Plus, record number of manatees spotted.
 
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🗓️ Ready, set, leap

Get ready for February with these Tampa Bay area events
A corndog at the Florida State Fair. The words "#FL State Fair" are written on the corndog in ketchup and mustart. There are blue skies in the background above a variety of food trucks and stalls.
Nothing beats a fairground corn dog. | Photo by City of Tampa
And just like that, February has arrived. It seems like 2024 only just started, but we’re already saying goodbye to January.

February might be the shortest month of the year — even with the leap day — but there’s still plenty to do in the Tampa Bay area. We rounded up 17 of the biggest events:

An Evening in Celebration of Frederick Douglass | Wednesday, Feb. 7 | 6:30 p.m. | Tampa Bay History Center, 801 Old Water St., Tampa | Free | Learn about the abolitionist’s work and listen to his writings with a series of talks and performances.

Florida State Fair | Thursday, Feb. 8-Monday, Feb. 19 | 11 a.m.-9 p.m. | Florida State Fairgrounds, 4800 US Hwy. 301 N., Tampa | $6-$16 | The annual event is back, featuring fair eats + drinks galore, animal shows, rides, games, and a host of other family-friendly fun.

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons: “The Last Encores” | Thursday, Feb. 8 | 8 p.m. | Hard Rock Event Center, 5223 Orient Rd., Tampa | $250+ | Oh, what a night you could have with a trip to the casino to watch the legendary band on their farewell tour.

Gladys Knight performs at the White House. She is wearing a gold dress and smiling into a microphone.

Gladys Knight is among several legendary musicians gracing stages around TBAY this February.

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Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Sant’ Yago Knight Parade | Saturday, Feb. 10 | 7 p.m. | Downtown Ybor City, E. Seventh Ave. and N. 14th St., Tampa | Free | This annual parade has run since 1976 and is a celebration of Tampa’s storied Latin heritage, featuring floats, beads, and party vibes.

Gladys Knight | Wednesday, Feb. 14 | 8 p.m. | Mahaffey Theater, 400 First St. S., St. Petersburg | $53+ | The seven-time Grammy winner has no shortage of memorable hits — head down to listen to soul, pop, R&B, and gospel classics by the Burg’s waterfront.

Gasparilla Music Festival 2024 | Friday, Feb. 16-Sunday, Feb. 18 | Times vary | Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, 1001 N. Blvd., Tampa | $53+ | Soak in the vibes and music over the weekend, with 50+ acts performing across five stages, plus proceeds benefit youth music education in Hillsborough County and local professional musicians.
11 more events
 
