Creative Loafing Tampa — April 30, 2026 by Chava Communications

Mother Daughter Tea Party

SUNDAY, MAY 3 | 2:00-4:00 PM

Celebrate Mother’s Day with an elegant High Tea & Flower Bouquet experience.

Enjoy a delightful menu of finger sandwiches, scones, salads & petit fours, gourmet teas, and a glass of champagne.

Build your own flower bouquet.

$74/person includes tax & gratuity

PUBLISHER James Howard

CHAIRMAN Mike Trentalange

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ray Roa

Editorial

DEPUTY EDITOR/DIGITAL DIRECTOR Colin Wolf

MANAGING EDITOR Selene San Felice

FOOD & DRINK CRITIC Kyla Fields

FILM & TV CRITIC John W. Allman

IN-HOUSE WITCH Caroline DeBruhl

CONTRIBUTORS Josh Bradley, Sea Harder, J.C. Roddy, Valerie Smith, David Warner

PHOTOGRAPHERS Dave Decker

SPRING INTERNS Kailey Aiken, Jasmin Parrado, Laura Troyer

(apply for summer and fall by emailing clips and a resumes to rroa@cltampa.com and selene@ cltampa.com)

Creative Services

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jack Spatafora

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Paul Pavlovich

POLITICAL CARTOONIST Bob Whitmore

ILLUSTRATORS Dan Perkins, Cory Robinson

Advertising SALES DIRECTOR Anthony Carbone

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Dan Winkler

CLASSIFIEDS MANAGER Jerrica Schwartz

Tampa Bay Journalism Project

DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR John T. Fox

PARTNER NEWSROOMS Cigar City Sounds, The Gabber, San Pedro Gazette, Sapphic Sun, Tampa Monitor, TB Arts Passport, WMNF News

Events and Marketing

MARKETING, PROMOTIONS AND EVENTS DIRECTOR Leigh Wilson

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Jessica Prieto

MARKETING, PROMOTIONS AND EVENTS COORDINATOR Kristin Bowman

Circulation

CIRCULATION MANAGER Ted Modesta cltampabay.com cldeals.com

EDITORIAL POLICY — Creative Loafing Tampa Bay is a locally-and-employee-owned publication covering public issues, the arts and entertainment. In our pages appear views from across the political and social spectrum. They do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher.

Creative Loafing Tampa is proudly published by Events & Media, LLC, 633 N Franklin St., Suite 735. Tampa, Florida, 33602. The physical edition is available free of charge at locations throughout Tampa Bay and online at cltampabay.com. Copyright 2026, Events and Media, LLC.

The newspaper is produced and printed on Indigenous land belonging to Tampa Bay’s Tocobaga and Seminole tribes.

Our main number: (813) 739-4800

Letters to the editor: comments@cltampa.com

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@creativeloafingtampa

Whether you're finding your first home or parting with one full of memories, a REALTOR® does more than guide you through the process—they walk beside you with local insight, trusted experience, and unwavering support. This isn’t just a transaction. It’s your next chapter. And they’re here to help you start it with confidence.

Creative Loafing Tampa Bay is back in its bag, mailbag that is, and actually reading the comments across our social media platforms. Yes, that's a dangerous practice, but the exercise is extremely fulfilling, too. Props to all the real people out there reading the news and chiming in. Thank you. Keep it coming, folks (scan the QR code if you’re the emailing type), and we’ll keep posting it.

DeSantis orders Legislature to revisit vaccine mandates, as CDC confirms 134 measles cases (via Facebook)

I'd be interested in knowing if his children have been vaccinated.... Just want to know if this is a "do as I say" versus a "do as I do" issue with him. My money is on his kids having been vaccinated....—Chuck Morton

Come on Polio you have a chance—Robert Reardon

Are smaller lot sizes a solution to Florida’s ongoing housing crisis? (via Facebook)

No—Samuel Ronen

DeSantis’ new redistricting plan would leave Tampa Bay with zero Dem seats (via Facebook)

I hope these comment sections get quoted in the lawsuit. Partisan gerrmandering isn’t unconsitutional under the national Constitution, but it IS under Florida’s Constitution. Thanks, Sandy D’Alemberte.—Terry Roberts

Tampa Bay lawyers raise ethical concerns over Pam Bondi’s conduct as Attorney General (via Facebook)

I love this for her—Janet Scherberger

Did she tell them about the Dow? Pam tell them about the Dow—David Kidd

Who woulda thought the former Florida AG that had to reschedule an execution because it interfered with a campaign fundraising event would have ethics issue. Couldn’t be the former Florida AG that dropped a fraud lawsuit against Trump University after he donated to her campaign—Billy Carlson

Tampa’s Angry Chair Bewing is on the market for $3 million [See p. 25] (via Facebook)

I want 25 cents on every Space Grass sold until I make my investment back—Thomas Hill

If it goes to a vote and passes im all for it. But to force it without giving Democrats a fighting chance is wrong. Republicans voters had a chance to stop the new district map in VA. They just didn’t show up to the polls and vote it down!—Jason Williams

At ‘Sloth World’ in Florida, wild sloths have died by the dozens (via Facebook)

They should incur serious penalties and charges...Greed and corruption killed these gentle creatures....along with people buying tickets for photo ops...—Elaine Camarda

Go after FWC as well since they permitted this to happen.—Lisa L. Durant

Maybe the new owners will let you taste the beer before dropping $10 on a goblet.

Danny Jay

AC, CCB, and Cycle employees should all go in together and form a collective or “brew hub” of some sort. Hell… I’d invest—Tripp Brown

You gotta really love beer and hate profit to survive in the craft

beer space these days. AC is a staple, hell, I’m sitting here right now; it’s decently busy. This isn’t greedy owners, this isn’t space is too big, this isn’t prices too high (look at Common Dialect) this is just a tough time to survive in beer now.—Tony Morgan

MEET THE CHEFS - ST. PETE

The Birchwood Hotel

Thursday June 18 • 6PM - 9PM 340 Beach Dr NE • Downtown St. Petersburg

participants include: Allelo, Birch & Vine, Central Food Hall St. Pete, Driftwood Cafe, Eat Art Love, HEW Parlor & Chophouse, Juno & The Peacock, QSouthern BBQ, Teak, and The Helm Coastal Provisions & Fare

Help keep local journalism alive this giving season.

For 36 years, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay has amplified the voices others overlook. Now we’re launching the Tampa Bay Journalism Project to strengthen independent, local reporting on issues that matter—housing, transportation, arts, food, and accountability. Your tax-deductible support helps fund non-paywalled journalism for our community. Help support Creative Loafing Tampa during this giving season. Donating is easy, visit bit.ly/anfCLTampa

The Don

Photos by Dave Decker

In the race to be Florida’s next governor, everyone is chasing Byron Donalds. The 47-year-old congressman representing Florida’s 19th district has an assload of money (over $67 million) as of the first quarter deadline, and the endorsement of President Donald Trump. Florida Politics says that a Stetson University’s Center for Public Opinion Research released last week shows that against former Congressman David Jolly, a one-time moderate Republican from St. Petersburg, Donalds leads 47% to 40%. Last Saturday, Donalds—who is running against Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and Former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Paul Renner in the Republican primary—was at Caddy’s in Treasure Island to meet supporters to launch an “Insurer Scorecard” that he says will “modernize and relaunch the state’s CHOICES Rate Comparison tool.” Read more and see all the photos via cltampa.com/news.—Ray Roa

LIVE COMEDY SHOWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 23

7:00 PM: WEEKLY IMPROV DROP-IN CLASS

Give improv a try in a supportive, fun environment! No prior experience required!

8:30 PM: LONGFORM IMPROV SHOWCASE

Three great improv acts split the bill in this weekly show! Come for the Drop-In at 7:00, and stay for this show for free.

FRIDAY, APRIL 24

9:00 PM: TAMPA UNHINGED

Tampa UnHINGEd is raw, real, and ridiculous—an improvised comedy show tackling dating disasters, Tampa life, and the weirdness of just being human.

SATURDAY, APRIL 25

8:00 PM: IMPROV DOUBLE FEATURE:

BRYAN VS. MUSIC & FROM JUSTIN TO KELLY

Commodore Artist-in-Residence Bryan Fernando performs his touring solo improv show, while Justin Peters & Kelly Buttermore present their own nationally-acclaimed duo.

9:30 PM: THE DARK SHOW

Gina M. hosts this monthly showcase where Tampa Bay's top standup comedians perform the material they can't do anywhere else.

SUNDAY, APRIL 26

8:00 PM: THE COUNTDOWN IMPROV FESTIVAL 2026

PREVIEW SHOW & FUNDRAISER

America's biggest and best improv comedy festival returns for its 10th year this August! Join us as we reveal this year's lineup & schedule and all of the other big plans in store as we celebrate a decade of Countdown.

do this

Tampa Bay's best things to do from April 30 - May 7. See more on pp. 27, 33-34 & 41

Go with the flow

It’s the busiest weekend of the year for the usually-bustling Tampa Riverwalk. Riverfest returns to Tampa next weekend for its 10th anniversary, bringing two days of live entertainment, food, and activities to the Hillsborough River. The festival is free and family-friendly, stretching from Curtis Hixon Park to Water Works Park. This year’s lineup brings the most attractions yet, including culinary experiences, the Hot Air Balloon Glow, a lantern parade, concerts from Cowboy Mouth and Sixpence the Richer, and a new Kids Zone. An underrated highlight is the Tampa Bay Waterski Show Team performance. The award-winning team returns for its second year with an hour-long performance at Water Works Park. CL went behind the scenes with the tight-knit group who make some of the highestlevel water skiing tricks look incredibly easy— and learned a few tricks along the way. More on that on pp. 29 & 31. For more details on Riverfest, visit cltampa.com/arts.

