The Saturday Morning Market returns. The event should festive and packed, with the Urban Gypsies performing live. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 230 First St. S.E. (at First Avenue S. & First Street). Read more about it here. A little later, you can celebrate the Green Bench 2-Year Anniversary. The pub, brewer and beer garden will take $2 off all beers on tap, all day. There will be giveaways throughout the day, live music and food trucks onsite. GB will release its new brew, Petit Provision (a wild ale aged in wine barrels). The event also comprises the season return of the St. Pete Indie Market for its fall kick-off on Baum Avenue. Several vendors will be set-up throughout the day.
Rotten scoundrels: Nothing in local theaters quite compares to freeFall's season debut, which brings us Oscar Wilde's clever repartee, comedy of errors and period costumes with a dash of necrosis. freeFall’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest With Zombies stars Nick Lerew as John Worthing and Daniel Schwab as Algernon Moncrieff. Portraying two bachelor friends, in this version they will lead double lives slaying zombies and wooing the fair Gwendolyn Fairfax (Kelly Pekar) and Cecily Cardew (Maya Handa Naff). The theater's tagline sums it up best: "sidesplitting riff on decorum and decay." Runs through Nov. 1;
Also notably Halloween-y this weekend: The Vault of Souls premieres in downtown Tampa (TheVaultofSouls.com) and Best of the Bay winner Dysfunctional Grace brings hosts vendors and more for Tabernacle of Eccentricities, at the Ybor shop of macabre and creepy novelties dysfunctionalgrace.com.
Retro sweetheart: The alterna-queen of 1980s John Hughes flicks, Molly Ringwald will headline the Capitol Theater with a screening/speaking engagement to commemorate the 30th anniversary screening of The Breakfast Club. Ringwald, a cult icon beloved by misfits of the Reagan/Bush era, still has that alluring and detached je ne sais quoi. She has performed on Broadway in Enchanted April and Cabaret. Cool trivia: She turned down the Julia Roberts role in Pretty Woman and Demi Moore’s lead in Ghost. Sat., Oct. 3, at 7 p.m. $60 and up. A limited number of "Mingle with Molly" Meet & Greet tickets are available for $175. atthecap.com.
All the Straz: The Straz will be party central both day and night this Saturday. The Straz House Party, a free fest from noon to 5 p.m., celebrates the Center’s new season with a variety of events, performances, food and drink specials and family-fun activities. The String Theory’s 100 foot fin harp will be playable, and there’ll be an 18-foot marimba sculpture bench. At night, The Jobsite Gala 2015 takes over the Jaeb Theater — not the Shimberg Playhouse, their usual venue — honoring Hinks and Elaine Shimberg (confusing, eh?), Michael and John Murphy and Silver Meteor Gallery. Retro rockers the Vodkanauts will get the crowd dancing, and a sneak-peek of SILENCE! The Musical can be enjoyed. In addition, guests can bid on silent auction items such as fine jewelry from Design One and entertainment experiences from Disney and Busch Gardens. $100 per person, after party at Fodder & Shine. strazcenter.org, gala@jobsitetheater.org.
Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Fest The nine-day juried film fest has hit St. Pete with Orange is the New Black's Lea Delaria headlining the Palladium Saturday. Browse the lobby for Chad Mize and other artists whose works will be on display in the Reel Gay art show, too. tiglff.com.
The other Francis: Classical lovers, it's the much anticipated opening night for The Florida Orchestra season and the grand debut of new Music Director Michael Francis, conducting Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 with renowned pianist and YouTube star Valentina Lisitsa. "During the very first rehearsal with the orchestra, I could sense an enthusiasm and passion to make music together that was truly exciting," Francis said when he signed on a year and a half ago. Also on the program is Copland's Symphony No. 3, known as the Great American Symphony. Saturday, 8 p.m., at The Mahaffey, and Sunday, 7:30 p.m., at Ruth Eckerd Hall. $15-$45. floridaorchestra.org.
A-listed: Two big names that begin with an "A" will top the lineup at the second Oddball Fest & Comedy Tour to hit Tampa's Mid Florida Credit Union Amphitheater. Amy Schumer, this year's it girl — she has a smash movie (Trainwreck) under her Spank and Emmy Awards for Inside Amy Schumer, Best Variety Sketch Series and Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series — brings her brash charm and awesomely unfiltered musings to the fest this year. Actor/writer/modern love sociologist Aziz Ansari returns for what we're sure will be a highly amusing set — his was among the best at last years show. Others on the lineup include Anthony Jeselnik and many more. A second stage will be set up with Matt Fernandez, Best of the Bay winner J.B. Ball and other funny locals, and the weather should be better than it was for last year's sweat-gasm in August. Info, tickets and schedule at oddballfest.com. Read more about the show and others in town in Michael Murillo's Laugh Tract.
Achieva Credit Union Boxcar Rally: Kids and grown-ups alike careen through the scenic and somewhat hilly streets of downtown Clearwater Saturday in what's sure to be some wicked homemade contraptions.
Tailgate Fest: Games, live music and several of the best sliders, chicken, barbecue, and small plate food options in Tampa. 3-9 p.m. Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Tampa.
Diversi-Tea Women’s Social at Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum Women of different races and cultures are invited to have tasteful conversations over a beautifully prepared tea to discuss openly and candidly conversations regarding race, religion, gender, biases, and myths. $26.87. Sun., Oct. 4, 4-6 p.m. $26.87. 727-323-1104. 2240 Ninth Ave. S., St. Petersburg. Event page on Facebook.
This article appears in Sep 24-30, 2015.