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  • 39th annual Sarasota Holiday Boat Parade of Lights set for Saturday

    SARASOTA, Fla. — If you’re looking for some holiday cheer with a view this weekend, you might want to check out the 39th annual Sarasota Holiday Boat Parade of Lights.

    SEE ALSO: Top stories from the week and fun things to do this weekend

    Thirty brightly decorated boats will glide past Marina Jack and Bayfront Park.

    The event is from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

    Organizers are asking visitors to bring an unwrapped toy or book to the event so it can be donated to kids in need.

    Spectrum Bay News 9’s Melissa Eichman discovered what goes into building a float for the parade.

    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Annual Celebration of Lights brings holiday spirit to Shady Hills

    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — The Pasco County community of Shady Hills is holding its annual Celebration of Lights at The Concourse.

    The light display is thanks to a former resident who didn’t get to live to see it come to pass.

    The Celebration of Light display was the dream of local businessman Dave Parris, who wanted something for Pasco County like there was in his hometown of Altoona, Penn.

    “So he started that in 2012. Unfortunately, a couple of months before it opened, Dave passed away from cancer,” said event director Justina Giglio. “So we opened it in his name, and we took over as a nonprofit.”

    It has a mile and a half of light displays, including a huge Christmas tree and a giant flag.

    You can even take a ride on a miniature train. You can either walk the course or drive.

    For more information including the remaining dates for this year, click here.

    Use the video link above for the On The Town report by Spectrum Bay News 9’s Rick Elmhorst.

    Spectrum News Staff

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  • ZooTampa’s Christmas in the Wild illuminates the season

    TAMPA, Fla. — More than one million twinkling lights set the stage for ZooTampa’s Christmas in the Wild, on select dates in December.

    What You Need To Know

    • ZooTampa’s Christmas in the Wild includes over a million lights

    • Enjoy an “hymn-prov” show, stilt angel dancing, and cookies with Mrs. Clause

    • Proceeds support ZooTampa’s wildlife protection mission

    • Admission is $29.95, starting after 4 p.m. on select December dates


    Among the activities for the evening event, there is an “hymn-prov” show, with funny takes on favorite Christmas carols especially created for children and families.

    There is dancing with stilt angels, cookies with Mrs. Clause and visiting with Santa.

    Proceeds from every purchase go towards ZooTampa and their mission to protect and preserve wildlife.

    Admission to Christmas in the Wild is $29.95 and takes place after 4 p.m. on select dates.

    Virginia Johnson

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  • Wallenda promises mix of circus, Broadway, American Ninja Warrior at new show

    SARASOTA, Fla. — Daredevil high-wire artist Nik Wallenda is back this winter with a new show in Sarasota. 

    With Wallenda as executive producer, University Town Center is offering Wonderland: Believe from Friday, Nov. 21 to Sunday, Jan. 4.

    Wallenda told Spectrum Bay News 9 that the show offers a combination of story, acrobatics, daring high-wire precision and show-stopping numbers.

    “We are very much a blend of American Ninja Warrior, Broadway and circus,” Wallenda said.

    It’s the latest show for Wallenda, a member of the legendary Flying Wallendas family. He holds more than a dozen Guinness World Records and labels himself a “producer, daredevil, entertainer, TV personality, motivational speaker and author.”

    Wallenda said he recruited performers from around the globe — “the best of the best” — to show off their skills at this event.

    Jeff Butera

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  • Sanding Ovations returns to Treasure Island after last year’s cancellation

    TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — Sanding Ovations returns for its 17th year after 2024’s hurricane season canceled the popular sand sculpting festival.

    Sculptors make their own molds, and by compacting sand and water, they make their own building blocks — or “sandstone.”

    “It’s pretty basic,” said Meredith Corson-Doubleday, festival co-founder. “It’s construction work.”

    Corson-Doubleday knows many in her barrier island community who remain displaced.

