$20 and a Dream: What to Do for $20 or Less in Tampa Bay This May

$20 and a Dream: What to Do for $20 or Less in Tampa Bay This May
Be Fabulous Pride Fest hits Five Points Park in Sarasota on May 10 : Free! Photo by Harry Sayer.

by Abby Baker

Here’s how to live your best broke life across Tampa, St. Pete, and Sarasota this month.

You check your bank account four days before payday. Twenty bucks to your name. Could be worse — you could also have nothing to do.

Sure, you can barely Uber Eats yourself a McDonald’s cheeseburger, but you can check out a ton of free (or nearly free) art, music, and theater this May around Tampa, St. Pete, and Sarasota.

Here’s where to be frugal and cultured this month:

Second Saturday ArtWalk, May 10 — stop by The Factory and other downtown galleries for art, vibes, and a little retail therapy. Photo courtesy of The Factory’s Facebook Page.

St. Petersburg

Creative Clay’s First Friday Art Market
📅 Friday, May 2
📍 Creative Clay, 1846 1st Ave. S.
💸 Admission: Free
Local art, live music, food trucks and big community vibes.

May the Fourth Star Wars Extravaganza
📅 Saturday, May 4
📍 2775 Tyrone Blvd. N.
💸 Admission: Free
Costumes, collectibles and Star Wars superfans everywhere. May the broke be with you.

Second Saturday ArtWalk
📅 Saturday, May 10
🕔 5 – 9 p.m.
📍 Various galleries, downtown St. Petersburg
💸 Admission: Free
Walk through dozens of galleries, meet local artists, watch live demos, and pretend you know what “postmodern expressionism” means.

Painting in the Park 2025
📅 Saturday, May 17
🕚 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
📍 Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg
💸 Admission: Free
Celebrate the MFA’s 60th anniversary with a giant art party. Over 20 creative stations. Complete 10 activities and earn a free family admission pass. Family-friendly, but honestly fun for everyone.

Inside Mahler’s Symphony No. 3: Pay-What-You-Can Concert
📅 Thursday, May 22
🕢 7:30 p.m.
📍 Mahaffey Theater, 400 1st St. S.
💸 Admission: Pay what you can
Join The Florida Orchestra for a big, bold dose of Mahler. Classy and cathartic.

Catch a classic under the stars (indoors) at Tampa Theatre’s Classic Movie Series. Price: $7-10. Photo courtesy of Tampa Theatre’s Facebook Page.

Tampa

Kiss Me, Kate at Francis Wilson Playhouse
📅 May 1–18
📍 Francis Wilson Playhouse, Clearwater
💸 Admission: Under $20
A classic Cole Porter musical — half Shakespeare, half theater kid chaos.

Tampa Riverfest
📅 May 2–3
📍 Tampa Riverwalk
💸 Admission: Free
Live music, food vendors, a wiener dog derby, a lantern parade and enough people-watching to fill your camera roll.

Tampa Museum of Art – Museums on Us Weekend
📅 May 3–4
📍 Tampa Museum of Art
💸 Admission: Free (for Bank of America cardholders)
If you’ve got a Bank of America card, you’re basically an arts patron now. Flash your ID and walk right in.

Star Wars Day Celebration at Tampa Theatre
📅 Saturday, May 4
📍 Tampa Theatre, 711 N. Franklin St.
💸 Admission: $7–$10
Catch a Star Wars movie in Tampa’s historic movie palace. Popcorn optional (but highly encouraged).

Tampa Theatre Classic Movie Series
📅 Various dates in May
📍 Tampa Theatre, 711 N. Franklin St.
💸 Admission: $7–$10
Watch iconic films under a historic, starry ceiling — and feel better than everyone streaming Netflix at home.

Bay Area Art Show Exhibition Reception
📅 Thursday, May 16
🕕 6 – 8:30 p.m.
📍 Old Hyde Park Art Center
💸 Admission: Free
See work from some of Tampa’s most talented local artists. Reception included.

Be Fabulous Pride Fest hits Five Points Park in Sarasota on May 10 : Free! Photo by Harry Sayer.

Sarasota

Downtown Sarasota Spring Craft Fair
📅 May 3–4
📍 Five Points Park
💸 Admission: Free
Local handmade crafts, pottery, jewelry and probably a lot of earrings you’ll want to buy.

Be Fabulous Music & Arts Pride Fest
📅 Saturday, May 10
📍 Five Points Park, Downtown Sarasota
💸 Admission: Free
Celebrate LGBTQ+ arts and culture with live music, installations and a whole lot of fabulous.

Theatre Odyssey’s Student Ten-Minute Playwriting Festival
📅 May 10–11
📍 Cook Theatre, FSU Center for the Performing Arts
💸 Admission: $15 (student rate)
Original ten-minute plays written and performed by Florida high school students.

Friday Fest at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
📅 Friday, May 24
📍 Van Wezel Lawn, Sarasota
💸 Admission: Free
Live music right on Sarasota Bay. BYO chairs, blankets and good vibes.

St. Armands Fine Art Festival
📅 May 24–25
📍 St. Armands Circle
💸 Admission: Free
An outdoor art gallery with fine art, crafts and plenty of reasons to pretend you’re a serious collector.

Even if you’re down to $20 and a dream, Tampa Bay’s arts scene still has you covered.
Go forth, get cultured — and save your cash for tacos afterward.

Have an event to add? Submit it to the Tampa Bay Arts Passport calendar at tbartspassport.com.

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