Tampa Bay Event Calendar: Annual Events

Looking for something big to do in the Tampa? Our Tampa event calendar is the place to start. In the Tampa Bay area, there is something going on almost every month that includes fireworks, parade floats, food vendors and/or live entertainment. Tampa's largest annual festivals and events draw larger crowds each year. While the cool and breezy days of spring draw the largest number of festivals, Tampa's great weather and party-atmosphere let's every month host memorable and fun events.

Whether an annual sporting event like the Outback Bowl, the perennial Gasparilla invasion by rowdy swashbucklers on a fully-rigged pirate ship, people devouring strawberries by the truck-load, or Mama Guava and her parade of devoted followers in Ybor City, there's just never a dull moment in Tampa.

Browse the Tampa event calendar below for a good look at many of the great events that the Tampa Bay area has to offer year 'round.

 January    

Outback Bowl  •  21.1 miles

Tampa kicks off the first bowl game on New Year's Day--The Outback Bowl. The teams are matched from the Big Ten Conference and the Southeastern Conference, for post-season college football competition. The game is played at Raymond James Stadium and broadcast live by ESPN.

 February    

Annual Bay Area Renaissance Festival  •  15.4 miles
Begins Last Saturday of February & Last Six Weekends
Museum of Science & Industry, 4801 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL 33617

Wandering street theatre featuring juggles, magicians, fire eaters & others, crafts, live armored contact jousting, human chess matches, minstrels, maidens faire, peasants, fools, & royalty, games, foods such as turkey drumsticks, soup in a bread bowl, chicken croissants, scotch eggs, scones, apple dumplings & much more.

Fiesta Day  •  19.9 miles
Last Saturday of February
1600 East 8th Avenue, Tampa, FL 33605, 813-248-0721

Tampa's Historical Ybor City showcases its ethnic roots with Fiesta Day. It was started to honor the oldest residents living in Ybor. Now, the free street festival honors the Cuban, German, Italian, African Cuban, Jewish and Spanish immigrants who first settled in Ybor in 1886. A 58-year old tradition, the festival extends several blocks, fills the streets with fun and activities such as arts & crafts, musical performances, ethnic style cuisine and cultural exhibits.

The Florida State Fair  •  24.6 miles
Florida State Fairgrounds I-4 W At North US Hwy 301, Tampa, FL 33601, 813-621-7821

The Florida State Fair includes more than 200 rides, games and attractions are spread over the 319 acre site. Entertainment acts such as LeAnn Rimes, Ashanti, Bill Cosby and Loretta Lynn have graced the stages at the fair. All headline entertainment shows are in Entertainment Hall, a 5,000-seat, climate controlled building.

The Florida Strawberry Festival  •  27.7 miles
Begins The Last Thursday of February
Festival Grounds, 2202 W Reynolds St, Plant City, FL 33563, 813-754-1996

The Florida Strawberry Festival is a celebration of strawberries that dates back to 1930. It began when members of the Plant City Lions Club decided to celebrate the area's bountiful harvest of strawberries. The 11 day festival, attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world.

 March    

Gasparilla Festival of the Arts  •  20.9 miles
First Weekend of March
Tampa Convention Center, 333 S Franklin St, Tampa, FL 33602, 813-274-7754

Over 300 vendors will be on hand featuring paintings, photographs, sculptures and jewelry. Bring the whole family along for a festival that is considered one of the best in the nation. Thanks in large part to the informal nature of the event, a diverse, and sometimes eclectic, variety of art can be seen.

 April    

Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am Golf Tournament  •  12.2 miles
TPC Tampa Bay, 5300 West Lutz Lake Fern Road, Lutz, FL 33558, 813-949-0090

The Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am is returning once again to the TPC Tampa Bay. This unique tournament format pairs celebrities and amateurs with Champions Tour professionals in a team competition. This event has quickly become one of the most popular stops on the Champions Tour for spectators, participants and professionals.

Annual Winefest  •  22.6 miles
2208 West Morrison Ave., Tampa, FL 33606, 813-253-0358

Legendary Tampa restaurant, Bern’s Steak House, with SideBern’s and Bern’s Fine Wines & Spirits, will hold its 9th Annual Winefest in April. At this four-day event, guests will have the opportunity to experience extraordinary food and wine tastings, educational seminars and winemaker dinners. Join Bern’s experts and special guests for classes about wine and food. See website for daily event details. Tickets available online.

City of Dunedin's Annual "Touch a Truck"  •  37.8 miles
Highlander Park, 1920 Pinehurst Road, Dunedin, FL (corner of Pinehurst Road and Michigan Boulevard), 727-812-4530

The City of Dunedin will be holding its Annual Touch A Truck in April, from 10 AM-2 PM. This is a free event for all ages that has attracted over 7,500 visitors each year with activities such as: petting zoo, pony rides, moonwalks, face painting and demonstrations on site. There will be giveaways benefitting the Dunedin For Youth Scholarship Fund during the event. There will be entertainment during event hours, DJ and food and drink concessions available. This year, we are expecting attendance to exceed 10,000 (ages range from infants to senior citizens). This event showcases all types of vehicles including monster trucks, fire engines, cars, truck, heavy-duty construction equipment, military vehicles, helicopters, motorcycles, emergency vehicles, buses, entertainment and much, much more. Last year, we had 155 vehicles attend the event. We will be showcasing over 140 vehicles from all over the State of Florida and outside the State this year. This event for all ages is the largest of its kind in the State. Contact Chris McGuirk: cmcguirk@dunedinfl.net, phone: (727) 812-4530 or fax: (727) 812-4535.

 MAY    

No Listings.

 JUNE    

No Listings.

 JULY    

Fourth of July Celebration at Channelside  •  20.7 miles
615 Channelside Dr # 117, Tampa, FL 33602, 813-223-4250

Live Music and Fireworks at Channelside: 5-9 PM; Fireworks at 9PM. Florida Aquarium open late. This is one of the region's most spectacular celebrations, exploding over Old Hillsborough Bay.

 AUGUST    

No Listings.

 SEPTEMBER    

No Listings.

 OCTOBER    

Guavaween •  23.9 miles
Ybor City, East 7th Ave At N 20th Street, Tampa, FL 33605

Guavaween is a New Orleans style Halloween celebration based on Tampa's nickname, "The Big Guava." Costumed revelers pack Ybor City for the huge street party. Transportation/Parking: Round trip bus transportation will be available between University of South Florida, Florida State Fairgrounds, Raymond James Stadium and Tampa Port Authority. Parking in Ybor City is limited.

 November    

Annual Tampa Cigar Heritage Festival  •  23.9 miles
Centennial Park, Ybor City, 1818 East 9th Ave, Tampa, FL 33605, 813-247-6323

A celebration of Ybor City and Tampa's cigar past and present, the Cigar Heritage Festival will feature hundreds of cigar vendors and retailers showcasing premier cigars and cigar related items, cigar rolling, food and wine demonstrations, interactive cultural activities, ethnic food and entertainment and lots of fun for the whole family. Hours: 9:00 AM - 5:00PM

 December    

Annual Victorian Christmas Stroll  •  20.7 miles
401 West Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33606, (813) 254-1891

Experience the extravagance and grandeur of a Victorian Christmas at the former 1891 Tampa Bay Hotel during the Henry B. Plant Museum's Victorian Christmas Stroll. As a time-honored tradition delighting visitors with a glimpse of Christmas past, the exhibition opens to the public December 1st to 23rd, 2003, 10:00am to 8:00pm daily.