Welcome to this week's Patch Minute! St. Petersburg The Santaland Diaries will be performed at the American Stage Theater this Friday and Sunday, as well as Christmas Eve. The hillarious comedy is written by David Sedaris and recounts some of the stories he had working as an elf for a Macy's Santa Claus. Make sure to check out a small preview of the show in our second attached video. Tickets are $19 and showtimes are  8 p.m. for Friday and Sunday, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. for Christmas Eve. Gulfport If you're looking to have fun and be classy, make sure to check out the Gulfport Casino this Saturday…

Welcome to this week's Patch Minute! It's that time of year, Christmas in Florida! That means sandcastles and sandmen at the beaches. It also means holiday shopping in flip flops instead of snow boots for many. It wouldn't be a "Florida" Christmas without a night out to watch the boat parade. While there are plenty of boat parades to choose from, if you stop by Madeira Beach, you can be in the parade by booking a seat on one of two boats at Hubbard's Marina. Call (727) 393-1947 to reserve your seat for tonight's parade. Watch our video and hear more. Check out our list of local boat parades …

I'm Cherlene Willis, and I'm going to take you behind the scenes at one of Gulfport's scariest haunted houses. In Gulfport We are inside the "Midway" on Newton Avenue in Gulfport here with Nolan Sloan. Nolan tell me about Newton's Haunts at the 5600 block of Newton Ave S.   It's a $2 donation per person per house. Sanitarium is open from 7:30 - 10 p.m. and the Midway is open 7:30 - 10:30 p.m. Check out the following dates for both haunted houses: Oct. 19, 20 Oct. 26, 27 In St Pete If you're not quite ready for Halloween, we have the 3rd annual St. Pete Okotberfest this Friday and Saturday in …

Gulfport Who loves cake? I know I do! Stop by the annual Birthday Bash this Saturday from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Gulfport Historical Museum. The event will feature antiques appraisals, guided trolley tours, mullet toss, children's games, a sidewalk art contest and more! Wondering what to expect? Check out pictures from last year's event, "Photo Gallery: 101st Birthday Bash." Learn a fun facts about Gulfport's history in this week's Patch Minute. Town Historian Lynne Brown is this week's featured Patch Minute guest. St. Pete Come out to downtown St. Pete where tradition meets the Tampa Bay! …

Welcome to this week's Patch Minute! The annual ArtsAlive 2012 Free Museum Day is on Saturday, Sept. 29. Admission will be free to several museums and cultural attractions in St. Petersburg from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. The Museum of Fine Arts is participating and is our backdrop for this week's Patch Minute. Watch our video interview with David Connelly about a couple of his favorite works of art at the musem. Participating venues on Saturday include: Dr. Carter G. Woodson Museum Florida Holocaust Museum Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg Museum of History, Dali Museum Great Explorations Children's …

The Beaches If you haven't already, be sure to spend a day at Johns Pass at Madiera Beach! Johns Pass has more than 100 merchants including unique stores, the allegator attraction, several restaurants and local fishing and dolphin watching tours. And there's plenty to keep the kids busy - hop on a pirate ship, rent a waverunner or just let them hang out in the new arcade.  St. Petersburg Looking to entertain your tastebuds this weekend? Tickets are $40 and they are still available for the World Beer Festival in downtown St. Pete. Come out on Saturday at the historic Coliseum from 12 - 4 p.m. …

We have music-filled performances for all ages in this week's Patch Minute! Downtown St. Pete We're starting off this week in downtown St. Petersburg. The Mahaffey Theater has a lot coming up including Grand Funk Railroad and Chris Isaak this weekend. Next week, we'll see the Go-Gos on stage as well. Tickets are on sale now for Grand Funk Railroad at 8 p.m. on Saturday night. Tickets range from $30 to $50. The 1970's rock group is celebrating more than 40 years together. Both old and new fans are encouraged to come out. Then, on Sunday, the theater welcomes Chris Isaak at 7 p.m. Tickets are …

The 12th Annual Geckofest is the premier event in this week's Patch Minute. The free end-of-summer festival is expected to lure 30,000 people to Gulfport. Mayor Mike Yakes is excited about the big event and hopes everyone can make it on Saturday, Sept. 1. Watch our video interview to hear from Mayor Yakes about the much-anticipated annual event. Geckofest will feature three entertainment stages, a walking parade, street dance and plenty of street performers. Plus, there will be dozens of local vendors including Patch.com. Stop by our booth and say "hi!" The event is from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. on …

Welcome to this week's Patch Minute! We have plenty of events that'll have you dressing up like gansters, movie starts and baseball players! Gulfport Don't miss the red carpet on Saturday! This year's theme for the 4th Annual Gecko Ball is "Hooray for Geckowood!" So, celebrate your inner movie star and head to the The Peninsula Inn starting at 6 p.m. Now, tickets are sold out. However, you can still bid on one of eight steel geckos during the live auction at around 9 p.m. Each gecko has been decorated by a local artist and can be bid on right now. They are located at eight downtown businesses…

St. Pete Beach "Baby Loves Disco" is a family-friendly dance party tonight at 5 p.m. at the Don Cesar Beach Resort on St. Pete Beach. Tickets for anyone who can walk are $15 or four for $50. There will be live music from a DJ with bubbles over the dance floor, contests, games, egg shakers, play scarves, healthy snacks for kids and adults (plus a bar for non-driving adults) -- and a chill-out space with pillows, stuffed animals, books, puzzles and toys! For more information or to purchase tickets online check out http://babylovesdisco.com. Gulfport We all know there are plenty of art galleries…

