Urban farmer and florist stars in 'Flower Lady,' topping Tampa Fringe 2026 shows - Florida News Beep

Blue House Florals’ Kali Rabaut in Tampa, Florida on April 29, 2025. Credit: Photo by Dave Decker

A single flower bud can produce more than a hundred seeds. More than enough to start growing more.

Kali Rabult taught CL that fact last year in her lush Seminole Heights garden, where she produces Florida native flowers for her business Blue House Florals. The bounty and fertility of her garden often make Rabult think of enoughness.

“You don’t arrive there. You walk through it and sit with it, even as it slips through your hands,” she previously told CL.

She explores the concept in her Tampa Fringe show, “Flower Lady,” transporting audiences (at least emotionally) to blue house and lush garden. Between the “weeds of her mind,” as she calls them, Rabult will challenge concepts of productivity, identity and occupation.

This year, the multi-venue, jury-less festival—which Gov. Ron DeSantis cited in his 2024 reasoning for cutting state arts grants—celebrates a decade of weirdness. Two venues just a 15-minute walk (or short Fringe shuttle ride) apart host 36 different shows from Fringe performers across the globe, U.S., and based right here in the Bay area.

Running the gamut from mature to fully family-friendly (all neatly labeled, in case the cops are reading this!), Fringe productions were selected by lottery, not gatekeepers, and include comedy, theater, storytelling, cabaret, dance, plus immersive experiences from folks who simply don’t fit into regular boxes.

“We believe artists deserve spaces where they can afford to take risks, tell unconventional stories, and build community through live performance,” Trish Parry, festival producer told CL.

“In a time where so much entertainment is curated by algorithms, Fringe remains gloriously human.”

A rapid-fire opening night preview goes down Thursday, June 11, and tickets start as low as $5, with multi-show discounts, certain free shows, and the all-encompassing Eliminator Pass ($225) available, too.

Find info below on “Flower Lady” and dozens of Fringe shows happening throughout the month. Head to tampafringe.com for more info and community.cltampa.com for more things to do.

Fringe Preview #1 Wednesday, June 10. 7:30 p.m. No cover. West Annex inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Private Parts: The Secrets We Keep Multiple times on Thursday, Saturday, & Sunday, June 11, 13-14. $15. West Annex inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Flower Lady Multiple times on Thursday, Saturday, & Sunday, June 11, 13-14. $15. The Commodore, Ybor City

Gertrude Stein Has Arrived Multiple times from Thursday, June 11 through Sunday, June 21. $15. The Fringe Theatre inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

World Peace through Humor: A German 101 Multiple times on Thursday, Saturday, & Sunday, June 11, 13-14. $15. 3rd Floor Venue inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Grief is a Messy Bitch Multiple times on Thursday-Saturday, June 11-13; Saturday, June 20. $15. 3rd Floor Venue inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

The Turing Test Multiple times on Thursday, Saturday & Sunday, June 11, 13-14. $15. West Annex inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Occupational Hazard Multiple times and dates from Thursday, June 11 through Sunday, June 21. $12. 3rd Floor Venue inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Trivia Only I Know Too Multiple times and dates from Thursday, June 11 through Saturday, June 20. $9. Fringe Theatre inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

The Saint of Scandal: The True(ish) Story of La Maupin Multiple times Friday-Monday, June 12-15; Sunday, June 21. $15. Fringe Theatre inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Tales from the Outer House 2 Multiple times Friday-Sunday, June 12-14 and Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21. $15. The Commodore, Ybor City

The Sack: A Play on Superheroes Multiple times Friday-Sunday, June 12-14. $15. 3rd Floor Venue inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Forgive Me Grandma, For I Have Sinned Multiple times Friday-Sunday, June 12-14 and Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21. $15. West Annex inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

A Night at the Movies Multiple times Friday-Sunday, June 12-14 and Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21. $12. Fringe Theatre inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Beyond Tears Multiple times Friday-Sunday, June 12-14. $15. 3rd Floor Venue inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

The Princess Strikes Back: One Woman’s Search for the Space Cowboy of her Dreams Multiple times Friday-Sunday, June 12-14. $15. 3rd Floor Venue inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

The Patriot Games Multiple times Friday-Sunday, June 12-14 and Friday-Saturday, June 19-20. $11. West Annex inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Wait, How Much is the Whiskey? Multiple times Friday-Sunday, June 12-14 and Friday-Saturday, June 19-20. $10. Fringe Theatre inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

T.O.Y. Part 1 Multiple times Friday-Saturday, June 12-13; Wednesday, June 17. $15. The Commodore, Ybor City

Strange Girls 2 Multiple times Friday-Sunday, June 12-14 and Friday-Saturday, June 19-20. $15. West Annex inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Kids Fringe Workshop Saturday, June 13. 1 p.m. No cover. Fringe Central inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Tyler’s Time Out: Episode 2 Multiple times Saturday-Monday, June 13-15 and Friday & Sunday, June 19 & 21. $15. West Annex inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

A Funeral for Someone You Didn’t Know Multiple times Saturday & Sunday, June 13 & 14 and Friday-Sunday, June 19-21. $10. The Commodore, Ybor City

T.O.Y. Part 2 Sunday & Saturday, June 14 & 20. 4 p.m. Sunday; 12 p.m. Saturday. $15. The Commodore, Ybor City

Fringe Preview #2 Friday, June 17. 7 p.m. No cover. West Annex inside Fringe Contemporary, Ybor City

The Trouble with My Hair: Coloring, Cutting, and Coming into Who I Am Multiple times Wednesday, June 17 and Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21. $10. Fringe Theatre inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Tricks and Tics: A Magician’s Journey of Laughter, Struggle, and Triumph Multiple times Wednesday, June 17 and Friday-Saturday, June 19-20. $15. West Annex inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

T.M.I. Multiple times Thursday, June 18 and Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21. $15. The Commodore, Ybor City

Inside Albert’s Head Multiple times Thursday, June 18 and Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21. $15. The Commodore, Ybor City

Jon Bennett: This Will Only Ever Happen Once Multiple times Thursday-Sunday, June 18-21. $15. Fringe Theatre inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Fringin & Flagons presents: The Last Stand Tavern Multiple times Thursday, June 18 and Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21. $15. West Annex inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Clayton the Dork Multiple times Friday-Sunday, June 19-21. $10. 3rd Floor Venue inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

The Grindr Show Multiple times Friday-Sunday, June 19-21. $15. The Commodore, Ybor City

Perra Puta Loca Bruja: A Latina’s Reclamation Journey Multiple times Friday-Sunday, June 19-21. $10. 3rd Floor Venue inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Bits & Pieces presents The Selfish Giant’s Garden Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21. 12 p.m. $5. 3rd Floor Venue inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Late Night Cabaret Saturday, June 20. 10:30 p.m. $10. West Annex inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Glenn and Grimbo Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21. 3:15 p.m. Saturday; 4:30 p.m. Sunday. $10. 3rd Floor Venue inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

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