In a city everyone calls Paradise, your home and business shouldn’t have to worry about the next storm. At FloodSafe Solution, we design custom flood protection that keeps water out and peace of mind in –fast, permanently, and right here in St. Petersburg.
– Jonathan Cruz, president and partner of FloodSafe Solution
Don’t wait for the next storm to find out your property isn’t protected. Call 727-966-2778 to schedule your free property assessment today.
Residential Flood Protection
Custom flood barrier systems and drainage solutions to protect your home’s foundation, basement, and entryways.
Commercial Flood Defense
Protect your business from water damage with engineered mitigation systems tailored to your structure’s vulnerabilities.
Water Intrusion Assessment
Detailed inspections to identify weak points in your home or building’s structure before water becomes a problem.
Custom Barrier Systems
Permanent or temporary barrier setups that activate when water levels rise ideal for high-risk zones and hurricane season.
21 Best Beaches
St. Pete Beach and Clearwater Beach Shine on as Florida’s Best Beaches by Tripadvisor, USA Today, and Travel + Leisure BY JANET NUMMI
10 Luxury Vehicle Repair
Potter’s Precision Imports repairs high-end import vehicles with advanced diagnostics and highly trained service technicians. BY PETER ROOS
Dining
When only something Sweet, Flaky or Indulgent will do. BY STEPHEN RAFFERTY
Estate Law If You Can’t Speak for Yourself, Who Will? BY DANIELLE L. VAUGHN, ESQ.
ASPEC Summer senior program of Growth, Collegiality and Fun at Eckerd College BY NELSON LEES
Artists Spotlight A City that Makes Artists... Barbara Beyhl & Bill Castleman BY ANDREA MARTONE
Scene Sizzling summer Jazz, Blues and Piano Concerts. BY NANETTE WISER
Private, Peaceful, Protected
Discover Marina Bay in St. Petersburg, a hidden gem tucked away on Boca Ciega Bay, where 60 acres of lush tropical landscaping, lakes with dramatic water features and abundant wildlife blend to form this vibrant community. Just seven minutes to downtown and seven minutes to St Pete Beach, the new Villas, Estate Homes and Condominiums of Marina Bay redefine luxury and provide resilience by building to Fortified Standards. Visit Marina Bay, next to Eckerd College, to tour our new models
• FORTIFIED™ Construction for the utmost protection against hurricanes and extreme weather
• Featuring unparalleled design and construction that far exceeds building code requirements.
• Concrete block construction all floors
• Natural gas cooking and generators standard
• Private elevator from garage to living level
• Impact windows and doors
• Two pools, day dock, fishing pier, fitness room
• Deep water boat slips no bridges to the Gulf
To the builder of Marina Bay, it’s EVERYTHING.
Marina Bay is the FIRST community in Pinellas County to receive the FORTIFIED Gold™ designation.
To thearchitects andbuildersof MarinaBay,it’s EVERYTHING.
FORTIFIED™ goes beyond code, meaning FORTIFIED™ Construction far exceeds most building codes and improves the performance of buildings against natural disasters and reducing the risk of personal property losses.
Buildingto FORTIFIED means creatingresilienthomesthat willbetterwith-standsevere weather.
FORTIFIED goesbeyond code,meaningitexceeds mostbuildingcodesby improvingtheperformance ofbuildingsagainstnatural disastersandreducingtherisk ofpersonalpropertylosses. HOW IMPORTANT IS SAFETY TO YOU?
PUBLISHERS MESSAGE
Welcome to the June-July 2026 edition of the Paradise News. From October to May, we publish every month, then during the summer, we go bimonthly for June/July and August/ September. Each new issue goes online and to the printer on the first of each month. They take about a week to ten days to print, then we start filling our 500 racks and stacks, and the post office delivers roughly 20,000 copies in the mail, usually the 12th to 15th of each month. Since we know this schedule, we design the issues to be effective until the next one arrives in your mailbox. For example, the Arts and Leisure and events listings which comprise the back third of the publication are updated each issue to include six weeks of fun things to do from the first of the month to the fifteenth of the next month. In these bimonthly issues, it stretches to 10 weeks.
While I have already outlived both of my parents, I am planning to stick around at least to ninety. My ninety-seven-year-old aunt Marianne, who loves to read the Paradise News and plays bridge almost daily in Bridgeport, Conn. has told me several times she thinks ninety is old enough for anyone. Had I planned ahead for this kind of longevity I probably would have taken better care of my health and tried to save more money for the future. Since my folks both got ill and passed around retirement age, I instead took long vacations each summer with my bride of 55 years so we would never feel like we missed anything. Now, we are in the care of Colin Chan, MD., an amazing anti-aging specialist who is doing his best to help us reverse the mistakes we have made.
Many long-time readers will remember Sarah Lyons, who wrote a popular astrology column for Paradise News for almost 20 years. Sarah had to stop working when she was diagnosed with cancer and has been fighting a good fight for her life despite even worse financial challenges than most. A generous neighbor started a GoFundMe page for her, to which we have contributed. If you remember her work and have a few dollars to spare for a good cause, please be generous. It will mean a lot to her as she endures chemo treatments for the next 4 months.
We are excited to have been able to keep sharing Paradise News on schedule in spite of the flood, wind, war and state of the economy. With hurricane season back, we are pleased to have FloodSafe Solutions, our flood barrier choice, as a new advertiser. We are also thrilled to have 5-star rated Potter’s Precision Import car repair advertising again (see page 10). We are also thrilled to have been befriended by legendary Steinway artist Rebecca Penneys, who semi-retired to St. Pete Beach after a career at the Eastman School in Rochester, NY. Here she started RPPF, the tuition-free Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival, now in its 13th season on the USF campus, bringing a world-class faculty and three dozen very talented college-age pianists from the best schools in the world to town for three weeks of exposure to Steinway pianos and some of the best lessons they have ever had. Guests are welcome for a modest donation at Barness Hall at USF – Tampa June 27-July 17, or at any of the outreach concerts, including some in our area. Use the QR code in the ad on page 31 for details.
We are also pleased to announce the affordable summer program for seniors at ASPEC, which is designed to bring experienced learners together for fellowship and fun in addition to an educational experience (see page 17). It is a great place to meet interesting people and make new friends. Have a great summer and stay safe.
www.ParadiseNewsFL.com
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Paradise NEWS
Volume 32 Number 6 • June/July 2026
PUBLISHERS
Peter Roos | Marketing & Sales
813.230.3965
sales@paradisenewsfl.com
Renee Roos | Creative Director 727.421.0341 info@paradisenewsfl.com
ART & PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
Janet Nummi info@janetnummi.com
SOCIAL MEDIA & WEBSITE MANAGER Kaeley Dawson paradisenewsfl@gmail.com
EDITORIAL
Caron Schwartz - Art News & Hanging Around Buddy Baker - Arts & Leisure / Events
Scan the QR code to find an Orlando Health ER location near you, with a dedicated team when you need them the most.
TIDBITS
Stay in the know all summer long – go online to www.paradisenewsfl.com to subscribe to our weekly emails, and you can read the full tidbits at www.paradisenewsfl.com/ jj-tidbits-2026
Hurricane season is here, so it’s a good time to get signed up for Alert Pinellas. It’s free and sends emergency updates straight to you when it matters most: www.pinellas.gov/ alert-pinellas. We’re still under once-a-week watering rules through July 1 with irrigation limited to early
morning or evening hours. With the dry stretch continuing, conservation really helps. Questions call 1-800-836-0797 or email Water.Restrictions@ WaterMatters.org.
If you’re still bouncing back from recent storms, Pinellas County’s recovery program is open for help with repairs and rebuilding. Apply at www.recover.pinellas. gov or call 727-606-3307.
SPCA Tampa Bay is looking for foster homes for kittens that need bottle feeding and extra care during peak season. If you’re 18+ and can follow basic guidance, they’ll provide everything you need: www.spcatampabay.org/foster
Commissioner Kathleen Peters is speaking up
about potential data center development and what it could mean for local water and power resources. Read more: www.stpetecatalyst.com/ peters-seeks-to-block-datacenters-despite-state-law
American Stage is also rolling out a summer cabaret series with three themed nights –Beach, Please! (July 11), Black Girl Magic (July 18), and Sammy & Dino (July 25). Tickets: www.americanstage. org/summer-cabaret
A new graphic novel, The Hottest Fires of Hell, just dropped from Christopher Ward and AM Case, spotlighting WWII resistance stories in a powerful new way: www.paradisenewsfl.com/ the-hottest-fires-of-hell
A proposed Tierra Verde Marina expansion was approved after a long public hearing, with concerns raised about scale, traffic, and neighborhood impact, though commissioners ultimately voted 4 to 3 in favor with added conditions.
Florida West Coast Orchid Society members are selling their plants June 13, 8-11am. Come early for best selection. Location: Florida Botanical Garden. 12211 Walsingham Rd., Largo. Use the Walsingham Entrance.
Family-style Italian CELEBRATING 30 YEARS!
Sages Bistro is the delicious affordable choice for diners seeking a fresh family-style Italian restaurant nestled in the heart of downtown Largo. Patty and Mike Shade and their team expertly craft each dish using only the freshest ingredients. www.sagesbistro.com 885 West Bay Drive, Largo Tues.-Thurs. 11am - 8am •
SEE MENU
Questions: 727-475-0750
General Orchid Care class 11am. Q&A throughout the day.
Fire Station 22 in St. Pete Beach has been demolished after storm damage, with plans moving forward for a new $9 million resilient station supported by state funding.
The 21st Annual St. Pete Beach Classic returns Jan. 16-17, 2027, with limited spots and multiple races along the beach. Register: www. stpetebeachclassic.com/register
The Gulfport Community Players are bringing End of the Rainbow to the stage June 11-21, offering an intimate look at Judy Garland’s life in London. Gulfport hurricane guides are now available at city facilities for residents to pick up ahead of storm season www.mygulfport.us/hurricane.
By Kaeley Dawson
Hubbard’s Marina has once again been named the #1 fishing charter in the country for the fifth year in a row: www.paradisenewsfl.com/ hubbards-named-bestfishing-charter
Explore more of St. PeteClearwater for less with the free FunShine Savings Passport, featuring 50+ deals on attractions, tours, dining, and shopping. No app needed – just sign up, save it to your phone, and start saving. www.visitstpeteclearwater.com/ funshine-savings-passport
Celebrate summer at The Wharf Waterfront Restaurant and Bar in Pass-A-Grille, where you can dock your boat and enjoy Old Florida seafood, cold drinks, and friendly service on the patio, at the bar, or in the dining room. Sip frozen favorites like the Banana Piña Colada, magical margaritas, or a Key Lime Spritz. Menu highlights include the famous grouper sandwich, daily specials, seafood baskets, Wharf Wings, seared rare sesame tuna, jalapeño conch fritters, smoked fish spread, and Key Lime Pie. Enjoy Happy Hour Mon.-Fri. 3:30-6pm, live music with Rocking Rob Tyre Wed.-Sat. 6-9:30pm, and your favorite teams on 17 TVs.
FRANK T. HURLEY
Marina Bay Condo, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, corner unit, waterfront, boat slip, $817,000 FOR SALE
Sunset Beach, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, across from the beach, updated Kitchen, and baths, $5000
We are here to help with your rental and property management needs. Call us for an in home consultation about what we can do to help you make the most of your investment.
POTTER’S PRECISION IMPORTS
Potter’s Precision Imports Offers Specialist Care to Tampa Bay’s European Auto Owners
For owners of European import cars, finding the right repair shop often comes down to trust, training and attention to detail. Paradise News has previously introduced Potter’s Precision Imports, a 5-star service center that has built its local reputation around those very qualities.
The independent repair shop serves the St. Pete and Tampa Bay area with a focus on high-end import vehicles: Mercedes-Benz, BMW, MINI, Porsche, Volkswagen, Audi, Sprinter Vans, Land Rover, and Jaguar (2008-present) repair.
Potter’s growth has been fueled by its acquisition of top-notch technicians, all with the same philosophy: to treat people like they matter. No auto repair is too small or too large for its team of professionals.
Tom Potter’s background includes credentials as an ASE Master Technician, Mercedes-Benz Master Technician and Mercedes-Benz Master Service Advisor and was southern regional winner in the 2009 “Stars of Service Championships at Crown Euro-Cars.”
The shop’s stated mission is to provide quality automotive repair through a team of specialists dedicated to customer satisfaction. Its operating principles include using up-to-date vehicle data and
By Peter Roos
advanced diagnostic equipment. For Tampa Bay residents who prefer an independent alternative to dealership service, Potter’s Precision Imports is a specialist shop built around technical credentials, diagnostic capability and a personal approach to import auto care.
I can vouch for them from personal experience. Tom and his team took great care of the older Mercedes Benz station wagon that served as both our personal car and the delivery truck for a pallet of Paradise News magazines each issue for years. We are looking forward to their excellent service on our newly acquired Audi TT convertible as well. They are a specialized service center for all the brands listed above, including aftermarket warranty work. If you reach out to them, please let them know you read about them in your Paradise News.
The shop, located at 4200 31st St. N, Unit D, St. Petersburg, can be reached at 727-914-8968 weekdays 8am-6pm. Visit them online at www.pottersimports.com.
DINING
As summer settles over our coastal communities, dining tends to take on a lighter, more leisurely rhythm. For the days when a full meal feels like too much – or when only something sweet, flaky or indulgent will do – we’re lucky to have a delicious variety of pastry options close to home.
ST. PETE BAKERY CAFÉ
Bringing the delicacies of her native Kurdistan to St. Pete, Chef Tanya has been serving up a delightful mix of sweet and savory since arriving here over 20 years ago. Centered on healthy, high-quality ingredients and the use of organic food, St. Pete Bakery Café has a unique flavor and ambience to it. You can start simply with the exceptional creamy plain or red hummus. There are classics like the stuffed vine leaves and falafel, the latter a joy of taste with its Tahini (sesame) sauce. The Kibbeh (bulgar wheat with spices, fruit and vegetables cooked into croquettes) come with either meat or vegan fillings. On the sweeter side you can find a yummy homemade baklava and remarkable coconut & cocoa date balls that somehow have zero added sugar but have a rich, sweet zest to them. The Turkish Delight and nougats had me tapping my fingers, in the end I tried both. All of these morsels can be washed down with the many hand-crafted teas including a steeped Persian tea, lemon mint or my favorite the Rosebud made with real rosewater. Original and delicious? Chef Tanya and St. Pete Bakery Café have that covered.
Just inside the marina-facing side of the Museum of Fine Arts downtown, Café Clementine with its Le Clementine Bakeshop bakery
is a hidden gem. The brainchild of husband and wife Vince and Paulina, the café produces some of the most exquisite pastries in the city. You can start your day with blueberry almond coffee cake or a cardamom cinnamon roll and afterward indulge in a cheesy zucchini scone and a country sourdough loaf. Their specialty is unique delectables like “cruffins,” muffins filled with all the goodies you could want, such as coffee custard with vanilla mascarpone cream! Chocolate chip cookies come infused with sea salt and adorned with rose petals. Last year for Halloween I even got to enjoy pumpkin Basque cheesecake! This is boutique level food and are just a few of the treasures awaiting you at this must-visit spot.