    “But they are all here. I’ve seen so many of them that are staying in condos, staying in hotels just so they can be here for this weekend,” she said. “They’re not gonna miss it because their house isn’t ready. They’re not gonna miss it.”

    This year’s theme – a museum vibe, where one could walk through a gallery of sculptures and contemplate the art.

    Enter The Dali Museum, as an event partner.

    “The sculptors are going to go to the museum Thursday night. They are so excited to go,” said Corson-Doubleday.

    Dali also inspired the centerpiece — where each of the dozen sculptors depicts Dali’s artistic idea blooming from his head.

    “You’ll see some melted clocks, long-legged elephants, pyramids,” said Corson-Doubleday.

    And as Sanding Ovations returns, Corson–Doubleday hopes visitors see a reflection of a rebuilding and recovering community in their work.

    “It’s art. It’s art — just a different form,” said Corson-Doubleday.

    Look for a beer garden, Saturday night fireworks, touring bands and kite flying showcases.

    And dozens and dozens of vendors, from boutique beachwear to mini donuts.

    Virginia Johnson

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  • Pioneer Florida Museum and Village to hold Civil War reenactment

    DADE CITY, Fla. — The Pioneer Florida Museum and Village in Dade City will host a Civil War reenactment on Saturday.

    But there is more going on than just witnessing a battle.

    There will be living history presentations such as traditional blacksmith and carpentry demos.

    It will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

    Spectrum Bay News 9’s Roy De Jesus previews the event above.

    Roy De Jesus

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  • Florida Museum of Photographic Arts exhibition shows life at war and peace

    TAMPA, Fla. — Tom Arthur’s favorite subjects for pictures these days are his grandchildren. But in another time, his pictures were less about love, and more about war.

    “So, I carried a Brownie camera in this left front pocket,” he said, pointing to a picture of himself as a soldier standing next to a recently bombed pagoda.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts “The Soldier’s Lens” exhibition is on display through Jan. 25, 2026

    • More than 100 pictures on display at the Ybor City museum, with hundreds more available in an online gallery

    • Alexis Muellner, the co-creator of the exhibition and chairperson of the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, says the photos unlock a “rich history” of the U.S. military


    “And I put it there just in case it slowed a bullet down,” he added with a laugh.

    It was Arthur’s candid Vietnam War pictures that inspired “The Soldier’s Lens,” the latest exhibition at the Florida Museum of Photographic Art in Tampa, which will be on display through Jan. 25.

    “It’s just neat to see all these different people and the different services and where they were in the world and what was going on,” Arthur said.

    There are more than 100 photographs on display in the exhibition. Some are candid, some are of familiar, but all show life in the U.S. armed forces.

    “So few people really understand,” said Alexis Muellner, curator and co-creator of “The Soldier’s Lens.” “And what’s happened to the stories behind the photographs — there’s rich history being unlocked.”

    “The American public was not engaged — it was just the military that engaged,” Arthur said.

    This show leans into their story.

    “I’m just very proud to be a very small part of it,” he said. “It’s neat to see it all.”

    For more information on “The Soldier’s Lens” at the Florida Museum of Photographic Art, visit the organization’s website.

    Virginia Johnson

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  • Homosassa celebrates half-century with festival

    The Homosassa Civic Club hosts the 50th Arts, Crafts and Seafood Festival on Saturday and Sunday.

    Held in Old Homosassa, the festival will also offer a kids zone, live music and raffles.

    The Homosassa Yukers will play both days from 10:00-11:30 a.m.

    The event gives those in attendance a chance to see some of the best work from local artists.

    “There’s so many artists right here that live here. It’s exciting. I love being a part of this,” said Cindy Ersch, the festival’s coordinator.

    The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. On Sunday, the festival will be happening from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

    Jeff Butera

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  • St. Petersburg Baroque exhibition offers rare look at Caravaggio paintings

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — After more than four centuries, the art of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio continues to take people’s breath away.

