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Surrounded by more than 2,000 rain-soaked supporters at the Cuban Club courtyard in Ybor City last Saturday, Rebecca Dean made an admission: She’s casting a ballot for Angie Nixon. The 61-year-old teacher from Gulfport told the crowd she’s known the Florida lawmaker for years, from the Service Employees International…
Mayor Ken Welch has been up against it during his nearly five years at city hall. Two hurricanes took an unprecedented toll on city services. The roof blew off the Trop in the midst of negotiations with the Rays, and the team decided to leave St. Pete for Tampa. A governor and state legislature wrested
Driver license and motor vehicle data was access by a “malicious actor,” the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reported Friday. The unauthorized breach occurred Sept. 4 by an individual using “compromised credentials,” the department stated, adding that immediate steps were taken to contain the activity…
Gov. Ron DeSantis faced backlash at a press conference in Milton on Friday morning from local residents over the state’s response to Hurricane Isaias, a Category 2 storm that slammed the Panhandle on Oct. 9. “You should be ashamed of yourself,” unidentified hecklers told DeSantis. They also took issue with Education…
The fun’s over. That one game the Bucs won last week is forgotten. On Sunday afternoon, the Tampa Bay football Buccaneers took a gut-punch of a loss, falling in overtime to the Pittsburgh Steelers 26-19. The biggest takeaway: undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels was a feel-good story, but his status as a backup should be…
The Republican Party of Florida is threatening criminal prosecution of television stations, the Democratic Party and, by the terms of its own legal theory, anyone who repeats a Leon County grand jury’s finding that high-ranking state officials diverted $10 million in the Hope Florida scandal. In a lawsuit filed late…
Tampa free speech icon Joe Redner has passed away at the age of 86, his family confirmed. Joy Lynn Redner, one of Redner’s children, announced his death on Facebook last night. “We love you. You will be missed Dad. Joe Redner passed away this morning. He died peacefully in his sleep,” she wrote. Originally from
Tampa Am, the Angie Nixon-Bernie Sanders rally, and Art Fair Tampa lead Creative Loafing Tampa Bay's weekly list of things to do, covering Oct. 16-22, 2026.
'Bat Boy: The Musical' runs Oct. 16-25 at Carrollwood Cultural Center, and it tops this listing of Tampa Bay area theater happenings for the week of Oct. 16-22, 2026.
Tampa Bay’s live music weekend is here, and it’s in festival mode, from the Clearwater Jazz Holiday happening right now in Coachman Park, to Tampa Pig Jig at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, Good Folk Fest in St. Pete, and even Chewy Hemphill’s final Pre-Fest going down in Bradenton. Hell, there’s even an Angie…
The Salt Lake City indie-rock band Cardinal Bloom comes to Tampa on Oct. 18, 2026.
On Oct. 15, 2026, Tampa Theatre closed its weeklong grand re-opening and 100th anniversary party with a grand finale for the ages.
Nine years ago, Tampa officials renamed a downtown bridge to honor Madame Fortune Taylor. This Monday, Oct. 19, historian Gloria Jean Royster invites locals to commemorate the anniversary of the renaming by spending time at the site.
Two women have filed a federal civil lawsuit accusing former Florida U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz and two others of participating in an sex trafficking scheme involving young women, drugs, and travel across state lines. It came nearly two years after a House Ethics Committee report said Gaetz made payments totaling tens of…
After years of viral success and even an ESPN series, Banana Ball is headed on a 74 city world tour and it’s coming to Tampa Bay next spring. The 2027 Banana Ball World Tour will see the Savannah Bananas take on the Loco Beach Coconuts at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg on May 7 and
Downtown Tampa dive bar The Hub hosts a Sunday afternoon benefit for Mercy Full Project, a nonprofit working on animal rescue, pet food assistance and community projects.
Funded almost entirely by Florida Realtors, the Vote Yes on 3 campaign is hoping to get Amendment 3 passed this November and has raised over $21.5 million to make this happen. Campaign finance records show that over 98% of the political committee’s expenditures are going to a political operative tied to one of…
Good Folk Fest, a concert and festival benefitting St. Petersburg's Creative Clay is back at the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club on Saturday, Oct. 17.
Soccer Mommy and Snail Mail's fall co-headlining tour is highly anticipated by fans and headed to Florida this weekend. Before a Tampa concert, band founders Sophie Allison and Lindsey Jordan did a joint interview with Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.