Riverfest: Friday-Saturday, May 1-2. No cover. Downtown Tampa. thetampariverwalk. com—Kailey Aiken

Happy endings

If you can dodge a wrench...

Dozens of indie romance authors have promoted their books at Steamy Lit since the shop opened in South Tampa five years ago. It now brings nearly 50 authors from BookTok and the literary world to Largo Public Library. The day-long 18-and-up romance book festival includes author signings and book sales. It’s free to attend, but registration comes with a raffle entry. The lineup includes several bestselling and viral authors, including Elise Kova, known for her “Married to Magic” and “Air Awakens” romantasy series; contemporary romance writer Alicia Thompson (“Love in the Time of Serial Killers” and “With Love, from Cold World”) and Ivy Fairbanks, whose indiepublished “Morbidly Yours” was picked up by Penguin Random House after blowing up on BookTok.

Romantically Ever After Library Lit Fest: Saturday, May 2. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. No cover (registration suggested). 18+. Largo Public Library, Largo. steamylitbookstore.com —Selene San Felice

Tampa firefighters are trading “stop, drop, and roll” for the 5Ds: dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge. The Tampa Firefighters Museum will host its annual tradition of Cinco de Dodgeball this weekend—its ninth celebration of late firefighter Matthew Bunch. The event raises funds for the Matthew T. Bunch Foundation, which the museum established in 2017, two years after 27-year-old Bunch died following his eight-month battle with pancreatic cancer. “True to his sense of humor and spirit, he chose to ‘leave the party’ on Cinco de Mayo— a day now celebrated in his memory,” a Facebook post from the Tampa Firefighters Local 754 read. Proceeds from each party go to a firefighter in financial need due to medical services or treatment, per the foundation’s site. This year’s event benefits the fire museum and a recently retired Tampa fire captain fighting cancer. A people’s choice cookoff fuels this year’s competition.

Cinco de Dodgeball: Saturday, May 2. 5 p.m. No cover. Tampa Fire Fighters Museum, 720 E Zack St., Tampa. @tampafiremuseum on Facebook—Jasmin Parrado

Off to the races

The newly-opened Rialto Tea Room held its first afternoon teas for Easter, and now hosts a Kentucky Derby day watch party. The event is a chance for neighbors to check out a space that doesn’t have regular hours as of yet. See pp. 25 for details on the Tea Room’s opening and offerings. This weekend’s dress-to-impress party includes a hat contest, appetizers, and live race viewing. Aside from tea, partygoers can sip on a mocktial Mint Julep. The Tea Room also offers Mother’s Day afternoon tea next weekend, May 8-10. Kentucky Derby Afternoon Tea: Saturday, May 2. noon-2 p.m. $65. Rialto Tea Room, 1617 N Franklin St., Tampa. rialtotampa.com—Kailey Aiken

Ring of fire

Things are getting spicy in Pinellas Park next weekend. The Pinellas Pepper Fest returns to England Brothers Park with spicy taste tests, live music, vendors and contests. Hundreds of samples ranging from mild to extreme heat will be available for guests to taste-test, including fiery sauces, salsas, marinades, rubs, and more. Vendors will have pepper plants, gadgets, kitchenware and merch. Can’t handle the spice? You can still watch pepper fest veterans test their taste buds with the Extreme Lolli Lick-A-Thon, featuring the spiciest lolly pop in the world, and the Amateur Jalapeno Eating Contest. The competition heats up even more with the qualifying event for the Americas Belt Match, where contestants will fight through the spice for a chance to claim the coveted Tampa Belt and compete internationally.

19th

Annual Pinellas Pepper Fest: Saturday-Sunday, May 2-3. 10 a.m.-5

p.m. No cover. England Brothers Bandshell Park, 5010 81st Ave. N, Pinellas Park. @ PinellasPepperFest on Facebook—Kailey Aiken

Tampa’s Barrymores

Chances are that if you’ve been to the theater in the last several years, you’ve caught a performance by a member of the Friedman family—Noa, 25, who’s worked for just about every local professional company in the area; her twin sister, Emma; or older brother David, 29. Now David and Noa are making their debuts together at freeFall Theatre in St. Petersburg. They’re playing brother and sister in “And Then They Came For Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank,” a multi-media play by James Still. The playwright integrates interviews he taped with Holocaust survivors Eva Schloss and Ed Silverberg (Anne Frank’s first boyfriend) with scenes from their lives in WWII recreated by live actors. Though first produced more than 25 years ago, the play remains achingly relevant. Noa plays the young Eva, who lived in the same Amsterdam apartment building as Anne Frank and whose family went into hiding the same day as the Franks. David plays Eva’s brother, Heinz, who died with his father in a Nazi death march. “We’re getting close to the point where there will be no more living Holocaust survivors,” Noa told CL. “So it’s a privilege to be part of how these stories continue to be told.” Read more at cltampa.com/arts.

“And Then They Came For Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank:” Select times and dates through Sunday, May 17. $25 & up. Freefall Theatre, St. Petersburg. freefalltheatre.com—David Warner

POLITICS ISSUES OPINION

Caught on camera

Chronister PAC donation prompts call for review.

By Valerie Smith and Colin Wolf

Alocal judicial officer is calling for an independent review of Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, after a speed camera company donated $10,000 to his political committee shortly after receiving a large government contract.

On Nov. 19, 2024, Chronister announced a new initiative that would see thousands of speed cameras installed in schools across Hillsborough County, provided by a company called RedSpeed. A few weeks later, on Dec. 26, that same company cut a $10,000 check to the Friends of Chad Chronister political action committee.

Earlier this month, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay reviewed the PAC’s public campaign finance filings and presented the findings to Special Magistrate Thomas E. Santarlas, a magistrate previously appointed by the county as the sole impartial officer to hear driver appeals over speed camera citations.

In a prepared statement sent to CL, Santarlas stated that it’s both “appropriate and necessary for an independent review to take place.”

“At a minimum, this creates the appearance of a conflict of interest,” Santarlas wrote to CL. “In a worst-case scenario, it raises serious questions about whether this could be perceived as a pay-to-play arrangement.”

whether any laws, ethical standards, or procurement policies have been violated.”

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to CL’s request for comment, but Anthony Pedicini, a campaign consultant for the Sheriff’s re-election efforts, denied any wrongdoing.

“There is nothing improper about a lawful donation that was made and received in full compliance with Florida’s campaign finance laws,” said Pedicini to CL. “Any suggestion otherwise is simply wrong, and there is no need nor is there a mechanism within Florida law to substantiate any claim made by Mr. Santarlas.”

RedSpeed creates cash for local governments

RedSpeed gets an automatic cut of all citations issued. Each citation is $100, and $21 of that goes directly to RedSpeed. Citations started out slow—between the installation of the cameras in late 2024 and September of last year, HCSO said 5,800 citations were issued, sending $64,953 to RedSpeed.

LOCAL NEWS

At the time of the donation, Chronister was fresh off re-election to a new four-year term, and not actively campaigning. The donation to Chronister was the largest donation from RedSpeed to a single Florida candidate or their PAC in the 2024 election cycle.

“Public trust in law enforcement leadership is foundational,” continued Santarlas. “The Sheriff either knew, or reasonably should have known, that accepting funds from a vendor connected to an approved county program would raise immediate ethical concerns and erode public confidence. Given the totality of these circumstances, I believe it is appropriate and necessary for an independent review to take place. I am calling on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Elections Commission, and/or the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office to examine these matters thoroughly and determine

Shortly after these citation numbers were made public, Chronister’s office began using the cameras to enforce the speed limit during the entire school day, not just when the lights were flashing to indicate a reduced speed limit during dropoff and pickup. After this change, citations (and revenues) skyrocketed.

Over 100,000 citations have been issued since the start of the school year, an increase of over 1,600% from the previous year’s numbers (perhaps due in part to the installation of cameras largely being complete now). Those citations should put $2.1 million in RedSpeed’s pocket.

RedSpeed’s donation to Chronister’s PAC isn’t the only financial incentive to bring in more funding; Hillsborough County gets $39 for each ticket issued, which would amount to $3.9 million over the 100,000 citations already issued.

Last August, Santarlas told WPTV’s Katie LaGrone that the law is set up for drivers to fail, since it allows speed cameras to operate during all school hours, not just when the speed limit is reduced. He also said that the system in which static, cropped images are submitted as evidence makes it harder to make a good ruling on whether or not a ticket is legitimate.

