Tampa Bay Restaurant Week is back! Click for details.

Do It This Weekend: Multicultural celebration, free Florida Orchestra, Van Gogh, and more

By Leilani Polk on Fri, May 8, 2009 at 12:15 pm

Where better to appreciate Van Gogh’s masterpiece, "Starry Night," than in a planetarium? It’s time to get arty and party at Museum of Science and Industry’s Starry Night: Be Inspired by Van Gogh. Start the night off right [image-1]with an open bar and hors d’oeuvres, and settle in for Van Gogh: Brush with Genius in the IMAX theater. Here, the audience can appreciate Van Gogh’s artwork and the night sky that inspired him. Filmmakers Peter Knapp and Francois Bertrand retrace his steps to discover the formative places and events that influenced the prolific artist. Then, MOSI brings on the ambience with private planetarium shows. To ensure the ideal date-night atmosphere, MOSI also provides arty alternative childcare, which includes science activities, games and pizza. Fri., May 8, 6 p.m., , 4801 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, $30 general/$50 couples ($25 members/$40 members couple; childcare is offered for $25 a child), reservations required, 813-987-6000, mosi.org. --Franki Weddington

In 2001, the World Fair Trade Organization adopted World Fair Trade Day, a global initiative to promote awareness of fair trade practices (fair prices to farmers and sustainable production), and draw attention to the trade disparities that are responsible for millions of people living in poverty. In observance of World Fair Trade Day, hundreds of coffee and tea shops across the country take part in the “World’s Largest Coffee Break,” including St. Petersburg’s Craftsman House Gallery. In conjunction, Craftsmen House also presents its Third Annual Invitational Teapot Show, an exhibit of functional, handmade teapots by select artists from across the country. The coffee break opens the reception and features organic, fair trade coffee and loose leaf tea served from 4 to 5 p.m. Sat., May 9; a meet-and-greet with the artists follows from 5 to 8 p.m. The teapots are on display through June 28, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun., 2955 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-323-2787, craftsmanhousegallery.com. --LP

Drummer/percussionist Jon Priest returns to town for the weekend and performs a Ghetto Love Sugar Reunion Show at this one-night show featuring three bands he helped shape over the course of his many years living and playing in Tampa — the experimental quartet Ghetto Love Sugar, the funk-jazz foursome Infinite Groove Orchestra, and reggae masters [email protected]. Priest is also due to perform with Middle Rhythm Session to kick things off. For more, click here to read CL’s feature on Priest. Fri., May 8, 9 p.m., Yeoman’s Road Pub, Tampa, $7. —LP

[
      {
        "name": "Ad - NativeInline - Injected",
        "component": "12461396",
        "insertPoint": "3",
        "requiredCountToDisplay": "5"
      },{
        "name": "Real 1 Player (r2) - Inline",
        "component": "12436357",
        "insertPoint": "2/3",
        "requiredCountToDisplay": "9"
      }
    ]

The Florida Institute for Community Studies is well-known for the excellent services it provides to Latino and immigrant populations, its lively center in Town N' Country a hive of creativity and youthful energy. Case in point: today's FICS Multicultural Food and Art Show. Adult artists Joanne Osborn, Vivian Fisk, Guillermo Portieles, Aldo Gamez and Tamara Nemirovsky will show work along with 25 of the center's youth artists, with half of the art sale proceeds to go to the artists and half to the center's summer programs. DJ Teknique handles the sounds, Rafael "El Shakiro" sings, and the center's Capoeira students and breakdancers perform. But the biggest draw might be the food: an international array of dishes from Peru, Colombia, Mexico and more, all provided by center parents, plus offerings from Maggiano's and Chili's. And all this for just five bucks! A good chance to party and do some Mother's Day shopping, all at the same time. (Pictured at left: A still from one of Tamara Nemirovsky's stop-animation video pieces about Argentina.) Fri. May 8, 4-8 p.m., 6704 Hanley Rd., Tampa, 813-249-8100, ficsinc.org, $5. —David Warner

The Florida Orchestra's Free Pops in the Park concert series continues this weekend, with attendees encouraged to bring canned food donations for Tampa Bay Harvest’s food bank services. Guest conductor Stuart Chafetz leads a program of symphonic and pop hits, including Dvorak’s Carnival Overture, the Bacchanale from Saint-Saen’s Samson and Dalila, Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italien, John Williams’ Liberty Fanfare, and selections from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s My Fair Lady. Fri., May 8, 7:30 p.m., Lowry Park, 7525 N. Boulevard, Tampa; and a Mother’s Day "Symphony of Life," Sun., May 10, 7:30 p.m., Safety Harbor Resort and Spa, 105 N. Bayshore Drive, Safety Harbor. —LP