Events
Wednesday, Jan. 31
  • “Dalí & the Impressionists: Monet, Renoir, Degas & More” | Wednesday, Jan. 31-Sunday, April 28 | Times vary | The Dalí Museum, 1 Dali Blvd., St. Petersburg | $0-$29 | The special exhibit features 18 of Dalí’s early paintings and 22 French Impressionist paintings from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
  • Gentle Hatha Yoga | Wednesday, Jan. 31 | 10:30-11:30 a.m. | Sunken Gardens, 1825 Fourth St. N., St. Petersburg | $20-$25 | Awaken2Yoga leads this one-hour, gentle yoga flow in the beautiful botanical garden — ticket includes a Sunken Gardens day pass.
Thursday, Feb. 1
  • “Sex and the City” Trivia Night | Thursday, Feb. 1 | 7-9 p.m. | Top Shelf Sports Lounge, 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd., Wesley Chapel | Free entry | Unleash your inner Carrie Bradshaw and show off your SATC knowledge.
Friday, Feb. 2
  • Demetri Martin: “The Joke Machine Tour” | Friday, Feb. 2 | 8 p.m. | Tampa Theatre, 711 N. Franklin St., Tampa | $40+ | Chuckle along to jokes told by the award-winning comedian + actor at the historic downtown Tampa spot.
  • Opera Tampa: “Don Giovanni” | Friday, Feb. 2, Sunday, Feb. 4 | Times vary | The Straz Center for the Performing Arts, 1010 N. MacInnes Pl., Tampa | $55+ | Soak in Mozart’s famous opera which traces themes of romance, glamour, and includes unrivaled wit.
Saturday, Feb. 3
  • Saturday Morning Market | Saturday, Feb. 3 | 9 a.m.-2 p.m. | Al Lang Stadium, 230 First St. SE, St. Petersburg | Price of purchase | The popular market features veggies, fruits, meats, food trucks, artists, crafters, live music and entertainment.
  • Historic Mirror Lake Walking Tour | Saturday, Feb. 3 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club, 559 Mirror Lake Dr. N., St. Petersburg | $10+ | Explore and learn about the historic Mirror Lake and surrounding neighborhood.
Events calendar here
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News Notes
Fun Fact
  • A new record was set at TECO’s Manatee Viewing Center earlier this week. Staffers spotted 1,100 sea cows huddled in the water at the same time on Monday, Jan. 29. Officials say this winter’s cold water temperatures are bringing manatees aplenty to the center’s warmer waters. (WFLA)
Opening
  • A second Dave’s Hot Chicken location is coming to Tampa. The popular West Coast chain opened a store near USF last year, featuring its range of fried chicken goodness. Now, DHC is opening a fresh set of doors this Friday, Feb. 2 at 2961 N. Dale Mabry Hwy. (Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)
Holiday
  • Yelp has got your Valentine’s Day covered. The site rounded up 100 of the most romantic restaurants for celebrating, including three in TBAY: Pia’s Trattoria in Gulfport (No. 44), Yah Mon in Hyde Park (No. 78), and Olivia in South Tampa (No. 87). We rounded up some other date night spots.
Ranked
  • No. 6. That’s where Tampa ranked on WalletHub’s list of best places to get married. The rankings were based on factors like typical wedding costs, venues to choose from, and hotel availability. St. Pete ranked No. 39. We’ve got a guide for this, too.
Real Estate
  • When it comes to buying property, Belleair Beach is the most expensive part of Tampa Bay area, according to Stacker. That means for around the typical home value of ~$944,000, you could get something like this. Tierra Verde, Indian Rocks Beach, and St. Petersburg were among the top 10. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)
Civic
  • “It’s an exciting time to be in the best city in America.” Those were words spoken by St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch at his “State of the City” address yesterday at the Palladium Theater. Welch discussed upcoming projects in the Burg, like the Gas Plant District redevelopment, affordable housing, and the Rays’ stadium plans. (Bay News 9)
Pets
  • Who let the dogs out? The Parking Lot 4 outside Tropicana Field will host the inaugural Pets Day Out this Saturday, Feb. 3 from 12 to 5 p.m. That’s where you and Fido can enjoy demonstrations, vendors, music, games, vet care, accessories, and plenty of furry cuteness. Attendance is free. (I Love the Burg)
Number
  • 48,044. That’s how many people packed Tropicana Field for the WWE Royal Rumble on Saturday, Jan. 27. According to the venue, it was a record attendance, and the crowds were treated to high-octane wrestling performances from a host of stars. (I Love the Burg)
Community
  • A St. Petersburg couple just gave $2 million to Bayfront Health. The donation from Thomas and Mary James is the largest in the organization’s history. The money will be go toward the construction of a cardiac hybrid operating room at Bayfront Health St. Petersburg. (St. Pete Catalyst)
Eat
  • And the pitmasters are back for a second round. Don’t miss the Triple Crown of BBQ’s second leg of its three-event barbecue competition. Grills Gone Wild takes place Friday, Feb.9-Saturday, Feb. 10 + features live music, food trucks, select tastings, and the chance to see the pitmasters square off.*
Finance
  • One card, all the perks. Unlimited 1.5% cash back, a sign-up bonus worth hundreds, and 0% intro APR for 15 months (all with no annual fee) almost sounds too good to be true — but this card has it all.*
 
Sports

🌟 St. Pete’s NFL star

This St. Pete native is heading to a second straight Super Bowl
Marquez Valdes-Scantling is airborne as he attempts to catch a football. There is a Baltimore Ravens player closing him down.
Eyes on the prize. | Photo by Kyle Rivas
If you watched the NFL’s AFC Championship Game last weekend, you would have seen a Tampa Bay native on the field. With around two minutes left, St. Pete’s very own Marquez Valdes-Scantling caught a 32-yard pass, effectively sealing the victory for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Valdes-Scantling — also known as MVS — played football at Lakewood High School, before moving to North Carolina State. It wasn’t long before he returned home, becoming a USF Bull in 2015, where he finished his college career. The Green Bay Packers drafted the speedy wide receiver in 2018, and he later joined the Chiefs in 2022.

Less than a year later, the Chiefs won Super Bowl LVII, making MVS just the 15th USF Bull to win the accolade. He now hopes to become only the third Bull to win multiple Super Bowls — after Austin Reiter and Jason Pierre-Paul — when the Chiefs play the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Feb. 11 in Las Vegas.
The Buy

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The Wrap
 
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Today’s edition by:
Patrick
From the editor
If you’re wondering what to do with all those Gasparilla beads lying around, don’t forget about the recycling program at the Florida Aquarium. Not only will you protect local wildlife, but you’ll also help the MacDonald Training Center + score discounted admission for every five gallons delivered through Sunday, Feb. 11.
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