A head-and-shoulders portrait of an Indigenous man looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression. He has dark hair styled in two long braids that fall over his shoulders, a mustache, and is wearing a vibrant blue patterned collared shirt with vertical white stripes. He is adorned with long, dangling earrings and a red beaded necklace with a large, dark, cutout pendant. The background is a solid warm brown.
Kansas Middletent comes to Land O’ Lakes on Oct. 19, 2025 for an Indigenous Peoples’ Day event. Credit: Courtesy of Kansas Middletent

Trump may have eliminated Indigenous Peoples’ Day on a federal level, but he can’t stop Tampa Bay from honoring its native roots. 

While Oct. 13 is now back to “Columbus Day,” a few Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrations are popping up next week.

  • The James Museum in St. Petersburg offers free admission to all visitors on Monday for Indigenous Peoples’ Day. To guarantee entry, guests are advised to reserve timed tickets in advance at thejamesmuseum.org.
  • Paddleboarders can celebrate at Phillipe Park on Monday morning. Gogo Kayaks hosts a group paddle ($19 BYO SUP or kayak, rent for $40) to honor the history of the Tocobaga Nation. Paddlers can learning about the area’s nature and wildlife, as well as the history of the Tocobaga Temple Mound. 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. in Safety Harbor. 
  • The Rosebud Continuum hosts a no-cover celebration and workshop with Kansas Middletent of the Lakota Sioux Nation featuring oral history storytelling and cultural demonstrations including a tipi raising, dancing and singing, and food.  The public celebration is followed by several optional workshops for an added fee, including learning the art of beading jewelry and making a dreamcatcher. Sunday, Oct. 19. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in Land O’ Lakes. rosebudcontimuum.net.

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This article appears in Oct. 9-15, 2025.