Santarlas—a Republican who ran for Hardee County Sheriff in 2016—was recently reassigned after repeatedly dismissing tickets from the cameras when drivers challenged them, according to Bay News 9.

“Back in July 2025, when I first raised concerns about the apparent mismanagement of the school zone speed camera program in Hillsborough County, something did not sit right,” said Santarlas to CL. “Based on the information now coming to light, those concerns appear increasingly justified.”

Over the years, RedSpeed has made larger donations to some other PACs, typically ones that support conservative candidates or spend big with lobbying and political strategy firms. The company and its high-ranking employees spent around $250,000 on Florida campaign donations in the 2024 election cycle.

The state law allowing school speed zone cameras in Florida was passed in 2023. RedSpeed lobbied legislators during the bill’s consideration. Less than a month before the bill was introduced, bill sponsor Traci Koster received a $1,000 donation from Greg Parks, RedSpeed’s senior vice president.

RedSpeed was not the biggest donor behind the bill. A report by the Florida Tributary showed that Vicki Lopez, a legislator who cosponsored the bill, profited greatly as relatives took jobs with a school bus camera company that benefited greatly from the bill’s passing. RedSpeed also donated $1,000 to Lopez.

RedSpeed also contracts with mass-surveillance giant Flock to provide real-time footage from its cameras to the agency. Police departments and federal agencies can then request this footage, which is also analyzed and indexed

by AI so that police departments can search for specific plate numbers or queries like “red car with broken rear window.”

Flock has been used to track immigrants lacking legal residency status, and to surveil protestors. It is unclear whether or not footage is sent from RedSpeed’s cameras in Hillsborough to Flock, but RedSpeed’s initial proposal to HCSO highlights Flock integration several times.

The “Have I Been Flocked” website allows people to input their license plate numbers to see if police have searched for them in Flock’s massive database. The site’s creator posted an article last month highlighting the connection between HCSO’s RedSpeed cameras and Flock.

RedSpeed also has cheerleaders in the media

Tampa Bay Times has issued several opinion pieces in favor of RedSpeed’s cameras, with Opinion Editor Graham Brink recently writing that “critics are missing the point.” In that article, Brink acknowledged that speeding cameras feel like “Big Brother,” but said that all criticisms of the cameras can be dismissed by two facts: citations are only issued for drivers who exceed the speed limit by 10 miles per hour or more, and citations are sent via certified mail to ensure they are seen by the recipient. Brink did not mention Flock integration.

The magistrate’s call for a review of RedSpeed ‘s $10K donation is just the latest controversy surrounding Chad Chronister’s department, which operates with a $653 million budget and over 2,000 employees. Over the last nine months, HCSO has had six officers involved in a major academic cheating scandal, multiple deputies accused of domestic violence, and, most recently, a major fired after being drunk on duty.

SAY CHEESE: Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister.

MON - FRI 12pm - 9pm SAT - SUN 11am - 9pm TO USE THE

Ali Banisadr: The Alchemist

ON VIEW NOW THROUGH JULY 12, 2026

Ali Banisadr: The Alchemist is organized by the Katonah Museum of Art

This exhibition is curated by Michelle Yun Mapplethorpe, Director and Chief Curator, Katonah Museum of Art

Generous support provided by

ART AFTER DARK AT THE MFA

THURSDAY, APRIL 30 | 5:00-8:00 PM

Explore the galleries after hours with discounted admission and exclusive programming. Soak in the distinctive ambiance, and experience art in a fresh, captivating way.

Ali Banisadr (b. 1976), These fragments I have shored against my ruins 2023, oil on linen, 86 x 180 in. Mohammed Afkhami Foundation. Photography by Genevieve Hanson.© Ali Banisadr

RESTAURANTS RECIPES DINING GUIDES

Pasta la vista

Dalmoro’s reopens in St. Pete and more Tampa Bay food news.

By Selene San Felice

Five years after Dalmoro’s started serving fresh noodles and sauce in downtown St. Pete, the fast-casual fresh pasta spot is getting a new location and a new name.

Dalmoro’s Fresh Italian (formerly Dalmoro’s Fresh Pasta To-Go) moves to the Jannus Block on Friday, May 1. The name change reflects its new menu, including new sauces, salads and—what owner David Caruso called in a press release—“a major focus” on paninos. The Italian sandwiches aren’t pressed, like paninis. Opening day will be marked with a “pasta cutting” at noon. The first 100 customers get a free pasta card for future use. The restaurant will also give away complimentary tiramisu and bagged fresh pasta.

The shop first opened at 653 Central Ave. in 2021 and closed in January after announcing the move. A second location opened in Armature Works’ Height Public Market in Tampa in 2022. A Sarasota location also opened that year, but closed in 2024.

And it’s no longer the only fast, fresh pasta concept in town. Fusillo opened last December in the Edge District.

The business also employs eight full time and five part time employees.

Over the years, Angry Chair built a strong reputation among beer-lovers. At the height of the 2010s craft beer craze, Angry Chair was synonymous with long lines and campouts for beer releases, often pissing off its Seminole Heights neighbors.

Co-owner Ryan Dowdle did not respond to Creative Loafing’s request for comment. Last December, Dowdle spoke with CL on its 11th anniversary at the current location, expressing his love for the beer, the business and the community.

FOOD NEWS

Dalmoro’s Fresh Italian 204 1st Ave. N, St. Petersburg dalmoros.us

Dalmoro’s Fresh Italian will be open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m.-2:30 a.m. Friday-Saturday in St. Petersburg. For more information, visit dalmoros.us and follow @dalmoros.us.

Angry Chair for sale in Seminole Heights

Nearly 13 years after opening its doors, Angry Chair Brewing is now ready for a new owner. The South Seminole Heights brewery is being offered as a turnkey opportunity, with the entire business up for grabs for $3 million.

According to the listing, the sale includes pretty much everything except the building, and comes with the brewing and kitchen equipment, packaging facilities, branding, recipes and if you just love beer and have no idea how to make it, “hands-on training covering brewing processes.”

Angry Chair is reporting $1.5 million in annual revenue, while renting the 14,300-squarefoot space at 101 N Florida Ave, with a $25,000 a month lease through 2027, says the listing.

“After 11 years of Angry Chair, what we’re most proud of isn’t just the beer—it’s the people behind it,” Dowdle said. “The bartenders who know your drink before you sit down, the brewers who chase ideas that shouldn’t work but somehow do, the kitchen, the cellarmen, and the folks who open, close, scrub, lift, fix, pour, and care. Our staff is the backbone of every pour and every story that’s happened here.”

He continued, “We built a place that’s unapologetic, a little rough around the edges, unafraid to push hard and take risks—and we’re still here, still fighting, still proud.”

The listing agents are Anthony Lefler and Nathan Gennara with A.L. Commercial Inc.

While the business is for sale, the Angry Chair is still open and operating as usual, with the taproom open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sundays 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.—Colin Wolf & Selene San Felice

Rialto Tea Room opens in Tampa Heights Tea is spilling—or at least pouring—once again at 1617 N Franklin St. The Rialto Theater opened its tea room four months after announcing plans for the mixed-use arts and events space in Tampa Heights.

Rialto Tea Room—in the former home of the Rosemary Cottage tea room—has been designed to reflect the building’s 1920s-era roots as well as English-inspired decor like crystal chandeliers,

PASTA-BILITIES: Dalmoro’s rebrands in a new location this week.

elaborate gold-framed paintings, cherry blossom trees, and even a telephone booth.

Built in 1924, the Rialto’s live-stage theatre drew its last curtain in 1950, according to the University of North Florida. One of its last shows was “International Burlesque,” a production The Tampa Tribune lauded as a “sleeper” hit despite its small budget. The 10,500-square-foot space was then used as an industrial space until 2013, when 8-Count Creative renovated the room to an events venue, focusing on local arts.

Reservations will soon be available for two seatings per day, Tuesday through Saturday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Reservations are required for afternoon tea services, but walk-ins are welcome for “Cream Tea,” which includes a pot of tea or coffee, a scone, devonshire cream, and jam.

At afternoon tea services, guests can enjoy an unlimited pot of Rialto’s Tea of the Day, selected to complement that afternoon’s menu,

and a traditional English three-tiered tea tray, for $59 per guest.

Rialto’s tea trays feature two freshly baked scones served with traditional accompaniments, four finger sandwiches made with seasonal ingredients and classic pairings, and an assortment of three pastries and sweets that mix traditional and seasonal confections.

For an added cost, guests can get seasonal mocktails, coffee and espresso drinks, and wine and champagne selections.

Children over five years old are welcome to attend afternoon tea services. Private tea parties are also available to accommodate guests of all ages.

See more details on the Tea Room’s Kentucky Derby Party on pp. 14.

For reservations and updates on Rialto Tea Room, check rialtotampa.com and @rialtotea on Instagram.—Kailey Aiken

Beyond our Do This section on pp. 14-15 and our events listings on pp. 33-34, there are a ton of food and drink experiences happening around Tampa Bay. Have a look at what’s going down the week of April 30-May 6 and beyond. All events are at community. cltampa.com unless noted otherwise. Head there for more and list your own.

