Get Out: Weekend Events Preview March 16-18

Where/when: 110 W Gasparilla Plz, today, 8:30 a.m.

Why go: Camp Connect can turn your break into a fun, educational, hands-on experience! Camps are for children currently enrolled in grades K-4.

Classes will be divided K through Grade 1 and Grades 2 through 4. Camp themes are the same for each group, but activities will be age appropriate. If your child requires an afternoon nap, we strongly encourage booking a half day session. Camp does not include nap time.

Two sessions, AM and PM, but can also do all day.

AM 8:30 AM - 12 PM | PM 1 - 4:30 PM

AM Drop off: 8 - 8:30 AM Pick up: 12 - 12:30 PM

PM Drop off:  12:30 - 1 PM Pick up: 4:30 - 5 PM

Half Day AM or PM $22.50 | Full Day $45

Premium & Plus Members receive a 15 percent Discount

Lunch Option for Full Day Campers $35 a week | $7 a day

Visit the website for complete details and to book your camp online.

Cost: $22.50

Where/when: 401 W Kennedy Blvd, today, 10 a.m.

Why go: Henry Plant furnished the Tampa Bay Hotel with treasures from around the world. This exhibit explores the deliberate presence of Japanese art in a Gilded Age resort as part of a larger discourse on a cultural, artistic, and aesthetic style that influenced 19th century Western artists and culture. The foundation of this exhibit will draw from Mr. Plant’s collection of Meiji era floor vases, ceramics and furniture that were part of the Tampa Bay Hotel. Works will also be on loan from private collections, Grolier Club, Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, Morikami Museum and Polk Museum of Art.

Cost: $10

Where/when: 1103 N 22nd St, today, 11 a.m., 3, 5 and 7 p.m.

Why go: 

IKEA Tampa offers a free activity today (about 20 minutes long) for children under 12. Participants receive a free IKEA Tampa Kids' Academy T-shirt and can eat a free kids' combo meal in the IKEA Tampa cafeteria.

Here's the schedule:

March 16: Make a shamrock-shaped puzzle for luck all year.

April 6: Get ready for Easter! Decorate eggs with us.

May 28: Make a flag for your Memorial Day celebration.

Cost: FREE 

Where/when: 200 E Twiggs St, today, 10 a.m.

Why go: Located from the 200 block to 300 block of Twiggs Street, the Tampa Downtown Market offers fresh, high-quality food from local farmers and gourmet products from local artisans.

The market appears every Friday from October to May, weather permitting.

Cost: FREE 

Where/when: 120 W Gasparilla Plz, today, 4 p.m.

Why go: The Tampa Museum of Art presents free admission on Fridays from 4pm to 8pm.

Cost: FREE 

Where/When: Italian Club, 1731 E 7th Ave, Ybor City, today, 5 p.m., today, 5 p.m.

Why go: Come join us in the Cantina for happy hour with great drink prices and a terrific buffet for $10 set up by Wayl of a Time Catering.  Follow the link for this week's menu:https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1pCgs6YOurraFVG1-6xDYJDn-_gDGMKKDQLWMOInG0lU

Price: $10 for buffet, $5 10 and under

Where/when: 1010 N W C Macinnes Pl, today, 7:30 p.m.

Why go: The Straz Center presents this "high-style, knee-slapping romp through the age of glamorous, jet-setting air travel" as an architect and bachelor juggles relationships with three flight attendants -- until their airline schedules change just as a friend of his decides to pay a visit.

Cost: $31.50 and up

Where/when: 1010 N W C Macinnes Pl, today, 8 p.m.

Why go: Jobsite Theater presents the highbrow and lowbrow comedy "Hot Nights for the War Wives of Ithaka," about "the chaos that ensues when Aphrodite, goddess of love, and Pan, goat-legged god of shagging everything, descend on the island of Ithaka to seek revenge for the fall of Troy."

Cost: $24.50 and up

Where/when: 8029 N Nebraska Ave, today, 8 p.m.

