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Councilwoman Lynn Hurtak joins Tampa mayoral race, p. 17.
I’m not worried about other people anymore. Joe Dodd doesn’t want to be King of the Coop, p.31.
COVER: Photo by Adrian O’Farrill. Design by Paul Pavlovich.
Health on ICE
Photos and story by Dave
Decker
Nurses in Largo joined colleagues nationwide last week in naming federal immigration enforcement agencies as one of the country’s greatest public health threats.
At the HCA Florida Largo Hospital on Feb. 19, chapter members for National Nurses United—the nation’s largest union and professional association of registered nurses—made their stance known. Dressed in bright colors and costumes, nurses held signs reading “Nurses say Abolish ICE” and “ICE not welcome here” while waving at cars driving by the hospital.
The union is calling on Congress to stop funding Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Custom and Border Patrol (CBP).
This comes in the wake of two Minneapolis killings by ICE. ICU Veterans Administration
nurse Alex Pretti, was shot multiple times by Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and CBP officer Raymundo Gutierrez last month. Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot in January by ICE officer Jonathan Ross.
Nurses in Largo last Thursday advocated for hospitals to protect patients from ICE.
“A lot of hospitals … they’re either encouraging or just not creating policies to protect their patients that are in the hospitals.” Chief Nurse Representative, Keosha Morris told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.
“We have HIPPA that protects patients from being known about their whereabouts and confidentiality, but it seems like all of that is going out of the window in certain areas just to aid ICE’s agenda to lock up people who are essentially seeking help or even are citizens just ’cause they look a certain way.”
do this
Tampa Bay's best things to do from Feb. 26-Mar. 05. See more on p. 41.
Take your sweet time
If you missed the opening of Sugar Rush at FloridaRama earlier this month, you still have time to get your fix of felt candies. After debuting the candy shop at Art Miami Fair in December, Lucy Sparrow brought her sweets across the state for their second showcase at FloridaRama last month. Organizers told CL Tampa Bay that the sweet exhibit will run through May. The British artist first partnered with FloridaRama last year for “Lucy Sparrow Quick Shop,” and has returned this year with the grocery-store style exhibit once again. Now, the installation includes her newest addition, a life-size candy shop with 18,000 handmade fabric sweets. Spanning 700 square feet, the Quick Shop installation brings whimsy to the grocery store experience with fully-stocked shelves filled with fruits, vegetables, canned goods, boxed foods, and more—all handmade with felt. The Quick Shop includes more than 30,000 items available for purchase, including several items exclusive to FloridaRama. The exhibit is included in FloridaRama admission ($22-$27).
Sugar Rush: Now through March. Included with museum admission. FloridaRama, 2606 Fairfield Ave. S, St. Petersburg. floridarama.art—Kailey Aiken
Lover girl
Last year, friends SheShe and P (AKA Studs Don’t Cheat) started the Lez Lips podcast catered towards Black lesbian millennials in Tampa Bay. At Tampa Pride, they put on a women-focused event with DJ Donnie Luv that was so successful, the three immediately decided to work together again. DJ Donnie Luv named the group Her Way and the three got to work. Her Way aims to create an inclusive space where queer women and nonbinary people in their late 20s and up can party and flirt without having to sort through a crowd of college students and gay men to find one another, and where Black queer and trans people can feel welcomed. “If you see Her Way’s name behind it, as a person of color, you’re comfortable here,” DJ Donnie Luv told the Sapphic Sun. Their latest event is for everyone who wants another shot at finding a Valentine, or just wants to keep celebrating queer love.
Luv Her Galentine’s R&B Party: Saturday, Feb. 28. 10 p.m.-2 a.m. $20 & up. Venue 2106, 2106 W Main St., Tampa. @herwayfl on Instagram—Valerie Smith/Sapphic Sun
Shake and bake
Tampa’s defining sound is the blast of Gasparilla cannon fire, and now it’s St. Pete’s turn for the annual roar of race cars to echo through the streets. The Sunshine City becomes an international IndyCar track this weekend, thanks to local manpower. PSTA has special SunRunner bus routes for race fans, with tickets starting at $3, stopping at three different locations within a few blocks of Gate 1 and Gate 5. Here’s a secret to cheaper tickets and a way to get on the track: Participants in the Grand Prix 5k on Thursday, Feb. 26, get two Friday GA tickets (worth $30 each) with their $40 registration. And they get to run or walk where all the action happens.
Grand Prix St. Pete: Friday-Sunday, February 27-March 1. $30 & up. Downtown St. Petersburg. gpstpete.com.—Selene San Felice
Almost $100,000 in prize money and scholarships (including the $15,000 Raymond James Best of Show Award) is on the line this weekend at the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, where artists from around the nation will show off their work to thousands of visitors in downtown Tampa. Last year’s winners include Tampa artist Nneka Jones, whose “Harmonious Conjunction,” a portrait of two women in thread and paint, won the $6,500 GFA Founder’s Award. Now in its 56th year, the no cover event also includes live music and interactive art experiences—not to mention the host and MC is Tampa Bay’s favorite weatherman, Denis Phillips. Read about the bands playing on p. 45.
Gasparilla Festival of the Arts: Saturday, Feb. 28. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, March 1. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. No cover. Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, 1001 N Blvd., Tampa. gasparillaarts.com.—Selene San Felice
Seeing green
It costs movie-lovers nothing to answer the call of the wild this month. Eckerd College’s annual Visions of Nature/Voices of Nature Environmental Film Festival started last friday, but there are still a few free film screenings to go. For over 25 years, the festival has brought together film scholars and established and emerging filmmakers from around the world to share environmental perspectives through film. This year’s selections range from short film highlighting Eckerd’s own College Community Farm to an animation featuring a solitary cat learning to live amongst other animals on a boat.
Visions of Nature/Voices of Nature Environmental Film Festival: Now through Saturday, Feb. 28. No cover. Eckerd College Miller Auditorium, 4200 54th Ave. S, St. Petersburg. environmentalfilmfest.com—Kailey Aiken
Arrrrrt
JEN
Friday, March 6 & Saturday, March 7th th
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“I love fighting for the people, and that’s what I’ve done.”
Lynn’s in
Tampa City Councilwoman Lynn Hurtak files to run for mayor.
By Ray Roa
Voters can stop asking Lynn Hurtak if she’s running for mayor. Last Monday, the Tampa City Councilwoman—appointed in 2022 then elected to her seat in 2023—filed paperwork to join what’s projected to be a competitive race for the most high profile job in city hall. She filed her documents with campaign staffer Bradley L’Herrou in attendance.
Hurtak, 48, told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that she could no longer move about town without locals popping the question. She’s now the first elected official to enter the race.
“It’s become a bit of a fever pitch, with the constant asking,” Hurtak said. “I could have kept going, but ultimately, once I made up my mind. I just thought, ‘I’m not really good at just saying, “I’m still thinking about it,” so let’s just do it.”
Outside the Fred B. Karl County Center after filing paperwork in downtown Tampa last Monday, Hurtak added that she’s more convinced than ever “this is the right thing to do.”
Hurtak said she loves the work of being a Tampa City Councilwoman. Meeting people, the activity around the office, and ability to get into the weeds of policy and inner workings of Tampa are all a joy, she told CL.
yet, but is hoping to pull a Dick Greco in a return to office. The 67-year-old’s mayoral PAC has also raised more than $1.4 million, mostly from development and investment interests.
Last week, Buckhorn spoke about those connections with CL, adding that he’s proud to have the backing of well-monied interests like Tampa Bay Entertainment Properties LLC (a $100,000 donor) and Dream Finders Homes LLC, the company of new Rays owner Patrick Zalupski, donated $50,000, amongst others.
Hurtak speaking on her reasons for running, told CL that she’s constantly fighting for resources and second-guessing things under Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, who cannot seek re-election in 2027 after serving two consecutive terms.
ELECTIONS
Tampa Municipal Election 2027
“The current administration just wants what they want and is not very collaborative about getting it. So it’s a constant fight to find out background information,” Hurtak said about her efforts to engage with city staff to provide answers to questions for various matters ahead of city council meetings.
Deadline to register: Feb. 1, 2027
Election day: March 2, 2027
votehillsborough.gov
“It’s just a really awesome job,” she added. “I love fighting for the people, and that’s what I’ve done.”
But she’s worried about her ability to keep doing that under the next mayor.
“The names that keep popping up in the mayoral race are not names that are known for really working with council, much less really being open to collaboration,” Hurtak said.
The Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections lists just six other people officially registered to run for mayor in the 2027 municipal election, including 25-year-old Alan Henderson, who was the first to declare his intentions more than a year ago. Best of the Bay-winning food influencer Anthony Gilbert Jr. is easily the most well-known official candidate so far—but Hutrak was referring to folks who’ve not yet filed.
Bob Buckhorn, who served two-terms between 2011-2019, and has not filed paperwork
For example, she told CL, it’s been hard for her office to get details on the plan to move Tampa’s police headquarters out of downtown. She ran into similar issues during the bid process for Tampa’s controversial City Center at Hanna Avenu, which some experts have said violated state law. In 2022, Mayor Castor said that she approved the city center more than five months after council members and local leaders asked who greenlit the project, which jumped from $10 million to $108 million without a public bid.
Despite its best efforts to avoid it—and city staff’s willingness to answer the questions to the best of its ability—Hurtak’s office regularly finds itself surprised by new, important, information that comes to light during public meetings.
“It doesn’t matter how much work you do, you can’t find out all the stuff because you don’t know what to ask. We get better every time, but it should not be this hard. It just shouldn’t, and it is for whatever reason,” she said before noting that the administration and staff do have builtin understandable challenges when it comes to the daily work of making the city run.
“I mean staff can only do what they’re told to do, right? Staff is fabulous, I think staff is wonderful. They want to do more,” Hurtak said.
Still, people are still leaving for various reasons, she said, noting the 2026 departure of Tampa City Planning Director Evan Johnson, who replaced star planner Stephen Benson.
“It’s stuff like that. People are just leaving for various reasons, but mainly because they can’t do the work they want to do,” Hurtak added. “I just think the city could be run better. That’s the whole reason I’m running.”
Benson’s 2024 departure followed resignations from other bright young leaders like Kayon Henderson, City of Tampa’s Director of Housing and Community Development, Administrator of Development and Economic Opportunity Nicole Travis (Henderson’s supervisor). Erica Moody, director of the city’s community redevelopment agency, also left that year along with Alis Drumgo, Tampa’s deputy administrator for development and economic opportunity.