Thirsty Thursdays at the Polish American Society Thursdays. 5:30-9 p.m. No cover. Polish American Society of St. Petersburg

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Food, Wine & Garden Festival Fridays-Sundays through May 10. 12 p.m. No cover with admission. Busch Gardens, Tampa First Friday Lunchtime Market Every first Friday. 10 a.m. No cover. 400 Cleveland Street, Clearwater

The Kentucky Derby at 1983 Saturday, May 2. 9 a.m. No cover. 1983, Tampa Kentucky Derby watch party Saturday, May 2. Noon-2 p.m. $55. Rialto Tea Room, Tampa

Derby Day Soiree: Race for the Roses at Palmette Saturday, May 2. 3 p.m. $45 & up. Palmette Brasserie and Bar at The Westin, Tampa 5th Annual Taco Fest Saturday, May 2. 4 p.m. No cover. Seminole City Park, Seminole

Cinco De Mayo Bar Crawl Saturday, May 2. 4 p.m. $14.99. Tequila Daisy, St. Petersburg

Sirens Krewe 25th Anniversary Silver Soirée Saturday, May 2. 7 p.m. $150.

Cuban Club, Ybor City

Flavors of East Africa: A Curated Pairing Experience Sunday, May 3. 12 p.m. $75 & up. Webb’s City Cellar, St. Petersburg Caymus Spring Fling Wine Dinner Wednesday, May 6. 6:30 p.m. $140 & up.

The Birchwood, St. Petersburg

Sunset Soirée: Golden Hour Runway Wednesday, May 6. 5 p.m. $35 & up. The Charthouse Hotel at Clearwater Beach Marina, Clearwater Beach

“These are all the people that I can count on”

MOVIES THEATER ART CULTURE

Stand strong

Meet the Tampa Bay Water Ski Team.

By Kailey Aiken / Photos by Dave Decker

Learning to waterski is complicated, even before you stand up: sit in water with skis pointed up, knees bent, rope between knees, knees between arms. Let the boat pull you up—playing tug of war with the machine never works out. Don’t lean back. Don’t lean forward. Don’t bend arms.

Staying up is complicated, too. Knees stay bent, shoulders go back, hips forward. Then straighten knees. Hips over feet. Loosen up your arms. Skis closer together. Stop clenching your jaw.

Linzy Yindra and Loren Scherschel do all of this on one leg, facing backwards, and holding onto the rope with one hand. And Linzy never even gets her hair wet.

The girls, two members of the Tampa Bay Waterski Show Team, make some of the highestlevel water skiing tricks look incredibly easy.

On a Thursday evening at Lake Keystone, Linzy and Loren practice their ballet-line routines, a type of show skiing act that involves twirling on a swivel ski designed for performance. With one foot each tucked into the binding of a ski and the other on the dock beside it, the girls take hold of their tow-ropes.

Linzy’s voice calls out from the dock. “Go Boat!”

“It’s all about them having smooth water. It’s all about the skier. Nobody cares about the driver,” Dan says with a laugh. He circles back to the dock, leaving enough space for Linzy and Loren to skitter off the wake and cruise to dry land.

As they climb onto dry land, Dan’s daughter, Shannon Welch, her son, Linzy’s husband Zach Yindra, and the rest of the team suit up and figure out who will ski next.

Waterskiing, it turns out, is a family sport. Most members of The Tampa Bay Water Ski Show Team have at least one relative on the team. The majority have been waterskiing since they were children, and some have been on the team for over a decade.

“My parents have always been involved. I skied, my sister skied, and then I met my husband through skiing, our boys ski. So, we’ve actually got three generation families on the team,” Shannon Welch, a member of the team for over 35 years, said.

Shannon waterskied professionally for years at Sea World and Cypress Gardens—one of Florida’s most famous performance sites, with shows dating back to the 1940s.

LOCAL ARTS

The engine revs and the boat launches forward. The rope goes taut, and Linzypho and Loren follow, landing effortlessly in the water on their skis.

In the boat’s wake, Linzy and Loren twirl gracefully on the skis, which have special plates that turn 360 degrees. They combine ballet-style moves with technical tricks, performing 180, 360, and 720-degree spins, leg lifts, all while holding onto the tow rope.

At the helm, Dan Pitock maneuvers through the lake to give the skiers ideal conditions for tricks. Dan’s been driving for over 20 years with the team, and has been skiing since he was 17 years old.

“I saw all this,” Dan says, pointing to the girls, spinning on the water. “And I said, sign me up. That was 43 years ago. I haven’t missed the day since.”

He whips the boat around in a dog bone pattern, looping in a long oval-ish shape, then driving it through its own wake.

Now, Shannon skis mainly with the Tampa show team. In some performances, Shannon climbs to the top of the pyramid standing on her two sons’ shoulders.

“Getting to compete with your child is just such a unique experience,” said Zach Yindra. “It’s unlike anything else. And I just find it so rewarding.”

Zach and Linzy got their daughter into skiing when she was young, and were able to ski with her in the team’s performances.

Zach married into the sport. He met his wife, Linzy, up in Wisconsin where she was already an avid water skier. She told him, ‘If you want to see me, you’re going to have to start water skiing, because that’s where I’ll be.’ So he did. He and Linzy moved to Tampa around 2014. They’ve been on the team ever since, forming a stronger bond every time they’re on the water.

While the team’s strength comes from the dedication of its members and the tight-knit community within, there is one piece of the puzzle missing: dedicated waters.

The Tampa Bay Water Ski Show Team lost its home lake, Tower Lake in Oldsmar, in 2018

when the owners of the lake decided not to renew the team’s lease due to liability concerns.

In Oldsmar, the team performed on weekends in the summer, bringing friends and family together for the afternoon. Audiences from the surrounding neighborhoods and beyond boosted local restaurants and businesses.

“We feel like we bring a lot to the community,” Linzy said. “So I really hope we can find some community partners to work with us, to find a home site where we can grow.” Without a home lake, the team cannot practice regularly, host their own performances, or effectively encourage new members to join. Luckily, members and former teammates have allowed the skiers to practice off docks in their backyards.

Planning for a ski show requires planning similar to putting on a play, Shannon said.

“When we go to tournaments, it’s more obvious that our team doesn’t get to perform as much as some of these other teams who are practicing their tournament shows weekly,” Linzy said.

The team competes in the Southern Regionals, a waterskiing competition in Florida, in June. They won’t get to practice their full tournament show until competition day, but will use road shows as stage rehearsals for the competition.

One of those is Riverfest, an eclectic celebration of downtown Tampa’s riverwalk that also

includes lantern making, a taco festival and wiener dog races (see pp. 14 & 27 for more details).

“We love the road shows,” Linzy said. “They’re a ton of fun to perform in…they definitely give us a different experience and makes our team strong in a different way.”

As Riverfest nears, they’ll incorporate more difficulty into practices and choreograph their performance.

Performances must be catered to each occasion. For Riverfest, a multi-tiered pyramid isn’t feasible due to the narrowness of the Hillsborough River and its seawalls, which create more waves, making for a more difficult skiing environment.

“We kind of have to pare down what we do,” Shannon said. “It’s got to be simple, but we try to make it as clean as possible, which means you just have to be a strong skier.”

Those performing in Riverfest will begin practicing their routines specifically for the event in the next coming weeks.

But for many on the team, the water conditions and routines aren’t as important as just being together.

“I love skiing, but this is my social outlet as well," said Linzy.

"These are all of my friends. These are all the people that I can count on."

IT’S HANDLED : (L-R) Mackenzie Pitock, Loren Scherschel and Shannon Welch.

The events listed in our Do This section on pp. 14-15 and our Food section on p. 27 aren’t the only things to do in town this weekend. Have a look at what’s going down the week of April 30-May 6 and beyond. All events are at community.cltampa.com unless noted otherwise. Head there for more and list your own.

ARTS

Tampa Takeover: LIT Begins Thursday, April 30. 7 p.m. $25. Energetic Exotics HQ, Tampa

The Florida Orchestra: Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2 Friday, May 1. 8 p.m. $40.50 & up. Ferguson Hall at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa Mind Magic with Joshua Seth Friday, May 1. 7 p.m. $29 & up. Richey Suncoast Theatre, New Port Richey Patel Theater Ensemble Showcase

Friday, May 1. 6:30 p.m. $24. Teco Theater at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa Alexia Benavent: De aquí, De alláConnecting with Home Daily through Saturday, May 2. 10 a.m. No cover with admission. Morean Center for Clay, St. Petersburg. moreanartscenter.org

Jenny Day: Happy Birthday Stinky! Daily through Saturday, May 2. 10 a.m. No cover with admission. Morean Center for Clay, St. Petersburg. moreanartscenter.org

June Bunch: State Flower Ladies Exhibition Select times and dates through

Saturday, May 2. No cover. Morean Arts Center, St. Petersburg

The Architecture of The Dalí (Opening day) Saturday, May 2. 10 a.m. $32. Dalí Museum, St. Petersburg

Flower Mandalas Saturday, May 2. 1 p.m.

