Friday-Saturday, October 8-9: The Dubliner North
The Irish have gone German! Celebrate Oktoberfest at The Dubliner with traditional German beers, food, rockin' bands (headlined by the Daniel B. Marshall Band), giveaways and Oktoberfest themed contests to benefit Leukemia Lymphoma Society. Get a souvenir liter mug with admission (The first 50 customers to purchase their tickets will be upgraded to a glass liter mug). $5; Friday: 5 p.m.-3 a.m., Saturday: 12 p.m.-3 a.m. 12836 Henderson Rd., Tampa. 813-300-2076, thedublineririshpub.com
Friday, October 8: Night of the Iguana at Mainsail Suites Hotel
Attend the Night of the Iguana and enjoy food from some of the best restaurants in Tampa Bay, live music and a live auction at the Mainsail Suites Hotel & Conference Center -- all benefiting the local Make A Wish Foundation chapter. All proceeds go directly towards granting the wishes of local children with life-threatening medical conditions. $85, 6:30-11 p.m. 5108 Eisenhower Blvd, Tampa. nightoftheiguana.wishcentral.org
Saturday, October 9: Cajun Cafe on the Bayou
Let's the Good Times Roll at the Cajun Cafe's 1st Annual Wine Fest. Boogie down to live jazz while enjoying an array of over 75 wines and domestic and international cheeses. Beer fans, fear not, because they'll have a few brews on tap as well. $25, $10 for designated drivers; 3-7 p.m. 8101 Park Blvd., Pinellas Park. (727-546-6732) cajuncafeonthebayou.com
Saturday, October 9: Grand Central
Join the fun at this Oktoberfest block party featuring an array of craft brews, including Cigar City, Harpoon, Bell's, Stone and Warsteiner, tasty food from local restaurants and vendors, and five live bands including Hip Abduction. Grab your tickets at The Rex (2061 Central Ave.) and Craftsman House Gallery (2955 Central Ave.). $25 in advance, $30 day of event; 5-10 p.m. stpeteoktoberfest.com
Saturday, October 9: Brews by the Bay at the Florida Aquarium
Join fellow beer, food, music and fish lovers at The Florida Aquarium to enjoy more than 60 craft and specialty beers, as well as food from 15 of Tampa's best restaurants. All of the aquarium exhibits are open, so enjoy a brew and nosh while gazing at some of the 20,000 present sea creatures. This year's live tunes are provided by the Shane Meade band, as well as guitarist Casey Stidham. $60; 8 p.m.-12 a.m. 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa. brewsbythebay.com
Sunday, October 10: Seminole Heights Sunday Morning Market
Attend the opening day of monthly Seminole Height's first, open air fresh market. Seminole Heights Sunday Morning Market will help to continue the drive for circulating local trade and Florida foods by bringing to you a vast mixture of the highest quality, seasonal and locally farmed produce, all natural ready to eat foods and, specialty foods. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Hillsborough High School front lawn- 5000 N Central Ave., Tampa.
Wednesday, October 13: Green Drinks Tampa Bay at Brio Tuscan Grille
Every month people who work in the environmental field meet up at informal sessions known as Green Drinks. Meet a lively mixture of people from NGOs, academia, government and business. It's a great way of catching up with people you know and also for making new contacts. Everyone invites someone else along, so there’s always a different crowd, making Green Drinks an organic, self-organizing network. Green Drinks is an international organization with over 700 cities hosting Green Drinks events around the world. Please contact Advait Mantri with any questions 813-453-0242 or [email protected] 6 p.m. Brio Tuscan Grille- International Plaza, Tampa.
