The Identity recommends three things to do this weekend around Tampa Bay:
Rock the Park
Thursday 6:30 p.m. | Curtis Hixon Park, Downtown Tampa
The 2022 holiday edition of Downtown Tampa’s Rock the Park goes down in Curtis Hixon Thursday night. Which means alongside its usual, top-tier free concert, the Winter Village will also be in full effect with an ice rink, local boutiques, a kid zone and even curling (!!).
MAK, Sintell Terry and Evan Koteles make up this month’s stacked lineup under the stars with Greg Wolf hosting and the Jamaican Jam Dish on cookout duty. Music runs from 6:30 to 9:45 p.m.
USA-Netherlands World Cup Watch Party
Saturday 9 a.m. | Jannus Live, St. Pete
Williams Park’s massive outdoor watch party moves to Jannus Live for Team USA’s Saturday morning round-of-16 matchup with the Dutch. (We’ll sadly spare you of that Austin Powers reference you’ve undoubtedly already heard.)
An 18-foot HD projector screen will take center stage at the legendary St. Pete venue. As well as a slew of marching, drumming and pregaming before the match’s 10 a.m. kickoff. Tickets are $10 at the door only, with a portion of the proceeds going to Ocean Aid 360.
The Heights Holiday Tree Lightning
Saturday 5 p.m. | Armature Works, Tampa
Deck the halls with Straz performances, a holiday market, food trucks, seasonal beverages and more at yet another riverside function this Saturday.
If you missed one of Tampa Bay’s other various tree lightning ceremonies—in our opinion executed far too soon—Armature Works has you covered with perhaps the best view of the bunch. The tree lighting ceremony starts at 6 p.m. with festivities rolling until 9 p.m.