Those resignations preceded the contentious firing of Transportation Engineering Manager Danni Jorgenson, and the departures of Chief Transportation Planner Alana Brasier and mobility communications staffer Brandie
Miklus who worked under Castor’s Mobility Administrator Jean Duncan and Mobility Director Vik Bhide. Bhide was accused of creating a hostile workforce and has since resigned, while Duncan still serves in her position.
Castor has not endorsed Buckhorn’s presumptive run, but her partner Ana Cruz, a lobbyist with the powerful Trump-connect Ballard Partners, donated $1,000 to the former mayor’s PAC.
Castor presided over the renaming of Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park’s river center in honor of Buckhorn. “It’s only fitting to give this building, the beating heart of our waterfront, a name that honors the man who brought it to life,” she said at the ceremony, referring to the former mayor’s efforts to redevelop the park that sits on.
Another force Hurtak will presumably bump into in the race to become mayor is fellow councilmember Bill Carlson, who was elected to represent District 4 in 2019 then re-elected in 2023 despite facing a Castor-backed candidate who outfundraised him.
Carlson told CL that he plans to roll out his plan “in the coming months” and that he, too, has been hounded about his political future.
continued on page 19
HURTS SO GOOD: The councilwoman is the first elected official to enter the mayoral race.
RAY ROA
WHERE TAMPA COMES TO
CHANGE IS COMING: (L-R) Charlie Miranda, Lynn Hurtak, Alan Clendenin, Naya Young, Luis Viera and Bill Carlson. continued from page 17
He responded to Buckhorn’s war chest of campaign funds by telling CL that other races have shown how “raising a lot of money, especially from developers, is a negative, not a positive.”
Other council members, like Hurtak and District 1’s Alan Clendenin, have won elections against candidates endorsed by Castor, despite funding deficits, Carlson noted.
It was him, apparently, that also helped plant the seed for Hurtak’s decision to run.
She told CL that it was actually over a year ago, during a University Club lunch with Carlson and aides for both their offices when she started thinking about running for mayor in the first place.
“I am ready to just go to that next step, To help people even more, and I really think that this is the opportunity to do that,” she told CL.
The makeup of the council will look a lot different, should Hurtak be elected to lead the city, too.
ELECTIONS
“It was the first time we’d gone to lunch,” she said. “We were just talking about all sorts of things, and he just said to me, ‘You know, somebody told me that you were gonna run for mayor, and that you were gonna win.’”
Hurtak told CL she was shocked at the comment since the thought never crossed her mind. At the time, her mind mostly revolved around the challenges she faces in getting things done for constituents as a councilwoman.
“For whatever reason, it stayed in the back of my mind. And other people started talking to me about it,” Hurtak added. “I wouldn’t say that was the first time but it’s definitely the first memory of me stopping to think, ‘Wow, somebody thinks I could do this.’”
And now, she will shoot her shot.
Hurtak does not have to resign from her seat to run, meaning she’ll serve out her term on council, but can’t run for two seats at the same time. That means Hurtak’s District 3 seat will have a new city councilperson along with the chair representing District 7, where Councilman Luis Viera is termed out (he’s running for Florida State House). Carlson, too, is termed out. Councilmen Guido Maniscalco (District 2) and Charlie Miranda (District 6) can run again, and last week Naya Young filed her paperwork for reelection in District 5. Last July former Tampa City Councilman Joe Citro visited WMNF News and told this reporter he plans to run for Alan Clendenin’s District 1 seat.
This news broke as CL was going to press. See a more developed version of this story via cltampa.com/news.
Full disclosure: This reporter has known Hurtak since they were in a 2017 cohort of then Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn’s “Mayor’s Neighborhood University.” Prior to this campaign announcement, Hurtak also received pro-bono campaign advice from John T. Fox who recently became a part-owner of this publication. Fox runs Vanguard Public Affairs and previously provided pro-bono campaign advice to past Buckhorn campaigns.
"Keeping Tampa Bay's ear to the (under)ground since 1997"
Step right up
Paralegal, Tampa food influencer, among new candidates in mayoral race.
By Jasmin Parrado
Tampa is more than a year away from its next mayoral election, and seven candidates have filed to succeed term-limited Jane Castor for a shot at leading the city.
All eyes are on former Mayor Bob Buckhorn— backed by $1.4 million in PAC contributions, and investors and developers make up more than half of that money— currently unregistered but told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay he’ll likely file and announce his official campaign in two to three months. Another name familiar to Tampeños, District 4 Councilman Bill Carlson, told CL he should be “rolling out” his plans to file and run in the coming months, as well.
and executive vice presient—said that longstanding issues within the city, including public transportation and housing affordability, are obviously high-priority for him.
But the 47-year-old is also interested in the city’s enrichment through different projects. Having lived in Ybor City for seven years, he said he wants to “restore vibrance and energy” to the historic neighborhood.
ELECTIONS
“It has culture; it has history,” Rodmon said. “So, I definitely would like to just build it up, you know—add a shazam to it—but at the same time, still keep the culture we have with it.”
Tampa Municipal Election 2027
Deadline to register: Feb. 1, 2027 Election day: March 2, 2027 votehillsborough.gov
But they weren’t the first to jump in. Four candidates were already registered when the new year arrived. Last Monday’s filing from Tampa City Councilwoman Lynn Hurtak (more on p. 17), plus the recent addition of food influencer Anthony Gilbert Jr. and Shumaker paralegal Tres L. Rodmon, brings the candidate pool to seven. Meet Gilbert and Rodmon below. Read extended versions of these stories on cltampa.com/news.
Tres L. Rodmon
Rodmon—paralegal at Shumaker, Loop and Kendrick LLP where Buckhorn is a consultant
“I just want people to believe in themselves.”
Rodmon said he also wants to take steps as mayor to empower marginalized communities across the rest of the city. For Rodmon, that means he’s a “no-ICE” person and “wouldn’t have any fear-based policies” in his law enforcement relations. And with law enforcement, the Broward College graduate’s background in criminal justice and extensive legal work has also taught him the gray area of the criminal system, he told CL.
“I got to see both sides of life with things like that,” Rodmon said. “And I got to see like a lot of people that went through the system. There were a lot of good people that just made
a mistake or, you know, were with the wrong people or someone at the wrong time.”
Rodmon believes empathy is essential to good leadership. As a mixed and transgender man, he said his experiences have led him to pursue new initiatives in the city.
In fact, Rodmon is a board member for Gaybor District Coalition, and he also created and starred in a show called “What’s the T Love” at Disco Pony nightclub. The show “celebrates love and freedom of the trans community, specifically trans men,” Rodmon told CL.
“The love and great feedback I have received from my trans community and allies is what gave me the inspiration to go further,” Rodmon said. “I want to be an example for other trans men that anything is possible if we set our minds to it.”
Now, Rodmon has taken his work a step further—specifically, he has stepped into the race to lead Florida’s third most-populated city. And he said he is willing to do it, even with the political tensions that exist across the nation.
“Being trans is beautiful and shouldn’t hold us back even in this political climate,” Rodmon said. “I want younger trans men to see someone like them doing things like this. I just want people to believe in themselves.”
Rodmon said that if he were to win, he’d also focus extensively on reallocating money to Tampa’s underserved resi-
So far, Rodmon doesn’t have an official campaign finance source or PAC yet. But he said that Luis Salazar, candidate for the 64th District of the Florida House of Representatives and president of the Hillsborough County Democratic Party’s LGBTQ+ Caucus, has supported his campaign. Rodmon will host his campaign kick-off with a “Meet the Candidate” on Thursday, Feb. 26 from 1 p.m.-2 p.m. at Cafe at 1920, located at 1920 E 7th Ave.
Anthony Gilbert Jr.
Gilbert Jr. is one of Tampa’s most popular local food critics, touted for spotlighting smaller businesses and underserved communities in the city while remaining honest in his pursuit for good eats. More than 63,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok people follow the 42-year-old Belmont Heights native for his food reviews, which are typically focused on hole-in-the-wall spots.
Gilbert’s work also includes charity initiatives and “boots-on-the-ground” activism work, where he contributes to toy drives and feeds unhoused residents across various neighborhoods.
He told CL that he’s running for mayor to address disparities in communities that don’t tend to benefit from Tampa’s ongoing development and growth.
“I’m particularly adamant about making sure that there’s inclusion throughout the whole city,” Gilbert said. “As the city is growing, the infrastructure has to match the volume of people that are moving here. So, I just want to be a representative for the entire
CHANGE: Tres Rodmon wants to be Tampa’s first openly-trans mayor.
Young and restless
Tampa
City Councilwoman Naya Young files for re-election.
By Ray Roa
Last October, Naya Young said that if she prevailed in the special city council election, she would commit to running again 16 months later. Commenting on the long runoff and the work she planned to do, Young told this reporter on WMNF public affairs program “The Skinny” that she’s enjoyed the campaign, adding that, “I would again run for sure.”
The 33-year-old, who is the youngest woman to serve on Tampa City Council, made good on that promise last week when she filed for re-election in District 5.
“It feels good getting it done. The earlier, the better,” she told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay about the filing 378 days before Tampa’s next municipal election wraps on March 2, 2027 (any necessary runoffs will wrap on April 27, 2027).
ELECTIONS
Sworn in last Halloween, Young has quickly adapted to the job while continuing to advocate for some of the same issues brought to the dais by her predecessor, the late Gwen Henderson.
Tampa Municipal Elections
Election Day: March 2, 2027
Deadline to register” Feb. 1, 2027 votehillsborough.gov
On Feb. 17 in a window-lit board room brightened by morning sun rising over her district, Young—flanked by her father Owen, mom Dr. Toni Young, husband Nick Brocks, and campaign consultant Michael Womack—put her signature on paperwork to ensure she appears on the ballot in Tampa’s March 2027 municipal election.
“I always think of people that come before me who have done good work. When we’re out in the community, a lot of people do mention her and are happy to see me in the seat, so I’m excited,” Young said. She noted that her office has worked on issues like a social action arts fund and other nonprofits that were important to Henderson, who died 141 days before Young upset Thomas Scott in a landslide.
Young, so far, does not have an opponent. Records from the Hillsborough Supervisor Of Elections show just one other person who’s filed to run for any city council seat: Morris Lopez III, who will run for the District 7 seat that will be vacated by Councilman Luis Viera if he’s successful in his run for state house.
Should she win re-election in District 5, Young will be working with a new mayor set to follow Tampa Mayor Jane Castor who is termed out. Young, however, is not thinking much about that race—which so far has just six candidates.
