Opening & Closing: Attend the Opening Reception for The Messengers: Help kick off a compelling, sometimes disturbing new solo abstract/watercolor portrait show by Kristin Beauvois. 6-9 p.m., Friday, The Studio @620, St. Petersburg. Free. [email protected]. In Tampa, you can attend t he Closing Reception for It’s Not Real, The first solo show of Florida-based artist Danial Ryan, who brings together, through painting, drawing, and video that reveals the darkness and absurdity of suburban life (such as his painting here). Quaid, 4636 N. Florida Ave., Tampa. 813-362-2832. facebook.com/QUAIDgallery.
Le geek: The 15-year-old Tampa Bay Comic Con is finally here and will be graced with sci-fi royalty: Princess Leia herself, Carrie Fisher. Other celebs include Linda Hamilton (The Terminator,) Lea Thompson (Back to the Future), Jena Malone (Hunger Games), Iain Glen (Game of Thrones), Freema Agyeman (Dr. Who, Torchwood) and Matt Ryan (Constantine), plus the recognizable cartoon voices Of Tom Kenny (Spongebob Squarepants), George Lowe (Space Ghost) and Billy West (various voices from Futurama, Ren, Woody Woodpecker). Guests of honor include comic book writers Neil Adams and Mark Waid (Batman, Green Lantern, Superman, X-Men). Oh, and don’t forget the official after-party in Ybor at the Orpheum Saturday night ($10 with event wristband).
SNL's resident young person: Pete Davidson’s active career has been in high gear for some time now, with popular turns on Saturday Night Live and MTV’s Guy Code keeping him in the spotlight. Whether Davidson riffs on turning 21, hits on his teacher or smokes weed and talks about the dirty things he’d do with Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak, it’s his mix of pop culture humor wrapped in a stoner mindset that makes him so relatable — but it’s clever enough to be good comedy, too. The young comedian/actor has built a following at comedy clubs with his casual wit and comfortable delivery, entertaining audiences who have probably been going to clubs longer than he’s been allowed to enter them. (Text by Michael Murillo; read Murillo's Laugh Tract for more comics in town this weekend, including Jamie Kennedy).
Straight Outta Gainesville: A band that can go hard and soft and take you to wondrous place in between, Big Shoals headlines New World Brewery Saturday night with Will Quinlan and The Dram. Click here for Facebook event page.
WaZoo Beer Fest: Recognized as one of the “10 Great Beer Festivals in the Country,” the big Lowry Park Zoo to-do offers live music and food galore from local eateries. Saturday, 7:30-10:30 p.m. Lowry Park Zoo, Tampa. lowryparkzoo.com.
Woody Allen & Diane Keaton Double Feature: Annie Hall & Manhattan Capitol Theatre's 1970s throwback movie series is back with two of Woody Allen’s best films, both co-starring Diane Keaton. Saturday at 7 p.m., Annie Hall, the 1977 Oscar-winning comedy and dysfunctional urbanite love opus from 1977 returns to the big screen, featuring an all-star cast that includes Allen, Keaton, Tony Roberts, Shelly Duvall, Paul Simon and many others. The film is followed by Manhattan (1979), the Gershwin-kissed black-and-white homage of sorts to Bergman and Fellini. Starring Woody Allen, Diane Keaton and Mariel Hemingway. $7. Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater. atthecap.com.
Civil rites: Never more relevant, This Light of Ours: Activist Photographers of the Civil Rights Movement brings us back in time to the Civil Rights Movement through the work and voices of nine activist photographers — men and women who chose to document the national struggle against segregation and other forms of race-based disenfranchisement from within the movement. Also on display will be Beaches, Benches and Boycotts: The Civil Rights Movement in Tampa Bay, which captures Jim Crow laws in effect in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota and surrounding, segregated areas. Opening reception Saturday, 7-9 p.m. at the Florida Holocaust Museum, 55 S. Fifth St., St. Petersburg. $9. 727-820-0100, ext. 271. flholocaustmuseum.org.
Last weekend for Jobsite's Occupation: Set in 2017, Jobsite's oddball satire takes audiences to a Florida taken over by the Chinese. Stars Katie Castonguay, Nathan Jokela, J. Elijah Cho (pictured, left) and Emily Belvo. Directed by Chris Holcom .$28. Preview performances are Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m. Sundays, 4 p.m.; Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m. Through Aug. 2. Shimberg Playhouse, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827. jobsitetheater.org.
Hawk & Wayne’s This Is a Comedy Show: It’s your last chance to catch acclaimed comedy improv duo Gavin Hawk and Ricky Wayne perform a completely improvised one act play based on audience suggestions. Tickets: $10 ticket purchase. Performed in our lobby cabaret, where there will be full cash bar service for patrons. Sun., Aug. 2, 7 p.m. American Stage, 163 Third St. N., St. Petersburg. americanstage.org.
Brew Bus Sunday Local Loop: Seminole Heights-Ybor City: Cheers to the debut of shuttle connecting Ybor’sTampa Bay Brewing Co. and Coppertail with The Independent, Angry Chair Brewing, Ella’s and Southern in Seminole Heights. $10, Sunday. For more details, read Food & Drink Editor Meaghan Habuda's feature or at brewbususa.com.
