Top Events Taking Place In Tampa Bay April 27-28

TAMPA BAY, FL – Wondering what to do this weekend? Here are some events taking place in Tampa Bay that you might want to check out:

Cotee River Seafest & Blues Festival

The 20th annual Cotee River Seafest & Blues Festival will continue Saturday, April 27 from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday, April 28 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Sims Park, 5547 Main St. in New Port Richey.

The festival will feature a variety of fresh seafood dishes prepared by local restaurants and food trucks.

The musical lineup includes:
Saturday
11:30 a.m. Fr. Eric & the True Blues Band
1 p.m. Ginger & The Cat
3 p.m. LC Williams and The Driver
5 p..m. Tampa Music Machine featuring NITRO
7 p.m. RJ Howson
9 p.m. Lauren Mitchell
Sunday
1 p.m. Bear and Robert
2:30 p.m. Shawline
4:30 p.m. TC Carr and the Bolts of Blue

• Also on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., there will be a hurricane simulator on site along with free hurricane guides and kids' weather activity books.
• Miss Daisy will offer boat rides on the Cotee River Saturday and Sunday for $5 per person.
• The seventh annual Ducktona 500 Duck Race will take place Sunday at 4 p.m. at the Main Street Bridge.
• Bazaar Art will host live art demonstrations, vendors and a rock-painting table Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. in front of the West Pasco Historical Society, 6431 Circle Blvd., New Port Richey.

Click here for information.

Tampa Bay Bloody Mary Festival

Here’s a chance to weigh in on who makes the best bloody Mary in Tampa Bay.

The Tampa Bay Bloody Mary Festival will take place Sunday, April 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Tampa Garden Club, 2629 Bayshore Blvd., Tampa.

General admission to the festival includes unlimited samples of bloody Marys from a variety of Tampa Bay restaurants, a voting token to cast your ballot for the Bloody Mary Audience Choice winner and one full-sized drink of your choice from the Signature Bloody Mary Bar featuring bloody Marys, mimosas and beer.

Food vendors will be on hand with breakfast and brunch items for purchase.

Competitors this year include Ella’s Americana Folk Art Cafe, Datz, Marriott Tampa Waterside, Brick House Tavern & Tap, Infusion Catering and Bar Service, First Chance Last Chance Bar & Courtyard, Graze 1910 and more.

Ella’s is the reigning Audience Choice winner.

Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 on the day of the event.

Catania & Catania will host a VIP Brunch Experience for $80 in advance and $85 the day of the festival.

Guests will enjoy brunch inside the VIP area and unlimited full-size drinks.

Click here for tickets.

Sunscreen Film Festival

The 14th annual Sunscreen Film Festival, presented by the St. Petersburg-Clearwater Film Commission, will take place through April 28.

Events include:

• The Women in Film Brunch at Orange Blossom Catering, 220 4th St. N., St. Pete, on Saturday, April 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (click here for tickets).
• An awards ceremony emceed by actor Matthew McGee Saturday, April 27 from 9 to 11:30 p.m. at the Baum Avenue Market, 1113 Baum Ave. N., St. Pete.
• Screenings of independent films along with high school and college shorts at the AMC Sundial
• Acting, documentary, screenwriting, film financing, marketing, legal, directing, distribution and production workshops at the Hyatt Place St. Petersburg, 25 2nd St. N., St. Petersburg.

The acclaimed festival for independent films is one of only 23 film fests nationwide to be sponsored and acknowledged by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Click here for tickets.

Mysti Film Premiere

The world premier of "Mysti," directed by St. Pete native Robert Enriquez, will take place Saturday, April 27 at 10 a.m. at the Sunscreen Film Festival held at the AMC Sundial 20, 151 2nd Ave. N., St. Petersburg.

"Mysti" is the tale of two tween boys and their new foolhardy friends discovering a mystical sea creature stirring beneath the ocean’s surface. Trouble ensues as word of their discovery gets into the wrong hands and the group must find a way to persist.

Following the screening, there will be a meet-and-greet with the cast and crew.

For information, click here.

Tampa Bay Seafood & Music Festival

The second annual Tampa Bay Seafood & Music Festival will take place through April 28 at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park in downtown Tampa.

The festival will feature a variety of seafood dishes freshly cooked onsite along with side dishes and desserts, alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks, a marketplace showcasing handmade arts and crafts and gourmet foods along with the music of some of the region's top talents.

On Friday listen to the Sarasota Steel Pan Band (Caribbean), CeCe Teneal & Soul Kamotion (blues, soul, roots) and the Caribbean Chillers (Jimmy Buffet Tribute Band).

Saturday relax to the music of Mike Tozier (blues, rock, variety), the Black Honkeys (rock, soul), Offshore Riot (rock, reggae), Reverend Barry & The Funk (soul, funk) and the Bob Marley Tribute Band featuring Yvad (reggae).