“I’m gonna have to work with the mayor, the people to the left of me and the right of me,” Young told CL before making a sports analogy.
5, which once featured a majority-Black voting block.
“I am excited that a lot of the community has been very vocal about it, making sure to pay attention and be a part of the process,” she told CL. “The last meeting I went to at the Hannah City City, they said it was probably the biggest turnout that they had for the redistricting meetings, which I thought was really good.”
In a release from the campaign, Young pointed out that from day one in office, she’s been committed to being present in her community.
“The earlier, the better.”
“If you think of someone that’s running track, they tell you, you don’t have to look left, you don’t look right—you just look straight ahead,” Young added. “So that’s kind of what I’m focused on—doing the best job that I can and making sure that I win my race.”
For the upcoming campaign, however, Young will be working with new district lines after scheduled redistricting is finalized this April.
Young has been active in making sure that her constituents know about the redistricting plans, which will affect the makeup of District
“Not just to listen, but to act,” Young wrote. “That means asking the tough questions and making sure our neighborhoods are heard and supported.”
The release touts the councilwoman’s work with young people and efforts to advance public safety, transparency, along with her service as Chair of the City Council’s Parks and Recreation Committee.
“I’ve been intentional about building relationships, understanding systems, and bringing people together to move our city forward,” Young added in the release. “There’s more work to do, and I’m ready to continue delivering for District 5.”
YOUNG IN HEART: Tampa City Councilwoman Naya Young wit husband Nick Brocks.
RAY ROA
Chirp chirp
Tampa Bay nonprofit responds to thousands of injured bird calls every year.
By Kailey Aiken
Across Tampa Bay, birds of countless species are found injured in backyards, on sidewalks, and on the beach. And there’s over 100 volunteers on call ready to help them.
Based in Seminole, Birds in Helping Hands responds to calls across Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties, often arriving within the hour to transport injured animals to rescue facilities, veterinarians, or back into their natural habitat when possible.
The nonprofit’s hands are pretty much always full, too with founder Shelley Vickery telling Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that the group answers or responds to about 10,000 calls annually.
“We pretty much deal with everything,” she added. “We take what other rescuers can’t.”
rescues in weeks to follow were unprecedented. Moments like that highlight how important it is for people to know what to do when they encounter injured wildlife.
Folks who come across a bird or other small animal that appears injured, Vickery said the first step is simple: move the animal away from sidewalks and high traffic areas. Visible blood, a misshapen wing, or bird grounded in one spot for over three hours? Professional help is likely needed; call Birds in Helping Hands.
What people shouldn’t do, Vickery emphasized, is try to give wild animals food or water, or try to cuddle them—no matter how inviting they may seem.
ENVIRONMENT
Hope in Action: Youth Environmental Action Summit
Saturday, Feb. 28. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. $10 (no cover for parents and chaperones). Plant Hall at UTampa. 374 UT University Dr, Tampa. community.cltampa.com
Some rescuers are unable to take in birds like pigeons, peacocks, and chickens, because they would contaminate their facilities. That willingness to step in where others can’t has made the organization one of the region’s most relied-upon wildlife rescue networks.
The team works closely with sheriff and police departments, Florida State Parks, SPCA, hotels, marinas, veterinarians, tree trimmers, residents, and visitors to bring proper care to injured and orphaned wildlife.
No day looks the same, said Vickery, but the team always has their (helping) hands full, and certain times of year bring predictable surges in calls.
Handling wildlife can frighten animals, and in some cases harm the animal or the person. Mammals like bats, racoons, and feral cats can carry and spread rabies, and even small animals like bunnies may react aggressively if frightened.
“A volunteer is usually nearby, so don’t wait to call,” said Vickery. The sooner Helping Hands can get to a rescue, the better the chance the animal has.
“A volunteer is usually nearby, so don’t wait to call.”
During the holiday season from Thanksgiving to New Years, when many visitors are in the region, the number of calls regarding wildlife entangled in fishing lines spikes, since many tourists aren’t familiar with how to free animals from lines.
After Easter, a time known as “baby bird season,” calls for ducks and roosters multiply. People purchase the birds as ducklings and chicks because they’re cute, and then are unable to properly care for them once they grow.
“At the height of baby bird season, I can’t answer texts [for rescues] fast enough,” Vickery said.
After Hurricanes Milton and Helene in fall of 2024, Birds in Helping Hands received over 180 calls for wildlife rescues. As one of the few rescuers accepting calls, Vickery said the volume of
Beyond wildlife rescues, Birds in Helping Hands is also dedicated to prevention and education. The organization will be attending Hope in Action’s Youth Environmental Action Summit on Feb. 28, held at the University of Tampa’s Plant Hall. Led by local experts, the event honors the late Dr. Jane Goodall and aims to educate and inspire Tampa Bay’s youth to get involved in environmental stewardship projects in our city.
At the event, guests can expect to learn about fishing line entanglement, baby bird season, the dangers of rat poison, and how to know when to call Helping Hands.
This event is part of a collection of summits and action days organized by Hope in Action 2026, hosted by the University of Tampa and the Roots & Shoots Alliance.
For more information on how you can help, visit birdsinhelpinghands.org. To report a potential rescue, contact Shelley Vickery at 727-365-4592. Birds In Helping Hands is also on Facebook and Instagram (@ birdsinhelpinghands). Kailey Aiken is a student at UTampa where she studies journalism.
LIVE COMEDY SHOWS THIS
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26 TH
7:00 PM: WEEKLY IMPROV DROP-IN CLASS
Our Weekly Improv Drop-In is the perfect place to give improv a try, even (and especially!) if you've never done it before. Take the plunge this Thursday!
9:00 PM: LAST THURSDAYS OPEN MIC
Gina M. hosts this monthly open mic, perfect for stand-up comedians, improvisers, and alternative comedians alike. Come try out your material at this free mic!
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27 TH
8:00 PM: WHERE THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A JOHN & BIG BANG IMPROV
Join John Lasavath and Will Luera as they search for the true meaning of improv in this brand new show. And, coming to you all the way from Sarasota, Big Bang Improv is a fast-paced, high-energy comedy show where scenes explode out of nowhere and connect in surprising ways!
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28 TH 9:30 PM: THE DARK SHOW
Standup comedians perform their darkest material! Come see the comedy you can't see anywhere else.
HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS
BITES
SHRIMP SKEWER $9
three shrimp, grilled, salsa borracha
CHIPS AND SALSA | $5
a trio of our tomatillo, pineapple, and house salsas, served with corn tortilla chips
CHIPS AND QUESO | $ 5
chipotle cheese dip, served with corn tortilla chips
Amares Verde mezcal, hibiscus, orange, lime, tajin rim
DRAFT BEER | $7
RESTAURANTS RECIPES DINING GUIDES
Flew the coop
Tampa’s
hot
chicken
king just wants to be Joe.
By Adrian O’Farrill
Depot 303 is easy to miss. There’s barely any signage on the Mulberry food hall.
The building is tucked away from the main roads, with nothing but a white walled, black steel beam exterior. It’s a simple, inconspicuous, and modest building—just the kind of place Joe Dodd wanted for this new food concept, Chicken and Pig.
Best known for his Nashville hot chicken brand King of the Coop, Dodd now takes up residence about an hour away from the Seminole Heights spot that brought him to local fame years ago.
Even though he’s still serving fried chicken in familiar cardboard boxes with a slice of potato bread, it’s vastly different from the unapologetically spicy tenders he was known for. With a new recipe completely reworked, Dodd said it’s his best fried chicken ever.
Rather than focusing solely on spicy tenders, Chicken and Pig hopes to return to the basics of “simple, relatable, really good food,” as Dodd puts it. He still offers the same Nashville hot spice blend as an option, but it’s not the star of the show. There’s a revamped batter which ditches the gluten-free one used at King of the Coop; Dodd is back to using flour and corn starch. The new wet batter technique makes a delicately crispy chicken, whose traditional country seasoning pairs well with new sides such as the gumbo, collard greens and gouda mac and cheese.
INTERVIEW
Chicken & Pig
Depot 303. 303 NW 1st Ave., Mulberry @officialchickenandpig on Instagram
“It’s completely different from everything we ever did before. Like it’s not even close,” said Dodd. “If I was going to be done with King of the Coop, I wanted something completely different than what it was.”
The rebrand, which officially happened on Dec. 29, is a fusion between the well-known Coop brand and the recently created Italian sandwich concept, Bottega Porchetta. After years of drama with King of the Coop, marred by location closures, failed business attempts, and feuds with keyboard warriors on Reddit, Dodd went back to the drawing board, not for his brand, but for himself—as a chef and as a person. It’s a new start for Dodd, who wants to return to the aspects of restaurateurship that he originally fell in love with, and he wants to keep it simple on purpose, separating himself from the face of the brand in the process.
The tenders get a coating of a sweet rosemary honey glaze, served alongside fries drizzled with rendered fat from the porchetta that goes in the sandwiches. It’s a labor of love that takes three days to prepare. On day one, Dodd seasons pork bellies, drying them overnight, roasting them the next day, cooling them again overnight before they are ready to be sliced on the third day and packed thick into a crunchy, toasted focaccia-style bread.
Bottega Porchetta started last September, shortly after he arrived at Depot 303. At the same time, he opened a King of the Coop location at the original site of Nebraska Mini Mart, but tragically, that location lasted six short months. That was his seventh attempt at a rebirth of his chicken brand, and after that failure, he pivoted to porchetta sandwiches.
“There are a lot of lessons that I have learned.”
Working out of a tiny stall in a food hall in rural Polk County is a far cry from the hole-inthe-wall chicken joint in the bustling Tampa neighborhood that Dodd started at in 2019. But after years of emotions, the good, bad, and ugly, there is a sense of ease and therapy in the quieter halls of Depot 303.
“Food is so subjective, taste is so subjective. These porchetta sandwiches that we do are one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever made in my life,” Dodd said. “But you could come try it and be like, I don’t like this, and that’s okay. My thing now is if somebody doesn’t like what we make, I don’t really care, and I don’t mean that in a bad way, but there are a lot of lessons that I have learned.”
The idea came when he acquired a rotisserie that Dodd said costs $50,000 but that he miraculously got at an auction for $765. It’s radically different from what Dodd was known for, but it’s exactly what he needed to distance himself from his fried chicken past.
‘I wasn’t Joe…’
A few years ago, during a phone call with his previous business partners, Dodd began to feel his body was off, but he chalked it up to stress. “I remember the way I felt during the phone call, and I was like, something doesn’t feel right… like, I do not feel fantastic,” said Dodd.