Having a green thumb can pay off for Tampeños who convert their lawns to help with water conservation. The City of Tampa says homeowners can collect up to $3,000 in rebates thanks to a green initiative from the Florida-Friendly Landscaping Incentive Program (FLIP). All they have to do is attend three workshops and…
West Central Florida's first indoor fine art far, Art Fair Tampa, is being forced to postpone opening night from Thursday, Oct. 15 to Friday, Oct. 16. Founder Tyler Sirota blamed a contractor miscalculation, but promised to deliver exactly what he advertised for artists and arts supporters.
A series of polls out this week indicate local government officials may be getting their message out on Amendment 3 on the November ballot, which asks voters to raise the current exemption for non-school homestead property taxes. The proposal, pushed by DeSantis, needs 60 percent support from voters. Polling came in…
Last April, Vice asked if the phrase “I just want to kickflip into the sunset and disappear,” was an emo song title or a “text from your depressed friend at 2 a.m.” The answer is “probably both,” but the line definitely appeared on Camping In Alaska’s breakout 2013 album Please Be Nice (stylized all-lowercase). Two
A federal appeals court panel has ruled that Florida’s 2024 law restricting access to social media for teens is likely constitutional and can continued to be enforced while the legal challenge continues. The decision by a three-judge panel of U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit reverses and vacates a…
Chewy Hemphill's Pre-Fest punk-rock festival celebrates its 10th anniversary, and final outing, with a two-day lineup happening in Bradenton.
Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds says that under the U.S. Constitution, states “have” to work with the federal government in enforcing immigration laws. However, nine states have adopted laws forbidding compliance with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers and 12 states overall…
Lakeland shoegaze band Nora's Breakfast Club has a new single and will play it at a rare concert on Oct. 17, 2026.
Bernie Sanders and Angie Nixon's Florida campaign stops, including one in Ybor City, will be free concerts, too, thanks to the addition of punk and indie-rock songwriter Ted Leo, who plays two rallies with the politicians.
Weezer and The Shins brought a blast of vintage indie-rock to Tampa's Benchmark International Arena on Oct. 15, 2026 for a show that was pure 'Gold.'
New World Tampa hosts a pair of Halloween concerts starting Friday, with an EBM gig from WMNF, then the Bay area's beloved 'Fangsgiving' cover show.
Doc Martin, a godfather of the American rave scene who's literally been a DJ since he was 15, returns to the Tampa Bay area on Oct. 27, 2026 for his first local Serious Soul gig in more than a decade.
Tampa punk trio Lychee Camp has a new video for 'Sunday Scaries,' and headlines a no-cover concert happening as part of the 2026 Tampa Am skateboarding competition.
Tampa rapper ?nowledge left for New Jersey almost a decade ago, but he's back home and celebrating the release of a new LP, 'Higher Ground,' at a no-cover show in Seminole Heights
Dominic Walker's Friday Night Jazz series on Davis Islands in Tampa, Florida has been one of the toughest gigs to get into over the last two years. It just got a boost in capacity though, just in time for its third anniversary on Oct. 16, 2026.
Tampa City Council will debate which charter changes to bring to voters in March 2026, but residents like Brittney Llewellyn shaped the debate and even pushed for an independent inspector general.
After 15 meetings, Tampa’s Charter Review Advisory Commission (CRC) has finished its work. On Oct. 15, 2026, Tampa City Council is deciding which of its recommendations Tampa voters should see on their ballots next spring—for a municipal election that will also decide a new mayor and city councilmembers.
Over two million animated frames are headed to Tampa this fall, including some from one of the country’s foremost creators of stop-motion films. Founded at the University of Tampa (now known as UTampa), Tampa Animation Festival has brought talent from around the world to the school since 2018. Festival director and UT…
Tedeschi Trucks Band showcased its inimitable familial connection in a Oct. 13, 2026 set in Clearwater, Florida.
Tampa and Plant City’s police departments got a combined $700,000 in state funds to conduct arrests on behalf of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. So far, neither agency has reported any immigration arrests to the state.
Creative Loafing Tampa Bay's weekly rundown of the best food & drink events happening across the Bay area, this week covering Oct. 15-22.
'Microdose,' a new Honey Gallery show featuring work from Eito Ohashi and select Tampa artists, opens in Ybor City, Florida on Oct. 14, 2026.
Tampa Theatre celebrates its 100th anniversary on Oct. 15, 1926, 50 years after the now-iconic building found itself on the chopping block.
