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The Gasparilla Music Festival
The Gasparilla Music Festival (2026) Returns to downtown Tampa!
By Matthew Bretz
After skipping a year the Gasparilla Music Festival, put on by Water Street Tampa, is returning to a new home at Meridian Fields April 10-12! Gates open daily at 3pm and tickets are available at www.gmftickets.com.
Past lined-ups have included both national and local acts including Bog Boi, Sofi Tukker, Young MC, NAS, Coin and Band of Horses. This year the line-up is right on par with performances by Mt. Joy, Shakey Graves, GZA and the Phunky Nomads, lovelytheband, and Tampa legend Tom G. Saturday’s list includes Two Friends, Jai Wolf, Bryve Vine Kasbo and Forester. Closing Sunday night is returning favorite Gov’t Mule after a day of filled with Cimafunk, Kaitlin Butts, The Suffers, Easy Coast Nash and one of my all times— the Drive-by Truckers.
“We are really excited for what we have in store this year,” said David Cox, the executive director of the Gasparilla Music Foundation. “We really think Tampa is going to be blown away not just by the incredible musicians by also by this amazing venue right in the heart of the city.”
The 3-day festival will take place on 11.5 acres just north of the Water Street Tampa District at 101. S. Merdian Fields, placing the festival in the heart of downtown’s most energized district. Additionally the festival will include live performances and a free stage in the Water Street Tampa district.
Organizers are expecting around 10,000 attendees daily and why wouldn’t they? Excellent music, bars and food vendors from the top spots around town and fun for families as well. The GMF has long been known for its cause which is to provide musical instruments for title one classrooms and help support local musicians when in need. Come out and do your part! You won’t regret it!.
The Inaugural Suwannee Amp Jams Festival!
March 6th-8th will see the rise of Suwannee Amp Jams with the amazing Gov’t Mule playing two nights in a row. According to the schedule they are blocked off for at least 3 hours each night, but if we know Warren Haynes like we think we do than that’s enough to hold our attention and get us to the show. But there’s more!
Benefit Concert for Larry Dewese
Musician Skip Gosnell organized the event. Anita Brix wrote about it.
ZEDDEMORE
The four members of Zeddemore - vocalist Brad Burton, guitarist John Robert Bridges III, drummer Alex Petrosky and bassist Brian Roberts - have paid their dues in other bands and have now come to find each other.
NKF RICH SALICK PRO-AM SURFING FESTIVAL
Surf’s up at the 33rd Annual NKF Rich Salick PRO-AM Surfing Festival featuring the Ron Jon Surf Shop Men’s Pro, taking place Labor Day Weekend, September 1st through the 3rd, at the Westgate Resorts Cocoa Beach Pier.
ORANGA TANGA
Explaining the sound of Oranga Tango is an oxymoron. It’s not just the sound anyway, it’s about the entire presentation. Their latest move was to add muppets to their show - yes, that’s correct, muppets that Jared bought from amazon.com.
KelMarie
Her story is one that is not unlike many: aspiring songwriter dreams of someday debuting on stage to glory and fame. Then school, relationships and “real world” responsibilities would put it on hold. For years. For many, these pipe dreams would have stayed put in an old scrapbook pulled out on Friday nights. But for Kovach, aka KelMarie, it spawned a seconnd life and chance in the Sunshine State.