He was in the midst of cutting ties with those business partners after having blown through a $130,000 loan in a month-and-a-half, trying to pay off past dues. It wasn’t until a routine
check-up with his doctor some days later that Dodd would find out he had had a heart attack during the whole ordeal.
That was near the end of the food hall concept FLocale, which included Dodd’s Nashville hot chicken brand, King of the Coop, along with Westshore Pizza and Rock Brothers Brewing. It was a short-lived venture, only lasting a year and a half, but it was around the time Dodd began to question whether franchising his beloved
LESSONS AND BILLS: Joe Dodd can see clearly after trying to save his hot chicken brand seven times.
continued from page 31
“He didn’t do well, and he disappeared,” said Dodd. He and his business partner decided to cut the plug on Westchase, all to show for it was a location that never saw the light of day and $210,000 of total investment, which Dodd said his business partner did not recoup.
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“What we had in Seminole Heights was fantastic, and I knew how to run a restaurant, but I did not know how to run two restaurants,” Dodd said.
INTERVIEW
“So you hire and trust, and that’s when things start to slip in the idea of quality and consistency.”
Back in the early days of King of the Coop, Dodd said the Seminole Heights location was raking in $40,000 a week. But the success meant that Dodd had outgrown the tiny space on Florida Ave. Pretty soon, he had his eyes set on expansion through franchising; that is the moment that he describes as the start of the end.
After moving out of his original location, Dodd would go on to co-launch FLocale in 2022. Simultaneously, he was opening up King of the Coop locations in Wesley Chapel, SoHo, and St. Petersburg. He was also trying to get Westchase operational, which was never able to open, cursed by delays and empty promises from a contractor.
continued on page 35 hot chicken brand was a good idea. And after departing from the FLocale group, he tried to save the King of the Coop brand, opening new locations. But they all ended with closures, and six years later, Dodd said he was left with nothing but “lessons and bills.”
“I think he just made the attempt to try to grow too quickly before having a solid foundation and team in place, and it just kind of bit him in the ass,” said Danielle Miranda, who ran King of the Coop’s social channels from 2019-2023.
“But I definitely feel like the nail in the coffin was when he opened that third and fourth location in St. Pete and SoHo,” Miranda told CL. “Now, he just wants to get back to cooking good chicken and good food. And honestly, it’s probably the smartest thing to do.”
“I knew how to run a restaurant, but I did not know how to run two restaurants.”
It was also an abrupt ending to FLocale as the staff was let go without notice, including Miranda. But the internet pointed fingers at Dodd, and he took it to heart. On Reddit, he replied to the people who he said were calling out his reputation and for not caring about his employees. And it made him sick, to the point where he said his wife worried she would find him dead of a heart attack from how much it affected him.
In an unpredictable series of events, Dodd said a contractor he hired to work on the Westchase location went “off the rails.”
“Other business owners and I were reiterating to him, you’re running a business page,”
PORCHETTA AND POLK COUNTY: There’s a therapeutic ease at Depot 303.
continued from page 33
Miranda said. “You have to separate it, you have to know in the back of your mind you have a good product. You’re a good person, love what you do, you’re not going to be able to please everyone. People know business owner Joe, but not chef Joe. And that’s what he wanted to get back to his just love and joy for cooking.”
“I wasn’t Joe, I was the King of the Coop guy,” said Dodd.
He needed a transformation, and it came from a conversation with Zack Gross, who owned Z Grille in St. Pete and now runs Uncle Funz Provisions. Dodd said that his inner circle kept nudging him to stop replying to people online, but it took a sit-down with Gross, who Dodd respected highly, to change his approach not just online, but in the kitchen.
And that’s all Dodd needed to kickstart his metamorphosis; he went home that day after meeting with Gross and purged his social media. He made sure his personal profile was unrecognizable and removed himself from the King of the Coop and Bottega Porchetta pages. He was done being the face of a brand. Dodd said he was no longer pursuing food competitions like the Wine and Food Fest, which he won 3 years in a row, or being considered for best fried chicken in Tampa, which he won 7 years in a row; he already had all the accolades he needed. What he didn’t have was peace.
INTERVIEW
“I’m not worried about other people anymore,” said Dodd. “I’m focused on those around me, and what they need from me.”
“He told me, ‘Bro, you’re f’ing blacklisted, you’re very outspoken,’” Dodd said. Gross had long separated his personal presence from his business pages on social media.
“When somebody that’s not in your immediate circle, who you look up to that has been in your shoes, tells you something, then it’s like, ‘Huh, all right, now it makes sense,’” said Dodd.
Dodd still hopes to open up Chicken and Pig pop-ups every once in a while, closer to Tampa. But it’s on his terms. In the meantime, he’ll be frying chicken and slicing porchetta in his new Mulberry refuge. Whether anyone braves the long trek or if any of those daring enough actually like his food are no longer his biggest concerns. He’s having fun cooking again, and more importantly, he’s just happy being Joe again.
OUT OF THE BOX: Joe Dodd brought gluten back to his fried chicken batter.
A taste of NYC
Five-story Central Park food hall opens its first spots in St. Pete.
By Kailey Aiken
Central Park St. Pete, the five-story food hall that has been rumored to be “coming soon” for over five years now, is finally opening its doors—sort of.
Two of the eight restaurant and bar concepts, Palm Avenue Deli and Constellation Burger, started takeout and delivery last week.
Most New York delis don’t stock Aperol behind the counter next to the mustard, but Palm Avenue Deli does. With this hot take on a classic New York City deli, you can enjoy an aperol spritz with your pastrami reuben and other deli classics.
At Constellation Burger, customers can expect, you guessed it: burgers, alongside other fast casual staples like french fries, chicken tenders, and crispy chicken sandwiches.
Lowry. The company sees Central Park as a destination “where gourmet street food meets modern culinary and mixology innovations.” Follow @CentralParkFoodHall on Facebook and @centralparkstpete on Instagram for updates and more info.
Tampa gets more tacos
Popular Atlanta-based chain Rreal Tacos will open its first Florida location in downtown Tampa this fall.
The new outpost will be located at 808 N Franklin St., in the former Haiku Tampa spot.
OPENINGS
Central Park Food Hall
The other eateries at 551 Central Ave. waiting to open include four bars, a taqueria, a high-end Asian restaurant with a sister street food joint, ice cream, smoothie, and pizza shops, and a pasta spot.
551 Central Ave., St. Petersburg centralparkstpete.com
Central Park has yet to announce a full grand opening date, and this will be the first look into a building that has been years in the making. The project was first announced in early 2020, two years after Dome Grill closed. Work began on Central Park in 2021, but extensive renovations, construction of its new basement, and delays have taken several years to finish.
The 27,700 square-foot hall is opening under Hi Hospitality’s Culinary Director Chef Hart
The menu mostly spans street-style tacos as well as other South of the Border-inspired eats like burrito bowls, salads and even a birria pizza. But the chain is also known for its tequila and mezcal programs, and was honored back in 2023 by Food & Wine as one of the “Best Tequila Places to Drink Tequila Around the US.”
“Our goal has always been to treat the bar with the same intention and authenticity as the kitchen,” said Beverage Director and Partner Arturo Salgado in a press release. “Tampa Bay has a vibrant dining culture, and we’re excited to introduce guests to the depth and history behind agave spirits.”
The company currently has 11 locations listed on its website, all of which are in Georgia. As of now no exact opening date for the Tampa restaurant has been announced. Colin Wolf
AFTER HOURS (21+) IN CARAVAGGIO’S LIGHT
FRIDAY, MARCH 13 | 7:00-10:00 PM
Get Early-Bird general admission through February 28. Tickets available at mfastpete.org
Valentin de Boulogne, known as Le Valentin, Denial of St. Peter (detail), c. 1620, Oil on canvas, Fondazione di Studi di Storia dell’Arte Roberto Longhi, Florence, Italy
Changing channel
Floating lessons in Tampa’s architecture.
By Laura Troyer
With the sun warming the dock at Sail Plaza, and the Hillsborough River showing slight flashes of that particular early-spring blue, the Pirate Water Taxi will ease away from shore and point its bow north. For the next 90 minutes, Tampa’s skyline will be a syllabus.
On March 13, local architects and urban designers will lead a floating seminar on how the city came to look the way it does, and where it might be headed next.
Urban designer and Tampa native Josh Frank will co-lead the tour with architect Ross Tisdale of Traction Architecture. The pair has hosted versions of the ride a few times before, sometimes for industry fundraisers, sometimes for small groups of curious locals.
Each time, Frank said, they step off the boat thinking the same thing: we should do this more often.
“It’s not purely about historical facts and figures, but it’s also not just ‘look at this building,’”
Frank told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. “It’s a little bit of both.”
Similar to Chicago’s famous architecture cruises, Tampa offers a looser, warmer alternative, occasionally fueled by an open bar.
The boat glides upriver at a leisurely three to four knots, sometimes as far as Armature Works or the N Boulevard Bridge, depending on wind and tide. Guides point out the shifting downtown grid, underappreciated bridges and the layered history embedded in the waterfront.
“ Not every city has a river that runs right through the middle of it,” Frank said. “The city grew up around it—there’s some really amazing details to the way everything is laid out.”
That’s not poetic exaggeration. Over time, the Hillsborough River has served as a shipping lane, dividing line, gathering place and more recently, a yardstick for growth. Entire districts have reoriented themselves toward the water in the last decade, transforming once
industrial stretches into parks, apartments and pedestrian corridors.
“There’s been so much investment and attention along the river in recent years,” Frank said. “It’s kind of how we measure the city’s success.”
The tour is hosted by the Tampa Bay Community Design Center (TCDC), a nonprofit dedicated to celebrating the region’s architectural heritage while advocating for thoughtful, forward-thinking design.
The organization facilitates everything from walking tours to gallery talks and public installations, all with a focus on historic preservation, sustainability and civic engagement.
“It is going to be a combination of history, urban planning and architecture, because it’s all connected,” Saul-Sena told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. “If we don’t value our history, we don’t know who we are.”
While many passengers are architects, builders and industry insiders, the event is open to the public. And Frank hopes more curious locals and design amateurs hop aboard to get a new perspective of the city and the river that shapes it.
LOCAL ARTS
Urban Architecture
Riverboat Tour
March 13. 5 p.m. & 6:15 p.m. $45.
Pirate Water Taxi, 333 S Franklin St., Tampa. cadtampabay.org/tbdw
This month’s tour is part of AIA Tampa Bay and the Center for Architecture and Design’s Design Week, with events spotlighting the built environment from March 8-14.
