Every year, Bay area artists gear up for the Southeast's premier outdoor juried art festival and this year's happening is no exception. The 36th Annual Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts showcases the varied talents of more than 300 local, national and international artists, as well as rising stars of the visual arts community. With a $15,000 Raymond James Best of Show Award and several other monetary prizes up for grabs, and a guaranteed audience of a couple hundred thousand, the competition is fierce without being vicious. (They're artists, remember?) Plus, there's plenty to enjoy aside from the visual delights, like live entertainment on two separate stages, tasty eats to keep you lively during a demanding day of shopping, and a hands-on children's activity area and Young Artist Showcase. March 4-5, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun., Franklin Street and Lykes Gaslight Square Park, downtown Tampa, free, 813-876-1747, www.gasparilla-arts.com.
This article appears in Mar 1-7, 2006.