Nestled on Gulf Blvd. across from Island Grand Trade Winds, Café Soleil is a Parisian-style bakery as its name suggests. Open for breakfast thru lunch, you can find an abundance of freshly baked treats for all of their different dishes. Light crust quiches such as the Oh La La with bacon, caramelized onions and cheese or baguettes with varied fillings like smoked salmon, roast chicken and grilled zucchini or sundried tomatoes and mozzarella pesto. Yes, they are
all as good as they sound. But what Café Soleil are known for, in fact they have received national and international recognition for, are their legitimately world class toasted croissants. To say I enjoy these flakey treasures would be an understatement, and Café Soleil’s are the best I’ve ever eaten. Crisp outside and so soft inside, these are offered with various fillings from breakfast fare of eggs, cheese and meat or veg to the more exotic appeal of prosciutto, fig jam, brie, pears, walnuts and sun-dried tomatoes in different mixtures. Of course, these delicate slices of heaven have sweet options also with banana and Nutella, peanut butter and jelly or simple but still scrumptious chocolate or almond. Also on the mouth-watering menu are the likes of a Crème Brulé donut, beignets, tarts and a sensational chocolate hazelnut pait. If you need a taste of Paris, Café Soleil should be your immediate destination.
Situated next to its big sister restaurant on Beach Drive downtown, Cassis Market is known for pizzas and sandwiches but it is their
By Stephen Rafferty
exceptional bakery that draws me to them again and again. Simple but delicious, the sweet items on show have never let me down. Having a smaller menu, it seems like extra care goes into crafting their cakes, tarts, and other choices. You can stay with classics like chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin cookies, both big enough to satiate your sweet craving, or almond and chocolate croissants. If you’re feeling more adventurous they have what appears to be a rotating menu with goodies like a juicy strawberry tart, premium cookies with different flavors, and assorted macarons. But my absolute favorite is the Crème Brulé cheesecake, a “reward” I give myself far too often. With coffees, teas and lemonade refreshers to quench these down, it would be almost negligent not to drop in if you’re walking around downtown.
Come for a visit, enjoy a Day Pass, or take the elevator home. Experience a diverse range of flavors, exciting entertainment, and the perfect getaway in your backyard.
caFé soleil
cassis Bakery
le clementine Bakeshop
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Just Keep Swimming
With all the trials and tribulations of the world today it’s important to remember the wise words of Dory from Finding Nemo: “just keep swimming.” It’s a reminder in these rough seas to keep going, be resilient, and find some optimism for the future. Beyond this note of encouragement, there are also mental and physical benefits to actual swimming. We are surrounded by beautiful waters here in South Pinellas, from the gulf to the bay, to public and private swimming pools. The water is a perfect place to find serenity and calm. After all, it’s where our lives begin, bathing in the amniotic fluid in the womb.
I was taught to swim at an early age because my mother was afraid of water, having survived a near-drowning incident in her youth. She wanted to make sure that her children were safe in or near any body of water. While other children spent their summers sleeping in, my brother and I woke up at the crack of dawn for swim team practice at the local pool. I became a very skilled swimmer, though never a fast one. As one coach told me, “You have a beautiful stroke, but you’ll never win anything.”
He was right, but I am grateful now for those swim practices which have allowed me to feel comfortable and confident in the water. My husband and I both attended Emory University, which requires all students to either pass a swim test or a swim class before graduating. I guess they don’t see the point in educating someone who could drown. I passed the challenging swim test a few days into my freshman year. My husband could not pass the test and delayed taking the 8am swim class until his senior year to graduate. This gives insight into our differing approaches to vacation packing as well. Nevertheless, we are both good swimmers, and he went on to complete several 2.4-mile Ironman swims in the ocean. I just enjoy snorkeling and swimming with sea creatures. My point is that swimming is both an important skill to learn, and a way to enrich your life.
MENTAL BENEFITS
While swimming is an Olympic sport, it’s also a meditative practice. The water immersion and rhythmic breathing allow the mind to relax, lowering stress and anxiety. Swimming also helps with mood regulation by releasing endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine – the neurotransmitters that
bring happiness and relaxation. Being in or near the water causes the “Blue Mind” effect, lowering cortisol levels, reducing mental fatigue, and boosting feelings of peace and wellness. Swimming also enhances cognitive function by increasing blood flow to the brain, improving memory and concentration. Learning the skill of swimming can help children build confidence and boost their self-esteem. When you swim at a club or public pool there is social interaction, which can alleviate feelings of isolation. New evidence suggests that cold water swimming can even help treat depression instead of using medication.
So, next time you’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed, put on your bathing suit and take a dip in the calming waters.
PHYSICAL BENEFITS
Swimming provides a full-body, highintensity cardiovascular workout but with low impact on the joints. The water resistance tones muscles and builds endurance in almost every muscle group in the body. Swimming builds cardiovascular strength by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease. The breathing patterns required
for swimming increase lung strength and capacity. With the weightless support of the water, swimming is gentle on the joints and is helpful for people with arthritis, those undergoing injury rehabilitation, pregnant women, and people fighting obesity. In fact, swimming is excellent for weight management, burning 200 calories in just 30 minutes of exercise. With all the reaching and twisting, swimming also increases flexibility and range of motion. The deep breathing and relaxation of swimming can even improve sleep patterns.
You don’t have to be a great swimmer to enjoy the positive health effects of exercising in the water. You can try water walking or water aerobics until you feel more comfortable with your swimming skills. If you want to learn to swim, the city of St. Petersburg offers lessons throughout the summer at their St. Pete Parks & Recreation public pools. The YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg offers swim lessons at the Speer and Jim & Heather Gills YMCA locations. There are also private companies who offer swim lessons at your home pool. You are never too old to learn how to swim! If you are already a seasoned swimmer, North Shore Aquatic Complex offers a “Swim to Stay Fit” membership for $35 a month or
By Claire Brinsden Jordan
$350 a year, as well as swim classes and activities. If you prefer to swim in the ocean, we are fortunate to have several beautiful beaches on the Gulf side, most with lifeguards to provide extra swim safety. In downtown St. Pete, you can swim at Spa Beach or North Shore Park Beach, and in South St. Pete there is Lassing Park Beach or Maximo Park Beach. Please note that these city park beaches do not have lifeguards on duty.
Swimming is excellent exercise for people of all ages and fitness levels. You can challenge your entire body without doing harm to it. The freestyle stroke works the whole body, especially shoulders, back and glutes. Backstroke targets the shoulders, back and chest, and is great for improving posture. Breaststroke works out the chest, shoulders and thighs, and the challenging butterfly stroke uses the core, shoulders, chest and forearms. For cardiovascular fitness, muscle toning, weight management, and mental health, swimming scores high marks. Just 30 minutes of swimming 3-5 times a week can have lasting long-term health benefits. So put on those goggles and just keep swimming!
Imagine waking up in a hospital, unable to communicate. Doctors need to make urgent decisions about your care, but without the right legal documents, even your closest family members may have no authority to act on your behalf.
Two documents every Florida adult should have, and most don’t, are a Healthcare Surrogate Designation and a Living Will Together, they form a complete plan for the unexpected.
A Healthcare Surrogate is the person you legally appoint to make medical decisions for you if you become incapacitated. Many people assume a spouse automatically has this authority. In Florida, without a signed document, that’s not always true –and the resulting delays can have real consequences.
“Without these documents, your family is left to guess – and that uncertainty can create devastating conflict during an already unbearable moment.”
A Living Will goes one step further. It records your wishes in writing, whether you want life-prolonging measures like ventilators or feeding tubes if there’s no
By Danielle L. Vaughn, Esq.,
reasonable chance of recovery. Without one, Florida law directs doctors to do everything possible to keep you alive, regardless of what you would have wanted.
Your surrogate makes decisions in the moment; your Living Will gives them a roadmap. Together, they ensure your voice is heard, and your loved ones are spared an impossible burden.
This isn’t just for older adults. Accidents and sudden illness happen at every age. And it takes far less time to put these documents in place than most people think.
Your wishes deserve to be heard.
At Vaughn Law, PLLC, we make the process simple. Let us help you put the right documents in place so your voice, and the people you trust, are protected no matter what life brings.
FREE ESTATE PLANNING WORKSHOP
The Biggest Mistakes People Commonly Make in Estate Planning –And How to Avoid Them
Workshop Dates: Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at 5pm Monday, June 22, 2026 at 3pm
Location: Beach Theatre, 315 Corey Ave., St. Pete Beach, FL 33706
Admission: Completely FREE –No cost, no obligation.
What You’ll Learn:
• The most common estate planning mistakes Florida families make
• Why a will alone may not be enough to protect your loved ones
• How to avoid probate and keep your affairs private
• Steps you can take right now to protect your family and your property Seating is limited. Call or visit our website to reserve your spot today.
Danielle L. Vaughn, Esq., B.C.S., LL.M. Board Certified Real Estate Attorney VAUGHN LAW, PLLC 350 Corey Avenue, St. Pete Beach Phone: 727-223-6080 www.dvaughnlaw.com
ASPEC AT ECKERD COLLEGE
ASPEC Opens Its Doors for a Summer of Growth, Collegiality and Fun… at a significantly reduced cost. Area retirees and semi-retirees looking for a lively mix of intellectual stimulation, conversation and community with like-minded individuals have a unique opportunity to experience an organization which counted James A. Michener and Ellie Wiesel as members. Widely known by its acronym ASPEC, the Academy of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College taps into the talent and vast experience of former senior executives, scientists, entrepreneurs, military officers, etc. living in the area.
Founded in 1982, ASPEC offers a year-round menu of lectures, workshops, discussion groups, activities and community engagement. This one-of-a-kind, highly interactive, intergenerational lifelong learning organization was recently featured in The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Special Report on “Educating in Your Community,” with a focus on the integration of lifelong learners into campus life: “ASPEC members are curious about the way the world works, they want to stay engaged, and they want to keep the neurons firing.”
By Nelson Lees
For ASPEC members, the close and collaborative relationship with Eckerd College students and faculty through guest lecturing, course auditing, mentoring and a wide range of other interactions, is a huge value add. Members also have the chance to enjoy the broader Eckerd College setting, including campus amenities such as the library and waterfront programs, with activities such as kayaking and sailing on Boca Ciega Bay.
At the heart of ASPEC are its member-led interest groups, where participants gather for discussion, study and shared exploration. Summer offerings typically span a wide range of topics, from foreign affairs, current events, economics and world classics literature to science, AI and medical topics for the layperson. Creative participants can also find opportunities in areas such as visual arts and readers theater.
ASPEC is once again offering a seasonal opportunity to sample the organization and its stimulating activities for a full summer (Summer Sampler!). Designed to introduce nonmembers (individuals and couples) to the organization’s peer-led presentations, programs and activities – on and off the Eckerd College campus – for only $50 for the entire summer (June-August)
For many, the Summer Sampler program is both an introduction to lifelong learning and an invitation to build new friendships in a college atmosphere. So, try out the ASPEC experience for a nominal cost before applying to join as a member. Registration information and additional information about ASPEC is available through the Academy of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College website at www.aspec.eckerd.edu or Nelson Lees at nlees1771@gmail.com
GULFPORT MATTERS
There’s no shortage of ways to enjoy a Gulfport summer. But the season also comes with a few things you really should do –get hurricane-ready before you need to be, stay informed on the upcoming election, and understand how proposed property tax changes could affect everything from road repairs to your local library. So, prepare, get informed, and enjoy your summer. Here’s just some of the great things going on in June and July.
SPOTLIGHTING UPCOMING EVENTS
In addition to the Fresh Market every Tuesday, and the Night Markets every 1st Friday and 3rd Saturday, Gulfport has countless events and activities.
June 11-21, The Gulfport Community Players will present “End of the Rainbow,” at the Hickman Theater. The “Players” tell it like this: It’s Christmas 1968, with a 6-week booking at London’s Talk of the Town. It looks like Judy Garland is set firmly on the comeback trail. Failed marriages, suicide attempts, and addictions are all behind her. At 46, and with new flame Mickey Deans at her side, she seems determined to carry it all off and recapture her magic. But lasting happiness often eludes people, and there was never any answer to the questions with which Judy Garland ended every show. “If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why, oh, why, can’t I?” Every note she sings, every tear shed, every joke she cracks, every pill she pops, is conveyed with alarming honesty. Thurs.-Fri.-Sat. at 8pm, Sat. and Sun. at 2pm. Tickets are $20 online or $25 cash at the door. Tickets and information: www.gulfportcommunityplayers.org
June 12: City of Gulfport Flag Day at Veteran’s Park, 10-11am. Join the city of Gulfport for Flag Day. The New Horizons Band of Gulfport Musical performance begins at 9:30am. Free and open to the public.
June 19: Juneteenth at Tomlinson Park, 1800-1818 55th St. S, 5-9pm.
June 20 and July 18: Free Community Tree Giveaways: 9-11am, at Clymer Park (Greenway), 23rd Ave. S and Beach Blvd. S. Proof of Gulfport residency is required. Exploring the Future of Gulfport will also be on-site to share information about nature-based solutions for coastal resiliency and collect community surveys about residents’ concerns regarding Gulfport Beach. Attendees can enjoy their coastal resilience quiz game and pick up fun giveaways such as native plant seeds and merch. FMI: 727-893-1092.
July 4: City of Gulfport’s 4th of July Celebration: The festivities will start at City Hall with the opening of “The Spirit of the Century Time Capsule.” Activities will continue at Tomlinson Park where a Family Fun Day will take place from 10am-2pm with a parade at 11am. The fun will include vendors, activities, games, children’s entertainment, and picnicking. The festivities will continue downtown in the waterfront for a fireworks displays launched from the Williams Pier at 9pm. Sign up for the Community Parade at www.mygulfport.us/july_4th_celebration/
July 9-19: The Gulfport Community Players Annual Summer One Act Plays will be presented at the Hickman Theater. The cast will include a variety of adults ranging in age from their early 20s to late 70s. The roles will range from light drama to comedy. Thurs.-Sat. at 8pm, and Sat.-Sun. at 2pm. Tickets are $20 online or $25 cash at the door. FMI: www.gulfportcommunityplayers.org
June 18 and July 16: The Original Gulfport Walking Tour, Join the guided tour by Gulfport Arts & Heritage, friends of the Gulfport History Museum at 7pm. Stroll through history in Gulfport, hear about the creation of this small seaside hamlet, and share the history and stories with the group. The tour starts at the Gulfport History Museum where you can take a peek at their historic photos. 5301 28th Ave. S. Free to members and $15 non-members. FMI: www.gulfportartsandheritage.org
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: GECKO WORLD!