Linda Saul-Sena, vice president of the TCDC, former Tampa City Council member and occasional architectural boat tour host, frames the tour as an opportunity to bring awareness to historical preservation as part of civic identity.
The tour zigzags between origin stories and contemporary debates, preservation wins and losses, grand civic gestures and small design details. Sometimes guests chime in with corrections or insider knowledge.
For Saul-Sena, that exchange is the point. Spaces, she has long argued, shape how we live together.
“My whole passion is for people to know more about Tampa’s history and about good contemporary design, so we will stop tearing down significant buildings,” she said.
ARRRGH-ITECTURE: Pirate Water Taxi hosts two architecture tours in March.
Out and about: Events happening in Tampa Bay
The events listed in our Do This section on pp. 8-9 aren’t the only things to do in town this weekend. Have a look at more events— like Damon Wayans Jr. at Funny Bone Comedy Club—going down the week of Feb. 26-March 4 and beyond. All events are at community.cltampa.com unless noted otherwise. Head there for more events and list your own.—Selene San Felice
ARTS
Impressions: 35 years of Women in Print at USF Graphicstudio MondayFriday through March 2. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. No cover. Graphicstudio at University of South Florida, Tampa.
Brian Maguire: La Grande Illusion Monday-Saturday through March 7. No cover. USF Contemporary Art Museum at University of South Florida, Tampa.
Instant Noodles (Community open jam)
Every last Wednesday of the month. 7 p.m. No cover. Suite E Studios, St. Petersburg. @ suite.e.stpete on Facebook.
Cirque Ma’Ceo Select times and dates from Friday-Sunday, Feb. 27-March 8. $20 & up. Avalon Stables, Lutz.
Iconic: Hands-On Edition Friday, Feb. 27. 7 p.m. $150 & up. Morean Arts Center, St. Petersburg.
Patel Conservatory Spring Cabaret Friday-Saturday, Feb. 27-28. 7 p.m. & 2 p.m. No cover. Teco Theater at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa. strazcenter.org
Straz Center Opera: The Magic Flute Friday, Feb. 27. 8 p.m. Sunday, March 1. 2 p.m.
$110.80 & up. Ferguson Hall at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa. strazcenter.org
Wesley Chapel Craft Festival SaturdaySunday, Feb. 28-March 1. 10 a.m. No cover. The Shops at Wiregrass, Wesley Chapel. Beerstroke Sunday, March 1. 4 p.m. No cover. Grand Central Brewhouse, St. Petersburg. @savaq.art on Facebook.
BIPOC Play-Reading Festival Sunday, March 1. 10:30 a.m. No cover, but reservations are required. Teco Theater at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa. strazcenter.org
Drag Queen Brunch feat. Ava DeAmor/ Lauren Mitchell/Kitana Gemini/Juno Vibranz Sunday, March 1. 11 a.m. $15 & up.
Hard Rock Cafe at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa.
Ceramics Continued Study Sunday, March 1 and select Sundays through April 19. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. $45. Tampa Museum of Art, 120 W Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa.
The Naked Magicians Wednesday, March 4. 7:30 p.m. $55 & up. Ferguson Hall at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa.
Selina Román: Abstract Corpulence Through March 29. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $0-$20. Sarasota Art Museum, Sarasota.
Jun Kaneko: Silence Before Sound Through Aug. 23. $5 & up. Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa.
COMEDY
Dirty John’s Dirty Disco ThursdaySaturdays. 8 p.m. The Studio@620, St. Petersburg.
Cedric the Entertainer Thursday, Feb. 26. 8 p.m. $131.15 & up. Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa.
Steve Hytner Thursday, Feb. 26. 7:30 p.m. $30 & up. Jaeb Theater at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa. strazcenter.org
Tom Arnold Thursday, Feb. 26. 5:30 p.m. & 8 p.m. $35 & up. Side Splitters Comedy Club, Tampa.
Tampa Metropolitan Improv Third Fridays through May 29. 7 p.m. $5. Carrollwood Cultural Center, Tampa. Jay Leno w/Arsenio Hall Friday, Feb. 27. 8 p.m. $63 & up. Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater. rutheckerdhall.com
Spring Training Laughs feat. Scott Belford Saturday, Feb. 28. 6 p.m. No cover. Woodwright Brewing Co., Dunedin. woodbrightbrewing.com
FILM
Free Film: Grease Sing-Along Thursday, Feb. 26. 7:30 p.m. No cover. New Tampa Performing Arts Center, Tampa. newtampaartscenter.org
Visions/Voices of Nature Environmental Film Festival: Apple Cider Vinegar Thursday, Feb. 26. 7 p.m. No cover. Farm at Eckerd College, St. Petersburg.
Visions/Voices of Nature Environmental Film Festival: Teenage Wasteland Friday,
Feb. 27. 7 p.m. No cover. Miller Auditorium at Eckerd College, St. Petersburg.
Visions/Voices of Nature Environmental Film Festival: No Sleep Till Saturday, Feb. 28. 7 p.m. No cover. Miller Auditorium at Eckerd College, St. Petersburg.
FOOD & DRINK
Tots 4 Teachers: The Tater Tot Union Thursdays. 3 p.m. No cover. New World Brewery, Tampa. newworldtampa.com Florida Strawberry Festival ThursdaySunday, Feb. 26-March 8. 10 a.m. $4.45 & up. Florida Strawberry Festival Grounds, Plant City.
National Strawberry Day Friday, Feb. 27. 11:30 a.m. No cover. Unlock Tampa Bay Visitors Center, Tampa.
The Journey: A Culinary & Artistic Experience Saturday, Feb. 28. 6 p.m. $128. Grand Central Brewhouse, St. Petersburg.
LEARN
Cafe con Tampa Fridays. 8 a.m. $12. The Portico, 1001 N. Florida Ave., Tampa. cafecontampa.com
Equality Florida Connection Friday, Feb. 27. 6 p.m. No cover. Shuffle, Tampa. @tampashuffle on Facebook.
Bill Leavengood (Playwriting workshop) Mondays throughout March. 7 p.m.-9 p.m. $200 tuition. The Studio @ 620, St. Petersburg. bill-leavengood.com
MARKETS
McIntosh Green Market Saturday, Feb. 28. 9 a.m. No cover. McIntosh Preserve, Plant City. St. Pete Street Market Saturday, Feb. 28. 12 p.m. No cover. Pinellas Ale Works, St. Petersburg
SPORTS
Monster Jam Saturday & Sunday, Feb. 28 & March 1. 7 p.m. Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday. $29.60 & up. Raymond James Stadium, Tampa. Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Buffalo Sabres Saturday, Feb. 28. 7 p.m. $122.05 & up. Benchmark International Arena, Tampa.
THEATER
Eight O’Clock Theatre: My Fair Lady Select times and dates from Friday, Feb. 27 through Sunday, March 8. $33 & up. Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo. eightoclocktheatre.com
TRAVEL & LEISURE
Gulf Coast Fest Saturday, Feb. 28. 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. No cover. Dunedin History Museum, Dunedin. dunedin.gov Imagine Museum Annual Auto Show Saturday, Feb. 28. 10 a.m. No cover. Imagine Museum, St. Petersburg. Wildflower Walk Saturday, Feb 28. 1-2:30 p.m. $5. Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Visitor Center, St. Petersburg. stpeteparksrec.org
Interested in advertising around this listing? Contact jhoward@cltampa.com and acarbone@cltampa.com for details.
Saturday, February 28, 2026 • 3:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Blaze N Brunch: Blazed IQ Edition @ 1920 Ybor 1920 East 7th Ave
Tickets start at $42.13 bit.ly/BlazeNBrunch
Saturday, February 28, 2026 • 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
The Weekend Wellness Club : Exhale Saturdays @ 1920 Ybor
1920 East 7th Ave
Tickets - $12.17 bit.ly/WeekendWellnessYbor
Saturday, February 28, 2026 • 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
USF & Pusha Preme Present: Afro Symphony @ Tempus Projects
1624 East 7th Ave
Tickets From $25.50 bit.ly/USFpushaPreme
Saturday, February 28, 2026 • 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Drag Queen Paint Experience @ 1444 E 6th Ave 1444 E 6th Ave
Tickets from $47.86 bit.ly/DragQueenSip
Sunday March 1, 2026 • 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Vista Gin Tasting + Cocktail Class @ Gasparilla Distillery & Cocktail Bar 2102 East 4th Ave
Tickets - $65.08 deslondes26.eventbrite.com
Monday March 2, 2026 • 7:00 PM
The Deslondes w/ Sabine McCalla @ Crowbar 1812 N 17th St
Tickets - $24.06 deslondes26.eventbrite.com
Monday March 2, 2026
Sign up at 8:00 PM, Tourney starts at 9:00 PM
Charity Pool Tournament @ Reservoir Bar 1518 East 7th Ave
$20 Entry bit.ly/CharityPoolYbor
Wednesday March 4, 2026 • 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Common Grounds Coffee Club @ Ybor Hive 1802 East 3rd Ave
Open to the public bit.ly/CommonGroundsYbor
Thursday March 5, 2026 • 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
CAMPGround26 - The Fifth YearConcert 1: Monodrama @ Tempus Projects 1624 East 7th Ave
Tickets - $23.18 bit.ly/CampgroundYbor
Friday March 6, 2026 • 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Yoga Teacher Training YTT 200 Hour @ Yoga Loft Tampa 2002 E 5th Ave
Training - $3,203.06
bit.ly/YogaLoftTeacher
Saturday, February 28, 2026 • 3:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Blaze N Brunch: Blazed IQ Edition @ 1920 Ybor 1920 East 7th Ave
Tickets start at $42.13 bit.ly/BlazeNBrunch
Saturday, February 28, 2026 • 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
The Weekend Wellness Club : Exhale Saturdays @ 1920 Ybor
1920 East 7th Ave
Tickets - $12.17 bit.ly/WeekendWellnessYbor
Saturday, February 28, 2026 • 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
USF & Pusha Preme Present: Afro Symphony @ Tempus Projects
1624 East 7th Ave
Tickets From $25.50 bit.ly/USFpushaPreme
Saturday, February 28, 2026 • 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Drag Queen Paint Experience @ 1444 E 6th Ave 1444 E 6th Ave
Tickets from $47.86 bit.ly/DragQueenSip
Sunday March 1, 2026 • 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Vista Gin Tasting + Cocktail Class
@ Gasparilla Distillery & Cocktail Bar 2102 East 4th Ave
Tickets - $65.08 deslondes26.eventbrite.com
Monday March 2, 2026 • 7:00 PM
The Deslondes w/ Sabine McCalla @ Crowbar 1812 N 17th St
Tickets - $24.06 deslondes26.eventbrite.com
Monday March 2, 2026
Sign up at 8:00 PM, Tourney starts at 9:00 PM
Charity Pool Tournament @ Reservoir Bar 1518 East 7th Ave
$20 Entry bit.ly/CharityPoolYbor
Wednesday March 4, 2026 • 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Common Grounds Coffee Club @ Ybor Hive 1802 East 3rd Ave
Open to the public bit.ly/CommonGroundsYbor
Thursday March 5, 2026 • 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
CAMPGround26 - The Fifth YearConcert 1: Monodrama @ Tempus Projects 1624 East 7th Ave
Tickets - $23.18 bit.ly/CampgroundYbor
Friday March 6, 2026 • 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Yoga Teacher Training YTT 200 Hour @ Yoga Loft Tampa 2002 E 5th Ave
Training - $3,203.06
bit.ly/YogaLoftTeacher
THU 26
C Florida Strawberry Festival: Alabama Plant City’s 10-days of live music and strawberries kicks off Thursday with a trio of concerts capped off by legendary county trio Alabama. The Florida Strawberry Festival lineup skews towards country (Jamey Johnson and Riley Green are among this weekend’s headliners), but veers towards pop (Lauren Daigle) golden oldies (Bill Haley Jr.), Christian music (Forrest Frank), and rock, too (The Offspring, Joan Jett). Pretty much every one of the festival days includes multiple concerts, each carrying its own separate ticket. There are exceptions, but concertgoers must always purchase a gate admission ($4.45$11.05, kids five and under free, with special discounts available daily) to gain access to the concert venue. 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices vary.