Tuesdays: Cafe Alma
Who needs a Friday or Saturday date night? Get out on a Tuesday to indulge half priced wine and tapas all evening, starting at 4:30 p.m. Being frugal never tasted so good. 260 1st Avenue S., St. Pete. (727-502-5002)
Wednesdays and Thursdays: The Toasted Pheasant Bistro
Every Wednesday and Thursday during Happy Hour, enjoy half priced house wines as well as one free appetizer plate per table (with purchase of entrée) all night. 14445 N. Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa (813-265-6700)
Wednesdays: World of Beer (all locations)
Students (and teachers), now you have another reason to go out drinking on a week night. World of beer presents WOB U and class is now in session. Get half off all drafts after 9 p.m. with a college or faculty ID (and proof of being 21+). See bartenders for details and to get your WOB U card. www.wobusa.com
Monday – Thursday: The Havana Room
Coffee Crazy. The Havana Room runs a range of weekly specials to drum up fans for their specialty java (and who wouldn’t love an establishment that serves all our favorite vices in one spot — from a full liquor bar to Cuban roasted drip coffee, all with free WiFi and flat panel HDTVs? Actually, I’m wondering why I’m not working from The Havana Room right now…) At any rate, you can get your caffeine fix for free with these weekday incentives: Mondays, get a free coffee with the purchase of any pastry; Wednesdays, get a free coffee when you stop in for a copy of the tbt*; and Thursday is Bring a Friend Day — buy one drink and get another for free. 15 Third St. N., St. Petersburg, facebook.com/havanaroomcafe. --Franki Weddington
Every Friday in October: Hyde Park Cafe
In honor of Oktoberfest, get the following beers fo only $5 after 10 p.m.: Beck's Octoberfest, Gordon Biersch Festbier, Sam Adams Octoberfest and Warsteiner Oktoberfest. 10 p.m.- close. 1806 W. Platt St., Tampa. 813-254-2233. thehydeparkcafe.com
Tampa Bay Fresh Markets
Even in the heat of the summer, these local markets offer fresh, organic produce and handcrafted goods:
Gulfport Tuesday Fresh Market- This year-round market offers fresh produce and seafood, artwork and live entertainment. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Tuesday on Beach Blvd., in Gulfport’s Florida Waterfront district. 914 Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport.
Fresh Markets and More at Seminole Mall- Every Thursday-Sunday; 9 am-3 pm. Featuring multicultural foods, fresh produce, prepared foods, gourmet baked goods, arts and crafts, music and more in the air conditioned corridors of the Seminole Mall. Seminole Mall- 11201 Park Blvd., Seminole.
Safety Harbor Farmers Market- Every Thursday (through May); 9 am-1:30 pm. Fresh and organic produce, plants and fresh flowers, gourmet foods, baked goods, handmade jewelry, light snacks. Located at the Gazebo at John Wilson Park- 401 Main Street, Downtown Safety Harbor.
Dunedin Green Market. Fridays, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. (Oct.-April); Saturdays, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. (Oct.-April); Saturdays, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (May-July). Pioneer Park, corner of Main Street and Douglas Avenue, Dunedin.
Tampa Downtown Market- Fridays (through May); 10 am-2 pm. The vision of the Tampa Downtown Market is to provide local residents and businesses of the community with the freshest, highest quality, most nutritious, and most reasonably priced food and gourmet products. Located in Lykes Gaslight Square- Tampa St. and Kennedy Blvd., Downtown Tampa.
Winthrop Town Center Farmers Market- Complete with more handcrafted goods, fresh fruits, veggies, and boiled peanuts than you can shake a stick at. (Begins at 8 a.m., Saturdays, 11109 Winthrop Market St., Riverview, 813-601-3129
St. Pete Saturday Morning Market- Every Saturday (October-May); 9 am-2 pm. Featuring locally grown fresh produce, prepared foods, tempting baked goods, plants, flowers, herbs, handcrafted gifts, live music, and more! Downtown St. Petersburg in the Al Lang Stadium parking lot / 1st Ave. S and 1st St.
Ybor Saturday Market- Every Saturday; 9 am-3 pm (year-round). You’ll be sure to find great produce at great prices, gourmet foods and sauces, fresh baked breads, fresh eggs, prepared foods, orchids, herbs and plants, pet treats, honey, unique gifts, photography, artwork, jewelry, woodworking, bath and body products, candles, and so much more. Centennial Park at the corner of Eighth Avenue and 19th Street, Ybor.
Land O Lakes Saturday Market- Every Saturday; 9 am-2 pm (through May). The Land O Lakes Saturday Market is a weekly community event with live music. Land O Lakes Saturday Market donates profits to the Heritage Park Foundation and the Suncoast Harvest Food Bank. Located at the Land O Lakes Community Center, on the west side of US 41 – Land O Lakes Blvd., three miles north of SR 54 (across from the Land O Lakes Post Office).
Corey Avenue Sunday Market- Every Sunday, 10 am-2 pm. The Corey Avenue Sunday Market boasts 2 produce vendors, local arts and crafts, live music, foods and fun! Corey Avenue is located just off Gulf Blvd. in downtown St Pete Beach. Always free parking. 727-498-8778.
