Culture

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child North American Tour Photo by Matthew Murphy courtesy of Dr. Phillips Center Orlando gets a taste of magic—Dr. Phillips Center just opened for the Florida debut of HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD. The play, a six-time Tony Award® winner, lands at the Walt Disney Theater from January 24 to February 15, 2026. This production has been heralded as “one of the most defining pop culture events of the decade.” The story comes straight from J.K. Row

Aerial View Manasota Key Big things are happening at The Hermitage Artist Retreat. Thanks to a jaw-dropping $12 million gift, The Hermitage just landed three neighboring properties right on Manasota Key. The Steans and Morrison families made it happen, handing over land and homes once built by the Vanderbilts back in the early ’50s. Altogether, that’s 6.5 acres—stretching from the Gulf all the way to the Bay, surrounded by native plants and dotted with a few houses. Hermitage

Ready to dive into the best festivals in the Florida Keys for 2026? Whether you’re after music, culture, wild adventures, or just some good food, this stretch of islands knows how to throw a party. First up, let’s talk culture. The Keys have a rich, quirky history and love showing it off. In January, the Key West Literary Seminar draws in authors and serious book lovers—think workshops, readings, and a setting that once inspired Hemingway himself. If Celtic music and dancing

Joey Fatone, photo courtesy of Dr. Phillips Center, Matthew Murphy, Murphy Made Get ready, Orlando, something special’s about to hit town. Joey Fatone, the hometown hero and *NSYNC legend, is coming back to the stage in the North American Tour of & Juliet. If you want to catch him, he’ll be at the Dr. Phillips Center for a short, can’t-miss run from January 6–11, 2026. Joey’s just wrapped up a stint on Broadway, and now he’s bringing ‘Lance’ home. For Fatone, this stop isn’t

The Outsiders, photo courtesy of Dr. Phillips Center, Matthew Murphy The highly anticipated North American tour brings S.E. Hinton’s timeless story of the Greasers and the Socs to the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts for a limited engagement, running December 16-23, 2025 . This new hit musical takes S.E. Hinton’s classic novel and Francis Ford Coppola’s legendary film and brings them to life on stage. The story drops you into Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1967. Ponyboy Curtis,

Journey’s calling it a day, but not before one last epic run. Their farewell “Final Frontier Tour” is coming to Tampa on Friday, May 15, 2026, at the Benchmark International Arena. Tickets go up through the usual spots—Live Nation, Ticketmaster, AXS. It’s a big North American tour, stretching from February to early July, and they’re pulling out all the stops with classic hits and a brand new stage production. The band spelled it out loud and clear: “The wait is over, JOURNEY

New Smyrna Beach, Flagler Avenue All Photos courtesy of Visit NSB Florida   Florida really has it all. Sure, the beaches are glorious. Sunshine almost every day, weather that makes people pack up and move here, or at least visit for a week or two. And yes, the theme parks draw crowds from all over the world. But there’s so much more to this state than roller coasters and palm trees. Art breathes here. It always has, from the moment the first people set foot on this peninsula.

Hop on the one-way train to the underworld—“Hadestown” is back, fresh from winning eight Tony Awards in 2019, including Best Musical, and now lighting up the Dr. Phillips Center. Anaïs Mitchell’s music and lyrics drive the show, but it’s the full company that transforms this myth into something raw and real. Under Keenan Tyler Oliphant’s direction, the cast digs deep, letting us ache for the world we dream about while reminding us to care for the one right in front of us. The

Back in 1933, Zora Neale Hurston, famed writer and anthropologist from Eatonville, Florida, tried to stage a play rooted in Black folklore at Rollins College in Winter Park. She had friends among the professors, but that didn’t open the doors she hoped. The Annie Russell Theatre wouldn’t have her work. Instead, she put on her show in the Rec Hall, and the audience? All white. Now, nearly a century later, history circles back. A new play about the making of Hurston’s 1933 prod

The cast of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS Photo by Matt Murphy courtesy Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts “Water For Elephants–The Broadway Musical” plunges into the chaotic, colorful world of a 1930s traveling circus, complete with massive animal puppets, dazzling acrobats, and aerialists. The score mixes old-time string music—think folk-style bluegrass—with the lively bounce of 1930s jazz. The reviews are overwhelmingly positive , praising the stunning circus-style acrobati

Finding Fall in Florida Florida is finally seeing a shift in the weather, with the first real signs of fall arriving after an extended period of summer heat. The Sunshine State is experiencing cooler mornings, lower humidity, and abundant sunshine—a welcome change for both residents and local businesses that have been navigating a long stretch of heat advisories and tropical systems. Forecasts from the National Weather Service indicate that Florida will see continued sunny co

Dr. Phillips Center Unveils Sculpture Honoring Founding Chairman James H. Pugh The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts announced...

The Orlando Museum of Art (OMA) is pleased to present “Relationships: A Love for Collecting II,” the next chapter in a significant multi-year gift from Dr. James Cottrell and the late Joseph Lovett. This exhibition continues to highlight the transformative impact of their collection and the enduring partnership between these two influential art patrons. Installation view of Relationships: A Love for Collecting II, Orlando Museum of Art, 2025. © Casandra Hamilton Dr. James Cot

Photo courtsey of Jeremy Daniel Alright, Orlando, don’t sleep on this one—"The Wiz" is rolling into town, and you do not want to miss it....

St.. Pete Pride Parade and Festival According to a Facebook announcement, Tampa Pride will be putting the city’s annual Tampa Pride...

Photos courtesy of Aloe Blacc The celebrated R+B artist, Aloe Blacc, launches his three-day residency at Judson’s Live, September 19-21....

HBO’s The Gilded Age has bulldozed its way to the top of everyone’s “must-see” list. Suddenly we all care about 1880s New York and its...

Cole Higginbotham as Leaf Coneybear - Photos courtesy of Despina Mclaughlin, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts The 25th Annual...

Clearwater Jazz Holiday is celebrating "Back to Our Roots" Clearwater Jazz Holiday is back for its 46th year—yeah, forty-six, wild—October 16-19, 2025, over at Coachman Park. They’re calling it “Back to Our Roots,” which basically means they want to bring back that old-school, open-vibe magic from when this thing was free and felt kinda like a giant family picnic with saxophones. Stages? Oh, there’s plenty. The main stage is smack on the green, like always, but now there’s tw