$85. Paper Seahorse, Tampa

Patel Conservatory: Beginning Dance I Recital Saturday, May 2. 10 a.m. $15. Teco Theater at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa

Patel Conservatory: Breakin’ Out Saturday, May 2. 4 p.m. $21.60 & up. Ferguson Hall at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa

Patel Conservatory: Spring Into Dance Saturday, May 2. 12 p.m. $21.60 & up. Ferguson Hall at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa

Mamapalooza: Family and Music Festival Sunday, May 3. 11 a.m. No cover. Warehouse Arts District Association, St. Petersburg Tampa Bay Dance Theatre: Sleeping

Beauty Excerpts & Other Contemporary

Work Sunday, May 3. 3 p.m. $32. Theatre 1 at USF, Tampa

Broadway Open Mic Night Monday, May 4. 8 p.m. No cover. New Tampa Performing Arts Center, Tampa

Studio 55: Reductive Printmaking

Wednesday, May 6. 12 p.m. $40. Tampa

Museum of Art, Tampa

Fresh Squeezed 10: Emerging Artists in Florida Runs through Thursday, June 25. 10 a.m. No cover. Morean Arts Center, St. Petersburg.

COMEDY

Emma Willmann Thursday, April 30. 7:30 p.m. $28.80 & up. Side Splitters Comedy Club, Tampa

King Bo Thursday, April 30. 7 p.m. $27 and up. Funny Bone, Ybor City

Sit Down for Stand Up: Matt Fernandez w/ Davis Sutton/Amanda Hoffman Thursday, April 30. 7:30 p.m. $40 & up. Side Door Cabaret at Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg

Alvin Williams Thursday-Saturday, April 30-May 2. 8 p.m. Thursday; 7:30 p.m. And 9:30 p.m. Friday; 9:30 p.m. Saturday. $23.80. Side Splitters, Wesley Chapel

Kevin McCaffrey Thursday-Saturday, April 30-May 2. 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. $22.50. Snappers Grill, Palm Harbor

Randy Feltface Friday, May 1. 7 p.m. $32. Funny Bone Comedy Club, Tampa

Britton Emert Friday, May 1. 10:30 p.m. $29.47.

Sunshine City Comedy Club, St. Pete Beach

James Yon Friday, May 1. 7:30 p.m. $23 and up. Firehouse Cultural Center, Ruskin

David Jolly (From Kill Tony) FridaySaturday, May 1-2. 8 p.m. $25. Laugh Out Lounge, Winter Haven

William Montgomery Various times on Friday & Saturday, May 1 & 2. $33 & up. Side Splitters Comedy Club, Tampa

Britton Emert Saturday, May 2. 7 p.m. $23.80 and up. Side Splitters, Wesley Chapel

Jeff Gerbino Saturday, May 2. 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. $20. Coconuts, St. Pete Beach

Michael Blackson Various times on Saturday & Sunday, May 2 & 3. $46. Funny Bone Comedy Club, Tampa Jess Hilarious Sunday, May 3. 6:30 p.m. $39.50 & up. Ferguson Hall at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa

Cam Bertrand Sunday, May 3. 6 p.m. $28.50. Side Splitters Comedy Club, Tampa Nasser Al-Rayess Wednesday, May 6. 7 p.m. $37 and up. Funny Bone, Ybor City

Tom Wise Wednesday, May 6. 8 p.m. $20. Coconuts, St. Pete Beach

The Zoo Uncaged with Johnny B Wednesday, May 6. 7:30 p.m. The Zoo, St. Petersburg

FILM

Father Mother Sister Brother Friday, May 1. 7 p.m. No cover. Miller Auditorium at Eckerd College, St. Petersburg Saber (Documentary screening) Saturday, May 2. 7 p.m. $16.79. AMC Sundial 12, St. Petersburg

The Aristocats Sunday, May 3. 2 p.m. No cover. Jekyll Hyde Park, Tampa

The Empire Strikes Back Sunday, May 3. 6 p.m. No cover. Jekyll Hyde Park, Tampa Kids Movie on the Deck: The Incredibles Wednesday, May 6. 5 p.m. No continued on page 34

Jun Kaneko: Silence Before Sound Through Aug. 23. $5 & up. Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa

continued from page 33

USF Softball vs North Texas Thursday, April 30. 6:30 p.m. $8 & up. USF Baseball and Softball Complex, Tampa. gousfbulls. com

cover. Lower Deck Harbour Island, Tampa Movie On The Deck: The Empire Strikes Back and The Rise of Skywalker Wednesday, May 6. 7 p.m. No cover. Lower Deck Harbour Island, Tampa

LEARN

Cafe con Tampa Fridays. 8 a.m. $12. The Portico, 1001 N. Florida Ave., Tampa 2026 Tampa All Pro Dad Experience

Saturday, May 2. 9 a.m. $35. AdventHealth Training Center, Tampa

When Women Ruled the World Sunday, May 3. 2 p.m. No cover for members and students; $25 for everyone else. Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa. May The 4th Be With You Monday, May 4. 5:45 p.m. $5 & up. MOSI, Tampa

Dr. Shelley Sella Wednesday, May 6. 7 p.m. No cover with RSVP. Tombolo Books, St. Petersburg Coffee with a Curator Every first Wednesday. 10:30 a.m. No cover. The Dali Museum, St. Petersburg

MARKETS

Dunedin Friday Market Fridays. 9 a.m. No cover. Pioneer Park, Dunedin Dunedin Saturday Market Saturdays. 9 a.m. No cover. Pioneer Park, Dunedin Indie/Alternative Night & Mini Market Saturday, May 2. 8 p.m. No cover. Ology Brewing, Tampa

Dunedin Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament Friday, May 1. 11 a.m. $175 & up. Dunedin Golf Club, Dunedin Tampa Tarpons vs St. Lucie Mets Friday, May 1. 6:30 p.m. $13.35. George Steinbrenner Field, Tampa

USF Softball vs North Texas Friday, May 1. 4 p.m. $8 & up. USF Baseball and Softball Complex, Tampa. gousfbulls.com

Tampa Tarpons vs St. Lucie Mets Saturday, May 2. 6:30 p.m. $13.35. George Steinbrenner Field, Tampa

USF Softball vs North Texas Saturday, May 2. 1 p.m. $8 & up. USF Baseball and Softball Complex, Tampa. gousfbulls.com Tampa Tarpons vs St. Lucie Mets Sunday, May 3. 12 p.m. $11.10. George Steinbrenner Field, Tampa

THEATER

The Meeting Select dates through May 3. $30-$50. Stageworks Theatre, 1120 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa X ≠ X Multiple times and dates through Sunday, May 3. $31. LAB Theater Project, Ybor City

St. Pete Indie Flea Sunday, May 3. 12 p.m. No cover. St. Petersburg City Hall, St. Petersburg. theindieflea.com

Tampa Record & CD Show Sunday, May

3. 10 a.m. $3 & up. Sons and Daughters of Italy Lodge, Tampa

St. Pete Night Market Every first Wednesday. 6 p.m. No cover. Ferg’s Sports Bar and Grill, St. Petersburg

SPORTS

Tampa Tarpons vs St. Lucie Mets Thursday, April 30. 6:30 p.m. $11.10. George Steinbrenner Field, Tampa

Stereophonic Multiple times and dates through Sunday, May 3. $62.20 & up. Morsani Hall at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa Eight O’Clock Theatre: Crazy For You Select times and dates from Friday, May 1 through Sunday, May 10. $33. Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo Tampa Repertory Theatre: Every Brilliant Thing Saturday & Sunday, May 2 & 3. 8 p.m. Saturday; 3 p.m. $15 & up. New Tampa Performing Arts Center, Tampa Jobsite Theater: Danny and the Deep Blue Sea Select times and dates from Wednesday, May 6 through Sunday, May 31. $59.40 & up. Shimberg Playhouse at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa

Interested in advertising around this listing? Contact jhoward@cltampa.com and acarbone@cltampa.com for details.

SHOW PREVIEW

Tampa Bay Immigrant Solidarity Network Benefit Show

PB&TAT w/Earth Girl/Abortion Twins/Stop n’ Shop/ Pigeon Chess. Tuesday, May 5. 7 p.m. Pay what you can; suggested $10-$20 donation. Deviant Libation, Tampa. deviantlibation.com

REVIEWS PROFILES MUSIC WEEK

Ice out

Tuesday concert benefits Tampa Bay Immigrant Solidarity Network.

By Sea Harder/The Sapphic Sun

The Tampa Bay music community has spent 2026 staging multiple benefit concerts for neighbors in the trans and immigrant community, and the latest goes down this week at Deviant Libation. Tim Ogden’s brewery and distillery has emerged as a haven for the community and reliable concert space for the DIY scene. On May 5, it hosts a show where proceeds will go towards the Tampa Bay Immigrant Solidarity Network (one of a few such organizations profiled in a recent story by Tampa Bay Journalism Project partner The Sapphic Sun).

