Pinellas County hosts multiple venues for concerts, large and small. Downtown St. Pete boasts Duke Energy Center for the Arts and The Palladium. Largo's Cultural Center and Pinellas Park both showcase robust live music including tribute bands and notable musicians. Clearwater Jazz Holiday Oct. 17-20 in Coachman Park is perhaps the best of the one-time concerts during the year that draws visitors from everywhere and is part of Ruth Eckerd On The Road. In Clearwater downtown, Capitol Theatre showcases an eclectic line-up and Ruth Eckerd Hall serves up jazz, comedy, rock, spoken word, family-friendly shows, blues and more. Check out these upcoming shows.
Ruth Eckerd Hall, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, that manages and operates the City of Clearwater-owned 2,200-seat Ruth Eckerd Hall, the 200-seat Murray Theatre, the 250-capacity ballroom, the Margarete Heye Great Room, the Marcia P. Hoffman School of the Arts, the 750-seat Nancy and David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre and Ruth Eckerd Hall On The Road.
Ruth Eckerd Hall was named #1 venue in Tampa, #3 in Florida, #6 in the United States and #8 in the world of theater venues of 2,500 seats or less by industry trade publication Pollstar in 2019. Designed by the prestigious Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Ruth Eckerd Hall is known for its fantastic sightlines and near-perfect acoustics. Currently, as part of the Expanding the Experience, Ruth Eckerd Hall is undergoing an $11 million renovation to be completed later this Fall, which includes stunning three-story floor to ceiling windows surrounding the new 6,000 square foot Grand Lobby, home to the Kate Tiedemann and Ellen Cotton Cabaret Theatre and the Holt Family Stage. The private Dress Circle Lounge has doubled in size, giving members a spectacular view and additional comfort, adjacent to the new Grand Lobby, In addition, patrons can enjoy enhanced food and beverage service, stunning décor including additional seating, custom acoustical and lighting features and a 38-foot video wall.
The Nancy and David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, located in downtown Clearwater’s Cleveland Street District, was constructed in 1921 and is one of Florida’s oldest operating theaters. In 2019, industry trade publication Pollstar named the Bilheimer Capitol Theatre the #1 club venue in Tampa, #1 in Florida, #3 in the United States and #4 in the world of club venues with 800 seats or less. In 2013, the theater underwent a complete $10 million renovation and is the catalyst for downtown development. In 2019, Nancy and David Bilheimer donated $2.5 million to Ruth Eckerd Hall as part of the theatre’s ongoing “Expanding the Experience” Capital campaign. In recognition of the generous donation, the Capitol Theatre’s name was changed to the Nancy and David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre.
The Murray Theatre, located at Ruth Eckerd Hall, originally opened in 2003 as part of an education expansion of the Marcia P. Hoffman School of the Arts. Through the generous support of Ray and Nancy Murray, a state grant and Capital Campaign donors, a $1.5 million renovation was completed, which includes state-of-the-art lighting and sound and a one-of-a-kind hand-painted mural depicting music, theater, and dance. The Murray Theatre offers affordable, accessible, high-quality experiences to audiences of all ages.
The Marcia P. Hoffman School of the Arts is one of the largest providers of arts education and outreach in the nation. Reaching more than 45,000 students annually and providing over 81,000 hours of high-caliber arts experiences with programs encompassing three distinct arts education divisions: presenting, community engagement and outreach and instruction in jazz, dance, drama, instrumental music, musical theater, voice and technical theater. Each division reaches students of all ages and abilities on the Ruth Eckerd Hall campus and off-site in local schools, hospitals, community centers, specialty residences and other arts centers throughout the Tampa Bay area and the State of Florida.
Ruth Eckerd Hall On The Road books and produces a number of off-site events including Friends of Music Member Appreciation Concerts, Blast Friday, the Tampa Bay Rays Summer Concert Series, the Clearwater Jazz Holiday, the PGA TOUR’S Valspar Championship concert at Innisbrook and events in other partner venues including the Palladium, the Tampa Theatre and the Amalie Arena. In 2019, industry trade publication Pollstar named Ruth Eckerd Hall On The Road #31 in the United States and #49 in the world of concert promoters.
For more things to do in the 727 area, check out these Events and Festivals to Look Forward to in St. Petersburg and Clearwater This Fall! and Roll Out The Barrel For Oktoberfest Events and German Restaurants from St Pete to Clearwater.
Photo courtesy of Ruth Eckerd Hall and Bilheimer Capitol Theatre - Caesar Carbajal