    Some experts say the work of Caravaggio heavily influenced the Baroque period of art, and visitors can see his works at the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg at its latest exhibition: “In Caravaggio’s Light: Baroque Masterpieces from the Fondazione Roberto Longhi.”

    In addition to two Caravaggio works, patrons can see his influences in dozens of others.

    Two of Caravaggio’s early works — “Boy Bitten by a Lizard” and “Boy Peeling Fruit” — are on display.

    The Italian artist was active starting at the end of the 16th century. For context, that’s close to 100 years after Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa.

    Some of his works and the other Baroque art are part of the collection of Roberto Longhi, an Italian art historian and collector. Longhi died in 1970, and representatives of his foundation came to the MFA St. Pete to see the work hung.

    Many Baroque paintings depict religious themes, and the exhibition’s large hanging canvasses are filled with dramatic scenery of Jesus’ life and death.

    These solemn scenes are a marked departure from the details of Caravaggio’s personal life, which historians say was filled with brawling, murder and banishment.

    Ironically, the Roman Catholic Church used dramatic interpretations of biblical teachings by artists influenced by Caravaggio to inspire religious devotion.

    “I think it’s important to imagine that during this time period, there was no color print. There were no TVs, no computer screens,” explained Stanton Thomas, the chief curator of the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg.

    The exhibit’s paintings also show an element Caravaggio used to “up” the drama — “chiaroscuro,” or the sharp and dramatic contrast of light and dark.

    The museum is also hosting an accompanying exhibition “Baroque Continuum,” which shows Caravaggio’s impact on art both is his time and long after.

    Virginia Johnson

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  • New arts hub comes to Lakeland

    The Lakeland Arts Association is launching a new joint venture aimed at creating an arts hub in Lakeland.

    Along with the building owner, the association is opening the Depot Arts District on Memorial Boulevard. As part of an effort to revitalize the six-mile stretch of Memorial Boulevard from Interstate 4 to East Lake Parker Drive, they hope the Depot Arts District will be a cornerstone for the arts in the city.

    It will offer:

    • 35 studios for artists to rent ($500/month including electricity, water and Wi-Fi
    • Two art galleries to display the work of local artists
    • Rooms for art classes, including children’s arts education
    • An arts supply shop

    “For me, I’m so excited to have my own space. I’ve been working out of my garage and computer desk,” said Carley Bracewell, a stained glass artist in Lakeland. “Now I have an entire studio with a giant workspace to work on my own projects and commissions, but also teach people in a class setting. That’s really exciting to me.”

    On Saturday, Nov. 1, the Depot Arts District will host its inaugural event. It’s called “Artwork Comes To Life.” It runs from 6-9 p.m. at the facility located at 955 E. Memorial Blvd. Memorial Blvd.

    Spectrum News Staff

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  • New Family scare night offers a lights-on, no-monster walk in Sir Henry’s

    PLANT CITY, Fla. — Though he owns the Plant City scare attraction, Zack Glaros does not walk Sir Henry’s Haunted Trail on off nights.

    What You Need To Know

    • Thursday, Oct. 30: New Family Scare night with lights on, no monster scares

    • Admission costs about $30


    “Not by myself,” Glaros said, with a chuckle.

    Raven’s Gate Asylum has a bathroom scene that will turn your stomach.

    “We spend a lot of time just making these scenes look nasty and disgusting. So it evokes a certain emotion when you come through,” said Glaros.

    Evoking those emotions has fueled the growth of the Plant City attraction, with brand-new costume and prop warehouse space for 2025.

    Celebrating these scares — a newly curated gift shop.

    Enjoy it — if you make it through the padded room.

    The Scream Park is open on select dates through Nov. 1.

    The Scare Free Family night is Thursday, Oct. 30.

    Admission to the haunt is about $30.

    Virginia Johnson

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  • Roaming monsters, piercing screams at Dade City’s Scream-A-Geddon

    DADE CITY, Fla. — What’s scarier than demons playing in graveyards with chainsaws?

