March 2020 Events

March 1 - 31 DINOS ALIVE! AT ZOO TAMPA Explore the zoo and discover species not seen for thousands of years! With life-size animatronic dinosaurs plus fun activities, like fossil digs, the whole family will surely have a DINO-mite time. www.zootampa.org

March 1 - 31 UNIVERSAL ORLANDO’S MAR DI GRA S 2020 It’s unforgettable springtime fun for everyone. Enjoy our 25th anniversary Mardi Gras celebration with nightly parades with outrageous street performers, colorful costumes and countless beads flying through the air. Catch some of the biggest names in music live in concert on select nights. Plus you’ll enjoy authentic New Orleans bands each night and mouthwatering Cajun food available for purchase. It’s 25 Years of Party, only at Universal Studios Florida. www.universalorlando.com

explore your unique abilities, overcome challenges, and help friends. No job is too big, no pup is too small! www.glazermuseum.org March 1 - 31 SEVEN SEAS FOOD FESTIVAL AT SEAWORLD Savor international cuisines including delicious food samples, imported drinks, and unique wines. Also, your favorite artists, ranging from pop, rock, country, and Latin, will be featured each weekend and all concerts are included with your park admission. www.seaworld.com March 1 - 15 BUSCH GAR DENS REAL MUSIC REAL MASTERS Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s longest running concert series returns! This amazing concert series brings unique acts to Stanleyville Theater, including firstrate tribute acts, acrobatic performances and chart-topping artists from the greatest musical eras. Grab a seat in the climatecontrolled Stanleyville Theater and see these memorable acts live at Busch Gardens. www.buschgardens.com March 1 - 8 FLORIDA STRA WBERR Y FESTIVAL March 13 - 15 & 21 - 22 DAY OUT WITH THOMAS 2020 The Florida Railroad Museum host’s a Day Out With Thomas their annual event that offers children and their families the unique opportunity to take a ride with Thomas, the No. 1 blue engine, and enjoy a day of fun filled Thomas & Friends themed activities. Meet Sir Topham Hatt, the Controller of the Railway, and enjoy crafts, storytelling, videos, train play tables, coloring, temporary tattoos, and much more! www.frrm.org March 14 - 15 CLEAR WATER MAR INE AQUAR IUM PRESENTS REPTILEPALOOZA Visit the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and experience Reptilepalooza. Learn all

about these cold-blooded creatures with fun activities. Get up-close and see a variety of snakes and other rescued reptiles on select dates. The event is included with general admission! www.seewinter.com March 14 PI DAY AT THE GLAZER CH ILDREN’S MUSEUM March 14 (3.14) is Pi Day and it is also Einstein’s birthday! At GCM, we’re in the business of teaching through play. So how do we share our love of the iconic number Pi and make math cool for kids? Throw a giant pie fight in Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, of course! This event is free to all, but participants must register. The pie fight will be at 3:14pm. GCM will also be partnering with the Mayor’s River O’ Green Fest! www.glazermuseum.org

March 1 - 31 BUSCH GAR DENS FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL In 2020, a world of taste awaits at the sixth annual Food & Wine Festival. The festival features new and exciting dishes, plus some of the biggest acts in musical entertainment will take the stage every weekend on Festival Field. Food and beverage is not included with park admission and is available for an extra fee. www.buschgardens.com March 1 - 31 PAW PATROL: ADVENTURE PLAY AT GCM Celebrate the month of February with the all new exhibit at the Glazer Children’s Museum, PAW Patrol: Adventure Play. The heroic PAW Patrol pups need your help in Adventure Bay! You and your family will join Marshall, Chase, Skye, Rubble, Everest, Rocky, Zuma, and Tracker as you The Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City rivals any state fair in the country with its agricultural displays, livestock shows, arts and crafts, local food, headline music concerts and huge carnival midway. The entertainment line-up, year after year, is extraordinary. You will not want to miss this truly Florida tradition! www.flstrawberryfestival.com March 4 - 31 2020 EPCOT INTERNATIONAL FLOWER & GAR DEN FESTIVAL Delight in the magnificence of spring with a multisensory selection of vibrant displays and captivating experiences. Nurture your sense of curiosity at the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival—a fun-filled destination for Guests of all ages. With so much to see and do, your whole family will uncover something new with every single visit! www.disneyworld.disney.go.com Feb 15 - May 25 The heroic PAW Patrol pups need your help in Adventure Bay! Join Marshall, Chase, Skye, Rubble, Everest, Rocky, Zuma, and Tracker as you explore your unique abilities, overcome challenges, and help friends. No job is too big, no pup is too small! 44 • March 2020 Say you saw it in the Gulf Coast Family Newspaper www.gulfcoastfamily.org

