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.
(Don’t see anything you like? Check out our full events calendar.)
Theater
“Ghost Brothers of Darkland County” | Wednesday, Oct. 15-Sunday, Nov. 9 | Times vary | Shimberg Playhouse | $48 | This Southern Gothic musical features a “blues-inflected country score by legend John Mellencamp and a claustrophobic, refractured parable from the master of thriller Stephen King.”
“Water For Elephants” | Saturday, Nov. 1-Sunday, Nov. 2 | Times vary | Carol Morsani Hall, Tampa | $107+ | Sit back and let the bestselling tell of a man who finds his home within the traveling circus pull at your heartstrings.
Sports
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Washington Capitals | 7 p.m. | Benchmark International Arena, Tampa | $70.80+ | Can the Lightning rescue their disastrous start to the season to pull off a win against the Caps?
New England Patriots vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1-4 p.m. | Raymond James Stadium, Tampa | $238 | Both of Mr. Brady’s old teams face off on Tampa soil for what’s sure to be a packed RayJay game.
Shows
Lainey Wilson: “Whirlwind World Tour” | 7 p.m. | Benchmark International Arena, Tampa | $157.60 | Sip on a little “Watermelon Moonshine” before the Grammy-winner’s country showdown.
Learn
Walking Tour: Ybor City | Saturday, Nov. 1 | 10-11:30 a.m. | Centro Ybor, Tampa | $25 | Bob down the Ybor’s brick streets like one of its chickens, learning about the neighobrhood’s mutual aid societies, the Ybor Cigar Factory, and other landmarks.
Rare Beauty Masterclass | 9-10 a.m. | Hyde Park Village, Tampa | Free | It’s hard not to overdo liquid blush, so get some pro tips on how to get your makeup right + take home a goody bag. No, Selener will not be in attendance.
Tampa Bay Mahj: Mahjong in The Village | Thursday, Nov. 6-Thursday, July 2 | Times vary | Hyde Park Village, Tampa | $18 | Beef up your mahj skills or get the basics down with an experienced American Mahjong instructor.
“Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire” | Friday, Nov. 14-Thursday, Nov. 20 | Times vary | Tampa Theatre, Tampa | $12+ | Released eighty years after his liberation from Buchenwald, this new film seeks to uncover the man behind Elie Wiesel’s searing and widely read memoir “Night.”
Seasonal
Howl-O-Scream | Friday, Sept. 26-Saturday, Nov. 1 | 7 p.m.-12 a.m. | Busch Gardens Tampa Bay | $50+ | Ready your nerves for five haunted houses featuring immersive horror environments, five scare zones, and four hordes that you’ll never know when or where the terror will strike next.
Hillsborough County Fair | Saturday, Nov. 1-Sunday, Nov. 9 | Times vary | Hillsborough County Fairgrounds, Brandon | $0+ | What’s more fall than the fair? Head to the fairgrounds for a thrill circus, magic shows, rides, and livestock shows.
Arts
Coffee with a Curator: Dalí’s Wines of Gala Collages | 10:30-11:30 a.m. | The Dali Museum, St. Petersburg | Free | Sip on coffee — not wine — and peek at the latest exhibit, “Gala’s Wines,” 35 surrealistic pieces focusing on the transformative powers of wine, created by Dalí in the 1970s
Festivals
SAVOR St. Pete Food + Wine Festival | Saturday, Nov. 1-Sunday, Nov. 2 | Times vary | Vinoy Waterfront Park, St. Petersburg | $120+ | Wander along the Sunshine City’s waterfront to watch live cooking demonstrations + sample eats and drinks from 120 spots — that aren’t your kitchen.
Active
Native Plant Walk | Saturday, Nov. 1 | 9-11 a.m. | Lettuce Lake Conservation Park, Tampa | Free | Trek out on a tour of the garden, boardwalk and paved trails while spotting native plants strewn about the park.
Shop
Fresh Market | Sunday, Oct. 5 | Times vary | Hyde Park Village | Free entry | Farmers’ market season is back — for us Florida folks. Browse 80 local vendors selling produce, handcrafted goods, and plants set to live tunes by Gasparilla Music in Village Circle.
Tampa Mezzo Market | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | Willa’s, Tampa | Free | It’s the final Tampa Mezzo Market of the season, and you don’t even have to cross the bridge. Unless you live in St. Pete.
Junior League of Tampa Holiday Gift Market | Thursday, Nov. 6-Friday, Nov. 7 | Times vary | Florida State Fairgrounds Entertainment Hall, Tampa | $12.51 | Challenge yourself to shopping mostly local this holiday season. Plus, proceeds from this massive market go back into our TBAY community.
Have an event of your own you want to share with us? Follow these easy steps to add your events to our calendar:
- Go to our Events page.
- Click “Add Event” in the top right-hand corner.
- Make sure to include a link and fill out important information like the date, time, location, and price of your event.
- Click “Submit,” and you’ve just added an event to our website calendar.
City Guides are presented by Water Street Tampa.