Why go: The Gorilla Theatre presents the regional premiere of the off-Broadway hit “The Whipping Man,” written by USF performing arts graduate Matthew Lopez. Here’s a description from the theater company:

“It is Passover, 1865. Confederate officer Caleb DeLeon returns to Richmond from the war to find his family home in ruins, his family gone and two freed former slaves who have stayed. Simon and John care for Caleb, who is badly wounded. As the three men wait for the family’s return, they wrestle with the bonds of their faith and their shared past as master and slave. Long-buried family secrets are dug up along the way and new secrets are exposed. Slavery and war, they discover, warp even good men’s souls.” 

The production occurs at the historic Springs Theatre, known primarily as a recording studio.

Cost: $25; $20 for students and seniors ($10 student rush tickets 30 minutes before curtain)

Where/when: 401 Channelside Dr, today, 8 p.m.

Why go: The arena football team Tampa Bay Storm take on the Georgia Force in the 2012 season home opener.

Cost: $15 and up

Where/when: 910 Skipper Rd, today, 8 p.m.

Why go: Skipper’s Smokehouse presents the British-invasion cover band Coo Coo Ca Choo with guests the indie-rockers Folly Dean and Reuben Rey and The Undercover Band.

Cost: $10 in advance; $13 at the door

Where/when: , 5800 N Central Ave, Saturday, 8:30 a.m.

Why go: We require helmets be worn on all rides - please check that your bike is in good riding condition - tires properly inflated, brakes working well.

Long Ride - Intermediate and Advanced

On the third Saturday of each month, this ride leaves promptly at 8:30am from the Seminole Heights Garden Center - a wonderful ride through neighborhoods, along waterfronts and urban areas with various terrain.

We have two groups you can ride with:

Intermediate: A moderately-paced ride, between 10-14 mph, covering about 18 miles. We make our roundabout way to Davis Islands, ride the perimeter and stop at a coffee shop on the island before heading back through Central Tampa. A very scenic ride that varies from leisurely to the opportunity to practice (or learn) urban riding skills. The ride leader will pace the ride according to the level of riders present on each ride.

Advanced: This group is for the somewhat more advanced rider, keeps a faster pace around 16-20 mph with no scheduled stops, covering 25-30 miles.

Cost: FREE 

Where/when: , 602 E Palm Ave, Saturday, 8:30 a.m.

Why go: The former Faith Temple Baptist Church and future community center continues to be transformed with the help of volunteers. If you can use a paintbrush and have old rags to spare, please e-mail the address below to confirm your attendance.

Call Tampa Heights Junior Civic Association President Lena Young-Green at the number below for more information or with any questions.

Cost: FREE 

Where/when: 1818 E 9th Ave, Saturday 9 a.m.

Why go: The Ybor City Museum Society's featured exhibit, Ybor City Architecture: Our Stories, celebrates the dynamic stories and transformation of Ybor City's iconic buildings, unique casitas and signature architectural elements.  

Cost: $4

Where/when: 407 W Violet St, Saturday, 9 a.m.

Why go: Everyone is welcome to lend a hand at the garden each week. Please sign in once you arrive so organizers know you stopped by.

Cost: FREE 

Where/when: 4202 E Fowler Ave, Saturday, 9:30 a.m.

Why go: More than 1,000 people will gather to join the fight to find a cure for a deadly illness.

Wheelchair-bound patients along with their families and friends will make a 2-mile trek in The Walk to Defeat ALS™, hoping their steps will make a difference for ALS patients living in the Tampa Bay area.

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, progressively paralyzes its victims, attacking nerve cells and pathways in the brain or spinal cord. ALS has no known cause or cure, but the Tampa Bay community is rallying together to change that.

Cost: FREE 

Where/when: 600 N Ashley Dr, Saturday, 10 a.m.

Why go: Grow Financial is the premier sponsor of the inaugural Mayor’s River O’Green Fest to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day in downtown Tampa. The festival begins at 10am when the City dyes the Hillsborough River a vibrant green between the bridges at Cass Street and Kennedy Boulevard. Throughout the day, families will enjoy live entertainment by local Irish bands and dancers, games provided by professional sports teams including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Tampa Bay Rowdies, and activities for children, courtesy of local museums. Participating sponsors, including Grow Financial, will have displays set up along the park and six food trucks will be on hand, serving up a variety of epicurean elights. The event is free and open to the public, with the exception of food, beverage and souvenir vendors.

