Change being in the air and all, the stage entertainment calendar for October has a markedly different makeup from the past few months. October means, among other things, that the snowbirds will start to flock their way to our area. Accordingly, The Florida Orchestra wakes up from its long, annual summer snooze.
Outdoor concerts are slowing down, as the air cools. Clearwater’s BayCare Sound, and the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre (at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa) are programmed through mid-November, with nothing on the books (so far, anyway) afterwards.
Let’s look at 10 big takeaways from the October calendar.
Based on the true story of the 1851 Atlanta Washerwomen’s Strike, The Wash is directed by Erica Sutherlin at The Studio@620, St. Petersburg Oct. 1-11; it’s a co-production with Powerstories.
Colombian reggaeton singer Karol G plays Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Oct. 9. Among her accolades: Eight Latin Grammy Awards and eleven Guinness World Records.
Standup comedy star Aziz Ansari is onstage Oct. 10 at Ferguson Hall in Tampa’s Straz Center for the Performing Arts. Ansari’s Nightclub Comedian is now streaming on Netflix.
Part of the Mount Rushmore of Americana music (there’s a lot of stony heads on that particular edifice), the Avett Brothers return to the bay area for an Oct. 10 show at the BayCare Sound, Clearwater.
Quirky bandleader Rivers Cuomo and his quirky band Weezer have a date Oct. 14 at Tampa’s Benchmark International Arena. Support from the Shins and Silversun Pickups.
Jobsite Theater (in the Jaeb Theatre, Straz Center) mounts a larger-than-before production of one of its biggest hits from 2023, Stephen King’s Misery. Dates are Oct. 14-Nov. 8.
The Florida Orchestra’s Masterworks season starts Oct. 2 and 4 with a program topped off by Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, but Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade (Oct. 16 at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater and on the 17th at St. Pete’s Mahaffey Theater), is a bright and shining program also featuring pianist Jeneba Kanneh-Mason on composer Florence Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement.
Billy Corgan and Smashing Pumpkins, once more unto the breach: The Rats in a Cage tour brings the Chicago alt-rock champions to Benchmark International Arena Oct. 18.
The touring production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s epic musical Hamilton returns to Morsani Hall Oct. 21-Nov. 5 as part of the Straz Center for the Performing Arts (Tampa) Broadway Series.
R&B/pop crooner Teddy Swims will appear Oct. 25 at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa.
The calendar
Oct. 1-11 The Wash at The Studio@620
Oct. 2 Fiesta Somos St. Pete at the Dali Museum (part of Latin Heritage Month celebration)
Oct. 2 Atsuko Okatsuka (comedy) at Straz Center Ferguson Hall
Oct. 2 and Oct. 4 The Florida Orchestra/Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture at the Mahaffey Theater
Oct. 2 America at Ruth Eckerd Hall
Oct. 3 Treaty Oak Revival at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre
Oct. 3 Caamp at Mahaffey Theater
Oct. 3 Janis Ian (audience Q&A) at Catherine Hickman Theatre, Gulfport
Oct. 4 Ziggy Marley, Gov’t Mule at the BayCare Sound
Oct. 4 Stewart Tussing Band at New Tampa Performing Arts Center
Oct. 4 Celtic Thunder at Ruth Eckerd Hall
Oct. 6-11 Broadway Series: Buena Vista Social Club at Straz Center Morsani Hall
Oct. 8 Logic & G-Eazy at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre
Oct. 8 Dermot Kennedy at the Yuengling Center
Oct. 8 Boz Scaggs at Ruth Eckerd Hall
Oct. 8 Allison Nash/Alejandro Arenas at freeFall Theatre
Oct. 8 Classic Albums Live The Dark Side of the Moon at the Capitol Theatre
Oct. 9 Bryson Tiller at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre
Oct. 9 Karol G at Raymond James Stadium
