MegaCon Tampa Bay: The multi-genre convention opens today with a lineup of celebrity guests and comic book creators; hundreds of vendors selling art, toys and memorabilia. There will be a celebrity Q&A with Weasley twins from the Harry Potter films, Oliver and James Phelps, who will be in Ballroom A at 7 p.m. The convention opens at 4 p.m., Tampa Convention Center, 333 S Franklin St., Tampa. $25-$89; $10 children age 6-12 (free with online coupon); 5 and younger free. (813) 274-8511; megacontampabay.com.
Game of Thrones featuring Ramin Djawadi: Two-time Emmy-nominated composer for Games of Thrones and Westworld will lead an orchestra and choir performing music from all seven seasons of the iconic HBO series. 7 p.m., Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa. $39.50-$99.50. (813) 301-2500; amaliearena.com.
Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens: It's opening night of the scarefest with six haunted houses and scare zones and the chance to ride coasters in the dark, sometimes with a zombie sitting next to you. New haunts this year are Insomnia, set in an asylum and Simon's Slaughterhouse. Includes early access to the park at 5 p.m. and remains open until 1 a.m. 7:30 p.m., Busch Gardens, 10165 N McKinley Drive, Tampa. $39.99 and up. (813) 884-4386; howloscream.com/tampa.
Mike E. Winfield: He's appeared on Comedy Central's Live at Gotham and on BET's Comic View. 8 and 10:15 p.m., Side Splitters Comedy Club, 12938 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa. $10-$16.50. (813) 960-1197; sidesplitterscomedy.com.
Tampa Bay Boat Show: This three-day sales event features the area's top boat dealers/manufacturers, the latest in boating and fishing supplies, and accessories. 10 a.m., Florida State Fairgrounds, 4802 U.S. 301 N, Tampa. Free. (727) 893-8523; floridastatefair.com.
Chicago: The Tony-Award winning musical is a universal tale of fame, fortune and All that Jazz. Part of the Straz's Broadway series. 8 p.m., Carol Morsani Hall at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts, 1010 N MacInnes Place, Tampa. Start at $31. (813) 229-7827; strazcenter.org.
Pig: Veteran industrial act formed by founding member Raymond Watts also known as Nainz, Nainz Watts, and Ray Scaballero will perform. 8 p.m., The Orpheum, 1915 E Seventh Ave., Ybor City. $15-$40. (813) 248-9500; theorpheum.com.
Here Come the Mummies: Funk-rock band. 8 p.m., Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater. $35. $40. (727) 791-7400.
The Play: Pittsburgh Steelers legend Rocky Bleier's one-man-show tells the story of the four-time Super Bowl champ's life. 8:30 p.m., Ferguson Hall at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts, 1010 N MacInnes Place, Tampa. $45-$65. (813) 229-7827; strazcenter.org.
Clearwater Beach Restaurant Week: Culinary celebration Sept. 14-23 offers the chance to check out Clearwater's roster of top-notch restaurants, with prix fixe menus. See clearwaterbeachrestaurantweek.com for complete list of participating restaurants.
TFO on the Go: The Florida Orchestra presents a blitz of free community concerts all over Tampa Bay to celebrate the beginning of TFO's new season. A clarinet trio appears at 11 a.m. at the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts. A string quartet will play at noon at Tampa Armature Works, 1910 N Ola Ave., Tampa. And a brass quintet plays at 7 p.m., Tampa International Airport, 4100 George J. Bean Parkway, Tampa.
Clean Comedy: Featuring Juanita Lolita, Bill "Bull" Ohse and BC Murphy. 7:30 p.m., Firehouse Cultural Center, 101 First Ave. NE, Ruskin. $23, $18 members advance; $28, $23 members day of show. (813) 645-7651; firehouseculturalcenter.org.
Scream-A-Geddon: Brace yourself for this one. The interaction meter goes off the charts at this Halloween haunt this year with the addition of Rage 3D, Demon's Revenge and Zombie Paintball Assault in which you literally hunt, shoot and kill zombies. Opens tonight at 7:30 p.m., Scream-A-Geddon, 27839 Saint Joe Road, Dade City. $19.95-$39.95, $9.95-$19.95 paintball. (813) 452-5412; screamageddon.com.
Gary Owen: In addition to numerous comedy specials on Showtime and Starz, he's appeared in the films Think Like a Man, Ride Along, Little Man and Meet the Blacks, and was proclaimed " Black America's favorite comic" by Ebony magazine. 8 and 10:30 p.m., Improv Comedy Theater, 1600 E Eighth Ave., Tampa. $27-$30; $40 VIP. (813) 864-4000; improvtampa.com.
Chris Lake: Grammy nominated house DJ and producer will perform. 10 p.m., The Kennedy, 2408 W Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. $15-$40. (813) 259-9669; thekennedysoho.com.
Rewind: A Different Kind of Movie Series: Battle Royale: A series of favorite films audiences say they watch, rewind, and watch again brings 2000's Battle Royale. 10:30 p.m., Tampa Theatre, 711 Franklin St., Tampa. $8, $5 members. (813) 274-8982.
KIDS AND FAMILY
Sunset Cinema at Pier 60: I Kill Giants: Bring blankets or low lawn chairs to watch I Kill Giants on a jumbo sized screen. No alcohol. Shows start around dusk. 7:45 p.m., Pier 60, 10 Pier 60 Drive, Clearwater Beach. Free. (727) 449-1036; sunsetsatpier60.com.
St. Pete Shuffle: A family-friendly night of shuffleboard with all equipment provided. Instruction available. Well behaved dogs welcome. 7 p.m., Mirror Lake St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club, 559 Mirror Lake Drive N, St. Petersburg. $2, members free. (727) 822-2083 ; stpeteshuffle.com.
TO WATCH
SERIES PREMIERE Maniac, Netflix: The trippy new limited series continues the fall trend of big stars doing TV. Emma Stone and Jonah Hill play two troubled people drawn to a pharmaceutical trial run by a mysterious doctor (Justin Theroux) who promises to cure all their woes. It winds up going terribly wrong.
MORE TO EXPLORE
Find things to do with the kids at tampabay.com/things-to-do.