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It’s kind of a big month ™️

An aerial view of the Florida Strawberry Festival's rides, booths, and entertainment pavilions

The Florida Strawberry Festival’s has been ranked one of the top 40 fairs in the US — and we can see why. | Photo by LALtoday

Lucky you. You just found TBAYtoday’s Plan Ahead, a list of some of the biggest events to plan for that are taking place throughout Tampa Bay each month.

Take out your calendar, grab your day planner, or text all your friends — these are the top events we recommend heading to this month. Psst: Don’t forget to bookmark this page and come back. We update our guide monthly.

Arts

Festivals

50+ more of the biggest local events

Events

Tuesday, March 3

Wednesday, March 4

Thursday, March 5

Slime Making Class | 5-7 p.m. | Armature Works | $36+

Baroque Resonance: Classical Guitar with René Izquierdo | 7-8 p.m. | Museum of Fine Arts St. Pete | $15+

Friday, March 6

2026 Food, Wine & Garden Festival | Friday, March 6-Sunday, May 10 | Times vary | Bush Gardens Tampa | Free

Saturday, March 7

Mirror Lake Championship Shuffleboard Tournament | Saturday, March 7-Sunday, March 8 | Times vary | St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club | $37+

Sunday, April 5

Easter Grand Buffet at The Terrace Grille | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | Terrace Grille Lakeland, Lakeland | $45+ | Celebrate Easter with a festive buffet at The Terrace Grille featuring an abundant spread of coastal favorites, seasonal classics, and decadent desserts, plus a visit from the Easter Bunny.*

See our full events calendar

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News Notes

Try This

The Rays want your feedback on their much-discussed prospective new Dale Mabry digs. The team will share the current vision, answer questions, and listen to community perspectives from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Dale Mabry Student Services Auditorium. There are two more upcoming sessions, too. (WUSF News)

Announced

What’s going on with the historic Jackson House’s restoration? Jackson House Foundation leadership report they’ve raised millions to help fund the project to turn the 24-room boarding house into a museum and educational center — and they hope to finish the project by 2028. (Tampa Bay Times)

Sports

USF Men’s Basketball just wrapped up another stellar regular season, clinching the American Conference regular season title over the weekend. What’s next? The team takes on Memphis this Thursday, March 5, and Charlotte on Sunday, March 8, at the Yuengling Center. (That’s So Tampa)

Number

12. That’s how many seconds Alex Palou won by at Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg race. He’s now won half of the last 18 IndyCar races. Take a calculated look at the Spanish racer’s dominance with this take. (Tampa Bay Times)

Open

Atlanta-based chain Cinnaholic opened over the weekend in the Burg. The vegan bakery serves 20+ kinds of frosting goodness, with 20+ varieties of toppings too, of course. Bailey is eyeing the Cookie Monster roll. (I Love the Burg)

Community

Feeding Tampa Bay now serves medically tailored meals for BayCare Health System patients dealing with chronic health issues like diabetes and obesity. As part of the pilot program, recipients will monitor their blood pressure + blood levels to see how access to healthy food impacts their health. (St. Pete Catalyst)

Opening

Swig isn’t the only Utah-based brand to set up shop in TBAY. Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill opens in Palm Harbor in June. What’s on the menu? The first-ever Florida location will sling burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, tacos, and nachos. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

Coming Soon

Speaking of Mexican-inspired eats, Nueva Cantina also opens in Palm Harbor this summer. It’s the fourth location for the brand in its pursuit “to become Tampa Bay’s go-to destination for tacos and margaritas,” according to a release. (Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)

Shop

Nordstrom’s spring fashion essentials have dropped, and we can’t stop scrolling through all the cuteness — like these cute + comfy penny loafers or these flattering cropped twill pants.*

Post of the Day

Screenshot 2026-03-02 at 1.26.18 PM.png — Two legendary Tampa spots collaborated on the sandwich.

Two of the Cigar City’s most beloved eateries — La Segunda and Bern’s Steak House — just teamed up on what’s surely the sandwich of the year, at least in Bailey’s opinion. Stop in to a La Segunda cafe through Saturday, March 7, for a sammie on Cuban bread, stuffed with shaved Bern’s ribeye, signature cheese blend, truffle sauce, caramelized onions, and arugula. Don’t be greedy, it’s one per customer.

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The Buy

A top-rated floral maxi dress with a flattering V-neck and A-line fit. Get it in your favorite color, from purple to dusty olive.

More worth The Buy

The Wrap

Today’s edition by: Bailey

Can you spot Bailey pondering her life’s decisions?

Here’s your proof that I did in fact race a Sunfish for the very first time over the weekend. Don’t judge my sneakers, I haven’t gotten around to buying proper footwear yet.

We spring forward over the weekend, so we’ll soon have enough daylight to get on the water post work. Should we put together a sailing guide? Let us know.

Send us a scoop, question, or feedback

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