It’s time for another fantastic weekend in St. Pete, so get ready for a full calendar! This weekend’s highlights include – Thursday: the Royal Palm Market, Cocktails and Collections at the MFA, and Wordier Than Thou’s Banned Books are a Drag fundraiser and drag show. Friday: Rays VS Red Sox, a Flavors of Asia food truck fest, and Crossing the Bay’s opening night. Saturday: Rowdies VS Bethlehem Steel, free yoga at the Sundial, and Free Museum Day 2019. Sunday: the Good With Me Festival, the Bay at 400 Beach, and World Car-Free Day (which is also all weekend long!). Pick your favorites – there’s no shortage of awesome things to do in DTSP. Have a great weekend, everyone!

THURSDAY 9/19

Fine Art after 5PM: reduced admission to The Dali Museum, MFA & Imagine Museum

Fine art can be pricey. Thursdays after 5PM, visit the Dali for just $10, the Imagine Museum for $5, and the MFA for $10. Have a glass of wine and stroll the museums for the perfect Happy Hour.

More Dali Museum information can be found here.

Museum of Fine Arts information can be found here.

Imagine Museum information can be found here.

Royal Palm Market

Enjoy live music, food, shopping and craft cocktails every Thursday at 6PM under the royal palms of St. Pete! This weekly night market is located right next to Intermezzo Coffee & Cocktails and features local artists, boutiques, handmade goods, leather goods, wood burning, clothing & accessories, specialty dog treat vendors, soaps, candles and so much more! Bring the whole family including your pets to this free, weekly event.

Art Show at the Vinoy

Admire the works of local artists in the Vinoy lobby from 5:30PM to 7:30PM. Free admission – just head inside the hotel. Check the Facebook page for this week’s featured artist!

Cocktails & Collections at the Museum of Fine Arts

Cocktails & Collections, held on the third Thursday of each month, is a series of themed events focusing on one of the MFA galleries or special exhibitions. Enjoy live music, a customized docent tour, light bites and art-inspired signature cocktails, all inspired by the different works & artists.

Free for MFA Members, $20 For Not-Yet Members – (members must register and log in to receive discount).

Cash bar after first cocktail.

Banned Books are a Drag at St. Pete Shuffle

Celebrate banned literature and First Amendment rights at Wordier Than Thou‘s Banned Books Are a Drag show & fundraiser! Drag performers from throughout the Tampa Bay area will interpret some of the most beloved banned books in the world, including literary classics and children’s favorites. Performers include Matthew McGee, Stephanie Stuart, Vanna T. Scarlett, Aura Gasmique, Lola Mayhem, and Lovonda Deck. Local authors will also read their racier works during the Future Banned Books segment of the night. General admission is $20 in advance and $25 day-of (includes entry and one Banned Books Bingo card), VIP (show entry, premiere seating, one Banned Books Bingo card, a surprise Banned Book and two drink tickets per person) is $50 for one or $80 for two. Buy tickets here. This event runs from 7PM to 9PM.

FRIDAY 9/20

Yoga for Lunch at Station House

Unwind and renew with a mid-day Yoga break! A soulful exploration of the body and mind will leave you feeling rejuvenated and ready to embrace the rest of your day, and the weekend ahead.  In the heart of downtown St. Pete, join us for a 45 minutes flow that will get your blood pumping, body moving and soul squealing for joy! Starts at 12pm.

Friday Night Clay at Morean Center for Clay

Spend your Friday evening playing in clay at the Morean Center for Clay! Be prepared to get dirty for two hours from 7-9PM. of wheel throwing and hand building. Bring a towel, your favorite beverage, and a group of friends or a date for a fun get-together. You’ll get to select your favorite piece at the end of the night and they will bisque and glaze it for you to bring home. Purchase your tickets for $25 online today.

