!['Molotov Cocktails, Pipe Bombs & Other Family Recipe' book release among top events in Tampa Bay [September 3-10]](https://www.newsbeep.com/us-fl/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/1788333862_Richard-J.-Girard-II.png)
Richard J. Girard II Credit: Courtesy headshot
Every family has recipes. For some, that includes molotov cocktails and pipe bombs. That’s on paper, at least, for the writer and spoken word artist Richard J. Girard II.
This weekend, the 20-year literary and poetry scene veteran celebrates the release of a new book “Molotov Cocktails, Pipe Bombs & Other Family Recipes” by bringing some of it to the stage. Across about 100 pages, the 42-year-old takes readers on his path from a certain naive innocence, across cynicism, and to a fully activated citizen of the world. The work is personal, a call-to-arms, and, yes, a cookbook of sorts (the ingredients for “Slow Roasted” call for a “…sustainable and locally-sourced landlord”).
“ …the collection presents what Girard describes as a manifesto disguised as a poetry collection, tempered throughout by dark humor and an eye toward the absurd,” a press release says. “By the end, readers have traveled through where Girard came from, where he stands today, and the darkly absurd vision he sees for the future.”
Florida poet and educator Lizz Straight, who wrote the foreword, will do a special reading for this engagement that includes a reading from Girard, along with host and Growhouse founder Denis Amadeus.
See more of the best things to do in Tampa Bay between Sept. 3-10 below. This listing is compiled weekly by Creative Loafing Tampa Bay contributors and staffers.
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Arts & entertainment
Fall 2026 Exhibition Opening Reception Friday, Sept. 4. 6 p.m. No cover for members; $10 for everyone else. Dunedin Fine Art Center, Dunedin. dfac.org
Flamenco & Latin Night with Los Rumberos Friday, Sept. 4. 5 p.m. $5 & up. Imagine Museum, St. Petersburg. imaginemuseum.com
LIV(IN)G Estuary: A Space Between (Opening reception) w/Ashley Rivers Friday, Sept. 4. 6 p.m. No cover. Brenda McMahon Gallery, Gulfport. brendamcmahongallery.com
Scream-A-Geddon (opening night) Friday, Sept. 4. 7 p.m. $34.95 & up. Scream-A-Geddon, Dade City. screamageddon.com
‘AMPED: Turn Up for the Arts’ Fundraiser Party & Exhibition Opening Saturday, Sept. 5. 6 p.m. $25 & up. FloridaRAMA, St. Petersburg. creativepinellas.org
Geckofest 2026: Gecko Music Awards Saturday, Sept. 5. 10 a.m. No cover. Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport
Labor Day White Party Saturday, Sept. 5. 7 p.m. $200. Saddlebrook Resort, Wesley Chapel
Labor Day Weekend Pool Party (Adults only) Sunday, Sept. 6. 12 p.m. $50. Saddlebrook Resort, Wesley Chapel
Dance Social with Danse Konpa Tuesday, Sept. 8. 5:30 p.m. $10. Imagine Museum, St. Petersburg. imaginemuseum.com
Fall Bouquet Workshop with The Roaming Petal Wednesday, Sept. 9. 6:30 p.m. $49.87. 3 Daughters Brewing, St. Petersburg. theroamingpetal.com
Brims & Brews Hat Workshop Thursday, Sept. 10. 6 p.m. $85. 3 Daughters Brewing, St. Petersburg
Heidi Kay Art Reception Thursday, Sept. 10. 2 p.m. No cover. East Lake Community Library, Palm Harbor. eastlakelibrary.org
Loud In Fashion hosted by Imani Battle Thursday, Sept. 10. 7 p.m. $13.45 & up. Showbar, Ybor City
Bookish
Book Club Performance and Participation: ‘Open Water” by Caleb Azumah Nelson Thursday, Sept. 3. 6 p.m. $25 & up. Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg. bookandbottlestpete.com
Bottom Feeders: An Evening with Arielle Hebert Thursday, Sept. 3. 7 p.m. No cover with RSVP. Tombolo Books, St. Petersburg. tombolobooks.com
Deidra Duncan (book signing) Saturday, Sept. 5. 12 p.m. No cover with RSVP. The Book Lounge, St. Petersburg. thebooklounge.com
EC Book Club: ‘Wake Now In The Fire’ by by Jarrett Dapier and AJ Dungo Sunday, Sept. 6. 4:30 p.m. No cover. Emerald City Comics, Pinellas Park. emeraldcitycomics.com