Pigeon Chess, the folk-punk project of Calli Preta, is on the bill along with pop-punk outfit Stop n’ Shop, indie-pop band Earthgirl (pictured), and punk-rock quartet Abortion Twins. The show is headlined by Kansas City, Missouri band PB&TAT, a comedic trio that blends theater (think “Rocky Horror”) with blasphemous standup and politics. Learn more about Tampa Bay Immigrant Solidarity Network and others below.—Ray Roa

As U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s presence continues to increase and resulting violence continues to grow, longtime Tampa organizers are protecting local immigrants by building networks of support and resistance. The more hands these networks have, the more efficient they will be at serving those who are vulnerable. There is a role for everyone to play in this fight—if you are ready to help but are unsure how to get started, joining one of the following organizations can help you multiply your impact by doing this work alongside other dedicated defenders of our immigrant community.

Tampa Bay Immigrant Solidarity Network TBISN was formed as a coalition between grassroots organizations in 2025 as a response to increased cases of immigrant detention at routinely scheduled court appointments. “They were doing things lawfully and still getting arrested and detained and moved to other countries,” said Franki, a key organizer for TBISN who is also an immigrant themself. Heidy Sanchez is a Tampa woman who was married to a U.S. citizen and was in the process of getting her green card last year. ICE detained her at her regularly scheduled appointment

and deported her to Cuba in April 2025, separating her from her 1-year-old daughter who was still breastfeeding. At a press conference held by TBISN in the wake of this detention, Franki said they thought it was “really powerful” when a group of Sanchez’ family gathered to show support.

As more people volunteer in response to a national increase in ICE presence and the resulting killings of Reneé Good and Alex Pretti, TBISN is hoping to expand their efforts. Franki recognizes that change is incremental, and that progress happens through community connection. While the media and history books emphasize singular figures as the changemakers, the story of the community behind those figures is often muted, Franki said. They believe the biggest impact is made from mass movements, and every person who shows up is critical to the fight. “Having a conversation

“It’s a very popular sentiment that there’s nothing we can do, but it’s part of our core beliefs as organizers that people power is strong. And the more people we have on our side, the stronger we can be,” Franki told The Sapphic Sun. “At the same time, we’re also trying to show immigrants that despite the narratives and the lies going on about [them], they do have people on their side. The worst thing you can feel I think is loneliness, or that no one has your back.”

about it with someone who doesn’t know is a small step, but in the grand scheme of things, every little step works towards something greater … raising the consciousness in any capacity is a huge deal,” Franki said.

TBISN’s most urgent needs include more volunteers to participate in their “end 287(g)” campaign, organize protests for the release of detained individuals and educate the community about their rights. They also need funds to help feed immigrant families who may be afraid to go to the grocery store

or to work for fear of being abducted by ICE. The best way to get involved is to attend one of their meetings; you can find the schedule via @tampabayimmigrantsolidarity on Instagram. You can also send them funds via Cash App at $TampaBayISN. Tampa Bay Circle of Protection The Tampa Bay Circle of Protection is a loose coalition of organizations and individuals that support immigrants at the local ICE processing and detention facility. Ali was an organizer with Miramar’s Circle of Protection and saw the impact it made before bringing the idea to Tampa. Since the Miramar Circle of Protection started in 2017, the surrounding community is now aware of a local unmarked ICE facility, and conditions have improved for those waiting for their routine appointments as a result of their advocacy. Tampa’s circle is present every Wednesday outside of the local facility. They provide legal resources and emotional support, as well as water, snacks, and coffee — they even offer toys for kids. While the group just started their tabling in December, they are already making an important impact by connecting immigrants with legal aid, and offering assistance to families as they realize their loved one has been abducted at a routine appointment. “The Circle is there to be there with you in that time of need,” Ali says. “You’ve heard of disappearances from ICE facilities—you can’t track them, you don’t know where they are. … It’s scary to see it happening in real time at these facilities.”

Ali hopes that the circle’s presence in Tampa will lead to improved conditions for those waiting like in Miramar, and that one day these facilities will be completely abolished. Until then, their goal is to create a presence every minute that the ICE facility is open. Currently the circle operates every Wednesday from 7 a.m.-2 p.m., with plans for expansion to more days of the week. They are looking for people to join for tabling and noted that they need more Spanish speakers who are U.S. citizens. Folks can also make baked goods to share at the table, donate funds or fundraise by selling art. If you’d like to join the circle, the best way to get started is to reach out to circleofprotection@proton.me. Tampa Immigrant Rights Committee

The Tampa Immigrant Rights Committee (TIRC) is the local chapter of a national network of organizations called Legalization For All, with some of its oldest chapters established as early as the 1940s. While Tampa’s chapter was started just last summer, the seasoned organizers behind it have a clear vision for its future. continued on page 39

JOSHING AROUND: Earthgirl’s Joshua James Lefefe.

“Having done grassroots work for so many years, it was becoming really obvious with Trump’s election and inauguration that immigrants were going to be his primary scapegoat. … Being an immigrant myself, I thought this was important work that needed to be done,” said Yun, a key organizer for TIRC.

TIRC is working to build a sustainable community that will stand up to infringements on immigrant rights on both the local and national levels. “We’ve really seen people come out en masse in Los Angeles, Chicago, and now Minneapolis, and we want to bring that fight to Tampa,” Yun said. “We want to give people the tools to organize, … to have a grassroots immigrant rights organization that they can go to for their questions, and an organization that will be militant and on the ground responding to national events like the killing of Reneé Good and the killing of Alex Pretti.” Yun is purposeful about developing the skills of other organizers who are willing to help carry the load. “I really put a lot of attention into helping people learn and grow new skills to organize

and to be confident in their organizing, because none of us are paid to do this,” they shared. “It’s work and tasks and actions that anybody can do as long as you have the will to do it.”

One of TIRC’s main goals right now is to dissolve 287(g), an agreement under which local law enforcement agents are given immigration enforcement duties. Both Tampa’s and St. Petersburg’s police departments currently maintain voluntarily-signed 287(g) partnerships with ICE. In September 2025, the Department of Homeland Security reported that they held 1,000 such partnerships.

Personally, I couldn’t find it in any city council notes. We haven’t heard any statements from our local elected officials directly saying anything about the 287(g) agreement, and I think the local officials should answer the questions that we are being asked. They should be answering—why are we signed on to the 287(g) agreement?”

SHOW PREVIEW

“A lot of people have found out about Tampa’s 287(g) agreement through our events,” Yun said. They also shared that many people come up to them asking what the agreement is and why both Tampa and St. Pete have entered into it. “I think the fact that those questions are being asked is indicative of the nature of the signing of this agreement. It was done super quietly.

Public resistance to the 287(g) agreement is also key, Yun said. You can call and email Tampa and St. Pete officials, mayors Jane Castor and Ken Welch as well as police chiefs Lee Bercaw and Anthony Holloway, asking them to end the partnerships with ICE.

“We really want folks applying direct pressure on the people who signed this agreement and the people who are letting it continue to be enforced,” said Yun.

TIRC also hosts “barrio walks,” where they pass through immigrant-dense communities to hand out “know your rights” cards, talk to community members about what to do during

encounters with ICE, and also learn what people are struggling with and noticing. “[It’s so important] that we make sure our communities know their rights. … The more equipped we are with our rights the better all of us can defend ourselves against ICE.”

As we continue to see ICE presence rise and incite violence in its wake, the work to build a resistance and protect our people is key, Yun said. “We want to build a fight. No matter if it’s ICE or (Border Patrol) coming into Tampa, the city of Tampa should not take their attacks lying down. We want to be in the streets, toe-to-toe if they ever come for immigrant communities— if they ever come for any one of us in Tampa, because we’ve seen ICE attack just about anybody and everybody at this point.”

If you’re interested in joining the fight with TIRC, you can attend their general body meetings every first and third Wednesday of the month at 6 p.m. at the C. Blythe Andrew Jr. Library in Tampa. You can also sign up for their contact list or donate to them via the link in their Instagram bio @tampairc.

COOL CATS: Briana Bebe outside Wharton High School on Feb. 9, 2026.

DAVE DECKER

the code to regsiter or go to www.dfac.org/summer

By Ray Roa

THU 30

C Alabama Shakes w/Lamont Landers Alabama Shakes is dusting itself off. The band fronted by Brittany Howard exploded onto the scene with its 2012 debut album Boys and Girls , immediately garnering both critical and public acclaim for a rhythmic blend of reverb-heavy guitar and haunting, emotional vocals. From its formation at the end of members’ high school years in 2009, it wasn’t long before the spacey, bluesy band was sharing stage time with Jack White and The Kings of Leon. But success at such a young age made guitarist and vocalist Howard ponder the path she was speeding down. Less than three years after Alabama Shakes’ 2015 triplegrammy-winning second album, Sound and Color, Howard decided to step away from the band. She followed with a more dance-heavy solo album in 2019, still retaining her signature cosmic-soul sound. At the end of 2024, Brittany Howard played a solo-billed show in Nashville, briefly popping off stage for a guitar change only to return with the members of Alabama Shakes. The surprise reunion sparked plenty of speculation, much of which proved to come true. After nearly a decade, the band is back with a new single (“Another Life”), a new tour, and hopefully much more to come. 7:15 p.m. $75 & up. The BayCare Sound, Clearwater—J.C. Roddy