This year’s theme, “Gulfport Music Awards,” shines a spotlight on the whimsical, bohemian creative energy that makes Gulfport truly one of a kind. Dust off your wildest wardrobe and unleash your inner eccentric – colorful costumes are a highlight at GeckoFest, the Gecko Ball, and the walking parade. Start imagining now! FMI: www.visitgulfportflorida.com
• August 7: Gecko Art Show, 6-8pm, at the Hickman Theater, 5501 27th Ave. S
• August 8: Gecko Crawl Poker & Bar Crawl, 4-9pm
• August 29: Gecko Ball, 6-10pm, at the Maria Center, 1500 58th St. S
• September 5: GeckoFest, 10am-8pm, 3101 Beach Blvd. S
*RIDE THE SPECIAL EVENTS GULFPORT TROLLEY!
A free and convenient service connecting residents and visitors from off-site parking locations to key destinations throughout the city. The trolley operates on a regular schedule, making it easy to hop on and off near shops, restaurants, parks, and the waterfront. There are trolley stops or wave it down. FMI: 727-893-1000 or go to www.mygulfport.us/trolley for the most up-to-date schedule and route maps.
By Marlene Shaw
ART IN THE NEWS
· Brenda McMahon Gallery
First Friday art opening receptions with music, plus Third Friday art events and extraordinary events. FMI: www.brendamcmahongallery.com / 727-454-0453 / Facebook
· DRV Gallery
First Friday art openings with music and Third Friday art events throughout the year. FMI: www.drvgallery.com / 727-382-7004 / Facebook
Hosted by the Gulfport Merchants Chamber, 5317 Gulfport Blvd. S, 4-6pm. FMI: www.visitgulfportflorida.com
Gulfport Merchants Chamber Announces 2026 “Rise and Shine” Emerging Artist Grant Recipients. Congratulations to Reagan Fennessy and Cora Van Vleet as the recipients. The grant is an initiative designed to support and elevate artists in Pinellas County while reinforcing Gulfport’s identity as a thriving arts destination. As this year’s grant recipients, Fennessy and Van Vleet will each receive a $1,000 award distributed throughout the program, along with a year-long package of professional development opportunities, marketing exposure, exhibition opportunities, mentorship through quarterly “Business of Art” consultations, and participation in key Gulfport arts events. Each artist will also be featured in a solo exhibition. For more information about the “Rise and Shine” Emerging Artist Grant and future opportunities, visit VisitGulfportFlorida.com or contact the Gulfport Merchants Chamber directly.
*For weekly jams, music and other things happening in Gulfport, follow Gulfport Matters on Facebook and stay connected.
Jewelry Makeover Expert
by Peter Roos
We first introduced Beverly J. Gianna to Paradise NEWS readers in the spring of 2016. Her jewelry store in Wisconsin has been successful for over 42 years. Ten years ago, Beverly acted on her dream to open a shop on our beautiful beaches. She made quite a number of long-lasting friends in town that she considers like family.
She is a highly trained, trusted, and respected jeweler that enjoys people and life. Bev is also a diamond expert with contacts in Antwerp, Belgium. She has visited them to buy diamonds directly for stock and to fill orders. Beverly’s team is dedicated to continuous satisfaction with every individual experience. Her talents are many, but her favorite talent is refurbishing old jewelry that just sits in a jewelry box for her clients. “Women are bringing me jewelry that was in their families and asking me to turn their beloved piece into a more modern design, by recycling these older gems and precious metals,” said Beverly.
With over 42 years of experience in the industry, she can help to restore, redesign and repurpose items that have sentimental value. Jewelry connoisseurs are especially welcome to contact her. Bring in any gold or jewelry that you would like to use as a trade-in, trade-up, or sell. She offers in-house financing with deferred interest.
Call 727-513-3469 or visit her website www.BeverlyGianna.com or stop in to visit her at Beverly Gianna Luxury Jewelry & Design 6647 Central Ave., St. Petersburg
before after after
St. Pete Beach and Clearwater Beach
Shine on as Florida’s Best Beaches
by Janet Nummi
Florida’s Gulf Coast is basking in another wave of acclaim, and two familiar names are catching the brightest light: Clearwater Beach and St. Pete Beach. In Tripadvisor’s 2026 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Beaches in the U.S., Clearwater Beach ranks No. 2 nationally. On Tripadvisor’s separate 2026 Best Florida Beaches page, it stands at No. 1 in Florida. The Travelers’ Choice “Best of the Best” distinction is reserved for places that earn an exceptionally high volume of standout reviews over 12 months, with fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor listings reaching that level.
Meanwhile, in the latest USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice ranking cited by Visit St. PeteClearwater, Clearwater Beach is No. 2 in Florida and St. Pete Beach is No. 7. On the global stage, Travel + Leisure places Clearwater
Beach at No. 3 on its list of the 15 Best White-sand Beaches Around the World.
If Clearwater Beach is the headliner, it’s easy to see why. It is a family-friendly beach with powdery white sand, blue waters, and spectacular sunsets – the kind of place where the shoreline seems to glow in the late afternoon and the Gulf turns from turquoise to gold by evening. There’s a sense of easy abundance here: room to stroll, room to breathe, room to let the day stretch out under a bright Florida sky. Travel + Leisure’s global white-sand ranking only reinforces that image, elevating Clearwater from a beloved regional favorite to an internationally celebrated beach escape.
Then there is St. Pete Beach, which carries its own magnetic charm. In the latest USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice results cited by the destination’s official tourism site, it lands at No. 7 among Florida’s best beaches. That ranking feels fitting for a beach that seems to invite a slower exhale: wide bright sand, postcard-worthy Gulf views, and a laid-back elegance that pairs beautifully with nearby St. Petersburg’s restaurants, arts scene, and
museums. If Clearwater is the lively star with broad national applause, St. Pete Beach is the polished coastal favorite that wins people over with beauty, warmth, and atmosphere.
Together, these two beaches tell a bigger story about Florida’s west coast. Clearwater brings the marquee credentials – No. 2 in the U.S. on Tripadvisor for 2026, No. 1 in Florida on Tripadvisor’s statewide beach list, No. 2 in USA Today’s Florida ranking, and No. 3 worldwide for white sand according to Travel + Leisure. St. Pete Beach adds depth and distinction with its No. 7 Florida placement in USA Today 10 Best and its enduring reputation as one of the Gulf Coast’s most beloved stretches of shoreline. For travelers dreaming of warm surf, luminous sand, and sunset skies painted in peach and coral, the message is simple: the best of Florida is not just a place on a map – it’s a feeling, and right now it looks a lot like Clearwater Beach and St. Pete Beach.
Rankings snapshot:
• Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best U.S. Beaches (2026): Clearwater Beach No. 2
• USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice, Best Beaches in Florida (2026 latest ranking cited by Visit St. PeteClearwater): Clearwater Beach No. 2, St. Pete Beach No. 7 www.visitstpeteclearwater.com/ communities/clearwater-beach
• Travel + Leisure, 15 Best White-sand Beaches Around the World: Clearwater Beach No. 3 www.travelandleisure.com/tripideas/beach-vacations/whitesand-beach
The Florida beaches that made Tripadvisor’s 2026 Travelers’ Choice “Best of the Best Beaches in the U.S.”Top 10, listed by their national rank. There are four Florida beaches in the U.S. Top 10, not ten Florida-only entries. Tripadvisor says the 2026 Best of the Best Beach awards are based on the quality and quantity of reviews in the beach subcategory from travelers globally between Nov. 30, 2024, and Dec. 1, 2025.
ART NEWS
Multidisciplinary artist Babs
Reingold brings together imagery of muscular women’s bodybuilding with ancient fertility symbols and the soft, curvilinear female ideals of the past in After Venus. On display through 8/30 at the St. Pete Museum of Fine Arts. https://bit.ly/babs-r
Celebrate Independence Day with St. Petersburg Opera at the Mahaffey. The 100-voice chorus & 70-piece orchestra will surprise you with Broadway favorites, Hollywood blockbusters, and patriotic classics. Come for the music, stay for the fireworks. 7/4, 6pm. https://bit.ly/opera-pops
Test your mettle Florida CraftArt invites metalworkers to apply for Formed by Fire, an exhibit that will bring together artists working in traditional metal casting methods and contemporary metal fabrication, emphasizing the transformative role of heat and process. Exhibition dates: 9/19-10/24. Application deadline 7/19. https://bit.ly/formed-by-fire
Tarpon Springs eternal
Richard Heipp’s Reliquaries & Artifacts is on view thru 7/26 at the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art in Tarpon Springs. Using hand-painted, hyper-realistic techniques, Heipp transforms photographic documentation into images that probe the boundaries between object and image, craft and simulation. https://bit.ly/r-heipp
Talk among yourselves
Suite E Sounds hosts the Creatives Support Group, an open meetup of creatives of diverse disciplines facilitated by licensed mental health professionals. Complimentary food and beverages provided by Freeman Sound. 2nd & 4th Mondays, 7-8pm at Suite E in St. Pete’s Warehouse Art District. Sign up for reminders: https://bit.ly/create-mondays
Get ready to jingle all the way… to the Tampa Christmas in July Arts & Craft Show. 7/2526, 10am-4pm, at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. Holiday fun, festive vibes, gifts galore, all in indoor comfort. https://bit.ly/july-xmas
Bring out your art You have until 7/1 to apply to Embracing Our Differences. The 2027 international juried exhibition of 50 billboard-size works of art, each accompanied by a thought-provoking quotation, will be on display at Sarasota’s Bayfront Park and St. Pete’s Poynter Park. Cash prizes awarded! Info and application: https://bit.ly/embracedifferences
Out of Many, Still Many, on exhibit at the Dunedin Fine Art Center, brings together paintings depicting everyday moments of friends, families, and experiences across a wide spectrum of cultures and identities. Created in honor of America’s 250th birthday, the exhibition reflects a “salad bowl” vision of the nation. Thru 8/6. www.dfac.org/exhibit/ out-of-many-still-many
Art lovers, we have a problem American museums are literally falling apart. The Government Accountability Office reports that about 85 percent of our museums are dealing with deferred maintenance or major repair needs. Most of the country’s roughly 16,700 museums are small, underresourced operations, often housed in aging or historic structures that are expensive to maintain and hard to upgrade. https://bit.ly/repair-museums
USA! USA! Creative Pinellas has awarded $60,000 in National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants to six Pinellas County artists as part of America250. Artists are include: Vanessa Cunto (Visual Art), Tyler Gillespie (Arts Education), Dave and Heather Hamar (Music Composition & Performance), Erica Sutherlin (Film), Kirk Ke Wang (Sculptural Art), and Felipe Zamudio (Film). https://bit.ly/250-grants
The function of art is to do more than tell it like it is – it’s to imagine what is possible. – bell hooks
Coming to America The Dalí Museum presents Dalí in America, an exhibition exploring how Salvador Dalí’s experience in the US reshaped his artistic vision and influenced American art and culture. Thru 10/18. www.thedali.org/exhibit/ dali-in-america
Spell your name from space! Using NASA’s Earthly Alphabet of Aerial Images you can use the interactive Your Name in Landsat tool. Just type in any word or name, which is then automatically generated using high-resolution, natural-color satellite imagery of Earth’s landscapes, such as rivers, forests, and desert features that resemble letters. www.go.nasa.gov/4dnfvge
You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have. – Maya Angelou
Cross Roads Blues, and more America at the Crossroads: The GUITAR and a Changing Nation, on display at the Tampa Bay History Center, looks at America’s evolution through the lens of its most popular instrument. Thru 8/23. https://bit.ly/america-crossroads
Welcome to the midway Learn about modern circus history at the Sarasota-based Ringling Museum’s latest exhibition, The Greatest Show On Earth®. The gallery evokes the excitement of a live show while representing the production experience from both front- and back-of-house perspectives. https://bit.ly/ greatest-show
Creatives gotta create An exhibition at Art Center Sarasota – Architects Who Art: Designing the Cultural Coast –highlights the creative breadth of individuals who blur the lines between architecture and visual art. Both disciplines demand a deep understanding of space, form, and structure, and rely heavily on imagination. www.artsarasota.org/onview
By Caron Schwartz
Step out of the humidity and into the Gilded Age at the Henry B. Plant Museum in Tampa. Built in 1888 by Henry B. Plant, the hotel served to anchor his railroad and steamship empire and as a seasonal luxury resort for wealthy tourists.
https://bit.ly/grand-hotel-plant
Shuffle off to Pride Celebrate Pride Month with shuffleboard, live music by DJ Alex, food from Bellies food truck, a silent auction, and so much more! Hosted by St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club, all proceeds benefit PFLAG Safety Harbor/ Greater Pinellas. Doors open at 5:30pm. Shuffleboard is free to members and $10 for non-members. 6/12, 5:30pm. Info and RSVP: https://bit.ly/pride-shuffle
premier event is back this summer to celebrate Juneteenth – but with a twist! Choose from red, black, green, or yellow during this year’s Juneteenth to honor the emancipation of African Americans in the United States and the ongoing pursuit of true equality for all. 6/21, 5pm at the Coliseum. https://bit.ly/jazzy-juneteenth
Passing thru TIA? Take a moment to check out Through Their Lens: A Journey of SelfExploration, which showcases the winners of the third annual Student Photography Contest held in memory of Jacob Ari Kamis, a Hillel Academy graduate whose passion for photography continues to inspire others. On display on the ticketing level thru 7/31. https://bit.ly/tpa-student-art
And now for something completely different The Tampa International Fringe Festival featuring 30+ shows, ranging from theatre to dance, stand-up to kids shows, happens 6/10-21 at Kress Contemporary The Commodore on Seventh Ave. in Ybor City. www.festival.tampafringe.org
Jazzy Juneteenth Jubilee The Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum’s
By Andrea Martone
A city that makes artists
St. Petersburg has built a reputation as one of Florida’s most art-forward cities, with galleries, studios, and public art woven into daily life. That creative atmosphere matters, because it gives artists not only an audience, but also a landscape that feels like a living subject. In a place where sunsets, mangroves, seabirds, and neighborhoods all seem painted in strong color already, artists often find both inspiration and identity.
Barbara Beyhl fits that tradition in a distinctly personal way. According to the Morean Arts Center, she came to painting after a long career in pharmaceuticals, eventually choosing to make artistic expression central to her life after returning to St. Petersburg. Her story suggests a familiar Florida theme: reinvention. Many artists arrive in St. Pete by accident or necessity but stay because the city gives them room to become themselves.
Bill Castleman is a St. Petersburg-area artist whose plein-air paintings of Florida landscapes share Barbara Beyhl’s love of local scenery, nature, and representational work, though he works more broadly in painting and has a background that includes teaching and illustration.
Barbara Beyhl
Beyhl’s art is shaped by discipline, study, and a late but decisive commitment to creativity. The Morean profile describes her as a self-taught artist who pursued classes and instruction after returning to St. Petersburg, developing her style primarily as a representational watercolor painter. That background gives her work a sense of earned confidence rather than easy improvisation.
What stands out in Beyhl’s career is the way she treated art not as a hobby, but as a second vocation. After years in a different profession, she made time for drawing, painting, and artistic growth, studying with local artists and at major institutions such as the Art Students League in New York. That mix of local grounding and broader training
reflects a hallmark of many serious regional artists: they are deeply tied to their home city while remaining open to wider influences.
