Looking forward: The month of October in the arts

Change being in the air and all, the stage entertainment calendar for October has a markedly different makeup from the past few months. October means, among other things, that the snowbirds will start to flock their way to our area. Accordingly, The Florida Orchestra wakes up from its long, annual summer snooze.

Outdoor concerts are slowing down, as the air cools. Clearwater’s BayCare Sound, and the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre (at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa) are programmed through mid-November, with nothing on the books (so far, anyway) afterwards.

Let’s look at 10 big takeaways from the October calendar.

Based on the true story of the 1851 Atlanta Washerwomen’s Strike, The Wash is directed by Erica Sutherlin at The Studio@620, St. Petersburg Oct. 1-11; it’s a co-production with Powerstories.

Colombian reggaeton singer Karol G plays Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Oct. 9. Among her accolades: Eight Latin Grammy Awards and eleven Guinness World Records.

Standup comedy star Aziz Ansari is onstage Oct. 10 at Ferguson Hall in Tampa’s Straz Center for the Performing Arts. Ansari’s Nightclub Comedian is now streaming on Netflix.

Part of the Mount Rushmore of Americana music (there’s a lot of stony heads on that particular edifice), the Avett Brothers return to the bay area for an Oct. 10 show at the BayCare Sound, Clearwater.

Quirky bandleader Rivers Cuomo and his quirky band Weezer have a date Oct. 14 at Tampa’s Benchmark International Arena. Support from the Shins and Silversun Pickups.

Jobsite Theater (in the Jaeb Theatre, Straz Center) mounts a larger-than-before production of one of its biggest hits from 2023, Stephen King’s Misery. Dates are Oct. 14-Nov. 8.

The Florida Orchestra’s Masterworks season starts Oct. 2 and 4 with a program topped off by Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, but Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade (Oct. 16 at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater and on the 17^th at St. Pete’s Mahaffey Theater), is a bright and shining program also featuring pianist Jeneba Kanneh-Mason on composer Florence Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement.

Billy Corgan and Smashing Pumpkins, once more unto the breach: The Rats in a Cage tour brings the Chicago alt-rock champions to Benchmark International Arena Oct. 18.

The touring production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s epic musical Hamilton returns to Morsani Hall Oct. 21-Nov. 5 as part of the Straz Center for the Performing Arts (Tampa) Broadway Series.

R&B/pop crooner Teddy Swims will appear Oct. 25 at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa.

The calendar

Oct. 1-11 The Wash at The Studio@620

Oct. 2 Fiesta Somos St. Pete at the Dali Museum (part of Latin Heritage Month celebration)

Oct. 2 Atsuko Okatsuka (comedy) at Straz Center Ferguson Hall

Oct. 2 and Oct. 4 The Florida Orchestra/Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture at the Mahaffey Theater

Oct. 2 America at Ruth Eckerd Hall

Oct. 3 Treaty Oak Revival at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre

Oct. 3 Caamp at Mahaffey Theater

Oct. 3 Janis Ian (audience Q&A) at Catherine Hickman Theatre, Gulfport

Oct. 4 Ziggy Marley, Gov’t Mule at the BayCare Sound

Oct. 4 Stewart Tussing Band at New Tampa Performing Arts Center

Oct. 4 Celtic Thunder at Ruth Eckerd Hall

Oct. 6-11 Broadway Series: Buena Vista Social Club at Straz Center Morsani Hall

Oct. 8 Logic & G-Eazy at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre

Oct. 8 Dermot Kennedy at the Yuengling Center

Oct. 8 Boz Scaggs at Ruth Eckerd Hall

Oct. 8 Allison Nash/Alejandro Arenas at freeFall Theatre

Oct. 8 Classic Albums Live The Dark Side of the Moon at the Capitol Theatre

Oct. 9 Bryson Tiller at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre

Oct. 9 Karol G at Raymond James Stadium

Oct. 9 Nurse John (comedy) (two shows) at the Mahaffey Theater

Oct. 9 The Florida Orchestra Music of the Beatles at Straz Center Morsani Hall

Oct. 9 Ty Myers, Lanie Gardner & Benny G at the BayCare Sound

Oct. 9 Postmodern Jukebox at Ruth Eckerd Hall

Oct. 10 The Florida Orchestra Music of the Beatles at the Mahaffey Theater

Oct. 10 Aziz Ansari (comedy) at Straz Center/Ferguson Hall

Oct. 10 Jimmy Falla at the Capitol Theatre

Oct. 10 The Avett Brothers at the BayCare Sound

Oct. 10 Tom Jones at Ruth Eckerd Hall

Oct. 10 The Artimus Pyle Band at Central Park Performing Arts Center

Oct. 10 Five Finger Death Punch at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre

