Welcome to On the Radar, a preview of upcoming events to mark on your calendar:
Over the past several weeks, the city of St. Petersburg has been commemorating the Waterfront Parks Centennial with various free events at its picturesque expanses of land by the bay. The big humdinger celebration happens this Saturday: Party in the Parks, a huge multi-organizational, multi-venue, multifaceted outdoor event with family-fun activities and entertainment for grown-ups. From Albert Whitted Airport to the tip of North Shore Park and in every downtown waterfront park in between, bands, dancers and other miscellaneous performs take to eight stages. Highlights include local greats Wendy and the Soul Shakers, Rebekah Pulley and the Reluctant Prophets, the Mount Zion Drumline and Latin act Freddy Montes Y Su Son. The 36th SPIFFS International Folk Fair kicks up the culture in Vinoy Park; an old fashioned family picnic spreads out at North Straub Park; planes are on display at Albert Whitted airport, and the Saturday Morning Market becomes the Saturday all-day market with special extended hours and an outdoor movie: the locally filmed Summer Rental starring John Candy, which tops off the evening in classic campy style. (Who doesn’t love the late-great John Candy? Fascists, that’s who.). Sat., Nov. 6. At various venues throughout downtown St. Pete; trolley service provided and free admission to events. For a schedule and other information, visit stpeteparks100.org.
Students in the USF Art Corps collective have branched out beyond their personal ambitions to promote the arts in collaboration with Tampa Bay non-profit organizations. For the past two weeks, the group, under the direction of Professor Kimberly Adams, has been creating large-scale paintings and drawings based on the theme Intermittent Dreams, on display Friday night at the West Tampa Center for the Arts. Sections of the works will be available for purchase for $25 a piece with all proceeds going to the West Tampa Center for the Arts, also a non-profit. The event includes music by multimedia experimental performer Robb Fladry, appetizers and a cash-donation bar. 7-10 p.m. Fri., Nov. 5, West Tampa Center for the Arts, in the historic former Santaella Cigar Factory, 1906 N. Armenia Ave. (corner of Spruce), Gallery 209, Second Floor, Tampa; free; $5 donation recommended; 813-453-4381, wtca-art.org.
He’s a comedian, actor, dad and one of the regal comics of Spike Lee’s Original Kings of Comedy, the groundbreaking 2000 documentary that also stars Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer and the dearly departed Bernie Mac. Darryl Lynn Hughley, a.k.a. D.L. Hughley takes the Tampa Improv stage this weekend to bring Tampa Bay his trademark no-nonsense, off-the cuff wit. The 47-year-old star of the ABC/UPN sitcom The Hughleys is an up-from-the-streets success story. He turned his life around after a youth spent amid the gang culture of South Central Los Angeles. Hughley has no major projects in the works but recently hosted CNN's D. L. Hughley Breaks the News and has been a correspondent for The Jay Leno Show. Nov. 5-7 with show times 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Fri., 7:30 and 10 p.m. Sat. and 7 p.m. Sun.; $27; the Tampa Improv, 1600 E. Eighth Ave., Ybor City. For more information, call 813-864-4000 or visit improvtampa.com.
The local media have been abuzz about the numerous bicycle fatalities on the city streets of Tampa Bay, and the South West Florida Bicycle United Dealers Tampa Bay (SWFBUD) has addressed the public outcry to promote safety and awareness – along with offering a fun event for riders – by organizing The Bicycle Bash, a major riding event this Sunday at scenic Flatwoods Park in Northeast Hillsborough County. For those unfamiliar, Flatwoods is a haven for bike riders. Its 7-mile loop is closed to cars, and the course includes biking off-road trails and pedaling longer distances from the park to scenic roads in south Pasco County. SWFBUD hosts the bash in partnership with the Cure on Wheels charity bike ride, which raises money for local cancer projects at Moffitt Cancer Center and All Children’s Hospital. Visitors are urged to ride a bicycle to the event; if arriving by car, remote parking is available at Branchton Park on Morris Bridge Road near the Cross Creak Boulevard intersection, where a shuttle service is provided. On site are bike and equipment vendors, SWAMP Club mountain bike demos, a swap meet, music, food and awards to citizens who have taken steps to improve bicycling in Tampa Bay. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun., Nov. 7, at Flatwoods Park, 14302 Morris Bridge Road, Thonotosassa; free; for more information, call SWFBUD Director Alan Snel at 813-468-0064.
Whether you’re a hepcat or not, there’s no denying the importance and coolness of the inaugural Ybor Jazz Festival. For starters, the slogan itself – “There’s nothing smooth about it” – is music to our ears, especially after being bombarded by beachy, collar-turned-up “fests” that highlight the greatest hits of waiting rooms. Neither dumbed-down nor reserved for eggheads, the Ybor Jazz Festival showcases an eclectic range – from small combo to big band to bebop to Latin to vaudevillian gypsy jangle. Performances began Wed., Nov. 2, but you can still catch the action through Sun., Nov. 7. Acts include the Al Downing Jazz Association, Philip Booth’s band Trio Vibe, Jim Morey Band, Denise Moore and Then Some, Impromptu!, Helios Jazz Orchestra (pictured, photo by Sara Lynn La Delfa), internationally renowned vocalist Kevin Mahogany and Confluences, featuring local rock heroine, experimental music pioneer and Carnegie Hall-headlining pianist Corey Holt Merenda. For dates and venues, see Leilani Polk’s Upcoming Concerts. The festival’s event page on Facebook also offers detailed pricing info or call the info line at 813-259-6590. Hillsborough Community College – Ybor City Campus, 2112 N. 15th St., Tampa.
This weekend, comic book and gaming enthusiasts have two events to attend. Geektacular event No. 1 — ShadoCon — is a new gaming, anime and comic book convention with contests, parties, games and celebrity guests Kyle Hebert and Kara Edwards. Goth-metal act One Eyed Doll also performs. Fri., Nov. 5-Sun., Nov. 7, at the Crowne Plaza, Tampa. $7-$50. Geektacular event No. 2, Tampa Bay ComicCon, is one-day-only and offers celebrity writers and artists; 85 tables of comics, videos, toys, action figures, anime, Star Wars, artwork, trading cards and contests. Minnreg Convention Hall, Largo. $5. Ages 12 and younger, free.
This article appears in Oct 28 – Nov 3, 2010.