Her work also mirrors a Florida sensibility that values clarity and atmosphere. Watercolor, with its transparency and unpredictability, suits scenes that depend on light, distance, and shifting color. In St. Petersburg, where weather and water constantly alter the view, that medium feels especially apt. Beyhl’s career is a reminder that an artist’s strongest subject is sometimes the place that reshaped her life.
Bill Castleman
Bill Castleman is a longtime St. Petersburgarea painter known for his plein-air oil paintings of Florida’s coastal landscapes, shorelines, and beaches. Born in Pensacola in 1940, he has deep roots in the state and has made capturing the Sunshine State’s natural beauty his signature focus. Castleman’s path to art started young but took turns through military service and other professions. After working as a technical illustrator for the U.S. Marine Corps, he studied at the Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, earning a certificate in design and illustration. Those skills carried into careers in aerospace and advertising, followed by 25 years teaching art.
Now in his 80s and based near St. Petersburg (with a studio presence in Seminole), he paints full-time as Artist in Residence at Bill Castleman Fine Art, often through the Old Artist Coop. His work appears in local spots like the Suntan Art Center, Rumfish Grille in St. Pete Beach, and events such as Morean Arts Center’s Paint St. Pete competitions.
Painting style
Castleman paints outdoors on location, using a light, deft touch to bring freshness and vitality to scenes of sea, sand, mangroves, and Florida light. His representational style invites viewers into the energy of everyday coastal views, much like Barbara Beyhl’s place-based watercolors, though he favors oils for their richness. He has joined Beyhl in events like the 2024 Morean Iconic: Paint St. Pete, where his piece “Spa Beach” was auctioned. Reach him via Facebook or email at bcastleman58@gmail.com.
Why they matter
Beyhl and Castleman matter because they show how St. Petersburg’s art scene is not defined by one style or generation. One artist came to painting after a long first career and built a disciplined watercolor practice; the other paints outdoors on location, using a light, deft touch to bring freshness and vitality to scenes of sea, sand, mangroves, and Florida light. Together, they represent the city’s ability to support reinvention at every stage of life.
They also reflect a larger truth about Florida art. The state can be dismissed as a backdrop, but in the hands of artists like these, it becomes the main subject. Light, birds, water, shoreline, and human presence all become part of a visual language that is both local and universal. That is part of what makes St. Petersburg such a fertile artistic home.
In the end, Barbara Beyhl and Bill Castleman are not just artists who happen to live in St. Petersburg. They are artists whose work helps define how the city sees itself.
Venues are listed, alphabetically clubs within category, in the following sequence of categories. Each listing includes address and web link, if available. Most web links are active when you are online at www.paradisenewsfl.com or copy and paste them in your browser.
IN THIS ISSUE:
ART CENTERS/CLASSES
ART – GALLERIES
ARTS – PERFORMING MUSEUMS
MUSIC OPERA FILM ECO GARDENS FERRIES LIBRARIES MARKETS
ZOOS/AQUARIUMS THRIFT SHOPS
VOLUNTEERING
Listings for the following categories can be viewed online at www.paradisenewsfl.com
Heart of Pinellas Decorative Artists Clearwater Garden Club, 405 Seminole St., Clearwater. Local chapter of National Society of Decorative Painters 727-244-4321 www.hpdafl.com
Morean Arts Center
719 Central Ave., St. Pete 727-822-7872 www.moreanartscenter.org Contemporary art gallery. Art classes year-round. Registration now open for summer art camps for youth and teens Through 6/25 – Emerging Artists in Florida Exhibition (Part 2) 6/6-25 – FLORIBUNDA: Botanical Paintings by Mary Grieco + Richard Seidel
7/11-9/23 – Sugar High: 2026 Members Show
Morean Center for Clay 420 22nd St. S, St. Pete 727-821-7162 ext 2311
www.moreanartscenter.org
Largest pottery studio in the Southeast Through 6/13 – Erica Bleu: The Midwest Goodbye 6/13-7/3 – Nina Samuels: Catch of the Day
Morean Glass Studio
714 First Ave. N, St. Pete 727-822-7872 www.moreanartscenter.org
Studio hours 12-5pm, daily demonstrations. Classes available.
Muddy Potter Art & Clay Studio 1140 Main St. #5
Dunedin 813-476-2836 www.muddypotter.info Classes, open studio
Painting with A Twist 5625 Park Blvd., Pinellas Park www.paintingwithatwist.com
Pinellas Arts Village
5600-5800 Park Blvd. (north side), Pinellas Park. First Saturday Art Walk 5-9pm: Studios @ 5663, Saint Paint Arts, Bottles Pub, Painting with a Twist, Pinellas Park Art Society, Swartz Gallery
Pinellas Park Art Society
7770 52nd. St. N, Pinellas Park
Classes, workshops, open studio
727-331-5558
Meets third Saturdays, 11am-noon www.pinellasparkartsociety.org
Saint Paint Arts
Artist/muralist Derek Donnelly 727-342-2593
Studios @ 5663
5663 Park Blvd. Pinellas Park 727-313-2250
Art gallery, event space
First Saturday Art Party www.studios5663.com
Suntan Art Center
411 19th St. S, St. Pete www.suntanart.org
Classes, Art Mart every weekend 727-367-3818
Swartz Art Gallery
5609 Park Blvd., Pinellas Park 727- 421-0553
www.claytonswartz.com Metal sculpture
The Clay Co-Op
2724 Sixth Ave. S, St. Pete 727-321-2071 www.claycoopstpete.com
Classes, workshops, kiln firing
The Hive Community Clay 2200 22nd Ave. S, St. Pete 727-290-6515 www thehivecommunityclay.com
Classes, open studio, pottery, jewelry sales
Treasure Island Art Guild
154 106th Ave., Treasure Island, www.treasureislandartguild.org
Weekly classes, workshops, open studio at various venues. Monthly meetings with show, awards, demonstrations. Questions to: theartguild.board@gmail.com
Veterans Art Center
6798 Crosswinds Drive N, St. Pete
Arts & Leisure
813-504-3092 www.vactb.org Using alternative therapies through art
Zen Glass Studio & Gallery
600 27th St. S, St. Pete 727-323-3141 www.zenglass.com
Classes and workshops. ART GALLERIES
Art at 400 Studios
400 23rd St. S, St. Pete www.art-at-400.com
Where local artists go to work. By appointment, Art Walk
ARTicles Fine Art Services
Leslie Curran Gallery
1234 Dr. MLK Jr St. N, St. Pete 727-898-6061 www.articlesstpete.com
Artists of Elements
2638 Sixth Ave. S, St. Pete 727-420-7438 www.artistsofelements.com
Hosts exhibitions, performances, and workshops By appointment or Art Walk
ArtLofts
Florida CraftArt Gallery (second floor) 10 Fifth St. N, St. Pete 727-504-8788 www.theartlofts.com
Open to the public every second Saturday 5-9pm and then by appointment, or by chance.
ARTpool Gallery
2030 Central Ave., St. Pete 727-324-3878 www.artpoolrules.com
Open Wed.-Sun., noon-5pm
ArtsXchange 515 22nd St. S, St. Pete
Open Fri.-Sat., 11am-5pm www.warehouseartsdistrict.org
Atelier de SoSi 2380 Sixth Ave. S, St. Pete 727-370-4192
Tues-Thurs 1-5pm www.atelierdesosi.com
August Vernon Galleries 3043 Beach Blvd., Gulfport 412-953-3036 www.augustvernon.com/galleries
Brenda McMahon Gallery 2901 Beach Blvd. S #104 Gulfport 518-692-7742 www.brendamcmahongallery.com
Chihuly Collection
720 Central Ave., St. Pete 727-822-7872 ext 5102 www.moreanartscenter.org Pre-purchase of tickets recommended Admission includes a live glass demonstration at Morean Glass Studio.
Through 7/19 – Emerging Artists in Florida Exhibition (Part One)
Big Cypress Gallery 52388 Tamiami Trail E, Ochopee 239-695-2428
Cobb Gallery
Eckerd College, Library Circle, 4200 54th Ave. S, St. Pete www.eckerd.edu/visualarts/program
Craftsman House
2955 Central Ave., St. Pete www.craftsmanhousegallery.com Gallery-Café-Pottery Studio
Creative Clay Cultural Arts Center 1846 First Ave. S, St. Pete 727-825-0515 www.creativeclay.org Ongoing studio and performing arts opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
Crossroads Gallery St. Petersburg College, 2464 Drew St., Clearwater Open Mon-Thurs: 9am-5pm; Fri: 9am-2pm
D Gallerie
1234 Dr. MLK Jr. St. N, Unit C, St. Pete www.d-gallerie.com
DRV Fine Art Studios & Gallery 5401 Gulfport Blvd. S, Gulfport www.drvgallery.com
Duncan McClellan Gallery 2342 Emerson Ave. S, St. Pete 813-760-6600 www.dmglass.com
6/13-8/1 – Summer Splash Exhibition 8/8-9/6 – Birds of Paradise Group Exhibition
Dunedin Fine Art Center 1143 Michigan Blvd., Dunedin 727-298-3322 www.dfac.org Through 8/16 – Futurology Through 8/16 – Out of Many, Still Many Through 8/16 – Underseers: Jason Lazarus Through 8/23 – Pressing On: Printmaking At the Dunedin Fine Art Center Through 8/16 – Materiality: Jim Gigurtsisabd Mike Cannata Through 8/16 – Futurology
Ekeko Gallery
2620 Central Ave., St. Pete 727-685-5577 Facebook
Buddy Baker | Events, Arts & Leisure Coordinator
ARTS & LEISURE EVENTS
Scan the QR code for all event listings to take with you or online at paradisenewsfl.com/june-july-2026.
Sign up to receive upcoming event e-news online at www.ParadiseNewsFL.com
Follow us on facebook.com/ParadiseNews
RECURRING EVENTS
First Fridays • 10am-2pm, Creative Clay Outdoor Art Market, 1846 First Ave. S, St. Petersburg • 5-9pm, First Friday Art Walk, Downtown Gulfport • 6-9pm, Concert in front of Studio Movie Grill, Seminole City Center, 11201 Park Blvd. N, Seminole
Last Friday • 6-9pm, live music at the John’s Pass Bell Tower, John’s Pass Boardwalk and Shopping Village, 12902 Village Blvd., Madeira Beach
Saturday & Sunday • 7am-1pm Pinellas Farmers & Flea Bazaar, Win Derby, 10490 Gandy Blvd., St. Pete
2nd Saturday • 8:30am, Beach Cleanup, Suncoast Sailing, 11165 Gulf Blvd, Treasure Island • 9am-2pm, Market on The Bluffs, 2747 Sunset Blvd, Belleair Bluffs. Farmers Market/craft event on the street in front of Belleair Bluffs City Hall. • The Market Marie, 10am-3pm, Coachman Park, 300 Cleveland St., Clearwater • 5-9pm, St. Pete Artwalk. Artists and gallery owners from 40 studios and galleries in five arts districts show off their latest works. Take the trolley, drive or park and walk.
3rd Saturday • 10am-2pm, Crossroads Market, Crossroads Christian Church, 1645 Seminole Blvd., Largo • 10am-5pm, Creative Pinellas at Pinewood, 12211 Walsingham Road, Largo • 5-9pm, Indie Faire, Beach Blvd., Gulfport. Outdoor, socially distanced event in Gulfport features local art, handmade crafts, jewelry, and pottery to locally sourced botanicals.
4th Saturday • Pinellas Arts Walk 4-8pm, Pinellas Arts Village Walk, 5600-5800 Park Blvd. (north side), Pinellas Park. Pinellas Park Art Society, Donnelly COVE, Complete Sweet Shoppe, Pompei Factory, Studios @5663, Painting with a Twist, Bottles Pub, and Swartz Gallery.
4th Sunday • Lealman Farmers Market 10am-2pm, Lealman Exchange, 5175 45th St. N, St. Petersburg
CONTINUING
Through 6/14 – Alt Tampa $10-$12, 10am-5pm Tues-Sat.; 12-5 Sun, Tampa Museum of Photographic Arts, 1630 E Seventh Ave., Ybor City, Tampa. Long considered a global hub for death metal, the Tampa Bay region has fostered a network of communities (goths, punks, ravers, and others) who have built a city within a city grounded in self-expression and belonging. St. Petersburg Month of Photography’s 2025 Photo Laureate Jesi Cason captures this largely unseen world through bold, expressive portraits.
Through 6/27 – June is Pride Month!
St. Pete is noted for its month-long Pride events, which are typically among the largest celebrations in the Southeast. It’s certainly no different in 2026!
A quick list:
• 6/7 – Family Day on The Pier
• 6/11 – Stonewall Reception, 2232 Fifth Ave. S
• 6/19 – Shades of Pride, 420 22nd St. S
• 6/20 – Tampa Bay Rays PRIDE Game
• 6/25 – Transtastic, 150 Central Ave.
• 6/26 – Pride Weekend
• 6/27 – TransMarch and Festival For more information and tickets www.stpetepride.org/2026-events
Five Deuces Galleria 2101 & 2135 Third Ave. S, #5, St. Pete 813-489-9741
Open 1st and 2nd Sat, 11am-4pm most days + by appt. Facebook
Florida CraftArt Gallery
501 Central Ave., St. Pete 727-821-7391
www.floridacraftart.org Sat. Mural Walk/Bike tours Through 6/13 – Florida Now
FloridaRAMA
2606 Fairfield Ave. S, St. Pete Immersive art experience and events venue www.floridarama.art
Gulf Coast Artists Alliance
St. Pete ArtWorks, 5546 First Ave. N St. Pete 727-738-8010
www.gcaa-fl.org
Art gallery, art classes and meeting place for artists
Heiress
2622 Fairfield Ave S, Bldg. 7, Studio A, St. Pete www.heiressgallery.com Contemporary gallery and art advisory
Luis Sottil Studios
400 Beach Drive NE, Suite 150, St. Pete 727-220-1567 Facebook
Mirella Cimato Art Gallery 2145 First Ave. S, St. Pete (inside St. Petersburg Opera) 727-543-9190 Facebook
Nielsen Center for Visual Arts Eckerd College, 4200 54th Ave. S, St. Pete 800-454-9009 www.eckerd.edu/visualarts/program
Red Cloud Indian Arts 214 Beach Dr. NE, St. Pete 727-821-5824 www.redcloudindianarts.com Representing authentic Native American arts.
Soft Water Gallery 515 22nd St. S, St. Pete 727-327-3473 www.softwatergallery.com Through 6/7 –Artist Spotlight: Gordon Parker Through 7/19 – Peonies in Winter: The Long-Awaited Works of Nate Jessup
Stirling Art Studios & Gallery 730 Broadway (second floor) Studio 12, Dunedin Facebook Open Thurs-Sun 11am-3pm, Second Saturdays #4 place to visit in Dunedin –Trip Advisor
Studio Jomac 320 Corey Ave., St. Pete Beach 727-430-4712 www.studiojomac.com Tue.,Thur., Sat., Sun. 10am-4pm or by appointment
The Domingo Studio 2620 Beach Blvd. S, Gulfport 727-821-2315 Facebook
The Werk Art Gallery & Object Lab 2210 First Ave. S., St. Pete 727-289-8685 www.thewerk.gallery
Uniquely Original Art Studio 915 24th St. S, St. Pete 727-239-3696 tinyurl.com/mrx4c253 Original Afrocentric art, open by appointment and during Art Walk
Vince Anthony Fine Art Gallery 10611 Bay Pines Blvd. #5, St. Pete 727-401-2886 www.fineartamerica.com/art/ vince+anthony
Wild Space Gallery 2606 Fairfield Ave. S, St. Pete, Bldg. 7 www.floridawildlifecorridor.org/ wild-space-gallery
Open Wed-Sat 2-6pm, until 9pm on Art Walk
6/13-7/25 – An Unflinching Look: Elegy for a Landscape
ARTS PERFORMING
American Stage
Raymond James Theatre
163 Third St. N, St. Pete 727-823-7529 www.americanstage.org
6/3-28 – The Hot Wing King
7/11 – Summer Cabaret Series: Beach, Please!
