Any string goes

Clearwater’s popular ukulele festival returns this weekend.

By Kate Oberdorfer

On Tampa Bay Ukulele Day in downtown Dunedin late last month, Rob Wilde assured his tent’s many, many visitors that they could pick up their Ukulele Fest’s bright aqua t-shirts at the second annual Ukulele Festival concert in downtown Clearwater on April 15. “But are you sure?” they all asked him, pressing him about fits and sizes.

“Yes, I’m sure. We’ll see you at the festival” he responded. Wilde is the Events Director for TBUS, the Tampa Bay Ukulele Society, which just so happens to be the largest Ukulele Society in the world. TBUS boasts 2,900 active members and is empowered by its mission to educate, entertain and serve the public.

But, why the ukulele and why Tampa Bay? Well, for starters, the ukulele is an easy instrument to pick up because it isn’t as physically intimidating as other instruments and, if you’re musically inclined, the ukulele—a Portuguese instrument that found popularity in Hawaii—tends to come pretty naturally.

As far as Tampa Bay is concerned, bassist Steve Boisen of the popular father-daughter duo The Barnkickers—which has performed all over the Bay at places like The Ale and the Witch, Ohana and Safety Harbor’s Whistle Stop and Grill Bar—founded TBUS in Tarpon Springs. Boissen offered lessons in the libraries and then, what began as a small group of players at the Holiday Inn became a few hundred with the help of the Internet.

Coincidentally—but unaffiliated with TBUS’s Ukulele in the District Festival—world famous uke player Jake Shimabukuro is booked to play downtown Clearwater’s Bilheimer Capitol Theatre on Friday, too. Shimabukuro was named “the most famous and influential contemporary uke player” by Ukulele Magazine in 2022.

On Saturday night, the Barnkickers will take the stage at Peace Memorial Church alongside Jim Beloff. Beloff was also featured as one of the Top 10 uke players by Ukulele Magazine and is credited with the third wave of ukulele popularity due to his song books that allowed the average person to pick up a ukulele and play. The Barnkickers and Boisen concert will benefit the Homeless Empowerment Program as well as the Clearwater Free Clinic, emphasizing TBUS’s mission to serve the public.