    What You Need To Know

    • On The Town at Scream-A-Geddon in Dade City

    • Six haunted attractions with Monster Midway

    • More then 150 monsters roam the grounds

    • Dates open through Nov. 2, and Nov. 7-8


    Clowns in the circus trying to love you.

    And by love, I mean scare you to death with their love.

    Welcome to Scream-A-Geddon in Dade City.

    It’s where they lean into people’s worst fears — on purpose.

    “We survey our guests at the end of every season,” Winston McDaniel, marketing manager for Scream-A-Geddon. “And year in, year out, people always say I’m the most terrified of clowns.”

    Even worse to look forward to — it’s Killgore’s Circus but with 3D effect.

    “And we love the idea of 3D because it plays with your depth perception a lot,” said McDaniel.

    Scream-a-Geddon offers six haunted attractions, and there are add-ons for the brave.

    Picking up a glow necklace at the front of Ravenhill Asylum for instance, means you will allow monsters to pull you out of line for spooky unknown inner sanctum experiences.

    “Sometimes they’re terrifying. Sometimes they’re a little bit funny — it depends on kind of where you get pulled,” said McDaniel.

    There are more than 150 scary monsters scattered throughout the grounds, so there is nowhere you are safe from the fear.

    They are waiting.

    In a field.

    In Pasco County.

    Good luck.

    Virginia Johnson

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  • Kids create, kids sell (parents stay out of it) at local market

    TAMPA, Fla. — A group encouraging young people to learn about business will be selling items this weekend in Tampa Bay.

    The Tampa branch of Kids Markets will be selling products at the Spooktacular event in Wesley Chapel. Avalon Park is hosting that event on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

    The event is free.

    Kids Markets is a group where children, ages 5 to 17, can participate in a farmer’s market-style event, run entirely by kids.

    “They have to be able to do all the selling themselves. Parents are not allowed to help them. We really want the kids to be selling, and not the kids to be selling on behalf of the parents,” said Taylor Cauley, the Children’s Entrepreneurship Manager for Tampa.

    Kids Markets is a group where children, ages 5 to 17, can participate in a farmer’s market-style event, run entirely by kids. (Spectrum News/Matt Infante)

    Cauley’s kids — 10-year-old Landon and 8-year-old James — are making soap and chapstick that they will sell at the event.

    “It’s just helpful for stuff we might do later in our life,” James told Spectrum Bay News 9.

    The Spooktacular is promising food trucks, live performances and bounce houses, in addition to the market.

    Jeff Butera

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  • Snorkeling in the Florida Aquifer at Devil’s Den

    WILLISTON, Fla. — Welcome to Devil’s Den in Williston, Florida. 

    It’s less of a den and more of what’s called a karst- an exposed spring filled with 72 degree water.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Devil’s Den spring exposed betwee 115,000 and 126,000 years ago

    •  Animal bones on spring floor helped date collapse– mastadons, saber-tooth cats and giant Jefferson sloths

    •  Once a local swimming hole, now open for snorkeling and scuba training with 50,000 visitors a year — from around the world

    • Wet suits, snorkel gear available for rent; weekedays are less busy


    “Everything you see and here at one time was soft limerock and it took millions of years to erode away, and eventually sometime between 115 and 126,000 years ago, the roof caved in and exposed the Florida aquifer,” said Don Standridge, one of the Den’s caretakers.

    The animals fell in and could not escape.

    Their fossils helped date when the top rocks collapsed, exposing the spring.

    “Mastodons, saber tooth cats, giant Jefferson ground sloth,” Standridge said. “They took that off the bottom.”

    But for Standridge, Devil’s Den was just a local swimming hole.
     
    “And would have a blast. We were able to jump from the top. None of this was here—no ladder, stairs,” said Standridge.

    A tight stairwell to the spring is a newer edition.

