February Top Picks: Our favorite

february Top Picks

Our favorite family-friendly events in Tampa Bay

Busch Gardens Tampa Sesame Street Kids Weekends –Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Feb. 12 and April 29-May 21

During Sesame Street Kids Weekends, families can meet and greet their favorite furry friends at the Sesame Street Safari of Fun area for story time, interactive dance parties, arts and crafts and much more. New limited-time festivities happen each weekend of the event, all included with park admission, Annual Pass or Fun Cards. buschgardens.com/tampa

LEGOLAND Pirate Fest Weekends – Weekends through Feb. 19

Captain Redbeard returns ashore from his adventures to recruit the best of the best in the latest class of pirates. His ultimate mission: Take over LEGOLAND Theme Park and bury his treasure! Join the pirate invasion fun with exclusive LEGO character meet-and-greets and pirate-themed shows, and ride the new all-new Pirate River Quest. legoland.com/florida

Monster Jam – Feb. 4-5

Rev up your engines because Monster Jam returns to Raymond James Stadium for two action-packed days! Featuring world class athletes in intense competitions of speed and skill, fans can witness heated rivalries, high-flying stunts and fierce head-to-head battles. monsterjam.com

Jim Gaffigan: The Dark Pale Tour – Feb. 9-11

Seven-time Grammy-nominated comedian, actor, writer, producer, two-time New York Times best-selling author, two-time Emmy-winning top touring performer and multi-platinum selling recording artist Jim Gaffigan brings his latest tour to The Straz Center. His content revolves around his observations on life and parenting. These performances will be filmed and recorded for Jim Gaffigan’s next comedy special. Learn more about Gaffigan on page 28. strazcenter.org

Florida State Fair – Feb. 9-20

Ride your favorite midway rides, come face to face with some of the world’s most majestic creatures at the Giraffe Menagerie and enjoy musical, thrill and animal acts at the Florida State Fair! Of course, what would a trip to the fair be without trying some outrageous food concoctions? New items this year include the The Walkin' Nacho Dog, Mexican Street Corn Sundae, Fried Key Lime Pie and Tampa Cuban Funnel Cake Sandwich. floridastatefair.com.

Bark in The Park presented by Humane Society of Tampa Bay – Feb. 11

Enjoy some fun in the sun at this dog and family-friendly outdoor festival featuring adoptable animals, fun activities for the dogs, vendor booths, food trucks, libations and music at Curtis Hixon Park in downtown Tampa from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. To donate or fundraise to help homeless animals, visit humanesocietytampa.org.

Publix Too Good for Drugs Jr. Gasparilla Distance Classic – Feb. 18

Registration for this event is free for kids ages 2-10 and $5 for adults and kids ages 11 and up. Children will be grouped by age and distances will be broken up into the following: 30 yards (ages 2-4), 1/8 mile (ages 5-6), 1/2 mile (ages 7-8), and one mile (ages 9+). Race day activities will feature the Mendez Foundation Craft Activity Area, WQYK’s Super Prize Machine, visits from Kellogg’s Tony the Tiger and 501st Legion Star Wars characters, and face painters and balloon twisters. rungasparilla.com/jr-classic

Monster Jam

Bark In The Park

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Florida Strawberry Festival - March 2-12

Eleven days of music, food and fun for all ages with paid concerts, free entertainment, shows, contests, pig races, livestock and much more. The Midway is packed with games and over 80 rides for the kids to enjoy, while youngsters can try the Kiddie Korral and night owls can head to Moonlight Magic. Don’t forget the awesome festival foods including Florida Strawberry Festival’s winning strawberry shortcake! Admission and ride discounts are also available. Visit flstrawberryfestival.com for details and Midway hours. Admission required.