Cost: FREE 

Where/when: 11315 N 46th St, Saturday, 10 a.m.

Why go: 

Step back in time and enjoy the magic, juggling, storytelling, music, food, drinks, crafts, games, and performances of another age in this replica of a 16th-century village.

Regular entertainment includes live armored jousting, acrobatics, dance from Demzarah Gypsies, comedy such as Christophe the Insultor, the New Minstrel Revue, and "live mermaids and monsters" at the Mythical Monster Museum.

Theme weekends (listed below) add additional entertainment and competitions. Most include either a free beer or wine tasting and a renewal of vows at 11am (check in at the gate if you're interested).

Each theme weekend also has a related pub crawl for an additional fee.

Pets are permitted at the festival with a $10 admission fee and registration form. Discount tickets ($3 off regular admission price) are available at MOSI and participating Walgreens and Circle K stores.

NOTE: March 23 is "Festival Friday," an educational day for students and chaperones to visit the festival. The festival is open to the public that day, however.

Here are the theme weekends:

March 17 and 18: "Shamrocks and Shenanigans" (includes Irish dancers, a kilt competition, a Celtic village, and Highland games)

March 24 and 25: "High Seas Adventure" (includes walk the plank, swab the deck, a grape stomp, a tattoo competition, a High Seas market, royal fencing competition, and a Jack Sparrow look-a-like competition)

March 31 and April 1: "German Invasion: Halfway to Oktoberfest" (includes a royal archery tournament, a German market, a best-beard competition, a bratwurst-eating competition, an alpine-yodeling competition, and a battle-cry competition)

Cost: $18.95 at the gate for adults; $14.95 at the gate for seniors; $10.95 at the gate for children ages 5 to 12

Where/when: 15435 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Saturday, noon 

Why go: O’Brien’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration is all an all day event full of live entertainment, traditional Irish fare, great drinks, and better company.  This year’s festivities kick off @ 12 noon with a $10 admission after 1pm.  Entertainment and events will be taking place inside and outside under the tent.

• 21+ after 9pm

• Sorry no reservations

• $10 per wristband after 1pm

Inside Entertainment

• Tampa Bay Bagpipers 3pm and 10pm

• Friends of Ireland Dancers 2pm and 9pm

• Danny Justice Noon-5pm

• Crystal Blue 7-1:30am

• Streaming Irish music all day in between with surprise musical guest appearances

• Tampa Bay Bagpipers 3:30 and 9:30pm

• Friends of Ireland Dancers 2:30 and 8:30pm

• DJ Danny Boy 12-4 and in between band sets all day

• The Shaguars 4-7

• Coco Red 8-12

Cost: $10 after 1 p.m.

Where/when: 615 Channelside Dr, Saturday, noon

Why go: Watch the Garrison Channel go green -- literally, with environmentally safe dye.

Cost: FREE 

Where/when: E 7th Ave & Nuccio Pkwy, Saturday, 8 p.m.

Why go: Expect plenty of beads, floats and krewes at this parade, which is known to draw thousands of spectators. NOTE: If you're taking the TECO Streetcar to Ybor City, be aware that streetcar service will end temporarily in front of the Carbarn, south of 7th Avenue, from 7:30pm until 10:30pm.

Cost: FREE 

Where/when: 1010 N W C Macinnes Pl, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

Why go: The Straz Center presents this "high-style, knee-slapping romp through the age of glamorous, jet-setting air travel" as an architect and bachelor juggles relationships with three flight attendants -- until their airline schedules change just as a friend of his decides to pay a visit.

Cost: $31.50 and up

Where/when: 6918 N Florida Ave, Saturday 8 p.m.

Why go: American Legion Seminole Post 111 invites the public to have a fun-filled evening singing along to karaoke in the lounge.

Cost: FREE

Where/when: 910 Skipper Rd, Saturday, 8 p.m.

Why go: Skipper's Smokehouse presents a night of jambands with Cope and special guests J2K.

Cost: $10 in advance; $13 at the door

Where/when: 11315 N 46th St, Sunday, 10 a.m.

Why go: 

Step back in time and enjoy the magic, juggling, storytelling, music, food, drinks, crafts, games, and performances of another age in this replica of a 16th-century village.

