MLK Concert, Pirate Pup Parade, Bacon & BBQ Fest: FL Weekend Events

TAMPA BAY, FL — Looking for something fun to do this weekend in the Tampa Bay area? There’s something for every interest — the first-ever Pirate Pup Parade, Lights by the Bay, a One City Chorus concert, a punk rock market and more.

Check out these weekend events:

Sarasota Winter Carnival

This carnival at The Mall at University Town Center runs through Monday. Saturday and Sunday will also feature food trucks and vendors.

Tampa Arab-American Comedy Festival

This first annual festival takes place Friday, starting at 8 p.m., at The Blackbox Theater in Tampa, and features Ahmed Ahmed, Eman Morgan, Mohanad Elshieky and Felukah.

Tampa Bay Black Heritage Music Festival

This music festival runs Saturday and Sunday, gates opening at noon with entertainment and activities taking place 1 to 9 p.m., at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park. Acts include Keke Wyatt, Adam Hawley and Leela James.

St. Pete Bacon & BBQ Festival

This waterfront festival takes place Saturday, noon to 10 p.m., and Sunday, 1 to 9 p.m., at Vinoy Park. It offers beer and cocktails, barbecue, live music from bands like Tropidelic and Seranation, and other activities.

One City Chorus Concert

St. Petersburg’s One City Chorus celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday with a special concert Saturday, 4 p.m., at the Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater.

A Night of Hope

Join Service Dogs Saving Lives as they educate and raise funds to provide service dogs to first responders, veterans, and others with prior self-harming tendencies. The fundraiser takes place Saturday, 5:30 to 10 p.m., at Stoneybrook Golf & Country Club in Sarasota.

Lights by the Bay

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium hosts a pirate-themed New Year’s extravaganza Saturday, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Dunedin Kiwanis Adventure Run

This 8K or 5K run takes place Sunday, 8:30 a.m., on Honeymoon Island in Dunedin. The clearly marked course is beautiful and challenging with grass, sand, mud, and beach trails.

Pirate Pup Parade & Costume Contest

In celebration of Tampa’s pirate legend, Water Street Tampa is introducing its very first Pirate Pup Parade — giving mutts of all types a chance to strut their stuff down Water Street.

The Pirate Pup Parade will begin at 11:30 am on Water Street between Channelside Drive and E Cumberland Avenue.

Punk Rock Matinee & Market

This punk-filled event takes place Sunday, noon to 6 p.m., at The Icehouse in Gulfport and features live music, vendors, food, activists and nonprofits.

Post Your Event On Patch!

Want to post your next neighborhood event on the Patch? No matter how big or small it may be, if it's local, it has a place on the Patch calendar. Posting an event is as simple as 1, 2, 3. Here's how to do it:

1. Create a Patch account and sign up to post your own local content on Patch, totally free. It's probably the easiest thing you'll do all day.
2. Make a Calendar Event and fill it with all the awesome info that people need to add it to their list of things to do in their neighborhood. Choose a fun image to upload and most importantly - have fun with it! It's your event, and the possibilities are endless.
3. Post it on Patch! That's it. Get ready for RSVPs.

You can post your event for free to a single Patch, or if you really want to get the community's attention, you can feature your event for $2 per Patch per day. When an event is featured, it receives priority placement on the local calendar as well as on the homepage, article pages, our daily newsletter, and our weekly calendar events newsletter.