Horror Book Club: ‘Monstrillo’ by Gerardo Sámano Córdova Sunday, Sept. 6. 9 a.m. No cover to attend. Tombolo Books, St. Petersburg. tombolobooks.com
Bodega Stories: An Evening with Amaris Castillo Tuesday, Sept. 8. 7 p.m. No cover with RSVP. Tombolo Books, St. Petersburg. tombolobooks.com
Book Bedazzling Tuesday, Sept. 8. 6 p.m. $25. The Gilded Page, Tarpon Springs. thegildedpagebookstore.com
Book Discussion: ‘The God of the Woods’ by Liz Moore Tuesday, Sept. 8. 11 a.m. No cover. Lutz Branch Library, Lutz
OE Book Club: The Midnight Train Tuesday, Sept. 8. 6:30 p.m. No cover. Oxford Exchange, Hyde Park
Virtual Author Talks: Daniel Kraus Tuesday, Sept. 8. 7 p.m. No cover with registration. Dunedin Public Library, Dunedin
Jono Miller ‘The Palmetto Book’ talk Wednesday, Sept. 9. 5 p.m. No cover. Wild Space Gallery at The Factory, St. Petersburg. floridawildlifecorridor.org
Vulture Gold: An Evening with Micah Dean Hicks Wednesday, Sept. 9. 7 p.m. No cover with RSVP. Tombolo Books, St. Petersburg. tombolobooks.com
Ales & Tales Book Club: ‘The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America’ by Kostya Kennedy Thursday, Sept. 10. 6 p.m. No cover. Stilt House Brewery, Palm Harbor. palmharborlibrary.org
Crime Travel Book Club: ‘The Secret Dinner’ by Raphael Montes Thursday, Sept. 10. 6:30 p.m. No cover to attend. Tombolo Books, St. Petersburg. tombolobooks.com
Comedy
April Macie Select times Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 3-6. $25 & up. Side Splitters Comedy Club, Tampa
Jay Legend Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 3-5. 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. $22.50. Snappers Grill, Palm Harbor
April Macie Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 3-6. 8 p.m. Thursday; 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Friday; 6 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Saturday; 6 P.M. Sunday. $20 and up. Side Splitters, Tampa
Ginger Kelly Friday-Saturday, Sept. 4-5. 8:30 p.m. $23.58. Sunshine City Comedy Club, St. Pete Beach
Jake Polin Friday-Saturday, Sept. 4-5. 8:30 p.m. $23.58. Clearwater Comedy Club, Clearwater
Marcus D. Wiley Multiple times Friday-Saturday, Sept. 4-5. $29. Funny Bone Comedy Club, Tampa
Rio Paris Friday, Sept. 4. 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. $23.80. Side Spitters, Wesley Chapel
Tom Wise Friday-Saturday, Sept. 4-5. 8 p.m. Friday; 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Saturday. $20. Coconuts Comedy Club, St. Pete Beach
Nick Giasullo Saturday, Sept. 5. 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. $23.80. Side Spitters, Wesley Chapel
Kevin James Thornton Thursday, Sept. 10. 7 p.m. $37. Funny Bone Comedy Club, Tampa
Josh Wolf Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 10-12. 7 p.m. Thursday; 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday; 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday. $29 and up. Side Splitters, Tampa
Renard Hirsch Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 10-12. 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. $22.50. Snappers Grill, Palm Harbor
Film & TV
Be Kind, Rewind! An ’80s Movie History Celebration with Hector Sotomayor Thursday, Sept. 3. 1 p.m. No cover. East Lake Community Library, Palm Harbor. eastlakelibrary.org
The Green Flash Anniversary Screening w/Filmmaker Q&A Sunday, Sept. 6. 7 p.m. (doors 5:30 p.m.; AV performance 6 p.m.). $20. The Beach Theatre, St. Pete Beach
Screaming Cinema Series: Beast Mode Saturday, Sept. 5. 4 p.m. No cover. Xzanthia’s Art Asylum Studio, Gulfport. tampabayscreams.com
The Green Flash Anniversary Screening w/Filmmaker Q&A Sunday, Sept. 6. 7 p.m. (doors 5:30 p.m.; AV performance 6 p.m.). $20. The Beach Theatre, St. Pete Beach. thebeachtheatre.org
