The Armed Forces History Museum, located at 2050 34th Way N. in Largo, recently announced their Operation Education program. There are 200,000 underprivileged students throughout 240 Title 1 schools who cannot afford field trips. The museum wants to ensure that they are given the opportunity to learn about history, respect, dignity, freedom and sacrifice. Now accepting donations and putting a portion of their proceeds toward Operation Education. For more info, call 727-539-8371 or visit www.armedforcesmuseum.com
Experimental artist Tunde Akintewe will be celebrating the art of connecting with his Egunzoid series at Eckerd College’s Cobb Gallery, 4200 54th Ave. S, in St Petersburg. The Egunzoid series invites viewers to experience Akintewe’s abstract computer paintings inspired by the Egungun dancers of West Africa. His works are compositions of dynamic shapes; together they form portraits of apparitions coming alive with the energy of vibrant celebratory colors. For more information, contact the artist at akintea@eckerd.edu.
St. Petersburg’s Piers, a history of the city’s piers, is on sale now at the St. Petersburg Museum of History, at 335 2nd Ave. NE St. Petersburg. Written by Nevin Sitler, this book offers a historic look at St. Petersburg’s downtown waterfront piers, from the 1850’s Berryman Pier to the current William B. Harvard designed inverted pyramid. For more info, please visit www.spmoh.org or call 727-894-1052.
Escape the heat with the MFA’s Cool Summer Concerts in the elegant Marly Room. Tickets are first-come first-served, cost $20 for adults and $10 for students 22 and younger with current ID, and can be purchased online at www.fine-arts.org/rsvp. The concerts will be held on Sundays at 2pm, beginning June 7. Admission to the entire Museum is included in the ticket price. Come early and have brunch in the MFA Café. For more information, please call 727-896-2667. The MFA is located at 255 Beach Drive N.E. in St. Petersburg.
The Dali’s can’t-miss summer celebration, Cult Classics, is back and better than ever. Grab your lawn chair, don some inspired digs and enjoy free flicks, local food truck fare and cold craft brews. The fun goes down the first Thursday of the month all summer long, with the first event being held Thurs, June 4. Doors open & vendors start serving at 7pm. Movies begin at 8:30pm. The event is held rain or shine. Cult Classics events will be held at the Dali, located at 1 Dali Blvd in St. Petersburg. For more info, call 727-623-4767 or visit www.thedali.org/event/cult-classic-top-gun.
Come out to the The Dali Museum, 1 Dali Blvd in St. Petersburg, and experience Roxanne Fay: “A Little Freudian Slip: Dali Dreams Da Vinci” on Tues, June 9 – 7pm to 8pm. In words and images, da Vinci imparts the story of his path of genius to the audience while instructing the sleeping Dali on the destiny of the artist and his art. Discover the notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci, his own words and the story of the loves of his life – both the human and the machine. For more info, please call 727-623-4767 or visit www.thedali.org.
The Miss Florida Pageant will be held for the 11th year in St. Petersburg on Tues, June 16, Wed, June 17, Thurs, June 18 and Sat, June 20. The pageant is celebrating their 80th Anniversary, and events will take place each night at 7:30pm at the Mahaffey Theatre, located at 400 1st St. S in St. Petersburg. The show “Shining Bright Since 1935” is produced by Wayne Gentry and choreographed by Shea Sullivan. For more info and ticket prices, please call 727-892-5798, or visit www.themahaffey.com.
On Wed, June 17 St. Petersburg Preservation’s Twilight on the Town Tour will feature Historic Kenwood. Historic Kenwood is a great example of what makes St. Pete so special – its historic neighborhoods that have retained their special character and feel. Tour starts at 6:30pm at Cappy’s Pizza, located at 2900 1st Ave. N. All of the walking tours are free to SPP members, $5 non-members.For more info, please visit www.stpetepreservation.org.
The Florida Orchestra, located at 244 2nd Ave. N in St. Petersburg, is excited to announce that Bill Edwards has kindly issued a $100,000 challenge grant for any new or increased gifts to the Annual Fund received by June 30, 2015. So far the Music for Life Campaign has raised $23 million towards their $25 million goal. Again, all new and increased gifts received by June 30, 2015 will be matched by Mr. Edwards up to $100,000. Donate now at www.floridaorchestra.org, or call 727-892-3337 for more info.
ARTpool Gallery, located at 2030 Central Ave in St. Petersburg, has some exciting events this summer! There will be an Outer Space Alien Invasion Costume Art Party held on Sat, June 20! Then, don’t miss Trashion Fashion 8 being held on Sat, July 18 – featuring talented designers from 13 and to 83 years young. artpoolgallery@gmail.com 727-324-3878.
Who wants to represent all that isGecko Gulfport Fabulous and be the next Gecko Queen? Gulfport’s third Gecko Queen will be crowned at this year’s Gecko Ball on Sat, August 29th. This is a gender-neutral opportunity for adults of any age, 21 and over; what’s important is that you can represent Gulfport with flair! The Queen’s costuming should reflect this year’s Mardi Gras theme! The deadline to express your interest is Wed, July 1st. If interested please contact Faun Weaver, Gecko Queen Emeritus, at faungds@yahoo.com.
West Coast Players will present their 2015 One Act Plays Festival from Fri, July 3 through Sun, July 12. Following each evening’s performances, audiences will vote for favorite plays. At the end of the production the votes will be tallied and the top 3 playwrights will share in the distribution of the entry fees collected from the play submissions. Tickets are $19. West Coast Players Theatre is located at 21905 US 19 N., Clearwater. For tickets / info, call 727-437-2363 or visit www.wcplayers.org.
Creative Clay’s 7th Annual Summer Camp, “Art Around the World”, will be held at The Clay Center of St. Petersburg, 400 23rd St. S, St. Petersburg. The camp will run from Mon, June 8 to Fri, July 31. It is an art-themed culturally educational camp that allows participants to choose among four countries of study: China, Peru, Ghana and Romania. “Art Around the World” is the area’s only inclusionary camp, allowing children with disabilities and neuro-typically developing children to participate together in a camp setting. Visit www.creativeclay.org 727-825-0515. PN