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Maggie Duffy - Arts and Dining Writer
Maggie Duffy

Arts and Dining Writer

I have fun covering Tampa Bay's thriving arts scene and my other passion, shopping. I'm always on the hunt for art exhibits, indie markets and small businesses to write about, so if you have one, please share it with me! I graduated from USF in 2004 with a degree in Art History, which comes in handy not only when writing art reviews, but also for the cool history stories I've been covering lately. I also worked professionally in the local art scene for years as a gallery manager and curator, so it's a thrill to continue to support the arts. I came to the Tampa Bay Times in 2006 as an editorial assistant and have found my writing voice in the past few years.

  1. Trophy Fish opens location in Tampa’s Seminole Heights
    Yesterday• Food News
    Trophy Fish, known for fresh seafood and creative cocktails, is now open in Tampa's Seminole Heights.
  2. Barbouni is a new tinned fish and raw bar at Baba in St. Petersburg
    Mar. 17• Food
    Barbouni at Baba is a new tin fish and raw seafood bar in St. Petersburg's Grand Central District.
  3. This new play details historic Tampa lunch counter sit-ins
    Mar. 17• Stage
    Black high school and college students participate in a sit-in at a Woolworth's lunch counter in Tampa on Feb. 29, 1960. Tampa's Stageworks Theatre presents a new play detailing this event, "When the Righteous Triumph," from March 17 to April 2.
  5. Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg announces new executive director and CEO
    Mar. 17• Arts
    Anne-Marie Russell is The Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg's interim executive director.
  6. Shapiro’s Gallery celebrates 25 years in downtown St. Petersburg
    Mar. 16• Shopping
    From left, Mike Shapiro, Sue Shapiro, Matt Shapiro and Alena Shapiro DiBenedetto pose for a portrait at their shop on Beach Drive in St. Petersburg in 2019. Shapiro's Gallery celebrates 25 years in downtown St. Petersburg on March 25.
  7. This Tampa-centric whodunit comedy delights at The Straz Center
    Mar. 13• Stage
    "Shear Madness" is on at the David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa through April 8.
  8. ‘Les Miserables’ and ‘Funny Girl’ among shows in Straz Center’s 2023-24 Broadway season
    Mar. 10• Stage
    "Les Miserables" is coming to the David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa from June 11-16, 2024, as part of the Broadway series.
  9. Gasparilla Music Festival will happen in April at Tampa’s Curtis Hixon Park
    Mar. 9• Music News
    The Allman Betts Band performs during the Gasparilla Music Festival at Tampa's Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park in 2022. The festival returns to the park April 29-30, 2023.
  10. Culinary center set to open in St. Petersburg’s Warehouse Arts District
    Mar. 8• Food News
    A rendering of The Foodie Labs, a culinary center set to open in St. Petersburg's Warehouse Arts District in April.
  11. ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ show coming to Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall
    Mar. 7• Arts
    Vanessa Vanjie Mateo arrives at the red carpet in Los Angeles in 2019 for Season 11 of "RuPaul's Drag Race." Mateo is part of the lineup of RuPaul's Drag Race Werq the World tour, coming to Clearwater's Ruth Eckerd Hall on June 23.
  12. Sea Grapes is re-opening with a new, larger menu on St. Pete Beach
    Mar. 7• Food
    Sea Grapes Eatery + Wine Lounge reopens with a new menu from chef Alex Rodriguez in St. Pete Beach on March 9, 2023.
  13. Step into an artist’s garden of paintings and textiles at Creative Pinellas
    Mar. 2• Visual Arts
    Bojagi constructions are displayed in Yolanda Sánchez's “Out of Eden” exhibition at Creative Pinellas in Largo.
  14. Gasparilla Festival of the Arts returns to Tampa. Here’s what to know
    Mar. 1• Visual Arts
    An estimated tens of thousands of people attended the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts at Curtis Hixon Park in Tampa in 2016. This year's festival takes place at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park in Tampa March 4-5.
  15. Hooters celebrates 40 years with specials and deals at all Tampa Bay locations
    Feb. 28• Food
    The original Hooters restaurant on Gulf to Bay Boulevard in Clearwater. Hooters celebrates its 40th anniversary with monthly events starting March 4, 2023.
  16. The Florida Orchestra’s CEO is leaving in May
    Feb. 27• Music
    Mark Cantrell, CEO and president of The Florida Orchestra is leaving in May to become the CEO of the Colorado Symphony in Denver.
  17. St. Petersburg artist Chad Mize is opening new venue called Space
    Feb. 24• Visual Arts
    The sign outside the Chad Mize-curated venue Space in St. Petersburg. A group show opens March 10.
  18. Food company A Good Human is opening a vegan cooking school in St. Petersburg
    Feb. 23• Food News
    A Good Human's gluten-free pea pesto pasta with garlicky mushrooms. The St. Petersburg plant-based food company is opening a cooking school in June.
  19. Karma Juice Bar and Eatery opening soon in downtown St. Petersburg
    Feb. 21• Food News
    Karma Juice Bar and Eatery is opening at the former location of The Blend, on First Avenue S in St. Petersburg.
  20. A national Love Mural Tour will start in St. Petersburg
    Feb. 20• Visual Arts
    Jenny Miller, co-owner of The Body Electric Yoga Company, shared a post on Facebook announcing the LOVE Mural tour kicking off at the St. Petersburg yoga studio.
  21. Coffee roaster and beer brewer King State is opening a St. Petersburg location
    Feb. 17• Food News
    King State's Tampa location.
  22. Sunken Gardens’ new sign is up in St. Petersburg
    Feb. 16• Life & Culture
    The Sunken Gardens sign was erected Thursday after being replaced in St. Petersburg.
  23. Tarot cards inspire paintings in New Port Richey
    Feb. 16• Visual Arts
    "The Hermit" is on display in Patrick Stickney's exhibition, "A Journey Through the Tarot," at the Pasco Fine Arts Council & Gallery through March 11.
  24. Trip’s Diner in Seminole has closed and is now the Apple Butter Cafe
    Feb. 15• Food
    Trip's Diner in Seminole has closed, and reopened Feb. 15 as the Apple Butter Cafe.