Plan your weekend
Pop show
Florida Björkestra's Buffyfest: Pop culture meets pop music when the Florida Björkestra, a 20-piece alternative-classical ensemble that tributes ground-breaking pop artists, on Saturday will play with eight vocalists for "Once More with Feeling," the Season 6 musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And they want the audience to sing along and have fun. St. Petersburg's Palladium plans to turn Hough Hall into the Bronze, a nightclub on the show that was regularly attacked by vampires. The Side Door will be transformed into the Magic Box, with Emerald City Comics and Serenity Games selling their wares. Doors open at 7 p.m., show time 8 p.m. Tickets are $28-$40. Costumes encouraged.
Stage
Rent: The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical remains one of the most influential shows of all time. With echoes of Puccini's La Boheme it brought the AIDS crisis front and center. The 20th anniversary tour is in Tampa and running through Sunday and it still feels fresh and relevant. $31-$67. Carol Morsani Hall at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts, 1010 N MacInnes Place, Tampa. (813) 229-7827. strazcenter.org.
Take the kids
Happy Anniversary Glazer Museum: The children's museum celebrates its seventh anniversary with free admission all weekend long. It's open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sunday at 110 W Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa. (813) 443-3861. Then consider using that savings for a ticket to the Harry Potter-themed after-hours party at 5:30 p.m. Saturday that transforms the museum into the Great Hall at Hogwarts with a sorting hat ceremony at dinner. $65 at glazermuseum.org. (813) 443-3861.
Concert
Arcade Fire: The Montreal indie rock collective's stellar live reputation comes from years of exuberant anthems like Wake Up, No Cars Go and Reflektor. Wolf Parade opens at 8 p.m. Friday at the USF Sun Dome, 4202 E Fowler Ave., Tampa. $35 and up. (813) 974-3004. sundomearena.com. Afterward, multi-instrumentalist Will Butler will swing by Crowbar for a "Disco Town Hall," a dance night designed to encourage attendees to get involved with activist groups and organizations. A dollar from every $5 ticket will go toward Partners in Health. ticketfly.com
Comedy
Billy Gardell: The star of Mike and Molly is a veteran stand-up comedian best known for his down-to-earth comedy act. Goodness knows we could use a laugh this week. Shows are at 6:30 and 9 p.m. Saturday at Side Splitters Comedy Club, 12938 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa. $35-$65. (813) 960-1197. sidesplitterscomedy.com.
Memorial
Remembering Snooty: This public memorial was postponed by Hurricane Irma but on Sunday the community gets a chance to honor Snooty, the beloved 69-year-old manatee at Bradenton's South Florida Museum. The world-famous manatee drowned in his tank in late July. The museum will be open to the public for free for a day of remembrance from noon to 5 p.m. The celebration will include a visual tribute to the manatee certified by Guinness World Records as the oldest manatee in human care. There will also be memorial arts and crafts projects and a visit to the Museum's Manatee Rehabilitation Program in the Parker Manatee Aquarium. 201 10th St. W, Bradenton. (941) 746-4131.
Wellness
Wanderlust 108: The world's only "mindful triathlon" returns to Tampa on Sunday. It's a 5K run (or walk, your choice), followed by 90 minutes of yoga and 30 minutes of guided meditation in the middle of Tampa's Curtis Hixon Park. Last year was Tampa's first, and almost 2,000 people joined in to sweat and chant together. Veterans say it's more fun to do in a group. It's also family friendly. Kids 13 and under are free. With a festival ticket you are able to schedule three classes or activities like hula hooping. Some activities, like aerial yoga, are an additional cost. $21-$48 at wanderlust.com. 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday. 600 N Ashley Drive, Tampa.
Boo
Howl-O-Scream: Busch Gardens annual scare fest opens Friday and runs on select nights through Oct. 29 at the Tampa theme park. With seven haunted houses, five scare zones and the chance to ride coasters in the dark, it aims to test your nerves. Two new haunts this year are Undead Arena: Live, set in a post-apocalyptic world with Brain Eaters in the mix, and Demented Dimensions, where every room and hallway holds a door to a different universe. It opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, but a ticket includes early access to the park at 5 p.m. Tickets start at $39.99 at buschgardens.com. (888) 800-5447. 10165 N McKinley Drive, Tampa.