7/18 – Summer Cabaret Series: Black Girl Magic
7/25 – Summer Cabaret Series: Sammy & Dino
Asolo Repertory Theatre 5555 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota 800-361-8388 www.asolorep.org
6/6-27 – Lady Disdain
7/8-8/2 – Summer Children’s Musical: The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition
Benchmark International Arena 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa 813-301-2500 www.benchmarkintlarena.com
6099 Central Ave., St. Pete 727-498-5205 www.freefalltheatre.com
6/12-8/2 – Bash of the Titans
6/24 – Film: Clash of the Titans (1981) 7/9 – Kissy Simmons
Green Light Cinema
221 Second Ave. N. St. Pete
508-816-8968 www.greenlightstpete.com
80-seat art house theater
6/5-11 – Steal This Story, Please!
6/12-18 – Tuner
6/13 – Hell on Heels: The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Gulfport Casino
5500 Shore Blvd. S, Gulfport 813-840-3715
Weekly dancing/instruction
Closed until further notice.
Gulfport Community Players
Back Door Theater 1619 49th St. S, Gulfport 727-322-0316
www.gulfportcommunityplayers.org
6/11-21 – End of the Rainbow (at Catherine Hickman Theater)
7/9-19 – Summer One Act Competition
Jannus Live
200 First Ave. N, St. Pete
727-565-0550 www.jannuslive.com
Outdoor standing-room-only venue
6/5 – Rolling Together Revue Tour
6/11 – KBong & Johnny Cosmic
6/12 – Landon McNamara
6/13 – Fortunate Youth
6/18 – The Runarounds: The Minivan Tour
6/19 – USA Soccer Watch Party Series (21+)
6/25 – Thievery Corporation
w/ City of the Sun
6/28 – Ahmed Saad
7/24 – Rocks the Cure presents:
Vertical Horizon & Tonic
LAB Theater Project
812 E. Henderson Ave., Tampa 813-586-4272
www.labtheaterproject.com
Produces only works from emerging playwrights.
7/2-19 – The Cross & The Saber, by Wendy Graf
M.A.D. Theatre of Tampa
(Music Acting Dance Theatre of Tampa) @ The Straz Center, 1010 N W.C. MacInnes Place, Tampa 813-229-7827
www.madtheatre.com
6/11-28 – Come From Away
Manatee Performing Arts Center
502 Third Ave. W, Bradenton 941-748-5875
www.manateeperformingartscenter.com
8/6-16 – Fame the Musical
MIDFLORIDA Credit Union
Amphitheatre
Florida State Fairgrounds
4802 US Hwy. 301 N, Tampa 813-740-2446
tinyurl.com/52rmv4ex
6/12 – Evanescence
w/ Spiritbox and Nova Twins
6/13 –Kali Uchis w/Mariah the Scientist
6/23 – Hillary Duff
7/10 – Train: Drops of Jupiter
7/14 – Ne-Yo & Akon
7/15 – Chicago & Styx
7/18 – Lynyrd Skynyrd
8/1 – Toto+Christopher Cross +The Romantics
8/3 – John Mellencamp
8/15 – Motley Crue
Living Arts Center
1204 Rogers St., Clearwater
All tickets advance sale only www.wileyhouseconcerts.org
6/12 – Dan Rodriguez
6/13 – Tony Lucca
6/14 – Bunco Bash
6/28 – Make & Mingle (Craft Day)
7/12 – Cork & Connect (Craft Day)
7/18 – Michael Logan
7/19 – Bunco
8/3 – BMA Band Camp
8/15 – Kristopher James
day July 18 10AM to 5PM Sunday July 19 10AM to 4PM
ARTS & LEISURE EVENTS
UPCOMING
6/10-7/13 – Sacred Pilgrimage: Gaudi and Galban –100th Anniversary Reception Free, reception 6/10, 6:30-8pm, Peace Memorial Presbyterian Church, 110 S. Fort Harrison Ave., Clearwater. Celebrate the 100th anniversary of architect Antoni Gaudi’s death at the newly expanded traveling art exhibit, Sacred Pilgrimage: Gaudi and Galban. See several new works by AGalban, celebrate Gaudi’s masterpiece La Sagrada Familia Basilica, and enjoy a virtual presentation by the award-winning architect of the famous Dali Museum, Yann Weymouth. Food and wine will be provided.
6/13-7/3 – Nina Samuels: Catch of the Day Free, Morean Center for Clay, 420 22nd St. S, St. Pete. Opening Reception: 6/13, 5-9pm. The gallery is transformed into a whimsical fish market where visitors can shop for ceramic artwork inspired by the ocean’s industries. This playful nod to the commodification of nature reflects the ways we assign value to the living world. Revisit the nostalgia of a Florida tchotchke shop that nods at how nature is packaged, priced, and consumed in modern culture. RSVP to the reception: https://tinyurl.com/5297jhde
6/15 – Arts Legacy Remix: Sixth Annual Juneteenth Commemoration Free, 7:30pm, Straz Center, 1010 N Macinnes Pl, Tampa. The evening recognizes the importance of Juneteenth, the date when enslaved African Americans in Texas learned they had set free, with spoken remembrances, writings of historical importance and an original performance of music, poetry and dance created especially for the event.
6/19 – Shades of Pride
7-10pm, 420 22nd St. S, St Pete. Shades of Pride honors Juneteenth by centering Black LGBTQ+ voices, culture, and creativity. This gathering celebrates liberation, joy, and community while uplifting the strength and brilliance of Black queer life. RSVP https://tinyurl.com/5cztrevs
$33.85 and up, 5-9pm, Maria Center, 5800 15th Ave. S, Gulfport. A one-of-akind evening featuring a live 18-piece Big Band orchestra, high-energy dance competitions, and heartfelt tributes to the men and women who have served our country. Come in 1920s–1950s attire or show your pride in red, white, and blue. Tickets are limited: see https://tinyurl.com/5ceus253
6/21 – Jazzy Juneteenth Jubilee
$1,000/table, 5pm, St. Petersburg Coliseum, 535 Fourth Ave. N, The premier event of the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum is back this summer to celebrate Juneteenth! Choose from red, black, green, or yellow to honor the emancipation of African Americans in the United States and the ongoing pursuit of true equality for all. Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/4sbwc7r7
6/23 – FLORIBUNDA: Botanical Paintings by Mary Grieco and Richard Seidel Free, 6-7pm, Morean Arts Center, 719 Central Ave. Longtime artists Mary Grieco and Richard Seidel will talk about their work that will be displayed in the Morean June 6-25. The artists, who met in a Morean painting class many years ago, continue to return to the image of a flower as a regular motif. Richard continually observes and sketches his environment and uses those drawings as references for his delightfully whimsical paintings. Mary uses real and imaginary flowers to create compositions that explore gestural movement.
6/25 – Bourbon and Bites
$40 members/$45 non-members, 6-8pm, Museum of the American Arts and Crafts Movement, 355 Fourth St. N, St. Pete. Savor a curated lineup of four exceptional bourbons, each from a different distillery across the U.S., and explore a menu of bourbon-inspired specialty cocktails crafted to delight. Pair every sip with a beautifully prepared grazing spread by our chef, designed to tempt and satisfy. A cash bar will also be available for additional selections. https://tinyurl.com/285ud7z6
6/25 – WMNF Wavemakers Live Florida’s Fight Over Felon Voting
$10/$15 day of, 7-9pm, The Commodore, 811 E Seventh Ave., Tampa. Daniel Rivero, an investigative reporter at WLRN Public Radio in Miami, will discuss Florida’s long history of denying voting rights to felons with Tom Scherberger, a contributing editor of The Florida Trident and former co-host of WMNF public affairs show WaveMakers. Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/39hsr8av
6/25 – Transtastic
6-9pm, James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art, 150 Central Ave., St. Pete. TransPride centers trans and gender-expansive communities in a celebration of visibility, empowerment, and joy. This event creates affirming space to uplift voices, honor lived experiences and celebrate authenticity. RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/5bmw38cp
New Tampa Performing Arts Center
8550 Hunters Village Road, Tampa 813-829-2760
www.newtampaartscenter.org
6/21 – Pieces of Eight: A Tribute to Chicago
7/5 – Florida Jazz Express: Fourth of July Big Band Concert
7/24-8/2– New Tampa Players Presents: Annie
Patel Conservatory
1010 N W.C. MacInnes Place, Tampa Dance / Theater / Music / Adult Classes 813-229-7827
www.strazcenter.org/patel-conservatory/ Register now for summer camps
6/27 – Catch Me if You Can 7/23-26 – Seussical, Jr.
8/1 – Session #2 Disney’s Aladdin Kids
Pinellas Park Performing Arts Center
4951 78th Ave. N, Pinellas Park 727-369-5746
https://tinyurl.com/mv2d99dj
6/13 – Tribute to Dolly Parton starring Karen Hester
6/25 – Earth, Wind & Laughter Comedy Hypnotist Show
7/18 – The Sounds of Motown and Beyond Show
8/15 – Remembering Woodstock starring Peace of Woodstock & A Tribute to Santana
Raymond James Stadium 4201 N Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa 813-350-6500
www.raymondjamesstadium.com
6/13 – Chris Stapleton
7/8 – Post Malone w/ Jelly Roll
7/25 – Wrexham vs. Leeds
Riverwalk Tampa www.thetampariverwalk.com
Latin Thursdays
Second Sundays – 11am-3pm: Market + Art Walk, Armature Works
7/4 – Independence Day celebration along Riverwalk w/ boat parade and Water Ski show
Ruth Eckerd Hall 1111 N McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater 727-791-7400 www.rutheckerdhall.com
6/9 – Lucy Darling in Viva
6/19 – Vince Gill
6/26 – Travis Tritt
6/27 – The Music of Led Zeppelin
7/10 – Tori Amos
7/17 – Infinity Rising: The Music of Journey
7/24 – The Australian Pink Floyd Show
7/25 – The Second Annual Yacht Rock Summer
8/7 – Changes: A Tribute to the Music of David Bowie
6/11-28– Come From Away 6/11 – Voices of the Community Town Hall
6/14 – A Journey Home, presented by Tampa Bay Taps 6/15 – Arts Legacy Remix 6/20 – Copasetic, presented by Tampa Bay Tap Festival
6/27 – Catch Me if You Can 7/15-8/9 –American Idiot 7/24 – 36th Annual ADA Celebration 7/31- 9/16 – The Art of Banksy
Studio Grand Central 2260 First Ave. S, St. Pete 727-202-7019 www.theoffcentral.com
Sunshine City Comedy Club 5501 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach 727-435-0327 www.sunshinecitycomedyclub.com
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St. Tampa www.tampatheatre.org 813-274-8286
One of America’s most elaborate movie palaces Theater is under renovation. Check individual films for viewing location Films
6/7 – The Hunger Games (free) 6/13 – Sunshine State (free) 6/28 – Stand By Me (free) 6/28 – Summer Sing-Along: High School Musical (free)
MUSIC SCENE
Time to cool off with some live music at the recently opened Redington Beach Wahoo’s some nights and Sunday afternoon, Gulfport’s North End Taphouse, downtown St. Pete’s Ruby Elixir, Flute & Dram and Bayboro Brewing, Adrian’s Steakhouse, Tradewinds The Palms, The Wharf, Seven C, Noisemakers, Ka’Tiki, Jimmy B’s and Lost & Found (where Shevonne plays every other week).
SUMMER JAZZ Of course the Newport Jazz Festival is the crowning queen of the season, but Paradise has its share of legendary performers and concerts. For those of you who haven’t stopped by Gulfport’s Pia’s Trattoria, the very famous Alexis Cole has been sitting in this spring with Alejandro Arenas and others, while on Sunday James Suggs was at Hawthorne Bottle Shoppe. You never know who will pop up where in this town. Simon Lasky continues his jazz residency Friday in the Birchwood downstairs bar, and the Green Light Lounge + Kitchen + Cinema grooves most Saturday nights with jazz interludes. Simon Lasky brings his NY Quintet to The Palladium in July featuring David Smith (trumpet), Lucas Pino (saxophone), Peter Slavov (bass), and Jimmy Macbride (drums), along with featured local vocalist Allison Nash.
BLUE NOTES Now is the time to visit The Palladium before it goes dark in late August for renovations and refresh! On June 18, enjoy an intimate evening of authentic, Delta Blues featuring Eden Brent. Born and raised in the Mississippi Delta, Eden Brent brings genuine Blues straight from its roots. Her performances blend boogie-
woogie, blues, jazz, gospel, and soul, creating a powerful and deeply moving live experience. As a protégé of the legendary blues pianist Abie “Boogaloo” Ames, Eden continues the Delta piano tradition with remarkable grit, heartfelt emotion, and unmistakable energy. Her many awards include multiple blues music award winner, Pinetop Perkins Piano Player Award recipient, and International Blues Challenge winner. She has performed at prestigious events such as the Kennedy Center Honors, further highlighting her exceptional talent and recognition in the music world. Experience an extraordinary night of music with Eden Brent.
BOOGIE PIANO On July 8
Grammy-nominated and 7-time Blues Award winner Victor Wainwright returns to the Palladium with his band, The Train. Though his career began over a decade ago with genuine rock n’ roll honkytonk, Wainwright has broadened his artistic
scope over the years to include music representing virtually every corner of the blues. His dedication to musical discovery, sheer love for entertaining and insatiable curiosity have led him all around the world. The resulting perspective is a reflection of his passion for creating progressive roots music in an effort to move the art form forward. Wainwright is a raucous, high-octane, dynamic performer and crowd pleaser with soul to spare. Also, for classical piano concerts go to www.rebeccapenneyspianofestival.com.
LYRICAL DANCE projectALCHEMY presents What Remains: dance, visual art, and photography work with Rebekah Lazaridis and Joey Clay at The Palladium 6/27. What Remains is an evening of repertory works reimagined for the stage through collaboration with visual artist Lazaridis and photographer Clay. The program features bloom and residue, a work rooted in nature and cycles of transformation, and ABOVE/below, a tarot-based exploration of archetype, shadow, and integration. Together, these works highlight the relationship between movement, visual art, and image – offering two distinct yet connected experiences shaped through ongoing artistic collaboration. projectALCHEMY is a nonprofit dance+ company based in St. Petersburg. Founded by Alexander Jones (artistic director) and led in partnership with Marcus Wehby (executive director), projectALCHEMY creates transformative dance experiences that extend beyond the boundaries of performance and production.
