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Aquatic Therapy Program

Sign up for aquatic therapy for children and adults with disabilities through the Freedom Playground Foundation and held at the Loretta Ingraham Center in Tampa. Three 30-minute one-on-one sessions are available daily with Jennifer Terry, Physical Therapist certified in Halliwick Aquatic Therapy Technique. Dates available, August 1, 5, 8, 12, and 15. One FREE session per week. Tuesdays and Fridays, noon-1:30pm.  813.857.7800.

Traveling Heart Gallery Exhibit

Meet the children comprising the Fourth Annual Heart Gallery of Tampa Bay through a unique traveling exhibit at WestShorePlaza in Tampa where it will be on display through September 8. The sight and sound gallery introduces visitors to dozens of Bay area foster children seeking adoption. FREE. heartgallerytampabay.org.

Live Jazz Event

Celebrate the start of the weekend at Jazz: the Art of Music, a live local jazz event held every Friday this month at the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Pete. Admission includes free gourmet appetizers and tickets for two Peroni beers, with a cash bar available for other drinks. $20. 6-9pm. fine-arts.org.

Walk the Runway Fashion Show

Get in style and attend the Walk the Runway Fashion Show at A La Carte Pavilion in Tampa. Participate in a silent auction and purchase clothing from the evening’s fashion show. All net proceeds to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and Northern Florida, Suncoast Region. $50-$60.7pm. wishcentral.org.

Maria Mitchell's birthday

Maria Mitchell, the first professional female astronomer in the United States, was born on this day in 1818. Mitchell was raised in a Quaker community, which was one of the few groups that felt women should have equal educational opportunities as men. She had the notable discovery that sunspots are “whirling vertical cavities” and not, as thought at the time, clouds. 

Civitan Fish-A-Thon

Pack up the kids for a recreational experience that will also support one of the Bay area’s oldest service organizations as the Civitan Club of St. Petersburg and St. Petersburg Recreation Center host the 60th Annual Fish-A-Thon being held at Lake Jorgensen behind the Main Public Library in St. Pete. Children ages 3 through 12 are invited to attend with fishing materials and soft drinks provided and prizes awarded to the boy and girl who catch the heaviest fish. FREE. 9am.civitan.net/stpete.

Back to School Bash

Learn the latest trends in lunchbox treats and back-to-school merchandise at the 13th Annual All About Kids Back to School Bash at the Tampa Convention Center. Bring the whole family to check out interactive exhibits and live entertainment. Receive a free backpack with every paid adult ticket. Adults, $9; children 12 and under, FREE. Sat., 10am-4pm; Sun., noon-4pm. backtoschoolbash.com.

Ybor ARTWalk

Meet local artists and tour diverse art galleries at the Ybor Art Associations’ Ybor ARTWalk. Check out exciting displays at 19 area venues participating and learn firsthand about the inspiration behind their work. FREE. Noon-6pm. 813.263.8600.

USF Night at the Trop

Take your favorite “Bull” out to the ballgame for USF Night at the Trop in St. Petersburg. Catch the Rays as they take on the Detroit Tigers and enjoy special USF giveaways and school spirit activities for USF students and alumni. Baseline box tickets, $25. 6:10pm. raysbaseball.com/usf.

Wazoo Wine & Beer Event

Sample a variety of beverages from international breweries and wine gardens at the 13th Annual Wazoo at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo. Indulge in local cuisine and live entertainment, with all event proceeds benefitting the animals at the zoo. Tickets, $75; additional $10 for Wines on the Wild Side. 7:30-10:30pm. lowryzoo.com.

George Michael Live

Wax nostalgic with the rest of us 80s groupies as the George Michael 25 Live Tour hits the Forum stage in downtown Tampa. Whether your speed is “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” or “Kissing a Fool,” pack your lip gloss and have faith that you’ll be belting out a plethora of Wham! classics. $56.75-$151.75. 8pm. icepalace.com.

Myrna Loy's birthday

Life is not a having and a getting, but a being and a becoming.” Myrna Loy would have been 103 today. She used her fame in the 1930s-40s to champion the rights of black actors and to give them dignity onscreen, rather than the stereotypes they often played at the time.

