Busch Gardens Summer Finale Celebrate Labor Day weekend at Tampa’s biggest theme park till midnight on Saturday and Sunday and til 9 p.m. on Labor Day. Enjoy music and dancing, a Lip Sync contest each night at 8:45 p.m. and special holiday fireworks displays each night at 9 p.m. Admission is $97 for adults, $92 for kids. buschgardenstampa.com.
Celebrate Oldsmar Oldsmar, that cute little town bordering Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, offers up its scenic waterfront Olds Park to bring us some outdoor fun — storms be damned. Celebrate Oldsmar has carnival rides, food vendors galore, games, beer, wine and live tunes from the U.S. Stones and The Superstars Band make for a festive time — plus a fireworks finale. Fri., Sept. 4, 6-10 p.m.; Sat., Sept. 5, 6-9 p.m. Free. 813-749-1260. 107 Shore Drive W., Oldsmar. myoldsmar.com/650/Celebrate-Oldsmar.
End of Summer Fish Broil at Pair O’ Dice Brewing Co. One hell of a boil for you, we’re told, loaded with shrimp, sausage, potatoes, corn, garlic, onions, Old Bay and a Pair O’ Dice signature Hop Bet Red IPA. Live music from local artists Fowler’s Bluff and Funny Bunny. Tickets are just $15 and include a plate of food and all the live original music your ears can handle. Beer will be available for purchase. $15 Sat., Sept. 5, 2-7 p.m. $15. 727-755-3423. 4400 118th Ave. N. #208, Clearwater. Event page on Facebook.
Florida’s Largest Labor Day Home Show Are you in a domestic frame of mind? Head to the Florida State Fairgrounds for walk-in product displays, workshops, expert advice and other information featured in more than 900 exhibits. A home artisan collection showcases works by local artists and crafters. Admission is $8, $7 seniors;12 and younger get in free. Fri.-Mon., Sept. 4-7. Orient Road and U.S. 301, Tampa. bighomeshow.com.
History Bike Tampa: History Bike Goes Back to School The group outing takes you back to public schools past this month anddeparts promptly at 10 a.m. from Kahwa at the Element. The tour is provided free of charge, but there’s a suggested donation of $5. facebook.com/HistoryBikeTampa. First Saturday of every month. Kahwa Espresso Bar at The Element, 808 N. Franklin St. #117, Tampa. 813-228-7900. Event page on on Facebook.
Hyde Park Village Fresh Market The monthly market spreads out with more than 70 local vendors with fresh produce, handmade arts and crafts, and prepared foods, as well as live music, cooking demonstrations and a massage therapist. Free. First Sunday of every month, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Hyde Park Village, Swann and Dakota avenues, Tampa. 813-251-3500. tampabaymarkets.com/fresh-market-at-hyde-park-village.
15th Annual GeckoFest The theme for this year’s Gecko events is “Gecko Gras.” Come in costume and compete in a contest, or not, and take part in the GeckoFest Walking Parade (6 p.m.), aka "the Zyde-Geck-O Second Line." Like previous years, you can expect bohemian circus-like atmosphere with acrobats, aerialists, break dancers, escape artists, magicians, jugglers, fire performers and more. Live music will accompany a GeckoFest street dance from 6-10 p.m. Free. Sat., Sept. 5, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Beach Boulevard, Waterfront District, Gulfport. 727-322-5217. geckofest.com.
Jug & Bottle Dept.'s Grand Opening New bottle shop Jug & Bottle Dept. will celebrate its grand opening with samples of vendor products, specialty beer and wine, an in-store DJ, food trucks, gourmet coffees and more. For the two-day happening's full schedule, check out the event page on Facebook. When: Sat., Sept. 5, 11 a.m. and Sun., Sept. 6, 11 a.m. jugandbottledept.com.
Portspace Gallery: From There To Here From Here To There Attend an opening reception on Fri., Sept. 4 6-9 p.m. (during Gulfport's First Friday Gallery Walk) to peruse "graphic quirks" by Sue Woodall-Metas. Portspace introduces a collection of playful graphic works exploring elements and themes of pop culture by the artist and designer. Exhibition runs through Oct. 14 and will be open during GeckoFest on Sept. 5. Closing receptions is on Oct. 2 6-9 p.m. Contact [email protected] to schedule a visit outside the listed open dates. Fri., Sept. 4, 6-9 p.m. Event page on Facebook. 3007 Beach Blvd. S., portspacegallery.com.
Rock ’n’ Roll Ruckus Banked Track Roller Derby Come watch the Sex Pistol Punks and the Full Metal Jackets battle it out. This is roller derby better than you remember, they say. Dinner available from Hot Mess Food Truck. $10. Sat., Sept. 5, 7-9 p.m. The Slayground, 4033 35th Street N, St. Petersburg. 727-637-5003. Deadlyrivalrollerderby.com.