ARTS & LEISURE EVENTS
6/26 – 12th Annual Madeira Beach Sunset 5K
$40, 6:30-8:30pm, 12850 Gulf Lane, Madeira Beach. Lace up and hit the sand for this chip-timed race. It begins and ends at John’s Pass Park and takes place entirely on the beach, offering scenic shoreline views as you run, jog, or walk your way through the course. This is an open course, so participants should be aware of beachgoers along the route. Limited to 350 participants. Register at https://tinyurl.com/td3skdnp
6/26-28 – St. Pete Asian Food Fest
Free admission, 12 noon-11pm, 10490 Gandy Blvd. N., St. Pete. Dive into a mouthwatering adventure at the Asian Summer Food Fest! This is your chance to savor delicious dishes from across Asia, right in one spot. Bring your friends, try some amazing street food, and enjoy the lively atmosphere. Free parking. Event by Awesome Events.
6/27 – St. Pete Pride Trans March & Festival Free, 2-7pm, Vinoy Park, 701 Bayshore Drive NE, St. Pete. The festival will begin at 2 p.m. on both sides of the parade route. North Straub Park will have a variety of local vendors, food trucks, a DJ, and a beer garden. North and South Straub Parks will host the main entertainment stages. The Trans March will step off in Vinoy Park at 5:15 p.m., followed by the St. Pete Pride Parade, which steps off at 6 p.m. from Albert Whitted Park north to Vinoy Park along Bayshore Drive.
6/27-28 – Store Signing: Tia Ballard and Laura Wetsel
Free admission, 6/27: 10am-6pm/ 6/28: 11am-4pm, Pops N Son Collectibles, 6980 Park Blvd, Pinellas Park. Two great anime voices will be in store: Laura Wetsel, the voice of Jewelry Bonney from One Piece, and Tia Ballard, who voices Carrot, Porche, Happy, Nanami and more!
6/28 – Tri-If-You-Dare Youth Triathlon
$75 registration, 7am, Seminole Recreation Center, 9100 113th St. N, Seminole. The reverse triathlon is open to children ages 5- 12 and features age-based running, biking, and swimming distances in a fun and safe environment. Participants must bring their own bike, helmet, swimsuit, and towel. Register online at Active.com or in person at the Seminole Recreation Center. For more information, visit the city of Seminole or call 727-391-8345.
6/29 – St. Pete Pride Street Fair
Free, 12-5pm, Grand Central District, 2424 Central Ave, St Pete. Close out Pride Weekend with St Pete Pride’s vibrant Street Fair. Stretching along the Grand Central District, this lively event features local vendors, small businesses, community organizations, and live performances that showcase the diversity and creativity of our community.
7/1 – The Princess Concert
$49, 3:30pm, The Mahaffey Theater, 400 First St. S, St Pete. Enjoy an enchanting concert singing the magical music from Frozen, Wicked, Moana, Taylor Swift, Beauty & The Beast and more! The evening will include West End performers, awe-inspiring aerial, incredible dancers and so much more. Tickets at www.princessconcert.com/Tampa
7/3-4 – Independence Day Celebration at Clearwater Threshers
$11-15, 6:30pm, Baycare Ballpark, 601 N Old Coachman Road, Clearwater. There’s no better way to celebrate our independence than with baseball and fireworks! Watch the Threshers play the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels each evening and stick around for a brilliant display of aerial pyrotechnics. Presented by Budweiser. Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/zy2f2kna
7/3-4 – Clearwater Celebrates America
Free, 5-11pm both days, Coachman Park, 300 Cleveland St., Clearwater. This two-day festival will feature silent disco, dedicated kids zone with performance by Mr. Brad, four stages, mix of international and local musical performances, laser light show, Clearwater Celebrates Talent, giveaways, local food vendors, buskers, fireworks and more. July 3 will feature a Laser Light Show at appropriately 9:15pm, and July 4 will have a patriotic fireworks show at appropriately 9:15pm.
7/4 – St. Pete Pier Run the 4th
$65.15, first wave 6:15am, 600 Second Ave. NE, St. Pete. Gather your friends and family and kick off your 4th of July celebrations with the Sixth Annual St. Pete Pier Run! The beautiful, flat and fast 4-mile course begins on the St. Pete Pier near Spa Beach, goes along the scenic St. Pete waterfront, and finishes on the Pier. The course is closed to traffic and is limited to 1,500 runners per wave. There will be one hydration station on course.
The Studio@620 620 First Ave. S, St. Pete 727-895-6620 www.thestudioat620.org
6/11-21 – Passing Strange 6/15-7/24 – Canvas to Career Media Academy
6/25-27 – Dirty John’s Dirty Pride 8/3-31 (Mondays) – Writing For The Screen: The Short Screenplay
USF Yuengling Center
12499 USF Bull Run Drive, Tampa 813-974-3111 www.yuenglingcenter.com
8/1 – Freestyle Explosion w/ Stevie B., Lisa Lisa & more
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall 777 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota 941-953-3368 www.vanwezel.org
6/25 – Celtic Throne
6/26 – Vince Gill 8/6 – Derek Hough
West Coast Players 21905 US 19 N, Clearwater 727-437-2363 www.wcplayers.com
6/5-21 – Lone Star/Laundry & Bourbon
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe 1012 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota 941-366-1505 www.westcoastblacktheatre.org
6/6 – JoAnna Ford’s Heart Wide Open 7/15-24 – Marvin: A Marvin Gaye Revue
Zubrick Magic Theatre 1211 First Ave N, Suite 101, St. Pete. Thur.-Sat. 7pm; Sun. 2pm 866-ZUBRICK (866-982-7425) www.zubrickmagic.com
MUSEUMS
Florida Holocaust Museum 55 Fifth St. S, St. Pete 727-820-0100 www.flholocaustmuseum.org
Exhibiting Thor, a Danish fishing vessel used in the 1943 rescue of more than 7,000 Jews.
Through 9/26 – I Say the World Should See Them: 80 Years Since Liberation
Florida Museum of Photographic Arts 1630 E Seventh Ave., Ybor City, Tampa 813-221-2222 www.fmopa.org Through 6/14 – Photo Laureate Exhibition: Alt Tampa Through 7/19 – Cigars! Photography, Industry, and Identity in Ybor City 6/16-8/2 – 2026 International Photography Competition 7/23-12/6 – 25 Years of FMOPA: Highlights from the Permanent Collection
Children’s Museum 110 W Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa 813-443-3851 www.glazermuseum.org
Created specifically for children 10 and under.
Home of Big John, the world’s largest fossil Triceratops
6/1-7/31 – Summer of Play
6/8 – Summer Camp
Great Explorations
Children’s Museum
1925 Fourth St. N, St. Pete 727-821-8992 www.greatex.org
First Sun. of month open special hours for special needs families. Families with a SNAP, EBT, or WIC card get in free every Tues. Limited hours.
6/12 – Daddy Daughter Dance
Gulf Beaches Historical Museum
115 10th Ave., St. Pete Beach 727-552-1610
www.gulfbeachesmuseum.org
Closed until further notice, but holding events in community.
Gulfport History Museum 5301 28th Ave. S, Gulfport 727-201-8687 www.gulfporthistoricalsociety.org
Henry Plant Museum
401 W Kennedy Blvd., Tampa 813-254-1891 www.plantmuseum.com
A National Historic Landmark Live classical music performances every third Thur.
Most Sundays – Upstairs/Downstairs at the Tampa Bay Hotel Through 8/30 – Gaspar’s Gold: Carnival and Community in a New South City
Heritage Museum 100 Beekman Lane, Tarpon Springs 727-942-5605 www.tarponarts.org
History and culture of the Greek community
Imagine Museum
1901 Central Ave., St. Pete 727-300-1700 www.imaginemuseum.com
Contemporary American Studio Glass. Thur. $5 after 5pm
John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art 5401 Bay Shore Road., Sarasota 941-359-5700 www.ringling.org
Mon. – Free admission all day Thurs. – Art After 5 One of the preeminent arts institutions in the United States. Through 7/1 – Skyway 2027: A Contemporary Collaboration Through 7/12 – Juana Romani: Forgotten No More Through 8/11 – Community Gallery Through 8/23 – In the Flesh: The Nude in Japanese Art Through 9/16 – The Evocative Lens Through 11/1 – Seventeenth-Century Dutch Paintings from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Through 11/15 – Andrea Carlson: A Constant Sky
6/13-8/8 – Summer Circus Spectacular
Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art 600 E Klosterman Road, Tarpon Springs 727-712-5762 www.leeparattner.org
Docent tours on Sundays
Features work of 20th and 21st century masters.
Through 6/14 – David Anderson: Now and Again
Through 6/14 – Dallas Jackson: Unsung
Heroes, The Fabric of America
Through 7/19 – Creative Clay:
A Mosaic of Color
Through 7/26 – Richard Heipp: Reliquaries & Artifacts
Through 9/13 – Abraham Rattner: French Watercolors
6/6-9/3 – Leonard Baskin: Leaders of the Constitution, 1787
Museum of the American Arts And Crafts Movement
355 Fourth St. N, St. Pete 727-440-4859 www.museumaacm.org
Sun. Film Series – 12:30/2pm
Daily Arts and Crafts-inspired films
6/10 – Artisan Demo Series: Metalsmithing
6/13 – Morning Pour and Tour: The Works of Charles Rohlfs
6/25 – Bourbon and Bites
Museum of Fine Arts
255 Beach Dr. NE, St. Pete 727-894-4368 www.mfastpete.org
Thur. $10 after 5pm
6/11 – Art After Dark + Jazz Night w/ Chaunces Trio
6/21 – Russian-Speaking Language Tour
6/26 – After Hours: Ali Banisadr: The Alchemist (21-plus)
7/27 – Summer Camps at the MFA: Art Lab
Museum of the Unknown 4105 Gulf Blvd, St. Pete Beach
The first Ancient Alien relic museum in the world.
Museum of Motherhood
2606 Fairfield Ave. S, St. Pete, Bldg. 7 877-711-6667
www.mommuseum.org
Thu-Sat Noon-6pm, Sun Noon-3pm
Second Saturday Art Walk. Escape Womb Experience (18+)
Palm Harbor Museum
2043 Curlew Road, Palm Harbor
727-724-3054 www.palmharbormuseum.com
Thur.-Sat. 10am-2pm
7/11 – Intergenerational Family Fun Day Back to School Event
Safford House Museum 23 Parkin Court, Tarpon Springs
727-942-5805 www.tarponarts.org
Restored 1883 Victorian home Docent-led tours
St. Petersburg Museum of History
335 Second Ave. NE
727-894-1052 www.spmoh.com
Trolley Tours: Seating is limited; reserve early –
First Saturday:
Historic Downtown St. Pete
Second Saturday: Baseball history
Third Saturday: West St. Petersburg
Rum Runners, Spaniards & Natives
Happy Hour with The Historian:
• 6/11 – Todd Wiseman, Jr.: A Land
Remembered – The Film
• 7/9 – Dr. Kimberly Voss: Florida
Women – Social Change
• 8/13 – Dr. Leslie Poole: Tracing Florida’s Journeys
Sarasota Art Museum
1001 S Tamiami Trail, 941-309-4300
www.sarasotaartmuseum.org
Through 9/27 – Something Borrowed, Something New
www.RebeccaPenneysPianoFestival.org
ARTS & LEISURE EVENTS
7/4 – Fourth of July Pops Spectacular
$56 and up, 6pm, Mahaffey Theater, 400 First St. S, St. Pete. Join the St. Pete Opera for a spectacular evening of music and celebration for America’s Birthday! A moving musical celebration of the 250th Independence Day of the United States bringing together friends, family, and community for a night of inspiring music. Featuring an engaging range of patriotic, classical American and Broadway musical selections. Followed by free fireworks at the St. Pete Pier, weather permitting. www.themahaffey.com/show/4th-of-july
7/4 – Red, White and Blue on the Bay Free, 5-9pm, 200 Rex Place, Madeira Beach. Enjoy an evening filled with live music from the Zac Brown Band, local vendors, and a great community atmosphere as we celebrate the Fourth of July together. Stick around as the night wraps up with a fireworks show over the bay at 9pm. Parking available at the Rec Center, City Hall, and various paid lots throughout the city. City parking: $4/hour in paid lots. Bring your chairs, your friends, and your red, white, and blue spirit—we’ll see you on the bay!
7/4 – Indie*pendence BBQ and Block Party
Free admission ($25 for concert), 6pm, VFW Post 392599 Central Ave, St Pete. St. Pete’s premier alternative July 4th tradition is back for its fifth anniversary! The post is taking over Central Avenue with the ultimate Night Market and BBQ blowout. The post has pooled the best local BBQ food truck, vendors, creators, and smokehouse masters for a block party that defines the St. Pete vibe. Head inside for the main event – high-fidelity Alternative Rock and Hip-Hop performances by Esara, Code Savi, Guilty by Design, with more artists to be announced.
7/4 – Gulfport Independence Day Celebration
The celebration begins at 9am at Gulfport City Hall with the opening of “The Spirit of ’76 Half Century Time Capsule,” commemorating the nation’s Bicentennial with brief remarks and a photo opportunity. Activities continue at Tomlinson Park, where a Family Fun Day will take place from 10am-2pm, with a community parade at 11am. Then, downtown in the waterfront an amazing fireworks display by Pyro Productions will be launched from the Williams Pier at 9pm. Sign up for the community parade at www.mygulfport.us/july_4th_celebration
7/4 – Fourth of July Island Sunset and Fireworks Cruise
$95, 7-8:30pm, St. Pete Coastal Cruises, 4630 29th Ave S, Gulfport. Celebrate Independence Day from the water aboard a 50-foot Power Catamaran for a 3-hour sunset and fireworks cruise! Sip, celebrate, and enjoy the holiday cruising the bay, stopping at Shell Key Island for sunset, and taking in the Fourth of July fireworks from the best seat in town. Comfortable seating for more than 40 guests. Restroom aboard. Also leaves from MarineMax location. www.stpetecoastalcruises.com/special-events
7/4 – Treasure Island 4th of July Fireworks
Free, 9pm. Celebrate America by watching the city of Treasure Island light up with a spectacular fireworks show on the beach. Fireworks will be shot from the beach near Gulf Front Park, located at 10400 Gulf Blvd. Bring a beach chair or towel and enjoy the show. Due to Florida’s unpredictable weather, a final decision on whether to cancel the show will not be made until Friday, July 4. Stay tuned to Treasure Island’s social media pages for updates.
7/4 – Independence Day celebration along Riverwalk Free admission. Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary along the Tampa Riverwalk in partnership with the city of Tampa at Liberty by the Bay, one of Tampa Bay’s largest Fourth of July celebrations. Enjoy live entertainment, family-friendly activities, food vendors, the Tampa Riverwalk’s signature Boat Parade and Water Ski Show, a spectacular 250-drone light show honoring America’s 250th birthday, and fireworks.