Welcome to this week's Patch Minute! Kick start your weekend and stop by the studio@620 in downtown St. Pete. MASS Productions presents "Manuscript" by Paul Grellong. Director Ryan James Monroe personally invites new and loyal guests to the shows this weekend in our video interview. Showtimes are Saturday and Sunday at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $10 for students or seniors. For more information check out their website. In Gulfport, join in the fun and hit the historic dance floor at the Gulfport Casino Ballroom starting at 8 p.m. Friday night. Swingtime invites people of…

Welcome to this week's Patch Minute! We've got some local events to keep you and your family busy this weekend. Madiera Beach Come on out on Saturday between 8:30 a.m. and about 3 p.m. to watch skim-boarders of all ages compete in the End of Summer contest by the Overheard Surf Shop at John's Pass. Pinellas Beaches Everyone in invited to the Hands Across the Sand event on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. The event is a peaceful protest against oil drilling off the Gulf Coast. Several beaches including Indian Rocks Beach, Pass-a-Grille and St. Pete Beach will have meeting areas. Registration at the …

We have lots going on this weekend for music lovers, welcome to this week's Patch Minute. St. Pete For $40 a person you can watch bands like New Found Glory, Taking Back Sunday Yellowcard and more at the Vans Warped Tour this Sunday at Vinoy Park. The event is all day, from 11:30 a.m. - 11 p.m. Tickets can be purchase online at www.vanswarpedtour.com. Let's head into Daddy Kool Records for our next big event. Daddy Kool Records is your headquarters for the Antiwarpt Tour this Saturday! There will be 99 bands performing at 10 local spots in downtown St. Pete. Tickets are $25 on Friday and $30 …

What are you doing this weekend? Stop by the Third Saturday Gulfport Art Walk in downtown Gulfport. The event is free and runs from 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. on Beach Boulevard. Come see dozens of local vendors and fine one-of-a-kind decor, art and more! Watch our video and hear from local artist Owen Pach about the new initiative to bring live entertainers to the streets during Third Saturday Art Walks and about "Fine Arts Friday" coming soon.

St. Petersburg What are you doing this weekend? How about stopping by Spa Beach in downtown St. Pete and watching dozens of people roll around in the mud! The annual Extreme Mud Wars is going on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Watch our video and hear more about the highlights and the obstacles from Shawn Drouin with the St. Petersburg Parks & Recreation Department. The event is full however, anyone can come out and watch for free. For more information check out Extreme Mud Wars on Facebook. Gulfport Come out on Friday, Saturday or Sunday for the "Summer One Acts" at the Catherine …

Thousands of people from all over Tampa Bay and Florida will pack the Grand Central District this Saturday for the 10th annual St. Pete Pride Street Festival and Promenade. St. Pete Pride is the largest gay pride celebration in Florida. Come out and celebrate you and your community with 7 blocks of food and street vendors, including Patch.com. The event is free and takes place on Saturday from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. between 21st and 28th streets here on Central Avenue. The parade begins at 9 a.m.! You don't want to miss it, participants will walk, dance and cheer with the crowds during the promenade…

Welcome to this week's Patch Minute! We want you to have a blast this weekend, rain or shine! Let's start off with a free family event in Gulfport! Gulfport The first annual Aquamania will be packed with kayak races, a water balloon toss, water color section for kids, recycle regatta and dunk tank. Yes, there will be plenty of "local celebrities" for you to soak in the dunk tank including Gulfport Patch Editor Cherlene Willis (who will be in the tank from 1 - 1:30 p.m.) There will also be live entertainment and craft vendors all day from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. There will be beer and wine sales at …

Welcome to this week's Patch Minute! It's going to be hot this weekend, what are you doing to cool off? St. Pete Beach Stop by the St. Pete Beach Community Center and Aquatic Complex for the "Dive-In" movie series on Friday nights. Doors open at 8 p.m. and guess what, you can bring noodles, floaties and/or chairs and enjoy a classic family movie. Admission is $4 per person. Drinks, snacks and glow jewerly will be sold at the pool, no outside coolers or containers. For more information contact St. Pete Beach Pool at (727) 363-9264. Gulfport Stop by Gulfport for the Gulfport Little League …

I'm Cherlene Willis and I'm going to help you plan your weekend! Welcome to this week's Patch Minute! Downtown St. Pete: More than two dozen art galleries are taking part in the "Second Saturday Art Walk" in downtown St. Pete. Tour studios and galleries from the Grand Central district to the waterfront. The Art Pool Gallery on Central Ave is taking part. They are also hosting ArtPool's LGBT Pride Art Show from 8 p.m. - 12 a.m. The event features video art, sweet treats, runway fashion and surprises by featured artists. Tickets are $15. Pinellas Beaches: Have you heard about "Friday Flicks in …

Welcome to this week's Patch Minute! We have some awesome events in Gulfport, downtown St. Pete and the beaches! Downtown St. Pete We're starting this week's Patch Minute in downtown St. Pete where Ferg's Sports Bar & Grill is the "go to" spot before and after a Rays game. It's just across the street from Tropicana Field.  The Rays are going head to head with the Orioles on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Saturday night, may be the best bang for your buck because there is a postgame concert with rapper LL Cool J. Gulfport Everyone is invited to the first annual GulfportStock in the Art Village …