Florida Strawberry Festival grounds, Plant City
C Heightened Senses: Purple Gurl w/ Chooty/Betty Dawl There are still slices of our rapidly-developing cities where longtime residents can throw magical parties built around homegrown artists and musicians. The courtyard and inside of Tampa Heights’ Wave & See is one such sanctuary. For the sober Heightened Senses festival, co-founders Ali Norman, Anthony Krol, and Michael Hernandez welcome about two dozen visual artists into the space while Tampa’s Princeloving Purple Gurl supergroup—featuring drummer Natalie Depergola, guitarist-songwriter Shevonne Philidor and Stephanie Perez—throws down. Support comes from Berklee-educated saxophonist and composer Chooty (aka Nick Bredal), plus expat Tampeña DJ and producer Betty Dawl (Trapfone). Read more about the party via cltampa.com/arts. 7 p.m.-10 p.m. No cover. Wave & See Creative Sanctuary, Tampa
C St. Paul and the Broken Bones w/The Point Get ready to go back to church. Known for his band's orchestral arrangements, emotional arcs, and intense performances that often feel like a cinematic sermon, Birmingham's Paul Janeway & co. are no strangers to the Bay area, having played Jannus in 2017, and the Clearwater Jazz Holiday last fall. One of the band’s earliest shows in the area happened at Crowbar back in 2012. After releasing two slower atmospheric LPs, the most recent of which inspired by Janeway’s introduction to fatherhood, the Bones are back with a classic feel-good soul sound. A self-titled album released Oct. 10, may partly owe its swing to its recording location. Cut at the legendary Fame (stylized in all-caps) studios in Muscle Shoals, the record is a return to the band’s signature danceable style, with a pinch of late-’60s swamp grease mixed in. Read an interview with Janeway at cltampa.com/music. 8 p.m. $49.11. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg J.C. Roddy
FRI 27
C Daikaiju w/Liquid Pennies/Bad Bad Things By now, any self-respecting rock & roll fan in Tampa should have experienced a Daikaiju show. This is, however, the first time anyone will see the combustible Alabama instrumental outfit at Magnanimous. The brewery’s Seminole Heights outpost has become a go-to for promoters seeking places to host shows, and it’s booked a rager thanks to support from St. Pete trio Liquid Pennies along with Bad, Bad Things 7 p.m. $20 & up. Magnanimous Brewing, Seminole Heights
C DJ Holographic w/Brian Busto/Allie Wolding/Diana NC Over Memorial Day weekend, Detroit’s DJ Holographic plays a hometown set at the Motor City’s iconic Movement Festival. For now, the producer born Ariel Corley is on the road and headed to St. Pete, just a year after releasing her debut LP, House In The Dark . Connected deeply to Detroit’s techno roots, the 35-year-old brings her tastes (she grew up listening to The Jackson 5, Erykah Badu, Prince, Bowie and Nirvana) to techno and disco-centric sets that’ve made her a global star. Bay area house scene staple Brian Busto supports on this rare opportunity to dance with someone connected to the birthplace of the American dance music movement. 9 p.m. $24.80 & up. The Nest at St. Pete Brewing Co., St. Petersburg
C Masquerade hip-hop night reunion: DJ Fader For seven years in Ybor City, there wasn’t a weekly hip-hop party better attended than the one with DJ Fader at the helm. Inside Masquerade from 1996-2003, the Bay area scene staple played KRS-One, Nas, Big L, and Black Moon alongside more mainstream artists—and some critics had the audacity to tell him that Tampa wouldn’t gravitate to it. Without radio, or social media, Fader and friends played the records they loved, and taught the city to love the music back. For one night only, Fader brings vibes from the Masquerade to a Seminole Heights reunion with friends and all the songs from that era. There’s no cover, and early arrival is suggested. Feb. 27. 9 p.m. No cover. Velvet Gypsy, Tampa
C Taína w/DJNoturgirl b2b
Smushyslugs/DJ Spur Bay area streaming station Sector.FM is good for expanding your horizons, but it was extra spicy on Sundays last year for Taína Enserio’s genre-defying explorations of rare bootlegs, techno, funk, jazz, pop and so much more. For this no-cover show, Enserio and a crew of Sector selectors traverse the world of breaks, techno, electro and experimental club music as a market and Pangolin Pizza pop-up unfolds outside. A portion of bar sales will benefit the Florida Immigrant Coalition, according to a social post calling for the community to, “come together.. eat, dance, and protect our community. & above all FUCK ICE.” Feb. 27. 10 p.m. No cover. The Bends, St. Petersburg
SAT 28
C Rogerthomas (album release) w/ Katara/Bauxmonk/Luke Schneider For more than a decade now, Roger Thomas Lanfranchi has been a steady thread woven into so many patches of the Bay area’s indie music scene. The composer, guitarist, producer and drummer is always happy to back Bay area heavyweights like Queen of Ex, and takes a step into the spotlight for this release show. Foreveryung showcases Lanfranchi’s production chops, propelled by a sense of timing that feels technical and immensely human at the same time. There are Alan Watts samples on the record, guitars reminiscent of Lanfranchi’s virtuosic Ophelia project, plus saxophone from Tony Mozz. Because you get what you give, Rogerthomas is surrounded by the best the local scene has to offer for this gig where harp-drum combo Katara and producer Beauxmonk play support. Luke Schneider—the Nashville-based pedal steel player who’s collaborated with Margo Price, Orville Peck, S.G. Goodman, and William Tyler—rounds out a bill that is easily the best collection of homegrown talent this week. 7 p.m. $12.86. Suite E Studios, St. Petersburg
C Afro Symphony feat. Pusha Preme w/Mister Wagner/The Get Down Band/ Same Day Delivery Orchestra Relocated from USF’s Barness Recital Hall, Pusha Preme’s Afro-fusion Symphony is a live orchestral performance blending hip-hop, soul and classical music. The night pairs Preme with Mister Wagner, The Get Down Band and Same Day Orchestra for a genrefluid concert that leans into storytelling and instrumentation. 7 p.m. $25.50. Tempus Projects at Kress Contemporary, Ybor City Laura Troyer
Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival: North Mississippi Allstars w/Robert Jon & The Wreck/Gypsy Blue Revue/Mathias Lattin/Piper & The Hard Times/Selwyn Birchwood/Parker Barrow/Angela Easley/Ben Prestage/Power Jimi/more There are so many stories baked into the lineup of Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival, and one belongs to Milovan Dudic. Better known as Power Jimi, the guitarist is in the lineup with Mike Davis’ band, which plays in between headliners this weekend. Dudic has played alongside Yugoslav trio YU Grupa and keyboardist Tihomir “Pop” Asanović, known for his collaborations with Frank Zappa and Ray Charles. “I see blues music as a living conversation between cultures—something that continues to evolve every time musicians from different backgrounds meet in the same room,” he told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay in an email. There’s no cover to see that ethos in action, and sets from national headliners, this weekend. Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 28-March 1. 2 p.m. No cover. Coachman Park, Clearwater
C Gasparilla Festival of the Arts: Have Gun, Will Travel w/Ashley Smith & the Random Occurrence/Mountain Holler/ Geri X/Wulfgang Amadeus/Discord Theory/more GFA is centered around work folks can see, but there’s always been a musical element, too. Tampa Bay’s favorite weatherman, Denis Phillips, is the emcee for a two-day mini music festival that is built this year around local staples of the Americana and rock scene (Have Gun Will Travel, Ashley Smith & the Random Occurrence) along with a homecoming set by cosmic-folkie Mark Etherington (aka Mountain Holler), rock (Wulfgang Amadeus, Discord Theory), and more. Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 28-March. 1. No cover. Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, Tampa
continued on page 47
By Ray Roa
C CL Recommends
MIKE NYMAN
Rogerthomas
C Improvement Movement w/Fast Preacher Bay area music fans should always take note when Fast Preacher ends up on a local bill. The soulful indie-rock project of Orlando songwriter Daniel Hanson is a gem of the Florida scene, and it supports a rising Atlanta purveyor of similarly smooth pop. Improvement Movement had to cancel its Knoxville show this week due to illness, but should be feeling better for Florida where yachty bops like “Medicine” and “The Knife” should pair well with the beer (and acoustics!) at what’s probably St. Pete’s best listening room. 9 p.m. $21.03. Bayboro Brewing, St. Petersburg
C Punk Black Tampa Fest: Pilot Jonezz w/Bangarang/Being Hvman/He Kindly/ Cat Skratch/Fesssi K/Lady Heroine/ Amani Minott/Just Courtesy Here’s to hoping that Punk Black Tampa finds a good home after 2026. The Ybor City-centric music festival holds its last throwdown at Crowbar, the legendary venue set to shutter this summer after two decades in the district. The Bay area has long been home to melanated rock and rollers, but it’s righteous to see them celebrated so explicitly on a bill like this that brings together scene vets (Pilot Jonezz, Bangarang), with up-and-comers like Gulf Coast songwriter Fessi K, post-hardcore outfit He Kindly, and Canadian export Being Human. 5 p.m. $15. Crowbar, Ybor City
SUN 01