    “But we would actually build fires over on that ledge, and you’d swim till you got cold and you’d get up by the fire and warm up and then go swimming again,” said Standridge.

    Beneath that ledge, about 50 feet down, is the spring, sending up 72-degree water.

    “It comes through nice and slow and goes right back into the aquifer,” said Standridge.

    The spring draws an international crowd of about 50,000 people every year.

    “The advent of social media getting the word out about this place is insane,” he said.

    Standridge added that the Devil’s Den owner will not develop the land, nor sell bottled spring water.

    “He’s a conservationist. He wanted people to be able to see it and enjoy it,” said Standridge.

    And in 2026, they are creating a museum for the finds from this prehistoric spring to add to the experience at Devil’s Den.

    Virginia Johnson

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  • Alive or preserved, flowers reign at Selby Gardens

    SARASOTA, Fla. — A love of nature and a longing for a deeper connection — that’s why artist Rebecca Louise Law created the immersive installation at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota.

    What You Need To Know

    • Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ 2025 Orchid Show features artist Rebecca Louise Law
    • Law said she wants people to able to connect with nature and help look after it
    • The display is open through Dec. 7


    “I felt like my experience of nature was very experiential, it was sensual, spiritual. It felt like you were in something you were connected to,” said Law.

    So she started experimenting “painting the air.” It’s part of the Gardens’ 2025 Orchid Show.

    Check out the delicate live flowers in the display observatory and then the delicate, preserved flowers in their Museum of Botany and the Arts.

    “So, for me, I see each one of these clusters as a line of paint. It’s very linear, this installation,” said Law.

    Law connects preserved flowers with copper wire to create garlands. They are 19 feet long in the museum’s foyer.

    “So, most of the flowers now are connected wherever I make my art. So, like Marie Selby, we’ve collected about 2,500 specimens,” said Law.

    They are now part of the installation to be added to Law’s next show, preserving the link between humans and the wider world.

    “I want people to connect to nature and observe what we have here today on this earth,” said Law. “And help look after it.”

    This connection and caring for nature — it’s Selby Gardens’ mission as well.

    Virginia Johnson

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  • On The Town: Sizzlin ‘n’ the Sukkah in Bradenton

    BRADENTON, Fla. — The Chabad of Bradenton & Lakewood Ranch is inviting everyone to come celebrate the holiday of Sukkot with them.


    Sukkot is a week-long Jewish harvest festival, celebrating G-d’s protection during the Exodus from Egypt. As part of the holiday, Jews will dwell in a temporary structure called a sukkah, eating and celebrating.

    “The part that we focus on is the unity among the Jewish people,” Rabbi Mendy Buckiet said. Buckiet is a Rabbi at the Chabad of Bradenton & Lakewood Ranch.

    Buckiet is inviting everyone to Sizzlin ‘n’ the Sukkah on Sunday. As part of the event, there will be good food, fun events and religious activities.

    “Try to bring as many people together as possible,” Buckiet told Spectrum Bay News 9. “That’s the only way to truly connect with G-d, only through unity, only through kindness, only through love.”

    Jeff Butera

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  • Mini-figure making and monster dance parties await at Legoland’s Brick-or-Treat

    WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Have you ever wanted to make a tiny version of yourself—but spooky?

    What You Need To Know

    • On The Town visits Legoland Florida Resort in Winter Haven for Brick-or-Treat, the park’s annual Halloween event
    • Guests can enjoy candy Stations, googly-eyed food and dance parties 
    • Costumes encouraged for children and parents
    • The event is offered on select weekends through Nov. 2


    You can build at Legoland Florida Resort’s Brick or Treat event. The Lego Shop’s new mini addition comes as Halloween descends on the Winter Haven theme park.

    It’s a chance to get silly with the little ones.

    There are candy stations at Brick-Or-Treat, as well as foods with googly eyes and bright colors to entice the picky eater.

    The next step, post food and sweets?

