3 Best Performing Arts in Tampa, The Tampa Bay Area

Many major events take place at this conveniently located arena, which sits near Downtown Tampa in the Channelside district. The Tampa Bay Lightning call this spot home, but the 670,000-square-foot venue hosts at least 150 special events each year—mostly musical ones.

With about 300,000 square feet, this is the second-largest arts complex south of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Among its facilities are the 2,610-seat Carol Morsani Hall; the elegant 1,042-seat Louise Lykes Ferguson Hall; and the more intimate, 312-seat Robert and Lorena Jaeb Theater and 130-seat Hinks and Elaine Shimberg Playhouse. Operas, concerts, plays, and ballet performances are presented here.

Rescued from demolition in the late 1970s, this 1926 movie palace is not only a Tampa City landmark, it’s also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The gorgeous throwback to Hollywood’s golden age has a charming indoor Mediterranean courtyard, replica antique statuary, ornate architectural artistry, and a Mighty Wurlitzer theater organ that’s still in use. In addition to showcasing foreign, independent, and classic films daily, it regularly hosts community and educational events, concerts, and historic tours.