Regular entertainment includes live armored jousting, acrobatics, dance from Demzarah Gypsies, comedy such as Christophe the Insultor, the New Minstrel Revue, and "live mermaids and monsters" at the Mythical Monster Museum.

Theme weekends (listed below) add additional entertainment and competitions. Most include either a free beer or wine tasting and a renewal of vows at 11am (check in at the gate if you're interested).

Each theme weekend also has a related pub crawl for an additional fee.

Pets are permitted at the festival with a $10 admission fee and registration form. Discount tickets ($3 off regular admission price) are available at MOSI and participating Walgreens and Circle K stores.

NOTE: March 23 is "Festival Friday," an educational day for students and chaperones to visit the festival. The festival is open to the public that day, however.

Here are the theme weekends:

March 17 and 18: "Shamrocks and Shenanigans" (includes Irish dancers, a kilt competition, a Celtic village, and Highland games)

March 24 and 25: "High Seas Adventure" (includes walk the plank, swab the deck, a grape stomp, a tattoo competition, a High Seas market, royal fencing competition, and a Jack Sparrow look-a-like competition)

March 31 and April 1: "German Invasion: Halfway to Oktoberfest" (includes a royal archery tournament, a German market, a best-beard competition, a bratwurst-eating competition, an alpine-yodeling competition, and a battle-cry competition)

Cost: $18.95 at the gate for adults; $14.95 at the gate for seniors; $10.95 at the gate for children ages 5 to 12

Where/when: 401 W Kennedy Blvd, Sunday, 1 p.m.

Why go: Enjoy a complimentary tour (with regular admission) of the Museum. At 1 pm, Docent Barbara Goldstein will lead a 35-40 minute tour of the Museum.

At 2 pm, Upstairs/Downstairs at the Tampa Bay Hotel will feature Arthur Schleman, Hunting and Fishing Guide, 1895. This 30-minute live theater performance will unveil dashing Tampa Bay Hotel hunting and fishing guide adapt at trapping all kinds of game and hunting on horseback to avoid rattlesnakes. Mr. Schleman is a true storyteller who has definite opinions about everything from horseless carriages, called motorcars, to past and current events.  He can recite poetry by heart and is a would-be gentleman of means.  Actor Dan Khoury plays Arthur Schleman. Upstairs/Downstairs is also complimentary with regular admission to the Museum.

Cost: $10

Where/when: 1010 N W C Macinnes Pl, Sunday, 1 p.m.

Why go: Geared toward children ages 3 to 5, this show presents the classic tale of a prince under a spell of ugliness who learns to love with the help of the heroine, Belle.

Cost: $8.50

Where/when: 1010 N W C Macinnes Pl, Sundaym, 3 p.m.

Why go: This showcase of modern and traditional Celtic music and dance is based upon mythical Irish folklore as Don Dorcha, Lord of Darkness, challenges the ethereal lord of light, the Lord of the Dance. The action -- including a love story -- takes place over 21 scenes of precision dancing.

Cost: $29.50 and up

Where/when: 910 Skipper Rd, Sunday, 5 p.m.

Why go: Skipper's Smokehouse and WMNF (88.5 FM) presents top local female blues and rock artists in this tribute to Etta James. Scheduled to perform Etta's songs such as "My Funny Valentine," "At Last," and "Something's Got a Hold on Me" are Belinda Womack, Rose Bilal, Katt Hefner, Rita Wilson, Betty Fox, Nalani Rothrock, Sandy Atkinson, and Wendy Rich.

Cost: $12 in advance; $15 at the door

Where/when: , 5020 N Florida Ave, Sunday, 6 p.m.

Why go: Enjoy live bluegrass music at the Independent during its monthly "Sunday School for Sinners" showcase.

Cost: FREE

Where/when: 1010 N W C Macinnes Pl, Sunday, 7:30 p.m.

Why go: The Straz Center presents this "high-style, knee-slapping romp through the age of glamorous, jet-setting air travel" as an architect and bachelor juggles relationships with three flight attendants -- until their airline schedules change just as a friend of his decides to pay a visit.

Cost: $31.50 and up