7/4-8/9 – Dino Quest at DK Farms
$10.95-$42, 10am-4pm every Sat. and Sun., show times 11am, 12:30pm and 2pm, DK Farms and Gardens, 1750 Lake Ave. SE, Largo. Travel back in time and experience dinosaurs like never before in tropical gardens surrounded with incredibly friendly animals throughout the farm. The Dino Adventure includes life-size dinosaurs towering over the gardens, realistic animations that bring dinosaurs to life, a kids fossil dig, and interactive exhibits. www. Dkfarmsandgardens.com
7/6-10 – Fluff Summer Camp 2026
$200 fee, 9am-12:30pm, 7400 62nd Terrace N, Pinellas Park. A fun-filled, hands-on week for kids age 9-12 interested in animal care and welfare! Campers will experience a variety of exciting hands-on activities such as animal interactions, crafts, guest speakers, and community service projects. Event by FLUFF Animal Rescue. https://tinyurl.com/hcf4nc2z
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” –Martin Luther King, Jr.
Through 9/27 – Maria A. Guzmán Capron: New Works Through 8/19 – Jill Mayer: Slumpies Through 10/25 – Beautiful Ideas: The Prints of Sol LeWitt
Seminole History Museum 7464 Ridge Road, Seminole (Seminole City Park) Open Thurs & Sat, 10am-1pm www.seminolehistoricalsociety.org/ Exhibits include fossil mammoth bones found in Millenium Park. Monthly speakers, private tours for groups.
Tampa Bay Automobile Museum 3301 Gateway Centre, Pinellas Park. 727-579-8226 www.tbauto.org
Sundays: Historian guided tours
Tampa Bay History Center 801 Old Water St., Tampa 813-226-0097 www.tampabayhistorycenter.org Walking tours of Tampa neighborhoods 7/3-10/11 – Mapping the 14th Colony
Tampa Museum of Art 120 W Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa 813-259-1720 www.tampamuseum.org Thur. 4-8pm: pay-as-you-will admission. Houses one of the most significant collections of Greek and Roman antiquities in the southeastern U.S. Through 8/23 – Jun Kaneko: Silence Before Sound Through 1/3/27 – Eye of the Beholder: The Willim Knight Zewadski Legacy Through 1/31/27 –Here and Now: Selections from the Contemporary Collection Through 4/4/27 – Avant Garde: Remarkable Women in the Permanent Collection
Tarpon Springs Railroad Depot Historical Museum 160 E Tarpon Ave., Tarpon Springs 727-943-4624 www.tarponspringsarea historicalsociety.org
The Dalí Museum
One Dali Blvd., St. Pete 727-823-3767 www.thedali.org
Thur. and Fri. reduced admission after 5pm
Queen Heaven: Now playing in The Dalí Dome on select nights Advanced-purchase timed tickets recommended Junior Docent Art Camp 6/22-26
• 7/6-10
• 7/27-31
Through 10/18 – Dali in America Through 4/18/27 –The Architecture of the Dali 6/5 – The Dali Dozen: 10-Year Anniversary 6/10 – Edible Surrealism: A Dali-inspired culinary competition (at The Chef Upstairs) 6/25 – Rebecca Penney’s Piano Festival
The James Museum of Western& Wildlife Art 150 Central Ave., St. Pete 727-892-4200 www.thejamesmuseum.org
Tues. $10 all day Through 6/25 – Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna) Video Game Through 9/7 – Wolves: Photography by Ronan Donovan
USF Graphicstudio
3702 Spectrum Blvd., Ste 100, Tampa 813-974-3503, free admission
Woodson African American Museum of Florida 2240 Ninth Ave. S, St. Pete 727-323-1104
www.woodsonmuseum.org One City Chorus – Mon. 7pm Closed through July
MUSIC
Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz Association Jazz Jam, Mon., 7-9pm, Hangar Restaurant, 540 First St. SE, St. Pete. Last Saturdays: Youth Jazz Jam, Pinellas Community Church, 5501 31st St. S, St. Pete, 1-3pm www.aldowningjazz.com
New Horizons Band of Gulfport Gulfport Senior Center 5501 27th Ave. S, Gulfport 727-345-0285
South Pasadena Community Band 727-515-5407 www.southpasadenaband.com All-volunteer band
St. Petersburg College Gibbs Campus Music Center 6605 Fifth Ave. N, 727-341-4360 www.spcollege.edu/events
Suncoast Dixieland Jazz Society Cove Cay Golf Club 2612 Cove Cay Drive, Clearwater www. sdjs2022.org
6/14 – Davy Jones Hot Jazz Orchestra Tampa Bay Symphony Performances in various locations 727827-8087 www.tampabaysymphony.org
TomKats Jazz Orchestra Monday Nights: CJ’s Backstage 7022 22nd Ave. N, St. Petersburg 727-202- 8881 www.tomkatsjazzorchestra.com
OPERA
Opera Tampa at Straz Center, 1010 N W.C. MacInnes Place, Tampa 813-229-7827 www.strazcenter.org
Sarasota Opera House
61 N Pineapple Ave., 941-328-1300 www.sarasotaopera.org
6/12 – The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
6/13 – Sarasota Music Festival
6/14 – The Tales of Hoffman (opera film)
6/20 – AC/Duce/C: Tribute to ACDC
6/24 – Silent Movie (1976)
7/10 – Dead Again (1991)
7/12 – Swan Lake (opera film)
7/25 – Solitary Man: A Neil Diamond Tribute
7/31 – Gigi (1958)
8/14 – The Truman Show (1998)
St. Pete Opera
2145 First Ave. S, 727-823-2040 www.stpeteopera.org
Various performance locations 6/5-14 – La Boheme
St. Petersburg Opera Guild www.stpeteoperaguild.org
The Pinellas Opera League Thur.: Opera at the Dali www.pinellasoperaleague.com
ECO
Monthly Treasure Island Beach Cleanup
Second Saturday 8:30am
St. Petersburg Municipal Beach, 11260 Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island. Supplies provided mjackson@kpbcares.org 727-533-0402
Boyd Hill Nature Preserve 1101 Country Club Way S, St. Pete 727-893-7326 tinyurl.com/yc3k32ms Closed Mon. Environmental education center, Terry Tomalin Campground, Pinellas Pioneer Settlement
Fort De Soto Park 3500 Pinellas Bayway S, Tierra Verde 727-552-1862 www.pinellascounty.org/park Campgrounds, ferry services to Egmont and Shell keys. Some areas closed or limited Parking $6/vehicle Reservation system out of service
Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center
700 Second Ave. NE, at The St. Pete Pier 727-291-4103 www.tbwdiscoverycenter.org
Daily boat tours of Tampa Bay ecosystem, interactive exhibits, daily talks, guided tours.
Weedon Island Preserve 1800 Weedon Dr. NE, St. Pete 727-453-6500 www.weedonislandpreserve.org 3,200-acre natural area. Guided hikes, birding, and photography tours. Archaeology lectures, classes and webinars.
GARDENS
Florida West Coast Orchid Society
Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 10891 102nd Ave. N, Seminole 727-420-7230 www.fwcos.org
6/13 – Plant sale, Florida Botanical Gardens, 12211 Walsingham Rd, Largo 8/1 – Annual Orchid Auction
Garden Club of St. Petersburg Azalea Recreation Center, 1600 72nd St. N. St. Pete www.gardenclubstpetersburg.org
Ikebana International
Lealman Exchange Community Center, 5175 45th St. N, St. Pete www.ikebanastpetersburg.com
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens 1534 Mound St., Sarasota 941-366-5731 www.selby.org
Through 8/30 – Robert Louis Stevenson: A Child’s Garden of Verses (Spanish Point campus)
Pinewood Cultural Park
12520 Ulmerton Road, and 12211 Walsingham Road, Largo
Heritage Village www.pinellas.gov/parks/heritage-village Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026
Florida Botanical Gardens –Free 100-acre park flbg.org
Third Saturday – Gardens open noon5pm; Heritage Village open 10am-4pm
Sunken Gardens
1825 Fourth St. N, St. Pete
Adult and child classes www.sunkengardens.org
6/15 – History chat w/ Kathy Turner Lee, granddaughter of Sunken Gardens founders George and Eula Turner.
$65, VIP 6-6:30pm/general admission 6:30-9pm, Friends of Strays Cat Box, 3015 46th Ave. N St. Pete. Five wine sommeliers will be on site to teach you about the wines and the best food pairing to go with each one. Also, you will learn some fun facts about winery cats (yes, winery cats do exist!) Raffle baskets will be available. www.friendsofstrays.org/wine-pairing-night
7/11, 18, 25 – American Stage Summer Cabaret Series
$35, all performances 7pm, American Stage Theater, 163 Third St. N, St. Pete.
• 7/11 – Beach Please! American Stage vocalists perform songs of the summer, including Beach Boys, Steely Dan, ABBA, Hall & Oats, and the best of yacht rock and pop!
• 7/18 – Black Girl Magic. A new show that celebrates women of color who have broken barriers on Broadway, featuring iconic songs from Les Mis, Wicked, Chicago, Funny Girl, and more!
• 7/25 – Sammy & Dino. The show celebrates the lives and music of two of America’s greatest performers – Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin. Through classic songs, dance, and old-school sketch comedy, this show transports audiences to a bygone era of cabaret performance.
7/13 – Brookville’s Watermelon Festival
Free, 10am-4pm, Hernando County Fairgrounds, 6436 Broad St., Brooksville. This family and pet friendly event features local watermelons from the Batten Farm Family. Event by SaucyQueen, Intensity Academy Gourmet & Hot Sauce Company and Batten Family Farms.
7/18-19 – PAVA Cool Art Show
Free, Sat 10am-5pm/Sun. 10am-4pm, The Coliseum, 535 Fourth Ave. N, St. Pete. This annual show by the Professional Association of Visual Artists has been a summer tradition in St. Petersburg since 1988. Started by artists, for artists, all sales at the show are 100% to the exhibiting artist. Media include painting (various techniques), drawing and graphic arts, photography, digital art, mixed media, ceramics, fiber, glass, jewelry, metal, paper, sculpture, and wood.
7/23-25 – Annual Suncoast Ladies Classic Skyway Beach Resort, 3769 50th Ave. S, St. Pete. This fifth annual Suncoast Ladies’ Classic has some of the highest payouts for an all-ladies offshore multi-species tournament on our coast. You won’t want to miss this 3-day event of fishing, good food, music, vendors and some of the best cash and prizes. Benefits Ready for Life Pinellas and Pasco. Reserve a spot at , https://tinyurl.com/22t3xwez
7/25-26 – Christmas in July
$5 (cash) $5.50 (credit), 7/25: 10am-5pm/7/26: 10am-4pm, Florida State Fairgrounds, 4800 U.S. Hwy. 301 N, Tampa. More than 175 vendors will be showcasing handcrafted gifts, home décor, jewelry, holiday items, treats, and so much more – the perfect place to get a head start on your holiday shopping or treat yourself to something special. While you’re there, enter to win amazing prizes and snap a pic with Santa Claus himself!
7/25-26 – World Oddities Expo
$20 (single day) plus add-ons, 11am-7pm, The Coliseum, 535 Fourth Ave. N, St. Pete. The World Oddities Expo is a traveling oddities festival – a peculiar paradise where weird thrives! The expo features artists, vendors, performers, educators, and guest speakers to create a macabre and magical experience for all! The showroom floor is packed with peculiar pleasures and treasures from artists and small businesses. In addition, the Oddity Ink Parlour, partnered with the infamous Villain Arts, will bring talented tattoo artists from all over the land for tattoos on-site! Stay for a workshop or hear guest speakers share their vast knowledge. Enjoy music performances, live painting, burlesque, and more! Tickets and more information at www.worldodditiesexpo.com/st-petersburg-fl
8/15 – Craft & Treasure Sale
Free admission, 9am-2pm, Jerger Hall Life Enrichment Center, Pasadena Community Church, 227 70th St S, St. Pete. Some 50 local crafters and vendors will be on hand in an air-conditioned space with unique and handmade crafts including jewelry, ceramics, paintings, sculptures, textiles, and much more. Benefits the church’s Angel Outreach Ministry, which supports local vulnerable children and families with clothing, food and even a Christmas party. Free parking.
ON THE HORIZON
8/22 – FloridaRAMA Literary Festival, St. Pete 10/15-18 – Fourth Annual Clearwater Jazz Holiday 11/7-8 – Art Harvest, Dunedin
“You cannot do kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.” ~–Ralph Waldo Emerson
LIBRARIES
Gulf Beaches Public Library 200 Municipal Drive, Madeira Beach 727-391-2828 www.gulfbeacheslibrary.org
Gulfport Public Library 5501 28th Ave. S, Gulfport 727-893-1074 www.mygulfport.us/gpl
Clearwater Marine Aquarium 249 Windward Passage, Clearwater 727-441-1790 www.cmaquarium.org Rescue, rehab and release Home of Hope, of Dolphin Tale II.
Florida Aquarium 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa 813-273-4000 www.flaquarium.org
Mote Science
Education Aquarium 225 University Town Center Drive, Sarasota. Purchase tickets online to guarantee date of choice: tinyurl.com/5n7adtup 941-374-2673
A world-class, 110,000-square-foot facility dedicated to marine science, education, and immersive public experiences.
Seaside Seabird Sanctuary
18328 Gulf Blvd., Indian Shores 727-391-6211
www.seasideseabirdsanctuary.org
Cares for approximately 3,500 birds every year; home to over 80 permanently injured residents. Free. Donations accepted. Tours.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park 1101 W Sligh Ave., Tampa 813-935-8552 www.zootampa.org
THRIFT SHOPS
Anona Thrift Shoppe 12025 Indian Rocks Road, Largo Mon., Wed.-Sat. 10am-3pm www.handsofhealinginc.org/thrift-shoppe
Blue Urban Project Thrift Shop 1620 Central Ave., St. Pete www.blueurbanproject.org/thrift-store Wed.-Fri 11am-6pm; Sat.-Sun. 11am-7pm
CASA Thrift Shop 1011 First Ave. N, St. Pete www.casa-stpete.org
Creative Thrift Art Store (at Creative Clay) 1846 First Ave. S, St. Pete www.creativeclay.org/creative-thrift
HEP Thrift Store 1212 N Betty Lane, Clearwater Facebook
Pass-A-Grille Beach Community Church Thrift Shop
107 16th Ave., St. Pete Beach, Tues., Thurs., Sat. 9am-noon pagchurch.org/thrift-shop/
St. Vincent’s Thrift Store
180 34th St. N, St. Pete Mon.-Fri. 10am-6pm; Sat. 9am-5pm tinyurl.com/yc4kjb2u
United Women in Faith Thrift Store
6942 First Ave. S, St. Pete Open Wed. & Sat. 9am-1pm www.pasadenauwfthriftstore.org
VOLUNTEERING
AARP
Various volunteer opportunities www.aarp.org/giving-back
Daystar Life Center 1055 28th St. S., St. Pete Needs volunteers 727-825-0442 daystarlife.org/volunteer/
Empath Health Suncoast Hospice Training provided www.empathhealth.org
Friends of St. Pete Beach Library 727-363-9238 tinyurl.com/bybbwye7
Friends of Strays 2911 47th Ave. N, St. Pete 727-522-6566 Nonprofit, no-kill shelter friendsofstrays.org
Dec.-May 10am-2pm 300 Municipal Drive, Madeira Beach
FRIDAYS
Treasure Island Friday Morning Market
Dec.-April, 9am-2pm Community Center Park 154 106th Ave. https://tinyurl.com/8xwmwe3f
Creative Clay Outdoor Art Market
First Fridays, 10am-2pm 1846 First Ave. S, St. Pete
Sunset Market
First and third Fri. nights, 5-10pm, parking lot of Imagine Museum, 1901 Central Ave., St. Pete.