Back to School Bash

Learn the latest trends in lunchbox treats and back-to-school merchandise at the 13th Annual All About Kids Back to School Bash at the Tampa Convention Center. Bring the whole family to check out interactive exhibits and live entertainment. Receive a free backpack with every paid adult ticket. Adults, $9; children 12 and under, FREE. Sat., 10am-4pm; Sun., noon-4pm. backtoschoolbash.com.

Martha Stewart's birthday

Martha Stewart’s birthday is today. Bake a cake entirely out of the flour you hand-milled from your personal wheat crop and decorate it with homemade buttercream frosting and fruit from your organic orchard to celebrate.

Meg Whitman's birthday

Today is the 52nd birthday of Meg Whitman, former President and CEO of eBay. Since resigning from eBay in March 2008, she is considering a run for Governor of California in 2010.

After Hours Networking Event

Network and achieve with Free Networking International for an After Hours special networking event at the Venue in St. Petersburg. Mingle with other Bay area professionals and enjoy Happy Hour specials with proceeds benefitting Abilities Foundation. $15 in advance, $20 at the door. 5:30-8pm. abilitiesfoundation.com.

Miriam Rothschild's birthday

Dame Miriam Rothschild, a leading entomologist and zoologist, was born on this day in 1908. Scientifically, she was a foremost expert on fleas and was the first person to figure out the biology of how fleas jump. Socially, she campaigned for the legalization of homosexuality in the U.K. in the 1960s and was a vegetarian—she refused to wear any form of leather or fur.

Conversations & Cocktails

Connect with peers at Conversations & Cocktails: Exploring the 6 F’s at Nordstrom in International Mall. Sponsored by both Nordstrom and the Ophelia Project, the series features a quarterly guided-conversation and networking opportunities in the areas of fashion, fortune, finagling, family & friends, fitness and fertility. Designed for women 25-35 years old. $10, includes drinks and appetizers. 5:45-6:30pm, networking; 6:30-7:30pm, program. opheliatampa.org.

Art of Helping Children Gala

SupportBay area children in need at the 10th Annual Art of Helping Children Gala at the A La Carte Event Pavilion in Tampa. Attend this black-tie optional event that showcases international artwork and features dinner, drinks and a silent auction. Proceeds benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay. $150. 6:30pm. bbbsfl.org.

Lucille Ball’s birthday

Lucille Ball’s birthday is today…she clashed with CBS execs after they tried not to let her have a pregnancy storyline in her show. They finally caved, but still wouldn’t allow her to say “pregnant.” Throughout the episode, they had to refer to her as “expecting” instead.

Grandma Moses’ birthday

Grandma Moses was born 148 years ago today. She started painting in her 70s after arthritis made it difficult for her to continue her art of embroidery. She went on to become one of America’s most popular folk artists and lived to the age of 101.

Weekly Power Lunch Group

Meet up with other professionals and business owners at tthe NPI Power Lunch Group being hosted by the Network Professional International (NPI) and held at Pepin Restaurant in St. Petersburg. Group meets every Thursday. Enjoy lunch, get tips from other business owners about making hard times work for their businss and learn about this networking group. 11:30am-1:15pm. npi.club.officelive.com.

Live Jazz Event

Celebrate the start of the weekend at Jazz: the Art of Music, a live local jazz event held every Friday this month at the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Pete. Admission includes free gourmet appetizers and tickets for two Peroni beers, with a cash bar available for other drinks. $20. 6-9pm. fine-arts.org.

Pitch for Pink Awareness

Take in a fun night at the ballgame at “Pitch for Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Night” hosted by the Clearwater Threshers at Bright House Networks Field in Clearwater. Enjoy minor-league baseball and support a worthy cause. The first 1,000 women who arrive at the stadium will receive free commemorative pink Threshers jerseys. Tickets, $4-$9. Gates open at 5:30; game starts at 7pm. threshersbaseball.com.

Amanda Shaw & the Cute Guys

Support young women in song as Amanda Shaw & the Cute Guys arrive at Skipper’s Smokehouse in Tampa. Shaw, a 16-year-old singer and fiddler phenom, shares her blend of traditional and modern pop sounds at this WMNF 88.5-hosted event. Award-winning children’s songwriter and singer Sara Hickman also performs. $12-$15. 8pm. wmnf.org.

West Coast Players Production

Check out the mating game front row and center with the production of “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” being performed by the West Coast Players in their new venue at 21904 US 19N in Clearwater.  $20, general admission; $18 seniors and students. Show runs Aug. 8-17 Fridays and Saturdays, 8pm; Sundays, 2pm.wcplayers.org. 

