![Gig from stand-up comic and novelist Sam Tallent tops list of best things to do in Tampa Bay this week [August 6-13]](https://www.newsbeep.com/us-fl/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/1785962537_Sam-Tallent-Facebook.png)
Sam Tallent Credit: samtallentcomedy / Facebook
There’s a whole heck of a lot going on inside Sam Tallent’s egg of a skull.
In 2024, the 39-year-old told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that he was excited to head to Paris and get to work on a follow-up to his critically-acclaimed debut novel “Running The Light.” On Sept. 22, “Brut,” his 368-page thriller hits shelves.
Tallent recently told WDET that the novel centers on a contract killer doing one last hit, but that it’s really about two Marines who fall in love but then find themselves unable to deal with their toxic masculinity and the fact they’ve fallen in love with a man. It’s pulp fiction, he added, and it’s a boy beach read that’s lyrical and full of prose describing people getting pummeled to death.
“It’s fun to have the people who come to my shows and tell them, “‘Oh, it’s a hitman,’ and then they’re reading a book about two gay men desperately in love,” he told the radio station. “I like pulling that little switch on, the young men in their white hats and polo shirts.”
This listing is maintained by CL staffers and contributors, who also keep a close eye on the publication’s user-submitted events calendar. Please help us out by submitting yours at community.cltampa.com.
A&E
GrowHouse’s 1st Mondays Open Mic and Poetry Workshop Every first Monday. 7 p.m. No cover. The Backroom, Tampa
The Art of Banksy On view through Aug. 30. $29.99 & up. Morsani Hall at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa
Oh, Cuore Mia Through Sept. 17. No cover. Tempus Projects, Ybor City
Jun Kaneko: Silence Before Sound Through Aug. 23. $5 & up. Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa. tampamuseum.org
Art After Dark: Summer Sessions Thursday, Aug. 6. 5 p.m. No cover for members and under 18; $16 for everyone else. Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg. mfast.org
Dani Lewis: Apricity (Opening reception) Saturday, Aug. 8. 5 p.m. No cover. Morean Center for Clay, St. Petersburg moreanartscenter.org
The Art of Flight: Birds in Helping Hands Fundraiser w/Sasha Tuck Friday, Aug. 7. 6-9 p.m. No cover. Brenda McMahon Gallery, Gulfport
Ernesto Maranje: To the Edge of the Wild (Opening Reception) Saturday, Aug. 8 (on view through Sept. 19). 5 p.m.-9 p.m. No cover. Wild Space Gallery at The Factory, St. Petersburg
Still Forces: Browne Art Salon Grand Opening w/Paul Tilton Saturday, Aug. 8. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. No cover (RSVP). Browne Art Gallery, St. Petersburg
Theatre Kids Broadway Dance Party Saturday, Aug. 8. 8 p.m. $20.97. Orpheum, Tampa
New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations Thursday, Aug. 13 through Jan. 3, 2027. 5-8 p.m. Museum admission $12-$24. Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg
Asian Summer Food & Music Festival Friday-Sunday, Aug. 21-23. 12 p.m.; 5 p.m. Friday. No cover. Coachman Park, Clearwater
Coffee and Poetry featuring Tim Huff Sunday, Aug. 30. 3 p.m. $12.51. Kerouac House, St. Petersburg. stpetekerouachouse.com
Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue Saturday, Oct. 24. 7 p.m. $57.50 & up. Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater
An Evening with the Celebrity Housewives Wednesday, Nov. 11. 7:30 p.m. $72.80 & up. Ferguson Hall at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa
Dante Gebel Tuesday, Nov. 17. 8 p.m. $69.09 & up. Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Tampa
Cirque du Soleil: ‘Twas The Night Before Select times and dates from Wednesday-Sunday, Nov. 18-29. Prices TBA. Morsani Hall at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa
Jonathan Van Ness Thursday, Nov. 19. 8 p.m. $81 & up. Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Tampa
Bookish
Book Bedazzling Thursday, Aug. 6. 6 p.m. Sold out. The Gilded Page, Tarpon Springs. thegildedpagebookstore.com
Aaron Cline Hanbury Sunday, Aug. 9. 3:30 p.m. $6.71 & up. Oxford Exchange, Hyde Park
OE Book Club: On the Calculation of Volume Tuesday, Aug. 11. 6:30 p.m. $32.64. Oxford Exchange, Hyde Park
H.M. Wolfe with Krystal Lang Wednesday, Aug. 12. 6:30 p.m. $39.41. Oxford Exchange, Hyde Park
Bookstore Romance Day Saturday, Aug. 15. 11 a.m. No cover. The Gilded Page, Tarpon Springs. thegildedpagebookstore.com
Book Club: Isola Tuesday, Aug. 18. 6 p.m. $39.23. The Library, St. Petersburg. thelibrarystpete.com
Author-sponsored book club: “Lost and Found” by Tarah DeWitt Wednesday, Aug. 19. 6 p.m. $21. The Book Lounge, St. Petersburg. thebooklounge.com
Maria Fox (Book signing) Saturday, Aug. 22. 12 p.m. No cover with RSVP. The Book Lounge, St. Petersburg. thebooklounge.com
“The Open Door” by Matt Lettellier (Book signing and launch) Tuesday, Aug. 25. 5 p.m. No cover with RSVP. Book + Bottle, St. Petersburg. bookandbottlestpete.com
Lunchtime Book Club: Good People Wednesday, Aug. 26. 11:30 a.m. $12.28. The Library, St. Petersburg. thelibrarystpete.com
Silent Book Club Thursday, Aug. 27. 5:30 p.m. No cover. Aspirations Winery, Clearwater
Kristin Harmel Sunday, Aug. 30. 3:30 p.m. No cover with RSVP. Oxford Exchange, Tampa
OE Book Club: The Midnight Train Tuesday, Sept. 8. 6:30 p.m. No cover. Oxford Exchange, Hyde Park
Comedy
10th Annual Countdown Improv Festival Wednesday-Sunday, Aug. 5-9. 6 p.m.; 7 p.m. Wednesday & Thursday. $21.94 & up. HCC Performing Arts Building, Ybor City. countdownimprovfestival.com
The Dating Detectives Live Thursday, Aug. 6. 7 p.m. $37. Funny Bone Comedy Club, Tampa
Officer Kevin Eudy Thursday, Aug. 6. 7:30 p.m. $25 & up. Side Splitters Comedy Club, Tampa
Kurt Metzger Friday, Aug. 7. 8 p.m. $25 & up. Side Splitters Comedy Club, Tampa
Michael Colyar Multiple times Friday-Sunday, Aug. 7-9. $27. Funny Bone Comedy Club, Tampa
JustCallMoe Comedy Jam Saturday, Aug. 8. 5:30 p.m. $15 & up. Side Splitters Comedy Club, Tampa
Comic’s Night Out Sunday, Aug. 9. 9 p.m. $10 & up. Side Splitters Comedy Club, Tampa
Porkchopz Sunday, Aug. 9. 7 p.m. $25 & up. Side Splitters Comedy Club, Tampa
Laughter League (Comedy showdown) Tuesday, Aug. 11. 6:30 p.m. $12. Imagine Museum, St. Petersburg. imaginemuseum.com
Majah Hype Thursday, Aug. 13. 7 p.m. $32. Funny Bone Comedy Club, Tampa
Film & TV
CatVideoFest Multiple times Friday-Thursday, Aug. 7-13. $9 & up. John T. Taylor Screening Room at Tampa Theatre, Tampa
Fiume o morte! Select dates through Aug. 6. 5:30 p.m. $10. Sun-Ray Cinema, Tampa
Snatch Friday, Aug. 7. Multiple times. $5.35. Gigglewaters, Safety Harbor
40 Years of Fuckin’ Up: A Film by NOFX Thursday, Aug. 7. 7 p.m. $10. Sun-Ray Cinema, Tampa
Remake Select dates Aug. 7-13. Various times. $10. Sun-Ray Cinema, Tampa
The Black Pirate (1926) Saturday, Aug. 8. 8 p.m. No cover. Sykes Chapel and Center for Faith and Values at University of Tampa, Tampa. tampatheatre.org
The Devil Wears Prada 2 Saturday, Aug. 8. Multiple times. $5.35. Gigglewaters, Safety Harbor
2026 Cat Video Fest Select dates Aug. 8-9. 2 p.m. $10. Sun-Ray Cinema, Tampa