Friday Nights at the St. Pete Shuffleboard Club

It’s not just for the older generation anymore! Join the fun at the world’s largest shuffleboard club to see why this pastime has regained its popularity in the Sunshine City. Free every Friday night from 7PM-11PM, locals and visitors alike flock to this private recreational club. If you’re not sure how to play, have no fear as volunteers are on hand to give you a lesson or two. Bring your own snacks and beverages – local craft beers tend to be a popular choice. There’s often live music or a DJ on-site to keep you shufflin’. Children are welcome and so are well behaved dogs.

Tampa Bay Rays Baseball – Rays VS Red Sox, 7:10PM

Watch the Rays face off against the Boston Red Sox this weekend! Come see them take the field in downtown St. Pete at Tropicana Field, recently revamped with a First Base Food Hall where fans can get a taste of local bars & restaurants. And after, enjoy the neighboring Edge District, which is lined with local and authentic breweries, shops and restaurants. Tickets here.

Flavors of Asia Food Truck and Craft Beer Fest

Come out to North Straub Park for this food truck rally, featuring more than 30 sweet and savory food trucks dishing out unique Asian-inspired dishes as well as regular favorites. This free event serves up fun for the entire family including craft vendors, live music, craft beer and of course, delicious food! The event runs from 6 to 11PM.

Crossing the Bay, 8PM

From the creators of “WEBB’S CITY: THE MUSICAL” comes a romantic musical journey back to the founding of St. Petersburg!

Bay-Crossed lovers. Ancient rivalries: Women vs. Men; Rich vs. Poor: Tampa vs. St. Pete.

CROSSING THE BAY is a new musical comedy packed with local history and alive with characters inspired by Jane Austen’s enduring classic, PRIDE & PREJUDICE, reset in the Tampa Bay area in the late 1800s. Written and Directed by Bill Leavengood with Music & Lyrics by Lee Ahlin, CROSSING THE BAY follows the struggle to bring the railroad and prosperity to the tiny town on the end of the Pinellas Peninsula and the tumultuous relationship between a strong-minded Florida farm girl and the entitled nephew of a Northern rail baron. Tickets are $29 and can be purchased here.

SATURDAY 9/21

Saturday Morning Market

Check out this week’s rendition of St. Pete’s favorite way to say good morning. It’s full of all of the goods – and eats – to make your Saturday morning sweet. Stop by Williams Park between 9AM and 1PM.

• Check out some vegan delights while you’re there!

St. Pete Walking Mural Tour

Hear the inside stories of the making of more than 30 murals found in the Central Arts District in downtown St. Petersburg. The four-block tour begins at Florida CraftArt, 501 Central Ave., each Saturday morning at 10AM and concludes at 11:30AM. Call 727-821-7391 or email gallery@FloridaCraftsmen.net to book a tour, which costs $19 for adults and $11 for children. A portion of the proceeds from the tours will be used to fund future murals.

Poolside Yoga and Brunch

If there weren’t enough yoga options for you already, here’s another: poolside yoga at the Hollander Hotel at 8:30 followed by brunch. Salute the sun with Allison Moonbeam Archer then cool off in the Hollander Hotel Downtown St Petersburg’s beautiful pool. All levels are welcome for this slow flow class and mats will be provided as needed. $5 Body Electric monthly and annual members; $10 pre-registered; $15 at the door.

Drag Brunch

Head to the Iberian Rooster’s SubCentral for a morning of food and entertainment! This weekly event starts at 11AM. Drag queens Adriana Sparkle, Nicole T. Lane, and Juno Vibranz bring the fun while you bring your appetite. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased here.

Tampa Bay Rays Baseball – Rays VS Red Sox, 6:10PM

Watch the Rays face off against the Boston Red Sox this weekend! Come see them take the field in downtown St. Pete at Tropicana Field, recently revamped with a First Base Food Hall where fans can get a taste of local bars & restaurants. And after, enjoy the neighboring Edge District, which is lined with local and authentic breweries, shops and restaurants. Tickets here.

Crossing the Bay, 8PM

From the creators of “WEBB’S CITY: THE MUSICAL” comes a romantic musical journey back to the founding of St. Petersburg!