C After The Movies Presents: Tiger 54 w/The Drop Deads/Earthgirl Sun-Ray Cinema at the University Mall is hands down the best place to see a movie in Tampa (free popcorn and soda refills, cushy new recliners, Pee-Wee Herman regalia all over the place). And now the place does concerts. Curated in part by St. Pete scene lifer Craig Adams, this week’s installment of “After The Movies Presents” is headlined by art-punk outfit Tiger 54 (listen to its tribute to oligarchs and narcissists, “This Place Is A Fucking Mess”) which is joined by Central Florida rock trio The Drop Deads and bloody-entertaining alt-pop band Earthgirl. 9 p.m. $10. Sun-Ray Cinema, Tampa
Pentagram String Band w/Yes Ma’am/ Little Foot/Mark Wagner & the Bad Habits Don’t worry, Missouri’s Pentagram String Band is not what happens when Mumford & Sons discovers the Ouija board. Led by drifter and busker Johnny Lawhorn, the Kansas City outfit plays a murderous, misanthropic strain of bluegrass that feels conspicuously optimistic when it gets blasted out of the speakers. Ragtimeloving Louisiana busker Matthew Bracken Edens brings his Yes Ma’am project to the bill along with Arizona’s Little Foot and Sarasota’s own country-R&B act Mark Wagner & the Bad Habits. 7 p.m $20-$25. The Nest at St. Pete Brewing Co., St. Petersburg
C Thelma and the Sleaze w/Beach Terror/Choking On The Revelry If they’re not getting thrown onstage, bras stay at home for this one. And there better not be a shaved armpit in sight. Led by singer, guitarist and songwriter Lauren “LG” Gilbert, Thelma and the Sleaze, a self-described “DIY queer lady southern rock band,” has had a rotating cast since 2010 that now includes drummer Chloe Weidl and bassist
Mattie Sparks. The trio is touring off the 2023 album, Holey Water, with hopes of pulling enough resources together for a new record. LG said she started recording said album late last year, and she’ll be self-producing and financing it, too. “ ...that way we can make sure that I have total creative freedom, and do not have to deal with any stifling interference from the patriarchy… or corporate interest,” she added, while promising that it’ll be “a monster truck slam jam right back to our roots.”7 p.m. $15 & up. Music Hall at New World Brewery, Tampa Selene San Felice
MON 02
C Al Jardine & The Pet Sounds Band
Beach Boys are scarce these days, but rhythm guitarist Al Jardine is going stronger than ever. The summer we dreaded—the one where Brian Wilson slips into the afterlife— has come and gone. But before the troubled genius’ June 11 passing, Jardine made plans to reconvene the former’s longtime “Pet Sounds Band” (featuring members of L.A. power pop outfit The Wondermints) for a series of shows celebrating the Boys’ 1977 effort Love You and beyond. There was even talk that Wilson himself was more than welcome to join in for a homecoming encore or two if he felt up for it. Considering how solid Jardine’s voice and physique remain, don’t be shocked when this gig ends up being better than anything cousin Mike Love could stage with his current iteration of the Boys. 7:30 p.m. $74 & up. Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater—Josh Bradley
C The Deslondes w/Sabine McCalla
Some of us live in a world where the call to go analog grows louder and louder every day. Newport Folk Festival darling The Deslondes give that notion a signal boost on Don’t Let It Die Vol. 1, a forthcoming compilation of songs by Swamp Dogg, Shelby Lynne, Johnny Cash, Clifton Chenier, and more—all recorded to tape by band members John James Tourville and Ajaï Combelic. The rowdy New Orleans outfit arrives alongside Sabine McCalla, whose November 2025 album Don’t Call Me Baby criminally flew under the radar of critics too busy compiling year-end best-of lists. 7 p.m. $24.06. Crowbar, Ybor City
WED 04
C A Beacon School w/Cathedral Bells/ Peli Gene New Yorkers love to come down to Florida for the winter. Patrick J. Smith is no exception. On 2023’s Yoyo (stylized alllowercase), The Brooklyn songwriter and multi-instrumentalist better known as A Beacon School saw his catalog take a leap from more straight guitar-pop to a more ambient landscape. Smith’s appearance is bittersweet, too, as it sees support from Orlando synth-pop unit Cathedral Bells, which is sadly playing its last Sunshine State shows before a move to Los Angeles. Gabriel Parker, who plays bedroom-pop under the Peli Gene moniker, brings a mustlisten 2025 album, Dream Estate, to kick off the show. 7 p.m. $20.70. Bayboro Brewing, St. Petersburg
THU 05
C CAMPGround26: Mojan Alaiyeh w/ Parastoo Shafiei/Negar Soleymanifar/ Zouning Liao/moreThe live music calendar presents so many comforting, familiar places to take your listening, but there are always opportunities to think outside of the box,. For the better part of half-a-decade now, CAMPGround has been happy to play that role. Built around “new music,” the festival is a composer’s paradise dedicated to solo and ensemble arrangements, monodramas, and immersive sound installations featuring artists from around the world. The three-day festival kicks off in Ybor City (Tempus Projects at Kress Contemporary) and travels to Seminole Heights (Disco Dolls), the edge of West Tampa (Steinway Piano Gallery), and a house in East Tampa before it wraps. Thursday-Saturday, March 5-7. 7 p.m. Thursday; 12 p.m. Friday. $15 & up. Tempus Projects, Ybor City
Rock The Park: Mossheads w/Monae Marleau/Ken Apperson For nearly six years, Ken Apperson was the voice driving the “Live Music Showcase” that airs Friday afternoons on WMNF Tampa 88.5-FM. Last week, just shy of 200 episodes, Apperson, a songwriter himself, signed off the show for the last time—before announcing that he’ll stay on the community radio station as the host of the Monday morning show. He kicks off downtown Tampa’s more than 15-years running no-cover, family-and-pet-friendly concert series where Bay area rapper Monae Marleau and indie-pop outfit Mossheads round things out. As always, please leave the park tidier than you found it. The Tampa Downtown Partnership is always developing new series, too, and can be followed via@ tampasdowntownon Instagram. 6:30 p.m. No cover. Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Tampa
See an extended version of this listing via cltapa.com/music. Submit your event by finding CL's user-driven Tampa Bay events calendar.
BOBBI WERNIG
The Deslondes
FRI 2/27 - CHAS COLLINS
SAT 2/28 - ROCKTURNAL BAND
SUN 3/1 - ST. PETE GRAND PRIX (JUMBOTRON)
ONE NIGHT BAND (PARTY DECK)
MON 3/2 - BOB HOPE (UNPLUGGED)
FERG’S TRIVIA (INSIDE)
TUE 3/3 - ASHLEY GALBRAITH & CO.
WED 3/4 - ST. PETE NIGHT MARKET
BAREFOOT BOB & THE HOPE (OPEN JAM)
THU 3/5 - FERG’S COUNTRY NIGHT
BLACKWATER JACK BAND
FERG’S TRIVIA (INSIDE)
FRI 3/6 - COMEDY NIGHT (UPPER DECK)
THE FULCOS (PARTY DECK)
SAT 3/7 - HIT N RUN BAND (FROM NY)
SUN 3/8 - SCHOOL OF ROCK (PAVILION)
DILLION LONG BAND (PARTY DECK)
Late last month, Gasparilla Music Festival unveiled the lineup of headliners for its 2026 return—and promised that more than 50 more acts would be announced soon. The nonprofit founded in 2011 mostly made good on that promise last week when it added more than three dozen artists to the weekend concert set for April in downtown Tampa.
Joining Mt. Joy, Two Friends, and Gov’t Mule are other national acts like rowdy Americana songwriter Shakey Graves, EDM crossover star Jai Wolf, and alt-country royalty Drive-By Truckers. East Nash Grass, a Tennessee quintet that won the 2024 International Bluegrass Music Association Award for New Artist of the Year, brings its joyful, style-jumping album All God’s Children to the show, too.
“Glee Project” alum-turned pop-rapper Bryce Vine is on the bill along with a hip-hop heavyweight—Wu-Tang Clan’s GZA—who brings his Phunky Nomads band to Gasparilla Music Festival (GMF), too. The Nomads are led by drummer Ramsey Jones, who is the eldest brother of the late Wu-Tang icon Ol’ Dirty Bastards. Kaitlin Butts (“You Ain’t Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me)”), a rising country songwriter and vocalist, is also among the touring acts added to GMF 2026.
As it’s been since the beginning, GMF is anchored by a lineup of the best, and often emergent, homegrown artists. MiniM—perhaps the most popular Bay area band in the jam scene—is on the bill, along with local indie-rock stars Rohna. Little Giver, an exciting new emo-folk band out of St. Petersburg, makes its GMF debut, too. Other Bay area highlights include the GMF debut of Tampa’s most-respected emcee Tom G (who’ll presumably link up at some point with his “Cuban Links” collaborator Sam E Hues, who
is also on the bill), Daptone-and-Linear Labsflavored instrumental outfit Soft Cuff, punk quartet Pet Lizard, and elder statesmen of the Americana scene Urbane Cowboys.
Artists from across the Sunshine State are well-represented, too, thanks to young bluesman Josh Gluck, Gainesville art-pop favorite Prizilla, and South Florida indie-pop band Cannibal Kids.
As first reported by Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, GMF announced a return from a one-year hiatus late last year, along with news that the festival had found a new home in downtown Tampa: Meridian Fields, between Channelside and Water Street Tampa near the silos from the demolished Ardent flour mills.
In comments to CL, GMF Executive Director David Cox said that the festival was forced to make the hard decision on a 2025 hiatus after the back-to-back speedbumps of a partial weather cancellation in 2023 and more wet weather in 2024. “It’s a lot for us to just keep kind of pushing down the same path. We needed to pause, regroup, and look at what the next 10 years could look like,” he added.
But the festival is poised to re-invent itself— and serve its ultimate mission of promoting local artists and also refurbishings musical instruments to place them in schools across Hillsborough County—this spring.