Free Skin Cancer Screenings

Take advantage of free skin cancer screenings being offered by the Moffitt Cancer Center’s Mole Patrol® at Pier 60 Pavilion on Clearwater Beach.  Ask questions and discuss sun-exposed areas of concern with oncologists and dermatologists. Slots are limited and provided on a first-come, first-served basis. FREE. 9am-3pm. 813.745.2625.

Back to School Care Fair

Bring your child to the Back to School Care Fair at Johnnie Ruth Clarke Health Center hosted by the Junior League of St. Petersburg. The first 2,500 school-age children present and registered will receive school supplies in backpacks. Medical exams and immunizations by All Children’s Hospital, Bayfront Medical and St. Anthony’s Healthcare will be available to all students with records of prior immunizations. 8am-noon, registration; 9am-2pm, fair hours. 727.895.5018.

Cupcakes for a Cure

Support Chef Terika’s fundraising efforts for the Breast Cancer 3-Day by joining her and pastry chef Chef Katherine in the kitchen for a Cupcake Baking Class at Young Chefs Academy in Valrico. Learn how to make Strawberries ‘N Cream Cupcakes with Marshmallow Whipped Topping  and Mini Cupcake Pops. Open to age 7 to adults. All dollars collected will go toward Chef Terika’s 3-Day pledge. $30. 10am-noon. youngchefsacademy.com/brandon.

MOSI Back to School Health, Wellness & Safety Expo

Get the latest safety and health tips at theBack to School Health and Safety Expo at MOSI in Tampa. Gather wellness information from community partners and see MOSI’s newest permanent exhibition “The Amazing You” as well as its latest science exhibit “DINOSAURS! The Exhibition.”  FREE with MOSI admission.10am-5pm. mosi.org.

West Coast Players Production

Check out the mating game front row and center with the production of “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” being performed by the West Coast Players in their new venue at 21904 US 19N in Clearwater.  $20, general admission; $18 seniors and students. Show runs Aug. 8-17 Fridays and Saturdays, 8pm; Sundays, 2pm.wcplayers.org. 

Janie Porter Barrett’s birthday

Janie Porter Barrett was born on this day in 1865. She founded the Virginia Industrial School for Colored Girls, a rehabilitation center for troubled girls which was centered on self-reliance and self-discipline. It became a model for other similar schools and was extremely successful—the majority of students found jobs and had families after leaving the facility. It became integrated in 1965 and still exists today under the name of the Barrett Learning Center.

West Coast Players Production

Check out the mating game front row and center with the production of “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” being performed by the West Coast Players in their new venue at 21904 US 19N in Clearwater.  $20, general admission; $18 seniors and students. Show runs Aug. 8-17 Fridays and Saturdays, 8pm; Sundays, 2pm.wcplayers.org. 

Freedom Playground Clean-up Day

Pitch in August 10 at Freedom Playground Clean-up Day, held the second Sunday of every month. Located at 1700 N. MacDill Ave. Freedom Playground is the City of Tampa’s first universally accessible playground for children of all abilities. 3-5pm. freedomplayground.org.

Mary Gove Nichols’s birthday

Mary Gove Nichols was born 198 years ago, today. She traveled the country speaking about women’s health and anatomy, but was scorned by many of her time for her belief in “free love” instead of marriage, which Nichols considered to be the “annihilation of women.” She believed that health, freedom and sexual liberation were all linked was an outspoken advocate for all three.

2008 Candidate Forum

Attend a free community event and become a more educated voter at the 2008 Candidate Forum being held at the Bell Shoals Baptist Church Worship Center in Brandon. Candidates from all party affiliations and political views who are running for public office at a national, state and local level are invited to meet with the public and ask questions during the informal Q&A time and speak during the Forum program about what they would like to do if elected.FREE. 5pm, meet and greet ; 7pm, forum begins. bellshoals.com.

Gladys Bentley’s birthday

Today would have been the 91st birthday of Gladys Bentley, a Harlem Renaissance blues singer. Openly lesbian during her early career (she dressed in tuxedos and top hats with a drag queen chorus line singing back-up and flirted with female patrons), during the McCarthy era, she put on dresses, married a man and claimed that taking female hormones had “cured” her, in order to avoid being put on trial.  