37th Annual Queer Film Festival: Taste of TIGLFF Shorts Program Thursday, Sept. 10. 7 p.m. $12. Green Light Cinema, St. Petersburg. tiglff.com
Sunshine Skyway Bridge Disaster Documentary Thursday, Sept. 10. 6 p.m. No cover. Safety Harbor Public Library, Safety Harbor. safetyharborlibrary.org
Second Quarterly Micro Film Festival Thursday, Sept. 10. 7 p.m. $12.51. Russian American Club, Gulfport
Learn
St. Petersburg City Council: FY27 Budget Public Hearing No. 1 Thursday, Sept. 3. 6 p.m. No cover. City Hall Council Chambers, 175 5th St. N., St. Petersburg
Florida Air Museum Grand Re-Opening Friday-Sunday, Sept. 4-9. 10 a.m. No cover. Florida Air Museum, Lakeland. floridaairmuseum.org
Science After Dark Friday, Sept. 4. 6 p.m. $35 & up. Mosi, Tampa. mosi.org
Stretching: The Somatic Way Friday, Sept. 4. 10:30 a.m. Waitlist open. East Lake Community Library, Palm Harbor. eastlakelibrary.org
Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz Saturday, Sept. 5. 10 a.m.-noon. No cover. Raymond H. Neri Park, St. Petersburg
Panel Discussion: Art, Conscience and the Public Square Tuesday, Sept. 8. 6 p.m. No cover. Dalí Museum, St. Petersburg. thedali.org
Solar United Neighbors (SUN) – Switch Together Informational Session Wednesday, Sept. 9. 5:30 p.m. No cover. Dunedin Public Library, Dunedin
Revolutionary Impressions: Create Your Own Stamps Workshop Thursday, Sept. 10. 6 p.m. $15. Dunedin History Museum, Dunedin. dunedinmuseum.org
Markets & retail
Tabernacle Of Oddities: Tabernacle 2026 Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 5-6. $16-$66. The Cuban Club, Ybor City
Final Vinyl: Spin & Shop at Aspirations Winery with Kingfish Records Thursday, Sept. 10. 6 p.m. No cover. Aspirations Winery, Clearwater
Pride
Attic Cat & Sun City Sapphics: Matchmaking Mixer Friday, Sept. 4. 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Donation suggested. Corner Club, Seminole Heights
DIY Movie Review Journal: TIGLFF Fundraiser Finale w/Jumpsuit Giant Saturday, Sept. 5. 6-9 p.m. $10 suggested donation. Check @tiglff on Instagram
Lubor Day 2026: Queer Wrestling & Performances Monday, Sept. 7. 3-6 p.m. (wrestling 3:30 p.m.). $5-$15 suggested donation. 18+. Allendale United Methodist Church, St. Petersburg
37th Annual Queer Film Festival Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 10-13. Various times and prices. Green Light Cinema, St. Petersburg
Sports
Tampa Bay Sun Foundation Free Youth Soccer Clinics Various dates Aug. 7-Spring 2027. Free. Select locations across Tampa Bay
Tampa Tarpons vs. Dunedin Blue Jays Select times Tuesday-Sunday, Sept. 1-6. $2.25 & up. George Steinbrenner Field, Tampa
Tampa Bay Rodeo & Family Festival Friday-Saturday, Sept. 4-5. Gates 4:30 p.m.; rodeo 7:30 p.m. $25 & up. Hillsborough County Fairgrounds, Tampa. tamparodeo.com
South Florida Bulls Football vs. Florida International University Football Saturday, Sept. 5. 7 p.m. $20 & up. Raymond James Stadium, Tampa
Springboks vs All Blacks watch party Saturday, Sept. 5. 11 a.m. No cover. The North End Taphouse, Gulfport
South Atlantic Pro Wrestling: Tangle In Tampa Sunday, Sept. 6. 6 p.m. $20. Brass Mug, Tampa
Theater
Arsenic and Old Lace Select performances Sept. 3-13. $32.50 & up. Bradenton Kiwanis Theater at Manatee Performing Arts Center, Bradenton
Jobsite Theater: Penelope Select times and dates through Sunday, Sept. 6. $71.40 & up. Shimberg Playhouse at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa
Arsenic and Old Lace Select times and dates Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 3-20. $32.50. Bradenton Kiwanis Theater at Manatee Performing Arts Center, Bradenton
Eight O’ Clock Theater: Come From Away Select times and dates Friday-Sunday, Sept. 4-13. $47. Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo
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This article appears in August 27 – September 02, 2026.
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