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Plan your weekend Oct. 9-11: Oktoberfest, Internet Cat Video Festival, ZooBoo

 
Strong-arm tactics are needed for the beer stein-holding competition at Oktoberfest Tampa at Curtis Hixon Park in Tampa.
Strong-arm tactics are needed for the beer stein-holding competition at Oktoberfest Tampa at Curtis Hixon Park in Tampa.
Published Oct. 8, 2015

Plan your weekend

Oompah

Oktoberfest: Tampa Bay's monthlong obsession with all things German continues with Oktoberfest Tampa's giant beer garden in Curtis Hixon Park, and games from stein races contests to Carry the Wench races. Friday through Sunday ($10, $25 weekend) at oktoberfesttampa.com. Curtis Hixon Park, 600 N Ashley Drive, Tampa. (813) 397-8722.

Pet fun

Internet Cat Videos and PetWalk: Saturday belongs to the dogs when the SPCA holds its annual PetWalk fundraiser in Vinoy Park, but Friday is for felines, with an outdoor screening of the wildly popular Internet Cat Video Festival in Vinoy Park. SPCA Tampa Bay did a similar festival in May but it promises this is an all-new collection of cat antics because there is a seemingly bottomless well of kitty comedy on the Internet. Bring something to sit on and a picnic basket. There will also be food trucks for your noshing needs. It costs $10 for this fundraiser featuring a 75-minute reel of cat comedians from 6:30-9 p.m. Friday. The PetWalk starts a 9 a.m. Saturday and registration is $25 at petwalk.org. All events will be held at Vinoy Park, 701 Bay Shore Drive NE in downtown St. Petersburg.

Look up

FitLine Zip Line Fitlife Foods is setting up two 25-foot-high zip lines Friday on Franklin Street in downtown Tampa to carry people from Zack to Madison streets. There's also a 100-yard interactive game area of activities and contests. Benefits the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. $10 zip line or rock wall, $15 both. (813) 451-6750.

Date night

Comedy: Gilbert Gottfried brings his uniquely grating voice (Iago from Aladdin) and filthy sense of humor to Tampa's Side Splitters Comedy Club from today through Saturday ($23-$27) and Last Comic Standing alum Lavell Crawford, best known as Huell Babineaux in Breaking Bad, performs Saturday at the Capitol Theatre ($25-$50).

Film

99 Homes Ramin Bahrani, who was anointed by the late Roger Ebert as "the new great American director," has a recession thriller out this weekend called 99 Homes with Tampa Bay in a supporting role. Set in 2010 Florida during the home foreclosure crisis, 99 Homes is both a tutorial in fraud and a subtle noir in broad daylight. Bahrani researched his subject statewide in 2013, including a stop in Tampa Bay for background information. Starring Michael Shannon as a foreclosure demon mercilessly kicking out families, and Andrew Garfield as a single father living with his mother Laura Dern. An interview with Bharani is on Page 9.

Music

Florida Orchestra Pops: The orchestra goes to the movies with a pops show called "A Night at the Oscars" featuring music from films including The Godfather, Rocky and Lord of the Rings. Performances are Friday at the Straz Center, Saturday at the Mahaffey Theater, Sunday at Ruth Eckerd Hall. $15-$45. (727) 892-3337.

Take the kids

ZooBoo Kids: Lowry Park Zoo's Halloween attraction opens Saturday for select days through Nov. 1. It's geared for ages 11 and younger with "fright free" festivities. Included with admission: $27.95, $25.95 seniors, $20.95 ages 3-11, 2 and younger free. (813) 935-8552.

— Sharon Kennedy Wynne, Times Staff Writer, swynne@tampabay.com. Follow @SharonKWn.