Summer may be winding down, but Tampa Bay is going out with a roar — literally. Jurassic Quest takes over the Florida State Fairgrounds Friday through Sunday, filling the venue with life-sized animatronic dinosaurs including a 60-foot Spinosaurus and an 80-foot Apatosaurus. Kids can dig for fossils, meet baby dinos and even ride a dinosaur. Hours vary by day: Friday 1–8 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.–6 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Tickets are required.
Theatre fans have two shows to choose from. New Port Richey's Suncoast Theatre is staging Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The New Musical, with performances Friday through Sunday — Friday's show is ASL interpreted — and general admission tickets at $32 plus tax. Meanwhile, Powerstories Theatre in Tampa is presenting My Year of Saying No, a one-woman serio-comedy written and performed by Janice Creneti about learning to set limits during the COVID-19 era. Tickets are $20, with shows Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.
Saturday is a great day to explore St. Petersburg for free. Free Museum Day 2026 opens the doors — at no cost — to several cultural institutions including The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art, The Florida Holocaust Museum, the St. Petersburg Museum of History, Imagine Museum, The Woodson African American Museum of Florida, FloridaRAMA and more. The Dalí Museum and Museum of Fine Arts are offering free admission specifically to Pinellas County residents with a valid ID.
Also on Saturday, downtown Tampa's The Portico Cafe hosts the 5th Annual Tampa Bay Black Authors Expo, a free event running noon to 4 p.m. that brings together 30 independent authors across genres, with an opening performance by local singer Latonya Riley. And as the sun goes down, Tampa Roller Derby fires up its Rookie Rumble at the Tom Oliver Memorial Outdoor Hockey Rink. Doors open at 5 p.m. and skating begins at 5:30 p.m. for a doubleheader that starts with new skaters making their debut, followed by the Black Widows facing the Switchblades. Seating is limited, so bringing your own chair is encouraged.
This weekend roundup was originally reported by Malaika Hollist for WUSF.