Return Sunday to finish off the weekend listening to an encore performance by Mike Tozier (blues, rock, variety), the Billy Rice Band (country rock), Unlimited Devotion (Grateful Dead-inspired) and the U.S. Stones (Rolling Stones Tribute Band).

Hours are Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

General admission is $5 with children 12 and under admitted for free. VIP tent admission with an open bar is $75. Tickets will be available at the gate or in advance by clicking here.

International Dragon Boat Festival

The The Junior League of Tampa will host the Tampa Bay International Dragon Boat Festival Saturday, April 27 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park, 601 Old Water St. along the Riverwalk in downtown Tampa.

Garrison Channel will come alive with community, corporate and professional paddlers racing to the finish. On land at Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park, people of all ages can enjoy food trucks, live music, entertainment, local merchants and activities. The event is free.

The Revelry Beer Fest

The inaugural Revelry community beer fest will take place Saturday, April 27 from 5 to 9 p.m. at Ordinance One, 5738 Main St., New Port Richey.

Participating breweries include 7venth Sun Brewery, Escape Brewing Company, Angry Chair Brewing Coppertail Brewing Co., Green Bench Brewing Co., Founders Brewing Co. Narragansett Beer, B. Nektar, Cigar City Brewing, Oskar Blues Brewery, Bell's Brewery, Uinta Brewing, Hidden Springs Ale Works, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Upland Brewing Company and Crooked Stave.

J.T. Brown will provide the music.

Tickets are $35 in advance and $45 the day of the fest and include unlimited samples from all of the beer vendors and a plate of food from Westside Deli.

For tickets, click here.

Gulfport Springfest

The 25th annual Gulfport Springfest - Garden Art & Faerie Festival will take place Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Clymer Park, 5501 27th Ave., S. Gulfport. The event will feature faerie-themed garden art and Renaissance-themed vendors as well as other arts and crafts vendors, food vendors and interactive performances, Maypole dancers and live music.

Safety Harbor Art Walk

Safety Harbor will host its Art Walk on Saturday, April 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown Safety Harbor.

More than 30 local artists will show their work in 28 local businesses turning the small downtown into a walking gallery. The artwork in Safety Harbor Businesses will change every three.

This Art Walk will include studios, galleries and local businesses. Along the walk will be artists painting, doing photography, dancing and more.

On the opening day of each Art Walk, there will be guided tours where visitors can hear more about the business and artists. Or visitors can grab a map and do a self-guided tour.

For information, contact Tanja Vidovic at 978-761-7653 or TanJaRose26@yahoo.com

Crawfish Festival

The Rotary Club of FishHawk-Riverview will host the ninth annual Crawfish Festival sponsored by Christopher Ligori and Associates Saturday, April 27 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Founders Square Park in Winthrop, 11109 Winthrop Market St., Riverview.

All of the money raised is donated to local charities and scholarship funds. There will be live music and plenty of food, drinks, desserts and activities for the children.

There is no entry fee. A crawfish meal is $20 and will include about two pounds of crawfish with the fixings (corn and potatoes). Other food items and beverages will be available for purchase at the event including Cajun and Creole food and drinks, hamburgers and hot dogs. Pepin Brewing will provide a beer truck.

For more information, click here or call event organizer Rhonda McDaniel at 813-330-9321.

Sugar Sand Festival

As the 2019 Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival presented by Visit St. Pete/Clearwater enters its final weekend, the festival will host several special events.

Along with the Sugar Sand Art Exhibit featuring elaborate sand sculptures depicting visuals from around the world, the festival also will host a Day 3 NFL Draft Party on Saturday, April 27 at noon for draft rounds four and five.

Captain Fear, Buccaneers cheerleaders and pirates will be on hand as the Buccaneers' selections are announced. Fans in attendance will also enjoy the Buccaneers Street Team.

Beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 27, the 18th Annual YMCA Kids' Fishing Rodeo will be held on Clearwater Beach in partnership with the Sugar Sand Festival. Children who sign up will receive a new rod and reel, bait, T-shirt and lunch with their $10 entry fee. Entry fees must be received by Friday, April 26 or it's $15 the day of the event. All proceeds will benefit the YMCA Community Support Program. Click here to register.

Additionally, there will free live music on Friday, Saturday and Sunday along with a fireworks show on Saturday night at 9 p.m. Visitors can also enjoy free sand-sculpting classes, a kid's play zone, street performers, free movies on the beach at sunset and more.

The festival will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m on Sunday. To purchase tickets, click here.

Keel Farm Peach Festival

Keel Farms and Keel & Curley Winery will host the Keel Farms Peach Festival Saturday, April 27 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Keel & Curley Winery, 5210 Thonotosassa Road, Plant City.

Admission is free and parking is $5 per vehicle.

This family-friendly event will include u-pick, a bouncy house, music, food and craft vendors. A free shuttle bus will transport visitors from Keel & Curley Winery to Keel Farms' peach fields! U-pick peaches are $4 per pound. There will also be u-pick blueberry field for $6 per pound.