Oct. 9 Nurse John (comedy) (two shows) at the Mahaffey Theater
Oct. 9 The Florida Orchestra Music of the Beatles at Straz Center Morsani Hall
Oct. 9 Ty Myers, Lanie Gardner & Benny G at the BayCare Sound
Oct. 9 Postmodern Jukebox at Ruth Eckerd Hall
Oct. 10 The Florida Orchestra Music of the Beatles at the Mahaffey Theater
Oct. 10 Aziz Ansari (comedy) at Straz Center/Ferguson Hall
Oct. 10 Jimmy Falla at the Capitol Theatre
Oct. 10 The Avett Brothers at the BayCare Sound
Oct. 10 Tom Jones at Ruth Eckerd Hall
Oct. 10 The Artimus Pyle Band at Central Park Performing Arts Center
Oct. 10 Five Finger Death Punch at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre
Oct. 11 38 Special, The Marshall Tucker Band and Don Felder at the BayCare Sound
Oct. 13 Black Violin with Braxton Cook at Straz Center Morsani Hall
Oct. 13 Tedeschi Trucks Band at the BayCare Sound
Oct. 13 Tampa Bay Symphony String Quartet at Peace Memorial Presbyterian Church
Oct. 14 Weezer at Benchmark International Arena
Oct. 14 Rodrigo y Gabriela at the Capitol Theatre
Oct. 14-Nov. 8 Jobsite Theater’s Misery at Straz Center Jaeb Theatre
Oct. 15-18 Clearwater Jazz Holiday, Coachman Park
Oct. 15-25 Constellations at the Off-Central
Oct. 15 The Vampire Circus at Ruth Eckerd Hall
Oct. 15 The Florida Orchestra: Inside Scheherazade at the Mahaffey Theater
Oct. 16 Dan + Shay at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre
Oct. 16 Oz Noy Trio at Central Park Performing Arts Center
Oct. 16 The Florida Orchestra Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade at Ruth Eckerd Hall
Oct. 17 Suicide Boys Grey Day Tour 2026 at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre
Oct. 17 Juntos y con Ritmo at the Yuengling Center
Oct. 17 The Florida Orchestra Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade at the Mahaffey Theater
Oct. 18 Smashing Pumpkins at Benchmark International Arena
Oct. 18 Bill Wharton The Sauce Boss at Safety Harbor Art & Music Center
Oct. 19 Breaking Benjamin at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre
Oct. 20: Fangs (staged reading) at the Beach Theatre
Oct. 21-Nov. 5 Broadway Series: Hamilton at Straz Center Morsani Hall
Oct. 22 Rocky Horror Picture Show Spooktacular Tour with Patricia Quinn at Straz Center Ferguson Hall
Oct. 22 Jake Owen at the BayCare Sound
Oct. 22 Live Dead & Brothers at the Capitol Theatre
Oct. 22 Guitarist Andrew York in the Marly Music Room, Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg
Oct. 23 Jessica Kirson (comedy) at the Capitol Theatre
Oct. 23 Cake at the BayCare Sound
Oct. 23-Nov. 1 St. Pete Opera: The Medium/Voices From the Other Side at Opera Central
Oct. 25 Teddy Swims at Benchmark International Arena
Oct. 24 The Florida Orchestra Pops in the Park at Vinoy Park
Oct. 24 Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue at Ruth Eckerd Hall
Oct. 24: Rachel Potter at Central Park Performing Arts Center
Oct. 25 Etta May (comedy) at Central Park Performing Arts Center
Oct. 25 The Florida Orchestra A Star to Remember at the Mahaffey Theater
Oct. 26 Drivn N Cryn at Skipper’s Smokehouse
Oct. 28 Steve Lacy at the Yuengling Center
Oct. 30 Chayanne at Benchmark International Arena
Oct. 30 The Florida Orchestra John Williams @ 95 at Straz Center Morsani Hall
Oct. 30. St. Pete Collective: The Music of James Taylor at New Tampa Performing Arts Center
Oct. 30 Sonic Live in Concert at the Mahaffey Theater
Oct. 31 Ghostbusters In Concert (film screening with orchestra) at Ruth Eckerd Hall
Websites
St. Petersburg/Largo:
Central Park Performing Arts Center
Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg
Clearwater/Safety Harbor/Dunedin/Tarpon Springs:
Ruth Eckerd Hall/BayCareSound/Murray Theatre
Tampa:
Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre
New Tampa Performing Arts Center
Seminole Hard Rock Event Center
This content provided in partnership with StPeteCatalyst.com