vendors will be on hand: J. Tails, Healthy Hemp Outlet, Pet Food Warehouse, Three Dog Bakery, Woof Gang Bakery, Waggles and Bath N’ Doggie Works.

Pinellas Ale Works also will be the first stop on the Pup Crawl from 4 to 4:45 p.m. followed by Cage Brewing from 4:50 to 5:30 p.m., swah-rey at 2105 Central Ave. from 5:40 to 6:20 p.m., Right Around the Corner from 6:30 to 7:10 p.m. and Dog Bar St. Pete from 7:20 to 8 p.m.

Each stop will have entertainment and drink specials along with free Primo Water for both people and pups. The winner of the 50/50 raffle will be announced at Right Around the Corner.

All proceeds benefit Pet Pal Animal Shelter. Pre-register here.

Super Bowl Chili Cook-Off

The Landing Bar & Grill, 4351 Lynx Paw Trail, Valrico, will host its fifth annual Super Bowl Party and Chili Cook-Off Sunday, Feb. 3 at 5 p.m.

Tickets are $15 and include reserved seated for the game, a halftime buffet, a raffle ticket to win a 42-inch television, door prizes and swag.

The cost to enter the chili cook-off is $5. The first-place winner will receive $50 and a trophy.

Call 813-653-0002 for reservations.

Live Art Auction

Congregation Beth Shalom of Brandon will host its annual fundraising live art auction on Saturday, Feb. 2 at 4:30 p.m. at the Elks Lodge of Brandon, 800 Centennial Lodge Drive of Brandon.

The theme is "Hollywood Salute to Our Heroes" and proceeds will benefit the Special Operations Wounded Warrior Foundation.

Tickets are $40 and include a live and silent auction of art, memorabilia and collectibles, a buffet dinner, paparazzi photos, dancing and door prizes.

Click here for tickets.

Give-Back Night

On Friday. Feb. 1, Grain and Berry Westchase, 11622 Countryway Boulevard, Westchase, will host a Give-Back Night for the Westchase Charitable Foundation. Twenty percent of sales will go directly to the foundation in an effort to help local families in need.

The foundation began in 2004 to help a local family with an 8-year old child battling terminal brain cancer. Since its inception, the WCF has provided more than $500,000 in direct financial grants to families across the greater Tampa Bay area. While the foundation has its roots in Westchase, more than 90 percent of the actual grant recipients reside outside of the Westchase area.

This event is being hosted in partnership with Tampa Bay Woman of the Year nominee Cady Baer.

Grain and Berry superfood cafe specializes in Acai Bowls, Pitaya Bowls, Spirulina Bowls, Kale Bowls, Oatmeal Bowls, Yogurt Bowls, smoothies, avocado toast, fresh juices and international coffees. Click here.

Image via Achieva Credit Union

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