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Tampa Bay area events this weekend: Dinosaurs, roller derby and more as summer nears an end

Two roller derby skaters sit on a wooden-floor rink, wearing helmets, knee pads, and roller skates.
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End your summer on a roll

Make this weekend skate on by with these events.

Fall is approaching, Spend your last week of summer with these things to do in the greater Tampa Bay region.

Jurassic Quest

Dinosaurs are taking over the Florida State Fairgrounds this weekend. Jurassic Quest brings its life-sized, moving and roaring dinosaurs to Tampa Friday through Sunday. In this walkthrough experience, you will see a 60-foot Spinosaurus, an 80-foot Apatosaurus and, of course, a T. rex. Kids can also dig for fossils, meet baby dinos and ride dinosaurs. It runs Friday from 1–8 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m.–6 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Tickets are required.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

You've got a golden ticket to New Port Richey Suncoast Theatre. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The New Musical follows Charlie Bucket as he wins a chance to enter Willy Wonka's mysterious chocolate factory. Expect plenty of surprises and familiar songs like “Pure Imagination.” Catch it Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 2 or 7 p.m., or Sunday at 2 p.m. Friday's performance is also ASL interpreted. General admission tickets are $32 plus tax.

5th annual Tampa Bay Black Authors Expo

The 5th annual Tampa Bay Black Authors Expo is bringing 30 independent authors together at The Portico Cafe in downtown Tampa. Browse books across a variety of genres, meet the people behind the stories and catch an opening performance from local singer Latonya Riley. This free event runs Saturday from noon-4 p.m.

Free Museum Day 2026

It's Saturday in St. Petersburg. Several museums and cultural institutions are opening their doors for free, including The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art, The Florida Holocaust Museum, the St. Petersburg Museum of History, Imagine Museum: Contemporary glass art, The Woodson African American Museum of Florida, FloridaRAMA and more. The Dalí Museum and Museum of Fine Arts are also offering free admission to Pinellas County residents with a valid ID. Check out the rest of the list and see where the weekend takes you.

My Year of Saying No

What happens when you finally start saying no? My Year of Saying No is a one-woman serio-comedy written and performed by Janice Creneti about confronting the things in life that aren't working and finding a path back to yourself, set during COVID-19. Come out to Powerstories Theatre in Tampa. The show runs Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. at Powerstories Theatre Studio in Tampa. Tickets are $20.

Tampa Roller Derby Rookie Rumble

Ready to rumble? Tampa Roller Derby is putting its newest skaters to the test Saturday at the Rookie Rumble. The doubleheader starts with recent training-class graduates making their roller derby debut, followed by the Black Widows taking on the Switchblades. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the action starts at 5:30 p.m. at the Tom Oliver Memorial Outdoor Hockey Rink in Tampa. The venue has limited bleacher seating, so you're encouraged to bring your own chair.

I create content and manage the Arts Axis Florida brand, which uplifts the arts and cultural space across the greater Tampa Bay region.
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