    Hitting the “Lord Vampire’s Dance Party” to work off all that sugar. You’ll find Lord Vampire on the stage in Kingdoms, along with a few VIM’s (Very Important Monsters).

    “It’s fun for everyone, even the parents,” said Juliette Guedry of Legoland Florida Resort. “We do make you dance.”

    MINILAND USA has a Halloween makeover, with little bats, vampires and witches sprinkled throughout. Make sure you check out the coven in the cemetery.

    “You may see a witch who’s lost her way. And she’s maybe thrown into the Washington Monument and smashed against the side non-violently,” said Model Shop Manager Ryan Wood.

    The Lego Tree of Discovery stands tall inside the Lego Shop. (Spectrum News/Virginia Johnson)

    Now back to the remodeled Lego Shop. The first you see is the Lego Tree of Discovery. It’s 11 feet tall, representing 16-hundred hours of brick-snapping creation time. Guests can also get their own spooky mini-figure there.

    “And it starts with Duplo bricks,” said Guedry. “On the bottom goes to standard bricks in between, Technic bricks on top. It really is showing you the system of play that we have throughout the park.”

    Creating and building — what Lego is all about.

    Virginia Johnson

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  • Zoo Tampa adds the undead and vampires to its menagerie

    TAMPA, Fla. — More friendly than frightening, Zoo Tampa works to keep its Halloween event fun, especially for the little ones, who are encouraged to dress in costume.

    What You Need To Know

    • Creatures of the Night is Zoo Tampa’s special scare event for October

    • The location is 1101 W. Sligh Ave., in Tampa

    • The kid-friendly Halloween party is set for select dates through Oct. 26


    Look for silly trolls, disco dancers and stilt walkers.

    And as always, the zoo also offers interactive experiences with ambassador animals.

    “At the heart of our mission, the conservation and protection of our wildlife is the most important thing we get to do,” said Stacey Goode, Zoo Tampa’s director of event productions.

    Finally, the new Mesozoic Mayhem haunt is an eerie path filled with rogue dinosaurs and mad scientists.

    Beware of the bushes.

    Happy haunting.

    Virginia Johnson

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  • Straz Center produces blood-sucking romp in Dracula

    TAMPA, Fla. — Keaton Miller plays the immortal character Dracula at the Straz Center.

    What You Need To Know

    • Keaton Miller stars in “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” at the Straz Center

    • The show offers a humorous reinterpretation of the classic Dracula character

    • Select dates are now available through Oct. 26


    The Straz is producing Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors. It’s a story of the Transylvanian immortal falling in love after an eternity of nothingness.

    ‘’I think what’s super fun is it takes the original character and flips it on his head,” said Miller.

    It is a love story, and Drac gives himself a lot of said love as he basks in his smoking jacket and matching shoes.

    For Miller, reinterpreting the undead bloodsucker calls for discipline. When he commits to the character and acts like he believes his outrageous behavior is absolutely okay, Miller says this draws laughs.

    Because being funny is serious business.

    “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” is playing on select dates through Oct. 26.

    Virginia Johnson

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  • Pasco goes ‘spooky,’ offers haunted history of county

    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Pasco County is offering an opportunity to hear about the county’s ‘haunted’ history.

    On Wednesday night, author and historian Madonna Wise will share “haunted folklore and ghostly legends” about Pasco County’s past.

    “It’s a wonderful genre,” Wise said. “I think there’s an emotional connection we have to something that’s haunted, and probably a spiritual connection.”

    Wise compiled the stories for her book “A Haunted History of Pasco County.” It includes stories of ghosts, oddities and warlords from Zephyrhills, Dade City, New Port Richey and Wesley Chapel.

    Paranormal investigator Nicole Ferro will join Wise for the presentation.

    It starts at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 24, at the Richey Suncoast Theatre in downtown New Port Richey. Tickets are $20. Members of the West Pasco Historical Society only need to pay $15.

    Jeff Butera

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