For concert-goers, May’s big news is the spring awakening of the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre, which closes down its live music facilities during the chillier months.
With covered and outdoor seating for approximately 20,000, the Hillsborough County venue, at the Florida State Fairgrounds, is only slightly smaller than Benchmark International Arena. Which is also in Tampa.
The rapper/singer and record producer Pitbull kicks off the amphitheater’s 2026 season with a May 16 performance. May 24 brings the ‘70s Canadian rock trio Triumph, reunited after decades apart, with April Wine opening. The three original members of Triumph are augmented by guitarist Phil X from Bon Jovi.
The month continues at Mid-Florida with the Dave Matthews Band May 26, Kid Rock May 30, and the Black Crowes with Whiskey Myers May 31.
The month’s biggest show, outdoors or otherwise, is the May 29 appearance by Post Malone and Jelly Roll at Raymond James Stadium. The stadium seats 75,000, although for the recent sold-out BTS concerts the capacity was broken down to 60,000).
Additional outdoor shows include Foghat and Nazareth at (Ferg’s, April 15), the moved-from-the-beach Country Thunder Festival (May 8-10 at Coachman Park) and, next door to Coachman in west Clearwater: Bush (May 13), Willie Nelson (May 17) and Sam Barber (May 21).
As always, events are subject to change.
The calendar
May 1 The Kid Laroi at the Yuengling Center
May 1 Rend Collective at the Capitol Theatre
May 2 6 Guitars at the Capitol Theatre
May 2 Steve Forbert at Jack Kerouac House
May 3 Steve Forbert at Bayboro Brewing
May 5 Laura Jane Grace at Bayboro Brewing
May 6 Devon Allman’s Blues Summit at the Capitol Theatre
May 7 10,000 Maniacs at the Capitol Theatre
May 8 Heroes Off Duty (comedy) at the Capitol Theatre
May 8 Kid Cudi at Benchmark Arena
May 8-10 Country Thunder at Coachman Park
May 8 Tampa Bay Symphony: Fate and Fantasies at New Tampa Performing Arts Center
May 9 (2 shows) Killers of Kill Tony at the Mahaffey Theater
May 10 Leoni Torres at Straz Center Morsani Hall
May 10 Tampa Bay Symphony: Fate and Fantasies at the Palladium Theater
May 11 Kings Kaleidoscope at the Palladium Theater
May 12 Tampa Bay Symphony: Fate and Fantasies at Straz Center Ferguson Hall
May 13 Bush at the BayCare Sound
May 13 Cellist Luka Sulic at the Mahaffey Theater
May 14 Classic Albums Live Creedence Clearwater Revival “Chronicle” at the Capitol Theatre
May 14 Sit Down for Stand Up (comedy) at the Palladium Side Door Cabaret
May 15 Foghat & Nazareth at Ferg’s
May 15 Ruslan KD (Christian podcaster) at the Capitol Theatre
May 15 Journey at Benchmark Arena
May 16 Jason Mraz at Ruth Eckerd Hall
May 16 Pitbull at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre
May 16 Our House: The Music of CSNY at the Capitol Theatre
May 17 Willie Nelson at the BayCare Sound
May 20 Bill Wharton The Sauce Boss at the Palladium Side Door Cabaret
May 21 Sam Barber at the BayCare Sound
May 21 Josh Gates at Ruth Eckerd Hall
May 21 Forever Young/Bob Dylan Birthday Bash with Have Gun Will Travel, Grant Peeples, The Currys, Bad Dog Mama at the Palladium Theater
May 22 Fred Astaire Fantasy: Night at the Museum (dance) at the Palladium Theater
May 22 Jim Breuer at the Capitol Theatre
May 22 Electric Callboy at Yuengling Center
May 22 Paul Gilbert at Central Park Performing Arts Center
May 24 Triumph at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre
May 24 Shankh & Friends – A Global Music Project at New Tampa Performing Arts Center
May 24 After Bridge at Seminole Hard Rock Event Center
May 24 The Wilson Van at Ferg’s
May 26 Dave Matthews Band at Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre
May 29 Post Malone & Jelly Roll at Raymond James Stadium
May 30 & 31 Clearwater Smooth Jazz Jam at Ruth Eckerd Hall
May 30 Kid Rock at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre
May 30 Shinedown at Benchmark Arena
May 31 Duane Betts & Palmetto Motel at the Capitol Theatre
May 31 Black Crowes & Whiskey Myers at Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre
Theater
May 2 & 3 Tampa Repertory Theatre Every Brilliant Thing at New Tampa Performing Arts Center
May 6-31 Jobsite Theater Danny & the Deep Blue Sea at the Straz Center Shimberg Playhouse
May 6 Fresh Ink (play reading by American Stage at Green Light Cinema)
May 10 Mama I’m Coming Home at freefall Theatre
May 12-15 Six (Broadway tour) at Straz Center Ferguson Hall
May 14-21 Dead Canary Productions’ HIR at The Studio@620
May 15-17 Dream Child: The Trial of Alice in Wonderland at Powerstories Studio
May 16-18 I, Banquo at Straz Center Shimberg Playhouse
May 26-30 The Notebook (Broadway tour) at Straz Center Ferguson Hall
The Florida Orchestra
Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2: May 1, 8 p.m., Straz Center, Ferguson Hall; May 2, 8 p.m., Mahaffey Theater; May 3, 2 p.m., Ruth Eckerd Hall
Free Pops in the Park: May 10 at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park. Tampa
Inside Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 at the Mahaffey Theater
Brahms’ Symphony No. 4: May 15, 8 p.m., Straz Center, Ferguson Hall; May 16, 8 p.m., Mahaffey Theater, May 17, 2 p.m., Ruth Eckerd Hall
Play Out Tampa Bay: May 21, 7:30 p.m. at Straz Center Ferguson Hall
America 250: Rhapsody in Blue: May 22, 8 p.m., Straz Center, Ferguson Hall; May 23, 8 p.m., Mahaffey Theater
Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2: May 29, 8 p.m., Straz Center Ferguson Hall; May 31, 2 p.m., Mahaffey Theater
Art events
The Architecture of the Dali opens May 2 at the Dali Museum
Dali in America opens May 8 at the Dali Museum
Wolves: Photography by Ronan Donovan opens May 9 at the James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art
Babs Reingold: After Venus opens May 16 at the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg
Websites
St. Petersburg/Largo:
Central Park Performing Arts Center
James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art
Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg
Palladium Theater/Side Door Cabaret
Clearwater/Safety Harbor/Dunedin/Tarpon Springs:
Ruth Eckerd Hall/BayCareSound/Murray Theatre
Safety Harbor Art & Music Center
Tampa:
New Tampa Performing Arts Center
Seminole Hard Rock Event Center
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