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
Dunedin Downtown Market
9am-1pm, Pioneer Park, 420 Main St., Fri. market Nov.-May until 2pm; Sat. market year-round.
Gulfport Night Market
First Friday and third Saturday Downtown Gulfport, 5-9pm
SATURDAYS
St. Petersburg Saturday Morning Market
Oct.-May, 9am-2pm
Al Lang Stadium parking lot, 230 First St. SE
June-Sept. 9am-1pm, Williams Park, 350 Second Ave. N www.saturdaymorningmarket.com
The Market Marie
Second Saturdays, 10am-2pm Coachman Park, 300 Cleveland St., Clearwater
Crossroads Market
Third Saturdays, 10am-2pm, Crossroads Christian Church 1645 Seminole Blvd., Largo
Mezzo Market
One Saturday a month Oct.-May, 11am-4pm, 1111 Central Ave., St. Pete Facebook
SUNDAYS
Corey Avenue Sunday Market 10am-2pm Oct.-May
9am-1pm June-Sept.
Corey Ave., St. Pete Beach www.coreyave.com
Sunday Market St. Pete Weekly, 10am-2pm June-Aug. 9am-1pm
St. Petersburg High School, 2501 Fifth Ave. N
Indian Shores Sunday Market
Nov.-May, 9am-2pm
Indian Shores Town Hall, 19305 Gulf Blvd., Indian Shores
49th Street Makers/Growers Market
First Sunday, 10am-2pm Red Feather Studios, 1301 49th St. S, Gulfport
St. Pete Sunday Market
Third Sun. of the month, Noon-6pm Arts Xchange 515 22nd St. S, St. Pete
SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS
Pinellas Farmers & Flea Market
Win! Derby, 10490 Gandy Blvd., St. Pete. 7am-1pm
Art Mart at Pass-a-Grille Sat. & Sun., 9am-2pm (+ Fridays through April)
900 Gulf Way, St. Pete Beach
“We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.” - Buddha
CLASSIFIED
ACCOUNTING / BOOKKEEPING & TAX SERVICES
David J. Strickler, CPA, PA, djscpa1@aol.com 727.906.9600
ACUPUNCTURE
Ancient Healing Acupuncture & Herbs
Authentic oriental healing arts are still the foremost healing methods in China. 6600 31st. Terrace N., St. Pete. 727.384.4826
AIR CONDITIONING / HEATING
Red Royal Services can service your existing HVAC or replace it. 727.315.0793
ANNUAL HOME RENTAL
Keyrenter property management takes the work and worry out of being a landlord.
KeyrenterStPete.com or call Sam 727.202.2700
BLINDS & SHUTTERS
Shopping for Window Treatment? Blinds, shades and shutters from Déco and energy-saving to Storm Protection. Act quick (install by 12/31 to get 30% tax credit) on ALTA Shades.
Call The Shutterman 727-810-4606 or TheShuttermanFL.com
Call for a free in-home consult. See ad for 30% off next purchase. Call Budget Blinds 727.821.0976 or the motorization, automation experts Saphire Shades and Shutters 727.289.1629 sales@SaphireShades andShutters.com
CARPETS & RUGS
DEMOLITION
If Demolition is your next move… visit www.Down2Ground.com Call 239-955-9855, Or email Down2Ground Demo@gmail.com
DENTAL SERVICES
Century Dental, Advanced Dental Technology,bImplants, Reconstructive, Cosmetic & Laser Dentistry, 617 75th Ave., St. Pete Beach,n40 Years Experience – Free 2nd opinions CenturyDental.org 727.367.3313
Pier Dental, 8351 Blind Pass Rd., SPB Family-owned General and Cosmetic Dentistry with Personalized Care. Florida native Dr. Brittany Pierpont. PierDental.net 727.363.6169
DRY CLEANERS & LAUNDRY
Free Pick-up & Delivery
Dry Clean, Wash-Dry-Fold, Alterations, Patio Cushion Cleaning, Shoe & Handbag Repair, Pick-up at home or office 2x weekly, Sacino’s Cleaners
sacinoscleaners.com 727.471.0573
EDUCATION
Hire an advocate to get your child(ren) an education designed to meet their unique needs. Call Bill 302.745.7472 drwilliamlane.com
ELECTRICAL SERVICES
Your contact for all things electrical. Solar hookup, generators, wiring and rewiring homes and businesses. Red Royal Electric 727.228.1065 FITNESS
Top Shape Fitness
Professional Rug Cleaning & Invisible Repairs – Free pick-up and delivery.Also, the largest selection of imported Handmade works of art you can walk on.
Oriental Rug Bazaar 727.726.8787
COLLEGE ADMISSION FL-based College Counselor Helping students with college admissions ic-prep.com
CLOSET DESIGN & INSTALLATION
Get organized. Maximize the space you have in closets, pantries, laundry rooms & more.
newclosettoday.com
Call for a free consult 727.641.6448
CONDO FOR SALE
Downtown St. Pete Condo @The Beacon on 3rd Eighth floor 1BR/1BA unit with a north view Secure Older building w/good reserves, pool, gym, HOA, Includes Power, A/C, cable, Club Room, Balcony, Pets OK. Assigned Parking Next to USF, Dali, Publix $295,000
Open gym, personal training, in-body testing, infrared sauna. Mention Paradise News for $5 off. 727.338.32694615 Gulf Blvd. #116, St. Pete Beach
HAIR BRAIDING
Get your hair braided by an Expert. Braids by Serina 727.241.3948
HANDYMAN
Yard Work, Concrete, Stucco, Block, Painting, Pressure Washing, Handyman. No Job Too Small! 727.222.7599
HEALTH & NUTRITION
Ancient Healing Acupuncture & Herbs
Seasonal Allergies, Hip & Back Pain
April Wang 727.384.4826
Certified Chinese MD, (Tyrone Area) 6600 31st Terrace, St. Pete Worried About Your Memory?
Depression / Bipolar Support
Group Meets in 2 St. Pete locations, 7pm weekly, free, no registration, confidential. Tuesdays 7pm - Allendale Church 3803 Haines Rd. N and Thursdays 7pm - Pasadena Church
227 70th St. S Call 727 410-1569 for info or visit: www.dbstampabay.org
HOUSEKEEPING & CLEANING
Dependable European Lady15+yrs exp., High Quality, Reasonable Rates, References. 727.564.1473
Laddy’s Cleaning Serviceon thebeaches over a decade 727.430.8826
Home & Office CleaningExperienced, Efficient European Cleaning LadyFree Estimates, Great local references, 10+ years Irina 727.481.1364
INSURANCE
Bentley DeNight Insurance Services can save $$$ on Flood Insurance and can quote Homeowners, Auto & Business Insurances
727.344.4500
JEWELRY
Beverly Gianna Luxury Jewelry & Design is a full service jeweler and diamond expertwho loves to redesign inherited jewelry intomodern wearable pieces. 6647 Central Ave. St. Petersburg 33710 727-513-3469
LOCKSMITH SERVICES
Lock Repair Service during daytime hours, weekdays. Vet owned. Tommy Locksmith 727.755.3975
LUMBER
Need wood to match your old house? If it isn’t in stock, ask if we can make it for you.
Anderson Lumber 666 49th St. S 727.321.3111
MARKETING SERVICES
Janet Nummi, Graphic Design info@janetnummi.com
Buddy Baker, Copyediting melvin.baker@gmail.com
MASSAGE SERVICES
Helios Health – Zoe (MA31664) offers massage and Infrared sauna therapy on West Central Ave. at 57th St., St. Petersburg 727.322.8883
MEDICAL SERVICES
Primary Care, Concierge Medicine, Lifestyle and Obesity Medicine, Men’s Health, Sports Medicine
Chronic Disease Management
Jason Philippe 727.322.4226
Reverse Aging while you still can!
Colin Chan MD 727.571.1688
PAINTING SERVICES
Residential or Commercial Painting Flo-Pro Painting 727.337.6888
Surgery and Laser Center
727.525.9900
“Reverse the Signs Of Aging Anywhere on your body, Rebuild collagen & reduce wrinkles.”
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
Marina Bay – New Construction
Near Eckerd. More than beautiful. Resilient, Private, Peaceful, Protected FORTIFIED 727.906.3300
MarinaBaystPete.com
RESIDENTIAL PROTECTION
Insurance Companies are now rejecting claims if no one has been there in 14 days.
Property Watch Ninja’s are your boots on the ground
When you’re not around.
PropertyWatchNinja’s.com or Call 727.620.2620
SCREEN REPAIR
Screen Repair for Pool Cages, Patios and Lanais, call or text for a FREE Estimate.
Rescreen Rescue 727.348.4307
SLIDING DOOR REPAIR
Stop struggling with old sliding doors.We fix it to open for a fraction of thecost of a new door. We replace windows too. Lic. C1050, YouTube.com/user/SliderRepairs
Slider Repairs 727.493.2644
TOURS & TRANSPORTATION
Paradise Tours & Transportation
Call us 1st for your transportation needs. We will take you where you want to go! Sightseeing tours and transportation around Tampa Bay.
Hire an advocate to get your child(ren) an education designed to meet their unique needs. Call Bill 302.745.7472 drwilliamlane.com
WINDOW CLEANING
PLASTIC SURGERY
Coundouriotis Facial Plastic
See Life More Clearly, 30 yrs. exp., Residential, Commercial. Estimates are free. Call Tim 727.488.8516
CLASSIFIED ADS
10 Words 10 issues $100
20 Words 10 Issues $200
Single issue or less than 10 $2.50/word. Call 727-363-6888. Email sales@paradisenewsfl.com
By Dennis Merritt Jones, DD
Why There’s More Than One Of Us Here
Have you ever stopped to ponder just how many relationships you’ve been a part of since you entered the world? We often think of relationships in terms of significant others, those grand romances that make movies and novels so exciting. But let’s face it, our daily interactions with everyone, from the chatty neighbor and the server at the restaurant, to our loyal pets also define our existence. It’s like the ultimate social network, minus the hashtags and selfies. From the day we were born, our life has been a series of connections, each playing a role in our personal growth and evolution. Whether it’s our birth mother, family, friends, or even the barista who knows our coffee order by heart, our life is a rich tapestry of relationships, like pearls strung on a silver thread. These connections add flavor and depth to our lives. Without them, life would be as bland as a rice cake with no peanut butter.
“We are each driven by a deep urge to form an intimate connection with the world around us and most of us do this through relationships. If you take a soul look at this, you will see that your need for relationship actually stems from your basic human
on our hearts, changing us forever. Every interaction, whether it’s with family, friends, colleagues, or strangers, leaves “footprints” on our hearts. If we are mindful, these encounters, whether delightful or challenging, offer us opportunities to learn about ourselves and the roles others play in our lives. The heart of this reflection is the importance of conscious relationships. The more aware and spiritually grounded we are, the more genuine our connections become.
Authenticity Is The Secret Handshake Of The Soul, Unlocking Deeper Relationships
need to overcome your earthly sense of separation.” ~ Caroline Reynolds
As my friend Carolyn Reynolds inferred, relationships are the colorful threads that weave the gift of life into a vibrant tapestry of oneness, offering experiences and emotions that we could never savor alone. That is why there is more than one of us here. I mean, can you even imagine being the only person on the planet? BORING! Unless we are planning to live isolated on a mountain, relationships are inescapable. But where does it all begin? Every day begins with the most intimate relationship of all – the one we’re with ourselves. It starts with that bleary-eyed moment in the morning when we gaze into the eyes of the being staring back at us in the mirror. Just think of it as a daily meeting with your most important client: you.
The real question isn’t whether we will have relationships, but how mindfully we engage with them. Our level of awareness of our oneness with Life dictates what we bring to these connections and what we gain from them. The poet Flavia said it well: some people leave lasting impressions
THE TAKE AWAY: True authenticity allows us to be ourselves and creates space for others to do the same. This isn’t just possible; it becomes second nature for those committed to personal growth. Relationships are essential for both personal and collective evolution. When we consciously engage, these connections provide a mirror to our souls, reflecting our deepest selves. Relationships are fundamental to our earthly journey. From the cradle to the grave, the bonds we form enrich our lives, making the journey bearable, but worthwhile. With all the conflict and confusion unfolding in our world today, a deeper embodiment of this truth by the collective majority could heal the world. Appreciate your relationships – every one of them matters.
So why not approach this journey with awareness and intention? After all, life’s too short for shallow interactions and missed connections. When we embrace the rich tapestry of relationships, maybe, just maybe, we’ll find that life is a little more colorful, a little more meaningful, and a lot more fun.
Dennis Merritt Jones’ vision is “Guiding People to Purpose.” He is an award-winning author of seven books, a keynote speaker, and personal mentor/coach who loves living in St. Petersburg. If you would like more information regarding his availability as a speaker, his mentoring programs, and his books, please visit his website at DennisMerrittJones.com
Rare Legacy Estate on the Open Water
Stunning grounds, expansive views, a dock with lift, all on over 200 feet of open water on Tampa Bay. Add the neighboring property for another 100 feet of seawall.
Elevator, pool, gorgeous, private, must see.
$5,500,000
Discover luxury coastal living
Incredible Views, Marine Life, and More
Live the Florida dream in this unique custom home on the southern shore of Pinellas County or add it to the property at left to create an irreproducible estate.
4 beds, 3 baths, 2973 sqft
Bayway Isles Beauty
Supreme elegance in an island paradise. Constructed on a built-up lot and having experienced no flooding, this exquisite Bayway Isles retreat is a designer’s masterpiece.
4 beds, 3 baths, pool
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Ultra-Luxurious Island Living Awaits
Commanding a premier position on Tierra Verde’s Grand Canal, this is a trophy residence for those who demand architectural excellence and maximum resilience.
4 beds, 5/1 baths, 4318 sqft.
$7,950,000
THE SALAMONE GROUP
Angela Mathias, Andrew Salamone
Ron Salamone, Libby Salamone
Helping people buy and sell the finest St. Petersburg Properties for over 30 years.
info@stpete.pro www.stpete.pro (727) 456-8093
Water Views Over the Pass-a-Grille Channel
This elegant and spacious condo lives like a single-family home, all on one level in a boutique association of only 8 units. Some of the best water views on the island.
4 beds/3 ba. Boat slip, storage, must see. $1,795,000 $1,550,000
Buy
a
Piece of Tierra Verde’s North Shore
In one of the most desirable locations in Pinellas County, this waterfront home is being sold at lot value but the existing home has a ton of potential, as well.