Bay-Crossed lovers. Ancient rivalries: Women vs. Men; Rich vs. Poor: Tampa vs. St. Pete.

CROSSING THE BAY is a new musical comedy packed with local history and alive with characters inspired by Jane Austen’s enduring classic, PRIDE & PREJUDICE, reset in the Tampa Bay area in the late 1800s. Written and Directed by Bill Leavengood with Music & Lyrics by Lee Ahlin, CROSSING THE BAY follows the struggle to bring the railroad and prosperity to the tiny town on the end of the Pinellas Peninsula and the tumultuous relationship between a strong-minded Florida farm girl and the entitled nephew of a Northern rail baron. Tickets are $29 and can be purchased here.

Tampa Bay Rowdies Soccer – Rowdies vs. Bethlehem Steel F.C., 7:30PM

Kick it at Al Lang Stadium and cheer on the Tampa Bay Rowdies! Experience the electrifying home games with stands packed with fans cheering the team on with age old songs and chants, top notch concessions, and an outdoor stadium situated right on the waterfront of downtown St. Pete. Gates open 60 minutes prior to kickoff. Tickets here.

A Funny Affair: Dinner and Comedy Show at the Iberian Rooster

Head to the Iberian Rooster for a three-course meal and a night of laughter! The night’s acts include Benjamin Brainard, Donnie Stopa, Rafiq Shaheen, and more. Find the prefixed menu here (gluten-free and vegan options available) and more information here. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased here.

Funky D’s Deja Voodoo at the Ale and the Witch

Enjoy a night of funk and fun in the Ale and the Witch courtyard! Sip delicious craft beers and let the music take you. This event is free and runs from 8PM to 11PM. Check out Funky D’s Deja Voodoo here.

International Day of Peace Free Yoga at the Sundial

International Day of Peace is a globally shared day for all humanity to commit to Peace above all differences and to contribute to being a Culture of Peace. Celebrate International Day of Peace by joining with the community for FREE yoga hosted by The Body Electric Yoga Company in the Sundial courtyard. The class runs from 9AM to 10AM. Don’t have a mat? No worries, there are plenty to borrow. All ages and skill levels are welcome! Check-in begins at 8:30AM. RSVP here.

Free Museum Day 2019

It’s time for the 2019 rendition of Free Museum Day! Spend it in St. Pete’s gorgeous museums. We’ve compiled a list of participating museums for you here so you can take full advantage of this fabulous event. Find it here.

• And don’t forget to check out the newest addition to the Dali’s Goya exhibition, La Tauromaquia!

SUNDAY 9/22

Yoga at The Dali

Come with your yoga mat and get ready to be inspired! Join Lucky Cat Yoga at 10:30 AM every Sunday at The Dali Museum for yoga. Classes are held in the Raymond James Community Room or outside in the Avant-garden, both with incredible views of the waterfront. The cost to participate is $10 for members and $15 for non-members. Tickets can be purchased at the Member’s desk.

Mimosas & Masterpieces: Brunch at the Dali

Raise a glass to an artistic take on Sunday Fundays at Café Gala with Mimosas & Masterpieces! Enjoy a Catalan-inspired brunch, visit the galleries, stroll the grounds, contemplate the Avant-garden, browse the Museum Store and soak in all the brilliance of the world-famous Dali Museum. Enjoy this inspired brunch between 11AM to 4PM. Visit the Facebook event page here.

MUSEUMS

Above the Fold: New Expressions in Origami at the Museum of Fine Arts – LAST WEEKEND

The “Above the Fold” exhibition demonstrates the extraordinary power and potential of contemporary origami. Paper is transformed into breathtaking sculpture, large-scale installations and conceptual works that express contemporary social, political, and aesthetic ideas. Visionary master folders—such as Erik Demaine and Martin Demaine (Canada/USA), Vincent Floderer (France), Miri Golan (Israel), Paul Jackson (UK/Israel), Dr. Robert J. Lang (USA), Sipho Mabona (Switzerland/South Africa), Yuko Nishimura (Japan), and Richard Sweeney (UK)—push the boundaries of paper as a medium for creating bold and sophisticated works. The exhibition celebrates these artists who are redefining a traditional Japanese craft as a modern global genre and inventing unexpected forms of artistic expression. This exhibit runs through September 22nd.