Tickets for Gasparilla Music Festival 2026 happening Friday-Sunday, April 10-12 start at $55 for single-day admission. Three-day GA passes start at $100. VIP tickets start at $135 for a single-day and $245 for a threeday pass.See the full Gasparilla Music Festival 2026 lineup so far below. Come back next week for Josh Bradley’s weekly rundown of the best new concerts coming to Tampa Bay.—Ray Roa
UPCOMING SHOWS
PHOTO BY TODD J BURGESS
Thirds
By Dan Savage
My partner and I are both AFAB nonbinary queers in our mid-30s and have been together a long time. We don’t believe lifelong monogamy is realistic. We even started our relationship practicing ethical non-monogamy, then defaulted to monogamy for many years. We now have two very young children and are planning a third in the near future. Between parenting and a longstanding libido mismatch, our sex life has been hard for years. When we do have sex, it’s good, it’s just infrequent (maybe 1-3 times per month) and logistically difficult. I’m generally content, and sex simply isn’t a high priority for me right now. Over the past several months, my partner has asked about opening our relationship again. I’ve tried to engage, while also feeling that this stage of life might be the worst possible time to experiment with our relationship structure. Recently, after a long conversation about opening up, including explicit discussion about consent and buy-in, my partner told me they had already joined a dating app and had been messaging people for about a week. Nothing physical happened, but they didn’t tell me during our conversations.
My questions:
1. Is there a sweet spot in child ages where opening a relationship actually makes sense? I don’t want to postpone this forever, but I also can’t imagine having the emotional capacity to navigate it anytime soon.
2. In the context of non-monogamy, does joining a dating app before mutual agreement count as harmless exploration, or is that already crossing a line?
I want to be GGG and sex-positive, but also scared to make our relationship worse in an already stressful time, and right now I’m struggling to see how to balance those things. Overloaded Parents Exploring Now?
1. I used to roll my eyes when straight swingers would say—in the kinds of documentaries about straight swingers that were coming out in the 1990s—that of course they waited until their kids were older before getting into the lifestyle. Of course. And while that may have been true in some or even most cases, it couldn’t have been true in all cases. It felt like something straight swingers collectively agreed to say to documentary filmmakers to avoid being judged for fucking around when their kids were still very young. Because fucking other people is risky. You could catch feelings, you could contract an STI, and you could—if you were young, fertile, and opposite sex—make another kid by accident.
But let’s say there was a sweet spot where it was safe for a married couple with kids to open their relationship—just for the sake of argument— and let’s say that sweet spot was when your kids were twelve. Would your partner be willing to wait that long? The fact that they already joined
a dating app is a pretty good indication that they aren’t willing to wait until your third child— who hasn’t even been conceived yet—is almost a teenager.
2. In most relationships, non-monogamous or not, getting on a dating app without your partner’s knowledge or consent would definitely cross a line. But your relationship isn’t like most relationships. Your relationship was open before you “defaulted” to monogamy. You’ve been actively discussing reopening the relationship. And your partner told you what they’d done— they disclosed being on the dating app—before making plans to meet anyone. That’s not ideal, OPEN, it’s certainly not best practices where ENM is concerned, but I would encourage you to round it down to “harmless exploration” instead of rounding it up to unforgivable betrayal.
And it’s possible your partner was trying—consciously or subconsciously—to send you a message: they can’t wait a dozen years before opening your relationship back up. Meanwhile, you’re trying to send your partner a very different message: you don’t think it would be logistically possible for them to fulfill their responsibilities as your partner and the co-parent of your very young children with the emotional distractions of fucking and dating other people.
people are property, and if he promised monogamy to someone else, and he’s not monogamous or can’t be monogamous, he’s going to cheat with someone sooner or later. And if it isn’t me, it would be someone else.—Dithering Into Carnal Knowledge
“If not me, who? If not two weeks from now in an upscale hotel room while his wife is at home, when?”—Hillel the Elder (in a new translation by Dan Savage)
It seems pretty clear you’ve already made up your mind to fuck this guy, DICK, and that your handwringing—in the form of this letter— is a purely performative act of contrition. You’re already going into this second meeting armed with a rationalization that makes you far less likely to bail, DICK, and I can offer you another: for all you know, DICK, there are extenuating circumstances that would move his cheating from the morally indefensible column into the morally ambiguous column, e.g. his marriage could be loveless or sexless or both, he might have very good reasons to stay in a sexless marriage (kids, finances, interdependence), and he’s doing what he needs to do in order to stay married and stay sane.
SAVAGE LOVE
While I am inclined to side with you—even if we set aside the emotional risks, fucking other people when you have three small children is nearly impossible for logistical reasons—the two of us can’t impose terms on your partner. You two are going to have to come to some sort of agreement and one of you is going to have to give way.
Bi curious 38-year-old woman from the UK here. I’m in an ethically non-monogamous longterm relationship with my partner of four years and I have been in contact with an old fuck buddy who I haven’t seen for twenty years. He’s married, and I assume, monogamously so. He was the one to get in touch a couple of years back and we stayed in touch. We even arranged to meet once, and I wound up pulling the plug at the last minute. The thing is, I imagine the attraction will still be there and I really want us to fuck, and I have full permission from my partner to hook up with this guy. The ethical aspect goes a little squiffy considering he’s married, which was why I canceled our last date. Now, six months later, we are both going to be in the same city at the same time on our own and we have agreed to meet.
My question is this: If we fuck, Dan, and I really want to fuck, is it really my problem that he’s married? I don’t see a world where I want anything from him other than dick. I don’t believe
You would know the answer—Is his marriage open? Is he doing what he needs to do?—if you had asked, DICK, but you haven’t asked because you would rather have your suspicions than have your suspicions confirmed. For his part, if his marriage was open, DICK, he probably would’ve told you that already—married straight men who are allowed to fuck other women tend to lead with that fact—and if his marriage was sexless and/or loveless and fucking around was a necessarily evil (infidelity) in the service of a greater good (marital stability), then he probably would’ve told you that already.
Which means there’s a greater than 50% chance, DICK, that this guy is just a cheating piece of shit. It’s not your problem that he’s married, of course, and, indeed, people are not property. But if you fuck this guy without getting answers and/or despite the answers you do get, DICK, you lose your right—at least temporarily—to identify as ethically non-monogamous. If you’re willing to suspend your ethical code when the right dick comes along, you were just pretending.
I’m looking for advice on dating in my early 30s. I’ve had two long-term relationships: one from age 19 to 24, and another that started two weeks later and lasted until I was 31. Since that last breakup, I’ve either chosen to be single or lost all desire for anything casual—I’m not sure which. I’ve only had sex once since the breakup, and that was just a random encounter at a sauna. I seem to have lost my sexuality. But I am incredibly lonely and desperately want a partner. I try using Grindr, but I don’t connect with anyone on there. I live in Derby, a small town in England, and the gay “scene” is just one overpriced gay pub that’s
usually filled with straight women. So, in Derby, it feels like it’s “Grindr or bust” if you want to find a boyfriend. But after putting that I’m looking for monogamy on my profile, no one messages me. I really don’t know what to do. I am terrified of being alone forever. I’ve considered moving somewhere else to find what I’m looking for, but I don’t have much money, and moving without a support system feels like a massive risk. I don’t have “issues” I need to work out. I’ve done a lot of self-reflection during these last few years alone. I’m confident, I’m good-looking, and I’m trying, but it’s just not happening. I’ve wondered if my previous relationships created unrealistic expectations, but even so, I can’t find guys who want to go on actual dates. Even the ones who say they do usually just want a hookup, which doesn’t appeal to me.—Gay And Lonely
First, take “monogamy” off your Grindr profile. Not because there’s anything wrong with wanting a monogamous relationship, but because leading with the kind of long-term commitment you’re seeking—on Grindr—is going to turn men off, GAL, including guys who might be open to a long-term monogamous commitment at some point. Men don’t open Grindr thinking, “Who wants me to commit to sexual exclusivity today?” Men open Grindr thinking, “Who wants to take my load right fucking now?” The time to talk about monogamy is after you’ve established sexual attraction and some rapport, which you might be able to do before you meet up for the first time.
Second, reconsider your aversion to hookups. You don’t mention how you met your boyfriend at university or your former fiancé, but I’m going to climb out on a limb and guess that you didn’t have protracted courtships in either of these cases. You met online or off, there was a spark of attraction, and you fucked (or at least fucked around) before you made a commitment. So, you’re going to do that again, but on an accelerated timetable: meet, spark, fuck. If the fucking is good—if they pass your fucking audition and you pass their fucking audition—keep fucking and see where it goes.
Third, consider moving. Yes, moving to a new city without a support system is risky. But staying in Derby also presents a risk. If moving isn’t financially possible right now, GAL, widen your search radius on the apps and be willing to travel for dick. Also, join a gay sports league or a gay book club—even if they’re an hour away—because, when it comes to seeking partners, single people should always move on both fronts: getting on the apps and going places/ meeting people/doing things.
Fourth, stop catastrophizing! You’ve had two stable, long-term relationships! You’re in the midst of a long and frustrating dry spell, I realize, but I hear every day from gay men your age who’ve never had a boyfriend. You’ve loved and you’ve lost, GAL, but your track record is a pretty good indication that you’ll find love again. But probably not in Derby?
Notice of Public Sale Notice is hereby given that the undersigned will sell, to satisfy lien of the owner, at public sale by competitive bidding on www.storagetreasures.com ending on March 13th, 2026 at 10:00 am for units located at: Compass Self Storage 2291 S. Frontage Rd, Plant City, Florida 33563. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the time of sale. All goods are sold as is and must be removed at the time of purchase. Compass Self Storage reserves the right to refuse any bid. Sale is subject to adjournment. The personal goods stored therein by the following may include, but are not limited to general household, furniture, boxes, clothes and appliances, unless otherwise noted. Unit 2041 Elizabeth Trice Unit 2237 Susan Daniels Unit 205 Victor Soroa Unit 2054 Mercedes Milton Unit 2211 Christina Coyner Unit 2246 Elizabeth Trice Unit 3064 Brittany Pope. Run Dates 02/26/2026 and 03/05/2026.
Notice of Public Sale Notice is hereby given that the undersigned will sell, to satisfy lien of the owner, at public sale by competitive bidding on www.storagetreasures.com. ending on March 13th, 2026 at 10:00 am for units located at Compass Self Storage 1685 Hwy 17 N Eagle Lake Florida
Compass Self Storage reserves the right to refuse any bid. Sale is subject to adjournment. The personal goods stored therein by the following may include, but are not limited to general
furniture,
clothes and appliances, unless otherwise noted. Unit 1118 Tyler Zealley Unit 3003 Linda Ford Unit 3063 Mikaela Brooks. Run dates 2/26/2026 and 3/5/2026.