UPDATE: White House officials and CNN have since reported that Trump’s trip to Tampa has been called off. President Donald Trump, who recently stated the NFL should change its name so that soccer is the only sport that uses a “football,” is headed to Raymond James Stadium for this Sunday’s matchup between the Tampa Bay
For months, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration has dismissed the Hope Florida scandal as a “hoax,” maintaining that “nobody did anything wrong.” Yet at the same time, state agencies have quietly shelled out thousands of dollars to high-powered law firms that were hired to keep an investigation of the saga out of public…
The International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement announced today that it is investigating a local death as a homicide. Syriah Henderson, a 29-year-old Black woman and mother of three, was found hanging from a tree behind a St. Petersburg Dollar Tree on July 1, 2026. The St. Petersburg Police Department and medical…
Undecided Black voters, David Jolly says, may decide who becomes Florida’s next governor. Appearing in Tallahassee Monday, Jolly and running mate Gwen Graham were flanked by U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, a South Carolina Democrat, and former Democratic U.S. Rep. Al Lawson of Tallahassee, both prominent Black political…
Tampa Art Fair, the city's first large scale indoor art fair, takes over Tampa Convention Center Oct. 15-18. Founder Tyler Sirota explains why he's taking the chance.
On Nov. 3, Florida voters will find a question near the bottom of the ballot that most will skip: “Shall Justice Carlos G. Muñiz of the Supreme Court be retained in office?” Don’t skip it. We do not make this recommendation lightly, but vote “No.” Merit retention is not a referendum on whether voters like
Mighty Fine restaurant and Late Start Brewing celebrated two years in downtown Tampa on Oct. 12, 2026 with one hell of an anniversary party.
Contrary to one of the very first characters he played, Kyle Gordon is far from a kid that’s no fun. After spending some time doing very niche imitations on TikTok near the end of the pandemic, Gordon, a New York native, started interspersing music into his sketches, which led to his 2024 debut album Kyle
Fresh off its Newport Jazz Festival debut, easy listening duo Dana and Alden is setting sail for the Tampa Bay area next month. Built around tenor sax player Dana McWayne drummer Alden McWayne (pictured above L-R), the Brooklyn sibling band arrives supporting Papa’s Boat, a 51-minute collection of smooth jazz and…
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is looking to expand its downtown Tampa footprint—and explore new ways to serve the community—on land with a familiar history. The parish says it has secured the Madison Building at 412 E Madison St., immediately south of its church, and is inviting parishioners to help imagine what comes…
A new driver’s license design introduced by the state last week was denounced by state Rep. RaShon Young, D-Orlando, as “tone-deaf” for its use of an historic motto. The redesign, which in part is to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary, features images of the state seal, Castillo de San Marcos, the Space Shuttle…
Gov. Ron DeSantis continues to express concerns with the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence in contrast to President Donald Trump, whose approach to the burgeoning technology is mostly to use existing rules to push for the nation’s dominance in the field. Speaking in West Palm Beach on Tuesday, DeSantis…
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday called a state appellate court’s decision to expunge the Hope Florida grand jury report “death by firing squad” and demanded those responsible for leak of the report be held accountable. DeSantis praised the 19-page ruling by the 1st District Court of Appeal, which asserted a $10 million…
Gov. Ron DeSantis has withdrawn the death warrant for William Lee Thompson, who was scheduled to be one of two inmates executed on Tuesday. DeSantis didn’t state a reason for the change in his Thursday afternoon letter to Florida State Prison Warden Randall Polk, but it comes as Thompson’s counsel and opponents of the…
Dear Oracle, I am on the precipice of a great change: I am about to become a mother in just a few short weeks. My pregnancy has been a wild journey, and I’ve found myself turning inward and reflecting. I know my life is changing completely. It’s been hard to do all the things I
The Florida Department of Health heard hours of public comment from parents’ rights advocates and health care professionals on Thursday about the agency’s move to repeal four vaccines required to enroll in state schools. The hearing, held Thursday morning in Lake Mary, saw activists praise DOH for the proposal, while…
No Florida college or university has yet to opt in on a new law that allows staff to act as armed guards, a coalition of gun safety groups assert — leading them to question whether state lawmakers are out of touch on the issue. The Legislature passed HB 757 during the 2026 regular legislative session. It
Sheriff Bob Gualtieri is once again moving the needle on nationwide policy by promoting controversial Flock cameras.