The Seven Year Itch Sunday, Aug. 9. Multiple times. $5.35. Gigglewaters, Safety Harbor
Revenge of the Nerds Monday, Aug. 10. Multiple times. $5.35. Gigglewaters, Safety Harbor
A Fish Called Wanda Tuesday, Aug. 11. Multiple times. $5.35. Gigglewaters, Safety Harbor
As Good As It Gets Wednesday, Aug. 12. Multiple times. $5.35. Gigglewaters, Safety Harbor
Back To School Thursday, Aug. 13. Multiple times. $5.35. Gigglewaters, Safety Harbor
Learn
Art & Nature Sunset Tour with the MFA & Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center Every last Sunday through Sept. 27. 3:30 p.m. $45. Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg. mfastpete.org
Cafe con Tampa Fridays, 8 a.m. No cover. The Portico, Tampa
Coffee with a Curator Every first Wednesday. 10:30 a.m. No cover. The Dali Museum, St. Petersburg
Cigar City: Bringing Industry to Tampa Thursdays through Dec. 31. 2 p.m. $18.95. Tampa Bay History Center, Tampa. tampabayhistorycenter.org
Creatives Support Group Every other Monday. 7 p.m. No cover. Suite E Studios, St. Petersburg. @suite.e.stpete on Facebook.
Amplify Women Tampa Bay – Women at the Helm Friday, Aug. 7. 9 a.m. $150 & up. The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art, St. Petersburg. amplifywomentampabay.com
Revolutionary Ideas: An Introduction to AI Friday, Aug. 7. 10:30 a.m. No cover. East Lake Community Library, Palm Harbor. eastlakelibrary.org
Back To School Health Clinic Saturday, Aug. 8. 9 a.m. $10 registration. South University, Tampa. b2sch.org
Life Of A Bee Saturday, Aug. 8. 11 a.m. No cover. Tarpon Springs Public Library, Tarpon Springs. tarponlibrary.org
Community Photography Project drop-in Monday, Aug. 10. 5 p.m. No cover. Palm Harbor Library, Palm Harbor. palmharborlibrary.org
Genealogy Research Group Monday, Aug. 10. 6 p.m. No cover. Tarpon Springs Public Library, Tarpon Springs. tarponlibrary.org
Coffee and Referrals Networking Event Tuesday, Aug. 11. 9 a.m. $12.51 & up. Madrinas Insurance, Tampa
Markets & retail
Seminole Heights Sunday Market Sunday, Aug. 9. 10 a.m. No cover. American Legion Post 111, Seminole Heights. tampabaymarkets.com
813 Day Market Thursday, Aug. 13. 6 p.m. No cover. M. Bird, Tampa. mbirdtampa.com
News & public affairs
Drag Bingo Every first and third Wednesday. 9 p.m. No cover. American Legion Seminole Post 111, Tampa
Drag Queen Bingo feat. Stephanie Stuart Every second Wednesday. 7 p.m. $10. Emerald Coast Brewing Company, New Port Richey
Drag Queen Bingo with Crystal Reigns Every final Wednesday. 7:30 p.m. No cover. Corner Club, Seminole Heights
Deviant Coven Every first Thursday. 6 p.m. No cover. Deviant Libation, Tampa
Theater
Jobsite Theater: American Idiot Select times and dates through Aug. 9. $41.40 & up. Jaeb Theater at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa
The Last Unicorn (World premiere play adaptation) Multiple times and dates Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 13-23. $30. The Fringe Theatre, Ybor City. tampafringe.org
Jobsite Theater: Penelope Select times and dates from Wednesday, Aug. 19 through Sunday, Sept. 6. $71.40 & up. Shimberg Playhouse at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa
R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots) Saturday & Sunday, Aug. 22 & 23. 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. $5; no cover for members. Carrollwood Cultural Center, Tampa
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This article appears in Aug. 06-12, 2026.
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