FRI 01

C Goth Dyke Nite Dyke Night organizers are taking every chance to throw parties at Crowbar as the venue approaches its final months in the district. The latest will be soundtracked with industrial, goth, new wave, techno and more from mixtape maestro New Age Tension, DJ Maus, plus Sector. FM’s DJ Taína and DJ Spur. 8 p.m. $15. Crowbar, Ybor City

C May Day Benefit Concert: Giant Sloth w/Dissentors/Al Torchia & the Tattered Saints/Lilth Black/more The Tampa chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America is just $1,500 away from reaching its $10,000 goal in a campaign to help cancel $1 million in medical debt across Hillsborough County with help from the Undue Medical Debt nonprofit. To get over the hump, the organization marks the historic labor holiday May Day with an evening concert that includes sets from instrumental guitarist Giant Sloth, working-class rock band Al Torchia & the Tattered Saints, and St. Pete punk outfit Dissentors. Lilith Black will do drag, while concertgoers hear from healthcare advocations, union members and more. No one will be turned away over lack of funds. 6:30 p.m. $10. Shuffle, Tampa

Halfway To Halloween: Credible w/Tallpaulbaby/DJ Mick/Passing Downtown/DJ Emmpowerr This one’s for anyone who wants to wear a Halloween costume in the summer while raging to rap and house music. “Home Run” rhymesayer Credible is on the bill along with DJ Tallpaulbaby and others. And yes, there will be candy. 8 p.m. $10 donation. Deviant Libation, Tampa

SAT 02

C Purity Ring There aren’t many vocalists who can navigate electro the way Megan James does. Arriving in 2012 with Shrines , James’ electro duo featuring Corin Roddick spent a decade on the forefront of Pitchforkfavored indie-pop. While copycats have popped up in seemingly every corner of the atmosphere, Purity Ring has maintained a loyal fanbase drawn to visually-engaging live shows. A new, hazy, glitchy single, “Lemonlime,” (stylized all-lowercase) closes the door on the band’s 2025 self-titled record that’ll be the centerpiece of of the setlist at this gig. 7 p.m. $43.60 & up. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg

Static Fest: Dial Drive w/You Vandal/Lot Lizards/Wes Hoffman & Friends/Tides/ Bargain Bin Heroes/The Miller Lowlifes/ more Nearly a dozen punk and ska bands converge on downtown Dunedin, with much of the proceeds going towards helping the out of state acts—including St. Louis’ Wes Hoffman, and Vallencourt—find a place to sleep for the night. 1 p.m. $20. Moontower at Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin

SUN 03

C Sponatola (album release) w/Surreal/ Gacci/Seefu/more A patriarch of Tampa’s beat scene marks the release of a new album, Spaced Out , by bringing out a hibernating giant of Bay area hip-hop, Seefu McCloud. Other producers like Wally Rios (coming off the release of his own new album), Knux, and St Beatz round it out. Fellow legends Slopfunkdust and DJ Shafiq play support. 4 p.m. No cover. The Bricks, Ybor City

C Steve Forbert Despite a body of work that includes nearly two dozen studio albums going back to the late-’70s, Steve Forbert is still best known for a 1979 song, “Romeo’s Tune,” that hit No. 11 on American singles charts. Pulled from the Mississippi native’s debut, Alive On Arrival , the love song almost didn’t make the tracklist until a final verse was added. It was a commercial success for a songwriter that some dubbed a “new Dylan,” and one visitors will hear when the 71-year-old plays this intimate show inside Jack Kerouack's old digs. 7 p.m. $36.22 & up. Bayboro Brewing, St. Petersburg

Laura Jane Grace

THU APRIL 30–THU MAY 07

TUE 05

C Laura Jane Grace w/Lung/Black Guy Fawkes Laura Jane Grace has become a fixture in the Bay area concert calendar over the last few years, and returns with a new-to-her 1965 Gibson Melody Maker to help play songs from a solo discography that reaches back to 2018. Cello-driven rock duo Lungs supports along with Ian Robinson. The songwriter better known as Black Guy Fawkes is touring behind a 2025 album, The Misery Suite , where he spins a love for grunge and Weezer-ish pop into an LP that traces his first year of therapy.

7 p.m. $35. Bayboro Brewing, St. Petersburg

THU 06

Rock The Park: Liquid Pennies w/Foxlair/ Scrapbooking Downtown Tampa’s no-cover, outdoor concert series enters the precarious summer months with a bang thanks to raucous St. Pete rock band Liquid Pennies. Panama City Beach songwriter Keegan Sinclair brings his Scrapbooking folk-rock project to open the show which features visiting band Foxlair. Based in Central Florida, the quintet makes Midwestern emo complete with horns and lovelorn melodies (“Wendy, I”). 6:30 p.m. No cover. Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Tampa See an extended version of this listing at cltampa.com/music.

C CL Recommends

DAVE DECKER

Tampa Pig Jig started as a backyard barbecue to help a buddy fight his rare kidney disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). A decade-and-a-half later, the nonprofit has raised over $15 million for other nonprofits like Nephcure—which has worked tirelessly for a cure—and finds itself celebrating after the FDA approved a new drug, sparsentan (Filspari, stylized all-caps), as the first-ever approved treatment for FSGS.

Tampa Pig Jig, which has since expanded to other markets, marks this milestone (and its own 15th anniversary) with the announcement of its 2026 lineup featuring country superstar Thomas Rhett alongside other genre favorites Midland and emergent “Giving You Up” songwriter Kameron Marlowe. Gainesville soft-rock staple Sister Hazel and North Carolina’s Cassidy Daniels round out the Tampa Pig Jig 2026 lineup coming to downtown Tampa this fall.

Will Wellman, that Tampa man whose disease sparked Pig Jig’s inception, told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that he’s always thought of the festival as a tangible sign of the Bay’s support for patients and families navigating FSGS.

“And now with the first FDA approved drug for FSGS we’re seeing that support literally materialized,” Wellman, who’s since moved to Nashville, added. “This drug will not only help countless patients, but it will lead to the development of other drugs and treatments. We’ve always worked hard to put an incredible event together and raise a ton of money to support vital research, and this year, our 15th, we get to celebrate a gigantic step in this continuing journey toward a cure.”

The festival, set for October, has become famous for its giant BBQ pit where Tampa

Rolling Together Revue Tour: G. Love w/Donavon Frankenreiter/Moon Taxi Friday, June 5. 9 p.m. $46.28 & up. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg

Seahaven w/Breakup Shoes/House & Home Sunday, June 21. 8 p.m. $28.03. Crowbar, Ybor City

septemberistheonlytimeidontthinkofyou w/departmefrombearisland/ Salvinorin-A/Flowers For Emily/ Ceilings Wednesday, July 1. 6 p.m. $15. Skatepark Of Tampa, Tampa

L'Eclair Friday, July 31. 7 p.m. $17. Bayboro Brewing Co., St. Petersburg

Freestyle Explosion Tampa: Stevie B w/ Lisa Lisa/TKA/The Original Cover Girls/ Lisette Melendez Saturday, Aug. 1. 7:30 p.m. $58.55 & up. Yuengling Center, Tampa

Empire Of The Sun w/Polo & Pan/ Midnight Generation Thursday, Sept. 17.

Pig Jig has invited teams to compete in four main categories—ribs, brisket, pork butt/ port, and a wild card—while bands play on the mainstage.

Past Tampa Pig Jig headliners include Megan Moroney, Darius Rucker, Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, and Sam Hunt. In the past, Pig Jig has also hosted sleeper indie favorites like Amanda Shires, Dr. Dog, Matt Nathanson and others.

Tickets for Tampa Pig Jig happening Saturday, Oct. 17 at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park in Tampa are on sale now and start at $140. See Josh Bradley’s weekly roundup of new concerts coming to Tampa Bay below.—Ray Roa

7:30 p.m. $42 & up. Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa

The Hip Abduction w/Coyote Island/ Sensamotion Saturday, Oct. 24. 7 p.m. $47 & up. The BayCare Sound, Clearwater

Hawthorne Heights w/Letlive/Creeper Thursday, Nov. 12. 6 p.m. $41.50. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg

Disney Worlds Collide Saturday, Nov. 28. 7 p.m. $60.20 & up. Benchmark International Arena, Tampa

Celtic Angels Christmas Sunday, Dec. 20. 7 p.m. $45 & up. Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater

Public Image Ltd. Monday, March 8, 2027. 7 p.m. $47.70. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg

Cancellations/reschedules

Barry Manilow at Benchmark International Arena, Feb. 27. Rescheduled to Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2027