Saturday Downtown Indie Market Designers, artists, horticulturists, crafters and nonprofit groups take over the sidewalks of the 600 block in a younger, cooler DIY outdoor bazaar than what’s typically offered in the Bay area. Noon-6 p.m., first Saturday of every month. 600 Block, Between Sixth and Seventh avenues, St. Petersburg. sixhundredblock.com.
Shephard’s Old Skool Labor Day Weekend DJ Afrojack, a favorite at electronic dance music festivals, headlines a weekend beach fest featuring Don Diablo, EC Twins and Joe Maz on Saturday; Dirty South with Sick Individuals, George Acosta and DJ Enferno on Sunday. $15; $40 for a four-day pass. Shephard’s Beach Resort, 619 S. Gulfview Blvd., Clearwater Beach. shephards.com.
Seminole Heights Taste of Asia Venture out to the Seminole Heights for local Asian food trucks, vendors, entertainment, games, and cultural performances. Presented by the Generation Food Court. Free Admission. Sat., Sept. 5, 6-11 p.m. Generation Food Court, 5210 N. Florida Ave., Tampa. 813-562-9599. Event page on Facebook.
The Love Doctors: Labor of Love Two of the area’s funniest and smartest heartbreak specialists are back to host another variety show that will provide something different to do on Labor Day and help us deal with the letdowns of summer lovin’ gone bad. The Love Doctors’ Labor of Love event at New World Brewery offers therapy via 10-minute songs, poems, humor — and puppets! The format is much the same as previous Love Doctors events, and the docs will continue to sign people up for 10-min-or-less spots through FB messaging to the page facebook.com/LoveDoctorsPresent and at the show. Free admission. Sept. 5, 8 p.m. 1313 E. Eighth Ave., Ybor City. newworldbrewery.net.
Take Me Home Written by St. Petersburg playwright Scavinold, this play explores what happens wh en spirits of past lives come to call in our modern world. Witness the blurring of lines between what is seen and what is known, and consider the roles that expectation, perspective, and judgement play in our understanding of each other. Come along on every-man’s unfinished journey home. Directed by Bob Devin and features actor Sean Doran. $20. Sept. 10-11, 7 p.m.; Sept. 12-13, 3 p.m.; Sept. 18-19, 7 p.m. The Studio@620, 620 First Ave. S., St Petersburg. 727-895-6620. studio620.org.
Tampa Bay Rowdies Start your holiday weekend on Friday with a “Meet and Greet Happy Hour” with past Rowdies le gends 5-7:30 p.m. at the Rowdies Den for drink and food specials, Rowdies trivia, autographs and the Seminole Hard Rock girls, giveaways and more. On Saturday, attend the match at Al Lang Stadium, preceded by tailgating and a Seminole Hard Rock concert featuring Travis Williams. After the party, the Rowdies take on the historic New York Cosmos at 7:30 p.m. at Al Lang Stadium. The squad is led by former Real Madrid star Raul. At halftime, Rowdies legends including Steve Wegerle, Wes McLeod, Winston DuBose, John Gorman, Coach Gordon Jago and many others will be on the pitch for a memorable halftime presentation celebrating the history of Rowdies Soccer. More info at rowdiessoccer.com.
Tampa Yankees: Fan Appreciation Night The first 500 fans through the gate will receive a TY Brett Gardner Bobble Legs Doll. Local Food Trucks will be in the plaza for fans to enjoy at the ballgame. Friends and Family Saturday 4-Packs can be purchased at the box office. Players will be signing autographs on the concourse from 5:10-5:30 p.m., and kids can run the bases after the game. There will be post-game fireworks. Ticket prices start at $4 for general admission, $6 for reserved seating and parking is always free. Sat., Sept. 5, 5 p.m. George M. Steinbrenner Field, 1 Steinbrenner Drive, Tampa. 813-673-3055. tybaseball.com.
Tarpon Springs Arts & Crafts Show Head to the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks Sept. 5-7 to browse the wares and works of than 90 artists and craftsmen.10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat.-Mon. at Dodecanese Boulevard west of Alt. 19 in Tarpon Springs. tarponspringschamber.com.
TEDx Tampa Bay – Emergence With technology increasing the pace of human’s progress, TEDx has chosen the theme “Emergence” to explore the questions of “What comes next?” and “What is emerging that will change our lives forever?” Between a complimentary yoga session sponsored by Body Electric Yoga, presentations about inspiration, muses, and community engagement, and a performance from Kirtan & World Fusion Music, you’ll surely leave with a nourished spirit. If getting in touch with your spiritual side isn’t enough, general admission gets you a free t-shirt and a swag bag, while premium gets you front row seats and extra freebees. Palladium's Hough Hall, Lecture Sat., Sept. 5, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Premium admission is $75; general, $40. Find out more about this event and the presenters on tedxtampabay.com.
Live music: Be sure to check Leilani's Ear Buds for primo music shows happening this weekend too.
