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MARDI GRAS
Fridays, Saturdays, & Sundays at Busch Gardens. This family-friendly event features Mardi Gras-style entertainment, live music, parades (catch some festival beads), and Cajun food so you can feast like kings and queens. buschgardens.com
NY YANKEES SPRING TRAINING
All games are played at Steinbrenner Field. Feb. 21 at 1:05 pm vs. Rays; Feb. 23 at 1:05 pm vs. Tigers; Feb. 26 at 1:05 pm vs. Cardinals; and Feb. 28 at 6:35 pm vs. Blue Jays. Purchase tickets in advance. yankees.com/spring-training
FLORIDA STATE FAIR
Feb. 6 – 17 at the Florida State Fairgrounds. You can participate in an eating contest, watch pigs race, ride bumper cars, and time travel through a Florida agriculture hologram show. Find this and so much more at the State Fair. floridastatefair.com
LITTLE WOMEN
Feb. 20 – 23 at the Straz Center. Set during the Civil War, Louisa May Alcott’s book comes to life as it details the lives of the close-knit March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. It is a classic coming-of-age piece that embodies the struggles of growing up female in a man’s world. strazcenter.org
FLORIDA HIGHWAYMEN
Throughout February at The St. Petersburg Museum of History. View a private collection of 26 Florida Highwaymen pieces. From the 1950s to the 1970s, 26 Black artists produced over 200,000 pieces of artwork depicting Florida’s rich landscape. spmoh.com
WILLIE NELSON
Feb. 15, 7:30 pm at Ruth Eckerd Hall. Since the mid-1970s, Willie Nelson has emerged as one of the most versatile, enduring, and influential talents in country music. With special guest, Randall King. rutheckerdhall.com
VALENTINES IN THE VINES
Feb. 14, 5 – 10 pm at Keel Farms. An evening of romance with a fourcourse meal to complement the Keel & Curley wine. After dinner, visit the dessert bar and relax while enjoying live music. Reservations required. keelfarms.com
GASPARILLA DISTANCE CLASSIC
Feb. 22 & 23. The Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic is the premier and city-signature road running event for the City of Tampa. Includes a 15K, 5K, half marathon, 8K, four multievent challenges, and a dog walk. rungasparilla.com
GASPARILLA MUSIC FESTIVAL
Feb. 14 – 16 at the Julian B Lane Waterfront Park. Featuring musical acts from many genres on several stages and food from the top restaurants. The Gasparilla Music Foundation provides scholarships and instruments to music students throughout the year. gasparillamusic.com
FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL
Feb. 27 – March 9 at the Florida Strawberry Festival Fairgrounds in Plant City. Sweet strawberries, live music, rides, tasty fair food, pieeating contests, pageants, games, and strawberry shortcakes, there’s fun for all ages. flstrawberryfestival.com