The Tampa Bay area is going to feel the Bern this month, when Vermont’s Independent Senator comes to Florida for a couple days of campaign rallies, including a Tampa stop alongside Florida lawmaker Angie Nixon. On Saturday, Nixon’s campaign and Florida Young Democrats announced the Oct. 17 rally happening at the Cuban…
OPENINGS/CLOSINGS V Modern Italian, led by Michelin-starred chef, opens in North Hyde Park NoHo will finally got a glimpse of Michelin-starred Chef Stefano Ciotti’s latest concept, V Modern Italian. Located at 1701 W North A St. in a 7,400 square-foot space within the new Rome Collective development, V Modern Italian…
Tampa City Ballet takes over Ybor City's Cuban Club Oct. 9-10 and present 'La Septima.'
"Music Week" is Creative Loafing Tampa Bay's weekly roundup of the best concerts happening in Tampa Bay, this time between Oct. 9-15.
With the Bucs’ first victory of this quickly-moving 2026 season, there have been plenty of overreactions. “Jalon Daniels is the future!” “Zac Robinson is actually a good offensive coordinator!” “Todd Bowles should keep his job!” Ok, maybe that last one is a phrase no one has uttered all season, and the second is just…
Tampa's Independent Bar & Cafe celebrates 17th anniversary Oct. 10-11, 2026 with free concerts.
Tampa Bay showcased its very best Wednesday night at Creative Loafing’s 2026 Best of the Bay celebration. Thank you to the Coliseum and the City of St. Pete, as well as all the local restaurants, bars, performers and artists that it made it a truly special night. If you haven’t checked out the new issue, read
Satirist and style parody master Kyle Gordon makes rare Tampa appearance on Oct. 11, 2026.
For more than a decade as Hillsborough County Property Appraiser, I have had the privilege of serving the homeowners, families and businesses that make our community home. That experience has given me a front-row seat to the robust discussion now taking place across Florida related to Property Tax reform. As Property…
When it comes to winning close statewide elections, no one has been more successful in Florida than Rick Scott. The senior Republican U.S. senator won three straight contests for governor and senator in the 2010s by a single percentage point before enjoying a rare blow-out reelection victory by 13 points two years…
Chicago house DJ Vick Lavender headlines a big anniversary for St. Petersburg-based EDM dance curator Open House Conspiracy, for a party happening Oct. 10, 2026.
Chicago house DJ Vick Lavender headlines a big anniversary for St. Petersburg-based EDM dance curator Open House Conspiracy, for a party happening Oct. 10, 2026.
Chicago house DJ Vick Lavender headlines a big anniversary for St. Petersburg-based EDM dance curator Open House Conspiracy, for a party happening Oct. 10, 2026.
CareerSource Polk CEO Stacy Campbell-Domineck was terminated by the Polk County Commission last Tuesday, Oct. 6 after 20 years in the role. The commission voted 3–2 to fire her with cause, before also terminating CareerSource Polk’s entire board.
Brian was so much more than the circumstances of his death or a mental health diagnosis. He was a son, a brother, an uncle, a friend, and someone who was deeply loved by his family. I came into Brian’s life when he and his brother Mark were teenagers, and over the years he became simply
Ahead of Indigenous Peoples Day is on Oct. 12, 2026, Tom Pluckhahn, Professor of Anthropology at the University of South Florida, shares seven things that we can never know for certain about Tampa Bay’s most famous Indigenous woman.
It’s been a long time since Creative Loafing Tampa Bay held its annual Best of the Bay party in the 727, but readers came out in force last night to celebrate winners and finalists in the 2026 edition. Held at the Coliseum, as our latest home at the Hard Rock Event Center is under renovation,
Tropical Storm Isaias strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane late Wednesday night and has officially become the first Atlantic hurricane of the season. According to the 11 a.m. advisory report from the National Hurricane Center, the Isaias is located about 170 miles north of Progreso, Mexico and 380 miles south of…
Oktoberfest Tampa has rescheduled its 2026 celebration—originally set for Oct. 9-11—to Halloween weekend (Oct. 30-Nov. 1) in response to Hurricane Isaias, which is expected to bring heavy rainfall to Tampa Bay area.
Thomas Hallock, Ph. D. has studied William Bartram's papers for eight yers and will discuss them in Largo on Oct. 11.
