It'll be cows, not pirates, invading Tampa's streets at 10 a.m. Saturday. The Florida Cattlemen's Association and the Seminole Tribe of Florida will drive a herd of cattle (actually about a dozen cows) down Old Water Street from Morgan Street to the Tampa Bay History Center as part the center's exhibit on Florida cattle ranching. Carlton Ward Jr., whose collection of photos (like this one) is on display at the history center through December, will sign copies of his book, Florida Cowboys: Keepers of the Last Frontier at 801 Old Water St., Tampa. Onlookers are encouraged to watch the cattle drive from Cotanchobee Park and then visit the Cracker Cow Camp to experience the cattle-ranching lifestyle. Those events are free. For details, see tampabayhistorycenter.org or call (813) 228-0097.
FRIDAY
Mirror, mirror, welcome back
All of St. Pete, including the family pet, is invited to play retro games like Ping Pong, lawn bowling, badminton or chess while enjoying an old-fashioned cookout as part of the grand re-opening of the Mirror Lake Recreation Complex, 559 Mirror Lake Drive. Food will be available for purchase, along with beer and wine. The Friday night shuffleboard scene will be hopping, but there also will be free retro activities such as bocce, croquet, horseshoes, billiards and card or board games until from 7 to 11 p.m.
FRIDAY-SUNDAY
Dixieland jazz fest returns
Dixieland Jazz lovers get a treat this weekend when the 19th annual Suncoast Dixieland Jazz Classic lands at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort and the Marriott Suites in Clearwater Friday through Sunday. It's the largest festival of its kind on the East Coast and will feature 20 bands and artists from around the country. Tickets are $100 for all three days, or it's $40 for Friday and Sunday, $50 Saturday. Youth tickets are $10 a day. jazzclassic.net.
SATURDAY
Pull up a lounge chair
The Chillounge Night outdoor party is back, thanks to Cointreau and Michelob Ultra, bringing six semi trucks loaded with chic, South Beach-style furniture to the area adjacent to the Vinoy Hotel. The outdoor party features food, cash bars, a Brazilian Samba Parade, fashion show, Cleopatra parade on daybeds, opera performance, cigar lounge, jazz and even fireworks. It runs from 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday in North Straub Park, Fifth Avenue NE and Bayshore Drive, St. Petersburg. $15 advance, $20 at the door, $75 VIP. (941) 448-0995. chilloungenight.com.
It's getting hot in here
The preview party for the 2010 firefighter beefcake calendar will feature Tampa's Hottest Heroes. The 18-and-older-only party benefits Hillsborough County Firefighters Charities. It's at the Ritz Ybor, 1503 E Seventh Ave. in Ybor City from 7 to 11 p.m. on Saturday. $10. hcffcharities.com
SUNDAY
Get your kicks in Ybor City
Sneakerhead Sunday at Club Skye, 1509 E Eighth Ave., will create a street vibe at the club. Starting at 3 p.m. Sunday, there will be booths featuring sneakers and streetwear, plus grafitti artists painting murals and sneakers, breakdancers and an open-mic hip-hop jam. Wild 94.1 will be broadcasting live from 3 to 5 p.m. After 9 p.m., DJ Clark Kent will host a dance party and give away celebrity-signed sneakers. The cover charge is $5 during the day and $10 at night. skye1509.com.
Women take the long road
The scenic waterfront of downtown St. Petersburg will lay the path for the city's first female-only half marathon on Sunday. Women's Running magazine and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society sponsor the 13.1-mile St. Pete Women's Half Marathon at 7:30 a.m. in front of the Mahaffey Theater. womenshalfmarathon.com.
WEDNESDAY
Ugly, but still pretty fun
If you're going to get properly roasted on Thanksgiving Eve, forget about the bird, unless it's Grey Goose or Wild Turkey. Best to let the 13 Ugly Men Get Roasted party take care of things, because they obviously know what they're doing. Their annual soiree is a block party this year, taking over two bars: Rawbar Sushi and Taps Wine Bar and Lounge on Ashley Drive in downtown Tampa. It starts at 8 p.m. Wednesday. $10 for ladies, $20 for men in advance and at the door. (813) 422-5220. 13uglymen.com.
THURSDAY
No family? Feast with this one
The second annual Ybor Orphans Thanksgiving Dinner will take place at Gaspar's Grotto on Thursday. Those without a family can get a turkey three ways — deep-fried, roasted and smoked — plus there's a big buffet table with all the fixings. All they ask is that you contribute at least $15 for the meal, if you're able. gasparsgrotto.net.
5 under $5
The turkey may get stuffed, but our wallets aren't likely to grow much this week. Here are some free and cheap things to do while you wait for the bird to thaw.
FOOD On Friday, you can help stock the shelves of Metropolitan Ministries by donating food to receive up to four free circus tickets. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which is coming in January, is giving a free ticket to opening night on Jan. 6 for every 10 food items donated. Donations can be dropped off from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday only, at the St. Pete Times Forum box office, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa.
FREE Grab your water shoes for a Swamp Walk along the mangrove shoreline and tidal flats of Weedon Island. It's suitable for ages 8 and older and runs 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Weedon Island Preserve, 1800 Weedon Drive NE, St. Petersburg. It's free but registration is required at (727) 453-6500.
FREE We don't normally think of knitters as a late-night crowd, but the Late Night Knit on Saturday invites thread lovers to put on their jammies and grab their needles to join a marathon knitting and crocheting event. Bring a snack to share, your craft project and a canned food item. It runs 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday at Needles and Knobs, 7213 Central Ave., St. Petersburg.
FREE Blinking lights and Santa should get you to stop griping about the onset of the Christmas season. Seminole is holding its Bright Before Your Eyes Illuminated Night Parade at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Some 25 floats, cars and walking units will light the way for special guest Santa Claus. It begins at the Seminole Mall, 11201 Park Blvd., at 6:30 p.m. Sunday and moves north to the Seminole Recreation Center.
$5Sit in on a staged reading of Hugging the Shoulder fromJobsite Theater on Monday. It's an intense 90-minute play about a young man who kidnaps his older brother and takes him on a grueling road trip to conquer his heroin addiction. Listen in at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Shimberg Theater at Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, 1010 N MacInnes Place, Tampa. Admission is $5 at the door.
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