The reveal

By Dan Savage

Are there rules to revealing a cheating ex on social media? Three weeks ago, I confronted my boyfriend about his repeated requests that we “find a time to talk.” These requests were never followed by any actual talk. We’d been together for five years by then. After his third futile attempt (“We still need to have that talk,” he said, cowering), I realized it was up to me to be the mature one. Again. The actual breakup was swift: “We’re moving towards different futures,” he said, and that was that. We shared a home, two dogs. I drove his truck. I asked him if he wanted me out immediately or if we planned to consciously uncouple. He encouraged me to take my time, hoping I’d stay in our dogs’ lives. Two days later, he started meeting strangers from Grindr for sex and lying to my face about it. Three days after that, he hosted an orgy in a hotel room. I had caught him cheating several times in the past. Each time I’d confront him, he’d lie. His evasion skills evolved alongside a growing hatred for me. When you’re living with a person you’re actively cheating on, you can either hate the person you’re cheating on or you can hate yourself. He chose to hate me. I stood confidently in my power. I spent a few weeks grieving, journaling, meditating, while he continued to fuck away his pain. I got sober. Got back to the gym. Dormant creativity sprouted to life. Lost friendships reignited. I found joy lip-synching my favorite TikTok songs. What a thrill to be inspired again. One of my videos circulated widely on Facebook, where my ex’s mom, coworkers, and other immediate family members all saw it. Our mutual friends and countless strangers saw it too. I mouthed along to the lyrics of Punk Rocky by A$AP Rocky (“I thought you was the one. I guess you just the two. You want the last laugh? Look! Now the jokes on you!”) while I rolled around on my sister’s lush granite kitchen countertops. #ShootingStar, #CheatingEx, #GlowUp, and #WinningEra were among the hashtags. (Eternally grateful to my sis for a soft place to land.)

cause his cheating. If anything, sharing the sordid details, even inadvertently, should have been empowering. So, what is all this guilt all about? Could I have done better? Is there such a thing as a moral high road when it comes to revealing a cheating ex on social media?—Moving On Proudly

There’s only one rule when it comes to revealing—read: exposing—a cheating ex on social media: don’t do it.

heinous bar—people who feel like they’re being forced to choose sides rarely choose the side of the person who’s doing the forcing.

P.S. You say you reconnected with friends after the breakup. If you checked in with friends before you posted that video and they didn’t immediately drive over to snatch the phone out of your hand, your friends failed you.

P.P.S. While it’s possible you were the more mature one in this relationship—anything’s possible—the guy posting lip-syncs to TikTok will always be perceived as less mature than the guy having orgies in hotel rooms.

SAVAGE LOVE

You’re allowed to tell people the reason your relationship ended, MOP, because of course you are. Your ex cheated on you while you were together and didn’t have the balls to end things himself. While his post-breakup hookups don’t count as cheating—no one is required to be celibate in the wake of a breakup—if he was fucking other men in the bed you still shared while you tried to sleep, that was needlessly hurtful. If he was meeting up with men who were hosting, those hookups were none of your business.

And you would’ve had plenty of opportunities to tell people why your relationship ended. You were a couple for a long time, and mutuals were going to ask why it ended. And when someone asked, MOP, you could’ve told them the truth face-to-face or text-to-text: he cheated on you, and then, once it was over, he immediately started fucking his away his pain. Word would’ve spread quickly—people love to talk about other people’s breakups—and you would’ve been seen as the wronged party.

P.P.P.S. Your ex may have gotten a little messy in a hotel room after the breakup. But his mess was private. You made your mess public. Another reason people are going to side with him—even if they were shocked to find out about the orgy and/or shocked to find out they weren’t invited to the orgy.

How on earth can your husband afford to see a sex worker every day? I’m not casting aspersions on women doing survival sex work, but if your husband spent two years getting $5 blowjobs from desperate drug addicts, DWD, you’d most likely have contracted a sexually transmitted infection from him during that time. So, I’m guessing your husband was seeing the kind of pros who can insist on condoms—women who typically aren’t desperate and don’t come cheap. The financial drain alone is a reason to end this marriage. (If your husband isn’t made of money and you merged your finances when you married, DWD, you might wanna take a look at your bank statements, your retirement savings, and check your credit report.)

Soon after, I received a DM from a mutual friend. “Do Better,” the message commanded. This friend then unfriended me. Do better? My ex was the one who cheated. I stayed faithful. He immediately started screwing strangers while I was still sleeping in our bed! All I did was make a TikTok video to cope, to process, to heal. To empower myself after the trauma. I was flabbergasted. Do better?!? I instantly felt too vulnerable to post anything else. Sharing what happened in the public eye—my ex’s dysfunction—suddenly felt irresponsible, no matter how cathartic it was. I wasn’t doing it to be petty, and yet I felt immature. Whiny. But why? I didn’t

That was the high-road option, MOP, and you didn’t take it. Instead, you made a video of yourself writhing around on your sister’s lush (?) granite countertops. And then, after loading it up with accusatory hashtags, you posted the video on a platform where your ex’s family members and coworkers and friends were certain to see it. (Come on now, MOP: It was no accident that his mom saw it.) You didn’t just cede the moral high ground to your cheating ex when you posted that video, MOP, you ceded any sympathy that might have come your way. Because while cheating exes are bad, MOP, crazy exes are worse—and that TikTok video made you look the crazy ex. (I’m friends with some of my cheating exes. I’m not friends with any of my crazy exes.)

I’m not saying you are crazy, MOP, all I’m saying is that video made you look crazy. And in addition to being perceived to be crazy, that video made you look like you were trying to force people to choose sides. But unless someone is guilty of something truly heinous—and cheating you forgave while you were together and then attempted to weaponize after your breakup doesn’t clear the

My husband and I have been married for eleven years, and four years ago he started seeing sex workers. He didn’t tell me for two years (and we were condom-less) and although I suspected something was up, I didn’t pry. When I finally convinced him to tell me WTF was going on, we decided to stay together and he now consistently goes to sex workers. (He goes daily, if he can.) We have sex about three times a week, which is about right for me, and I genuinely don’t want to see anyone else. (If he’s not around, sex toys are all I need.) At first, I asked for him to let me know when it was happening so I could regain trust that he would tell me things, but it felt like pulling teeth to me and like an interrogation for him. So, I dropped it, and we only talk about his “outings” if he brings one up. Recently, I spotted a condom in the car and asked if he had sex there. He avoided the question twice before finally saying yes. I think the closeness to “home”/”ours” and the fact that he avoided telling me made me feel uncomfortable with the whole business all over again. I can’t tell if it’s better for me just to stop asking questions or to ask myself if this is really working. I love being with him for so many reasons, but when something like this happens, it really hurts. What should I do?—Discomfort With Disclosure

On to your question: What should you do? Accept that your husband isn’t going to change, DWD, and decide if you’re willing to put up with his shit—shit that has only gotten shittier over time—for the rest of your life. He lied to your face for two years, cheated on you with countless women, and put you at physical risk. Now that everything is out in the “open,” he’s refused to honor his agreement to be transparent and dodges direct questions. You can accept him as he is—and I’m not saying you should, DWD, I’m only saying you can—or you can leave him. What you shouldn’t do is deceive yourself about who your husband is. Screaming, yelling, and couples counseling aren’t going to change him. He will never be completely honest with you, he can’t be trusted to honor the boundaries you set together, and he’s most likely already fucked other women in your bed as well as your car. If you can live with that, you could stay. If you can’t, you should go.

Got problems? Yes, you do! Email your question for the column to mailbox@savage.love! Or record your question for the Savage Lovecast at savage.love/askdan! Podcasts, columns and more at Savage.Love

Legal, Public Notices

Notice of Public Sale Notice is hereby given that the undersigned will sell, to satisfy lien of the owner, at public sale by competitive bidding on www.storagetreasures.com ending on May 15th, 2026 at 10:00 am for units located at: Compass Self Storage 2291 S. Frontage Rd, Plant City, Florida 33563 . Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the time of sale. All goods are sold as is and must be removed at the time of purchase.

Compass Self Storage reserves the right to refuse any bid. Sale is subject to adjournment. The personal goods stored therein by the following may include, but are not limited to general household, furniture, boxes, clothes and appliances, unless otherwise noted. Unit 3121 Anthony Wright Unit 3032 Ami Cooper. Run Dates 4/30/2026 and 5/7/2026.

located at: Compass Self Storage 3000 Mulford Rd. Mulberry Fl, 33860

Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the time of sale. All goods are sold as is and must be removed at the time of purchase.

Compass Self Storage reserves the right to refuse any bid. Sales are subject to adjournment. The personal goods stored therein by the following may include, but are not limited to general household, furniture, boxes, clothes and appliances, unless otherwise noted. Unit 2169 TINSLEY, SAPHYRE Unit 8122 COLLET, ROBERTO Unit 1189 HAMMONTREE, JONATHAN Unit 2108-2109 WOODHOUSE, RYAN Run dates 4/30/2026 and 5/7/2026.

Notice of Public Sale Notice is hereby given that the undersigned will sell, to satisfy lien of the owner, at public sale by competitive bidding on www.storagetreasures.com. ending on May 15th, 2026 at 10:00 am for units located at Compass Self Storage 1685 Hwy 17 N Eagle Lake Florida 33839 . Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at time of sale. All Goods are sold as is and must be removed at the time of purchase.

Compass Self Storage reserves the right to refuse any bid. Sale is subject to adjournment. The personal goods stored therein by the following may include, but are not limited to general household, furniture, boxes, clothes and appliances, unless otherwise noted. Unit B100 Brenda Sawyers Unit B101 Brenda Sawyers Unit D302 John Gems Unit 3166 Edgar Brito Unit 3095 Vivian Jackson Unit 3007 Andrea Starling Unit 2027 Jessica Riner. Run dates 4/30/2026 and 5/7/2026.