The grand jury report that put Attorney General James Uthmeier at the center of a “sophisticated scheme” to move $10 million from a Medicaid settlement into his political committee was erased Wednesday by a state appeals court, in an appeal in which no one was allowed to argue in defense of the report, the court’s own…
Mighty Fine and Late Start Brewing in Tampa, Florida celebrate joint second anniversaries this weekend; the party is part of this roundup of Tampa Bay's best food & drink events happening Oct. 8-15.
Ray Lampe, also known as “Dr. BBQ,” is back. After selling the real estate that was home to St. Pete’s Dr. BBQ and Burnt Ends Tiki Bar in 2022, the Food Network star is back behind the grill, this time in Clearwater Beach at his latest concept Squiki Tiki with Dr. BBQ. Located within the
Hans Zimmer has been the driving force behind scores that’ve defined cinema for at least three generations of moviegoers. His concerts have brought that music—think “The Lion King,” “The Rock,” “The Dark Knight,” “Dune” and so many more—but the 69-year-old wants a new tour coming to Tampa to have a different vibe. “I…
Tampa residents can start booking reservations at a new restaurant, V Modern Italian, on Thursday, Oct. 8
Creative Loafing Tampa Bay's best things to do listing (Oct. 8-15) includes Tampa Theatre's centennial re-opening, plus theater happenings, book talks, and more.
Creative Loafing Tampa Bay's best things to do listing (Oct. 8-15) includes Tampa Theatre's centennial re-opening, plus theater happenings, book talks, and more.
The Republican Party of Palm Beach County has purged ousted Clerk of the Court Mike Caruso, who’s been charged with five felony counts of child molestation, from its list of candidates to support in the midterm elections. Gov. Ron DeSantis, who removed Caruso from office despite him being a close ally, said Tuesday…
The Gulfport Democratic Club hosted an educational presentation by the League of Women Voters of the St. Petersburg Area (LWV) at the Gulfport Neighborhood Center on Sept. 29. LWV Voter Services co-chair Heidi Rosenthal-Davis explained the proposed amendments on the 2026 Florida ballot and answered questions about…
Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 25 counties in the Panhandle on Tuesday evening, in preparation Tropical Storm Isaias off the coast of Mexico that could hit the U.S. later in the week. The system was known as Tropical Depression Nine at the time DeSantis issued the declaration, but it developed into
Tampa music critic Gabe Echazabal reflects on his first encounters with 'Bodega Stories' author Amaris Castillo.
Tropical Storm Isaias formed early Wednesday morning in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to strengthen into a Category 3 hurricane by Thursday, says forecasters with the National Hurricane Center. According to the NHC’s 5 a.m. advisory report, the eye of Isaias is about 285 miles west of Progreso, Mexico moving…
Tampa's 47-year-old community radio station, WMNF, continues its long tradition of providing candidates—not their surrogates—free air time.
The Tampa Democratic Socialists of America (TDSA) aren’t just knocking on doors this month. After a morning canvassing session on Oct. 10 supporting Ashley Herrmann’s run for the Florida House seat for District 69, the local chapter is heading to Ybor City kava bar Spookeasy for drinks before steering the crew to…
Tampa Bay area-based advice columnists offer thoughts on a Dan Savage reader who's become possessed by the idea of group sex.
Rene Valenzuela is Tampa’s own phoenix; the 55-year-old chef has risen from the ashes before, and is asking for help to do it again. The V.M. Ybor location of Rene’s Mexican Kitchen was heavily damaged in a fire last Wednesday, Sept. 30. Valenzuela has created a GoFundMe page to support reopening efforts. Valenzuela…
State officials announced criminal charges Monday against 10 individuals in an alleged poaching conspiracy involving overfishing of reef fish including grouper, redfish, and snapper, plus protected sea turtles, including hatchlings. The arrests followed an investigation that began in 2022, when a party to the alleged…
Florida Rep. Angie Nixon brought her campaign to be Florida's next U.S. Senator to the University of South Florida in Tampa, where she kicked off a student town hall series.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed his second death warrant within a week, putting the state in position to exceed its modern-era record for executions in a single year set in 2025. DeSantis on Monday signed a warrant for Jesse Guardado, 64, to be executed Nov. 5 at Florida State Prison for the murder of a Walton
A federal class action was filed in Miami Friday against the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and top executives at the agencies, alleging they’re using a Miramar field office as a de facto civil detention center. The lawsuit says the agencies are holding people illegally for days…