Lucky you. You just found TBAYtoday’s Plan Ahead, a list of some of the biggest events to plan for that are taking place throughout Tampa Bay each month.

Take out your calendar, grab your day planner, or text all your friends — these are the top events we recommend heading to this month. Psst: Don’t forget to bookmark this page and come back. We update our guide monthly.

(Don’t see anything you like? Check out our full events calendar.)

Theater

New Tampa Players Presents: "Annie" | Saturday, Aug. 1+ Sunday, Aug. 2 | Times vary | New Tampa Performing Arts Center | $31

"At All Cost" | Saturday, Aug. 1 | Stageworks Theatre | $30+

"Penelope" | Wednesday, Aug. 19-Sunday, Sept. 6 | Times vary | Shimberg Playhouse | $128+

Shows

John Mellencamp "Dancing Words Tour: The Greatest Hits" | Monday, Aug. 3 | 8 p.m. | MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre | $27+

Mumford & Sons: "Prizefighter Tour" | Friday, Aug. 7 | 7:30 p.m. | Benchmark International Arena | $35+

Avenged Sevenfold and Good Charlotte: "North American Tour 2026" | Tuesday, Aug. 18 | 6 p.m. | MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre | $54+

Jack Johnson: "SURFILMUSIC Tour 2026" | Wednesday, Aug. 19 | 7:30 p.m. | MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre | $67+

Sports

2026 Tampa Bay Soccer Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Awards Dinner | Thursday, Aug. 13 | 5:30-9 p.m. | Higgins Hall at St. Lawrence Catholic Church | $90+

Rays Summer Concert Series: Jordan Davis | Saturday, Aug. 15 | 9:10 p.m. | Tropicana Field | $32+

Preseason Game 1: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Kansas City Chiefs | 7:30 p.m. | Raymond James Stadium | $25+

Learn

Multi-Media Gold Leafing workshop with Grace Hoppie | Saturday, Aug 8 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Morean Arts Center | $70

Workshop: Surreal Pet Portrait Painting | Tuesday, Aug 18 | 6-9 p.m. | The Dalí Museum | $50+

Arts + Film

The Art of Banksy | Saturday, Aug. 1-Sunday, Aug. 30 | Times vary | The Straz Center for the Performing Arts | $39+

Warhol Birthday & Pop Art Party 4.0 | Friday, Aug. 7 | 7-10 p.m. | FloridaRAMA Gallery | Free

Back To School BOGO Hunt | Saturday, Aug. 8-Monday, Aug. 10 | Times vary | FloridaRAMA | $27

Eat

Omakase Dinner | Tuesday, Aug. 25 | 5:30-9:30 p.m. | ro Hyde Park | $150

Festivals

"CatVideoFest" | Friday, Aug. 7-Wednesday, Aug. 12 | Times vary | Tampa Theatre | $2+

St. Pete Foodie Fest | Saturday, Aug. 8 | 4 p.m. | Tropicana Field | Price of purchase

Joke Wrld Fest | Friday, Aug. 14-Saturday, Aug. 15 | 1-11:30 p.m. | Coastal Creative | $120+

Active

First Annual Caribbean Golf Classic 2026 | Saturday, Aug. 15 | 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. | Rogers Park Golf Course | $28+

Seasonal

Back to School Bash | Saturday, Aug. 1 | 9 a.m.-1 p.m. | Main Event Wesley Chapel | Free

Annual Back to School Fair | Saturday, Aug. 1 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Citrus Park Town Center Mall | Free

AquaGlow | Saturday, Aug. 1, Friday, Aug. 7, Saturday, Aug. 8 | 8-11 p.m. | Adventure Island | $39+

Summer Scream | Sunday, Aug. 9 | 2 p.m. | Busch Gardens Tampa Bay | $38+

Shop

Tampa Creative Market | Friday, Aug. 7 + Sunday, Aug. 9 | 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. | Cuban Club | Free entry

Misc.

Art After Dark: Summer Sessions with Lost Coast Oyster Co. | Thursday, Aug. 6 | 5-8 p.m. | Café Clementine | $16

Charlie Wall Ybor Speak Easy Fundraiser Featuring Paul Wilborn | Thursday, Aug. 6 | 5:30-7 p.m. | Florida Museum of Photographic Arts | $50+

Sounds of the Street | Thursday, Aug. 13 | 5:30-8:30 p.m. | Water Street Tampa | Free entry

Have an event of your own you want to share with us? Follow these easy steps to add your events to our calendar:

Go to our Events page.
Click “Add Event” in the top right-hand corner.
Make sure to include a link and fill out important information like the date, time, location, and price of your event.
Click “Submit,” and you’ve just added an event to our website calendar.