March 16 1980 PHILLY WORLD SERIES CHA MPIONSHIP REUNION The Philly 40th Anniversary of the 1980 World Championship with special guests Pete Rose, Steve Carlton, Greg Luzinski and Larry Bowa comes to the Bilheimer Capitol Theatre for a special night, which will include classic stories, videos, a Q&A and more, hosted by Chris Wheeler! www.rutheckerdhall.com

March 16 JOSH GROBAN Grammy, Emmy and Tony-nominated global superstar Josh Groban returns to Ruth Eckerd Hall. Possessing one of the most outstanding and instantly recognizable voices in music, singer, songwriter, and actor Josh Groban has entertained fans across the globe with his multi-platinum albums and DVDs (over 30 million sold worldwide!), electrifying live performances, and comedic film and television appearances. www.rutheckerdhall.com March 19 & 21 MARCH MADNESS: THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR Hang onto the edge of your seat basketball fans, March Madness is coming to Tampa! This March Tampa hosts the First and Second Rounds of the NCAA March Madness Tournament at the Amalie Arena. So make plans to come enjoy a weekend of March Madness right in our own backyard! www.amaliearena.com

March 20, 21 & 22 TAMPA BAY TIMES MASTERWORKS SERIES: BACH ’S ST. JOHN PASSION Leading up to Easter, redemption rises from despair in Bach’s towering choral masterpiece retelling the Crucifixion. Michael Francis conducts the Florida Orchestra, featuring The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. Concerts will be held at Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz, Indian Rocks Baptist Church in Largo and the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg. www.floridaorchestra.org March 24 - 29 MISS SAIGON Experience the acclaimed new production of the legendary musical MISS SAIGON, from the creators of Les Misérables. This is the epic story of a young Vietnamese woman named Kim who is orphaned by war and forced to work in a bar run by a notorious character known as the Engineer. There she meets and falls in love with an American G.I., an encounter that will change their lives forever. www.strazcenter.org

March 25 MASTERCH EF JUNIOR LIVE! Coming LIVE to Ruth Eckerd Hall, MasterChef Junior Live! brings the culinary hit TV show MasterChef Junior directly to fans and foodies alike! The family-friendly stage show will feature head-to-head cooking demonstrations and fun (sometimes messy!) challenges with past MasterChef Junior all-stars and fan favorites, Q&A sessions, and an overall immersive audience experience. Bring the whole family to see MasterChef Junior Live! It’s a recipe guaranteed for a good time. www.rutheckerdhall.com March 27 THE FLORIDA ORCH ESTRA - RA YMOND JAMES POPS BROADWAY This concert stars Gary Mauer (Phantom), Tony Award Winner Debbie Gravitte and Scarlett Strallen, in a program featuring favorites from Phantom of the Opera, Evita, West Side Story and more. www.strazcenter.org March 28 & 29 TAMPA BAY AIRFEST

The men and women who work and serve on MacDill Air Force Base invite you to Tampa Bay AirFest 2020. This Free event will feature an amazing variety of military and civilian flight performances, including the United States Navy Blue Angels! Tampa Bay AirFest 2020 promises to be a weekend packed with heart-pounding air performances and family-friendly activities showcasing all five branches of the United States military as well as our first responder agencies. This two-day event is your chance to get up close and personal with military and civilian aircraft and pilots! www.tampabayairfest.com

Have an Event? Email submissions to events@gulfcoastfamily.org for consideration or visit our online calendar at gulfcoastfamily.org. www.gulfcoastfamily.org To advertise, call 727-612-0783 March 2020 • 45