Before Dali: Goya – Visions and Inventions

Francisco Jose de Goya y Lucientes (1746-1828) is one of the most important Spanish artists of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, celebrated for his revolutionary paintings, drawings and engravings. Goya’s life and works deeply influenced Salvador Dali in his early years, and are considered by many scholars to be the basis for “modern” art, bridging Classicism and Romanticism. Before Dali: Goya – Visions & Inventions, sponsored by Tampa International Airport,  features two alternating suites of first-edition prints, published in Goya’s lifetime, alongside three significant paintings representing unique themes of Goya’s works. The works are on loan from the Meadows Museum, Dallas, TX, home of one of the most substantial collections of Goya. This exhibit runs through November 3rd.

This exhibit now includes a second component: La Tauromaquia. “La Tauromaquia” (1816) is a suite of prints depicting the evolution and history of bullfighting on the Iberian Peninsula. Goya created “La Tauromaquia” between 1815 and 1816, at the age of 69. “Los Caprichos”, a series he had created previously, served as visual criticism on subjects concerning war, superstition, and contemporary Spanish society generally, including anticlerical scenes. Because of their sensitive subjects, few people had seen these works during Goya’s lifetime. Bullfighting was not politically sensitive, and the series was published in an edition of 320—for sale individually or in sets—without incident. It did not meet with critical or commercial success. The artist focuses on the violent scenes that take place in the bullring and the daring movements of the bullfighters. The events are not presented as they are viewed by a viewer in the stands, but in a more direct way. This opens Saturday, September 21st.

“Flavors of Spain: Photos by Chef Chuck Bandel”

The Dalí Museum presents an exhibition featuring food photography and behind-the-scenes looks at restaurant life by Café Gala Chef Chuck Bandel. Bandel’s trips to northern Spain in the summers of 2017 and 2018 allowed him to study in Catalonia at Chef Paco Pérez’s 2 Michelin star restaurant, Miramar, and in the outskirts of the Basque town of San Sebastian at the Restaurante Martin Berasategui. Find this exhibit in the Raymond James Community Room.

Imagined Realities – Virtual Reality at the Imagine Museum

Check out the newest addition to the Imagine Museum: virtual reality exhibits. With five fun, educational options (Google Tilt Brush, Google Earth VR, The Body VR, Apollo 11 VR, and Overview VR), visitors can create stunning 3D artwork, explore the solar system, or visit studio glass hotspots. Make 20 minute reservations online or at the front desk. The Apollo 11 exhibit is available at a reduced $5 price for the month of July and all other exhibits are available for $10 each. This runs from 5PM to 7:40PM on Thursdays and 10:30AM to 4:30PM on Saturdays.

Beaches, Benches and Boycotts

Beaches, Benches and Boycotts” is an original exhibition of The Florida Holocaust Museum. The focus of most Civil Rights history is written about places like Alabama and Mississippi, as if few challenges occurred elsewhere. Tampa Bay remained racially segregated at the dawn of the Civil Rights era and many local institutions and establishments held out on integration for several years after Brown vs. the Board of Education and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Under “Jim Crow” every aspect of African American life in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota and their surrounding cities was segregated. Restricted covenants were in place that segregated residential neighborhoods. African American children had to attend segregated schools that were under-funded and often in disrepair. Blacks could only be cared for at “Black only” hospitals, and other public and private establishments like restaurants and beaches were often segregated – if blacks were allowed in at all. The Civil Rights Movement in Tampa Bay may have had characteristics similar to other areas of the South but its stories are its own. This exhibition will illuminate our region’s struggle with racial equality and shine a light on the local leaders who changed our cities.