Left-hander’s Day

Left-hander’s Day is today. Approximately 7-10% of the population is left-handed, and left-handed females are rarer than males. Joan of Arc, Queen Victoria, Eudora Welty, Greta Garbo and Ruth Bader Ginsberg are some of these unique, southpawed females.

Letitia Elizabeth Landon's birthday

Letitia Elizabeth Landon (often known as L.E.L.), a poet, was born on this day in 1802. While her poetry has not withstood the test of time, she was respected by her contemporaries for paving the way for other female writers. Christina G. Rossetti and Elizabeth Barrett Browning were just a few of her literary admirers who wrote tributes to her.

Live Jazz Event

Celebrate the start of the weekend at Jazz: the Art of Music, a live local jazz event held every Friday this month at the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Pete. Admission includes free gourmet appetizers and tickets for two Peroni beers, with a cash bar available for other drinks. $20. 6-9pm. fine-arts.org.

Leadership Brandon Casino Night

Get ready to network and play for the Leadership Brandon Alumni 9th Annual Casino Night at The Palmetto Club at FishHawk Ranch in Lithia. Gamble with fun money and bid on silent auction items. Proceeds from the event benefit the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce Leadership Brandon Program. Tickets, $35; $20 Texas Hold’em buy-in. 6:30-11:30pm. brandonchamber.com.

West Coast Players Production

Check out the mating game front row and center with the production of “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” being performed by the West Coast Players in their new venue at 21904 US 19N in Clearwater.  $20, general admission; $18 seniors and students. Show runs Aug. 8-17 Fridays and Saturdays, 8pm; Sundays, 2pm.wcplayers.org. 

Julia Child's birthday

Julia Child, former assistant in the OSS’s Secret Intelligence division and celebrity chef and author, would have been 96 today.  Her legendary persona and accessible recipes made her a pop culture icon.

Tour de Guava Tampa Bay Bike Tour

Pull out the bike and get ready to see the sights as the Tour de Guava125 Miles around Tampa Bay by Bicycle (or take part in an optional 50-Mile City Tour), launching at the Marriott Residence Inn at Northpointe Village. Proceeds benefit the Florida Bicycle Education Foundation dedicated to promoting outstanding cycling through outstanding education and outreach programs. $25 donation before Aug. 15; $35 after Aug. 15. 6am registration, 7am mass start. tampacycling.com.

Leadership Seminar

Jump-start your career at the Stepping Stones to Personal & Professional Success two-day leadership seminar at the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council Gateway Centre in Pinellas Park. Hosted by Business and Professional Women (BPW) /St. Petersburg-Pinellas, the event will feature keynote speaker Angela Biever, chief administrative officer for Raymond James Financial. $60, BPW members; $75, nonmembers. Sat., 8am-5pm; Sun., 8:30am-3pm. bpwstpetepinellas.org.

Community Swap Day

Join the Town ‘N Country Family Support & Resource Center as it hosts its Annual Community Swap Day at the center at 7520 W. Waters Ave. Take part in fun family activities and a community swap of gently used clothing, books and toys. 9:30am-12:30pm. 813.356.1703.

Fashion with Flair

Watch local celebrities model the latest fashions at Fashionwith Flair at the Belleair Country Club. Take part in the event’s silent auction and chance drawing, with all proceeds going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and Northern Florida, Suncoast Region. $55. 11am-2pm. 727.692.1732. wishcentral.org.

West Coast Players Production

Check out the mating game front row and center with the production of “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” being performed by the West Coast Players in their new venue at 21904 US 19N in Clearwater.  $20, general admission; $18 seniors and students. Show runs Aug. 8-17 Fridays and Saturdays, 8pm; Sundays, 2pm.wcplayers.org. 

Relationship GPS

Learn how to work through relationship challenges at Relationship GPS, Tools to Navigate Your Life Together in Pinellas Park. This one-day workshop from Family Resources offers tips for better problem-solving, communication and stress-reduction strategies for couples. First 20 registrants, FREE. 8:30am-4:30pm. To register, 866.600.6064. youandmewe.org.

Madonna's birthday

Madonna turns 50 today. From “Like a Virgin” to “4 Minutes,” she manages to push the envelope on the issue of sexuality and proves to be an enormous influence to society (Kabbalah, anyone?) while putting out an endless stream of shake-your-booty tunes.