Rock the Park Tonight

Rockin' Like a Hurricane
Rock the Park celebrates its 1-year anniversary tonight with a selection of *tbt's favorite bands: 10th Concession, Friends of Glants, Cope, and Jeremy Gloff. The show goes from 6:30 to 9 p.m. in Curtis Hixon Park and is free. All ages are welcome.

If biking's more your thing, you can meet up tonight with City Bike Tampa at 212 E. Cass Street for a weekly guided fun ride. The ride ends at a bar or restaurant. You must have lights, and it's a good idea to wear a helmet.

Over the Bridges
Enjoy sunset and a movie at Sunset Cinema at Pier 60 Friday, June 3 at 7 p.m. The movie is Shark Tale, and the show starts around dusk. Bring your own blankets, chairs and fake shark fins.

There are two First Friday music events in St. Petersburg. One is at 5:30 p.m. between Second and Third streets on Central Avenue, featuring the Venturas. Beer and wine sales benefit local charities. The other is First Friday Fandango at Jannus Live. The show starts at 8 p.m. and features Latin funk band Suenalo! and Green Sunshine.

National Doughnut/Donut Day
Either way you spell it, both Krispy Kreme and Dunkin Donuts will be giving out these tasty fried rings of deliciousness free of charge tomorrow.

Say Cheese! And ham, and pork, and pickles...
Tomorrow night get a free sneak peek at the Cuban Sandwich Art Show at the Museum of Photographic Arts. They'll hold a free reception at 6 p.m. with an artist's talk Friday night, but after that the exhibit is $10.

Ladies Night at Blue Martini

Thanks to Tampa Bay Freebies, I now know that Blue Martini on Westshore offers free drinks and sushi to ladies every Wednesday... plus a free cover. It doesn't get much better than that.

Live Music in Hyde Park

The Live Music Series at Hyde Park Village starts next Wednesday with a performance by the Ben Brian Band. The show starts at 6:30 p.m. at the fountain. Admission and parking is free, but proceeds from refreshment sales will go to the Epilepsy Services Foundation.

Each month a different charity benefits from the concert, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, The Spring and the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.

The concert series will continue on the last Wednesday of the month, through Oct. 26. You can even bring your dog on a leash, if it's friendly.

Mother's Day BoGos

There's a whole host of free things to do in Tampa Bay for Mother's Day, but the catch is, they may not be free for the rest of the family.

Tampa Bay History Center
Free admission for mom all weekend at the History Center.


Lowry Park Zoo
Moms get in free at the Zoo with the purchase of a ticket for their son or daughter. (That's what all moms want, right? To leave one zoo and go to another?) Moms also get in free to the Dino Quest special exhibit.


The Florida Aquarium
The Aquarium is also honoring moms with free admission, but you must mention the discount at the time of purchase.


Tampa Museum of Art
The Tampa Museum of Art is offering buy-one, get-one free admission for mom.


YOGA FOR MOMS
If mom is especially stressed out, there's yoga for moms at the Seminole Heights Sunday Market, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Curtis Hixon Park, at 6 p.m.

Florida Orchestra Friday

The Florida Orchestra will give a free Pops in the Park concert in Curtis Hixon Park tonight, starting at 7:30 p.m. The ground may be a bit soggy from an earlier downpour, but it appears the show will go on. The performance will include favorites by Brahms, Rogers & Hammerstein, Bernstein and Gershwin and will finish out with a rousing rendition of the 1812 Overture. Don't forget to bring a canned food donation for the Tampa Bay Harvest.

Cinco de Mayo Freebies

Rock the Park on Cinco de Mayo at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park when the Marksmen play for free. The show starts at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday and is sponsored by *tbt. The Marksmen were featured in the pub's list of 2011's top 10 local artists.

Channelside will have a party starting at noon with live music, drink specials and free sombreros. The first 250 people to come after 4 p.m. will receive a Cazadores Cocktail or a Bud Light Lime.


St. Petersburg
Jannus Live is holding a free concert called Cinco de Drunko. It features My Darkest Days and gates open at 5 p.m.

The City of St. Petersburg is holding a Cinco de Mayo Fiesta starting at 11 a.m. on Second Street South between First and Second Avenues. There will be live music, Juanita the dancing donkey and Mexican Side Show Act Juan Julio La Budde. Red Mesa Cantina will have live music and a ruleta wheel.

Dunedin
Downtown Dunedin is holding their own street fair starting at 5 p.m., with Salsa dancing, giant puppets and circus performers.

Why drive home drunk when you can get a free ride? AAA is offering free towing on Cinco de Mayo. Just call 1-800-AAA-HELP.

Dragon Boat Races, Jazz and Sea Creatures

This weekend the Dragon Boats will be taking over Tampa. Racing starts at 8:30 a.m. Saturday. There are more than 50 teams racing, and there will be heats every 10 minutes. Word is the best place to watch is the Marriott Tampa Waterside. And the best part is it's all free. I haven't been to this event, but I've heard great things. (photo by theSuperStar)

Jazz - You can get into Clearwater's Smooth Jazz Fest for free if you get a ticket from a select sponsor. The jazz fest starts Saturday at 1:30 p.m. on the waterfront, and on Sunday there will be a Fun 'n Sun Quest in Coachman Park featuring Kansas, the Little River Band and a Journey tribute band.

On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. you can also get in free at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in St. Petersburg for MarineQuest 2011, where they'll let kids hold all kinds of sea creatures and create prints from fish, called gyotaku.

There's also the Green Thumb Festival Saturday and Sunday in St. Petersburg, the Beach Goes Pop concert at Pass-a-Grille Friday and Saturday, and Art on the House at the Tampa Museum of Art tonight from 4-8 p.m.