Oct. 11 38 Special, The Marshall Tucker Band and Don Felder at the BayCare Sound

Oct. 13 Black Violin with Braxton Cook at Straz Center Morsani Hall

Oct. 13 Tedeschi Trucks Band at the BayCare Sound

Oct. 13 Tampa Bay Symphony String Quartet at Peace Memorial Presbyterian Church

Oct. 14 Weezer at Benchmark International Arena

Oct. 14 Rodrigo y Gabriela at the Capitol Theatre

Oct. 14-Nov. 8 Jobsite Theater’s Misery at Straz Center Jaeb Theatre

Oct. 15-18 Clearwater Jazz Holiday, Coachman Park

Oct. 15-25 Constellations at the Off-Central

Oct. 15 The Vampire Circus at Ruth Eckerd Hall

Oct. 15 The Florida Orchestra: Inside Scheherazade at the Mahaffey Theater

Oct. 16 Dan + Shay at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre

Oct. 16 Oz Noy Trio at Central Park Performing Arts Center

Oct. 16 The Florida Orchestra Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade at Ruth Eckerd Hall

Oct. 17 Suicide Boys Grey Day Tour 2026 at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre

Oct. 17 Juntos y con Ritmo at the Yuengling Center

Oct. 17 The Florida Orchestra Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade at the Mahaffey Theater

Oct. 18 Smashing Pumpkins at Benchmark International Arena

Oct. 18 Bill Wharton The Sauce Boss at Safety Harbor Art & Music Center

Oct. 19 Breaking Benjamin at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre

Oct. 20: Fangs (staged reading) at the Beach Theatre

Oct. 21-Nov. 5 Broadway Series: Hamilton at Straz Center Morsani Hall

Oct. 22 Rocky Horror Picture Show Spooktacular Tour with Patricia Quinn at Straz Center Ferguson Hall

Oct. 22 Jake Owen at the BayCare Sound

Oct. 22 Live Dead & Brothers at the Capitol Theatre

Oct. 22 Guitarist Andrew York in the Marly Music Room, Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg

Oct. 23 Jessica Kirson (comedy) at the Capitol Theatre

Oct. 23 Cake at the BayCare Sound

Oct. 23-Nov. 1 St. Pete Opera: The Medium/Voices From the Other Side at Opera Central

Oct. 25 Teddy Swims at Benchmark International Arena

Oct. 24 The Florida Orchestra Pops in the Park at Vinoy Park

Oct. 24 Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue at Ruth Eckerd Hall

Oct. 24: Rachel Potter at Central Park Performing Arts Center

Oct. 25 Etta May (comedy) at Central Park Performing Arts Center

Oct. 25 The Florida Orchestra A Star to Remember at the Mahaffey Theater

Oct. 26 Drivn N Cryn at Skipper’s Smokehouse

Oct. 28 Steve Lacy at the Yuengling Center

Oct. 30 Chayanne at Benchmark International Arena

Oct. 30 The Florida Orchestra John Williams @ 95 at Straz Center Morsani Hall

Oct. 30. St. Pete Collective: The Music of James Taylor at New Tampa Performing Arts Center

Oct. 30 Sonic Live in Concert at the Mahaffey Theater

Oct. 31 Ghostbusters In Concert (film screening with orchestra) at Ruth Eckerd Hall

Websites

St. Petersburg/Largo:

American Stage

Central Park Performing Arts Center

freeFall Theatre

Jannus Live

Mahaffey Theater

Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg

The Off-Central

Clearwater/Safety Harbor/Dunedin/Tarpon Springs:

Capitol Theatre

Ruth Eckerd Hall/BayCareSound/Murray Theatre

Tampa:

Benchmark International Arena

Jobsite Theater

Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre

New Tampa Performing Arts Center

Raymond James Stadium

Seminole Hard Rock Event Center

Stageworks Theatre

Straz Center

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