Busch Gardens Tampa is the little “diamond in the rough” park, located just about an hour from Orlando and its theme parks. In operation since 1959, it’s home to world-class roller coasters, wonderful animal exhibits, high-quality entertainment, and host to some amazing events throughout the year. Let’s take a look at what this charming park has in store for 2023; you might just find yourself planning a day trip to Tampa to check it out for yourself.
Mardi Gras
The Big Easy is coming back to Busch Gardens! This year’s event will run from January 14 through February 26 (Tuesdays through Sundays) and will feature sights, sounds and tastes of New Orleans in a family-friendly celebration. We’re looking forward to letting the good times roll again soon!
Here’s a look back at our coverage of last year’s Mardi Gras event.
Real Music Series
This popular concert series is Busch Gardens’ longest-running, and will be back with several all-new acts! There’s something for everyone with classic rock, pop, and R&B bands all in the mix. And the best part? The concerts are included with admission to the park!
This year’s concert lineup includes:
- January 17-22: The Kings of Queen (a tribute to Queen)
- January 24-29: Face 2 Face – Elton & Billy (a tribute to Elton John & Billy Joel)
- January 31-February 5: Foreigners Journey (a tribute to Foreigner & Journey)
- February 7-12: Steve Michaels as Elvis (a tribute to Elvis Presley)
- February 14-19: Direct from Sweden the Music of ABBA (a tribute to ABBA)
- February 21-26: The Purple XPerience (a tribute to Prince)
(We saw this band during the 2022 Food & Wine Festival and were very impressed!)
Sesame Street Kids’ Weekends
This family-friendly event will run January 27-February 12 and April 28-May 21. Parents and kids can join in the fun with their favorite friends from Sesame Street for dance parties, story time, arts & crafts and more! Each weekend will have a specific theme (to be announced at a later date), and once again, this event is included with park admission!
Food & Wine Festival
This popular event will be back again, running select dates from March 10-May 21. This is one of our favorite park events. In addition to all sorts of delicious eats, treats and sips, the Food & Wine Festival also boasts a spectacular concert lineup that features a little something for everyone (rock, pop, country, R&B, Latin & more), which is… you guessed it, included with park admission! This year’s concert lineup includes the following:
- March 11: Kansas
- March 12: Maddie & Tae
- March 18: SWV
- March 19: Dustin Lynch
- March 25: Rodney Atkins
- March 26: Flo Rida
- April 2: Mackenzie Porter
- April 8: Live
- April 9: The Fab Four (Beatles tribute)
- April 15: .38 Special
- April 29: Hoobastank
- May 5: Como la Flor Band (Selena tribute)
- May 7: El Gran Combo
Concerts for April 1, 16, 22, 23 and 30 have yet to be announced.
Here’s a look back at last year’s Food & Wine Festival:
Cinco de Mayo & Viva La Musica
The Cinco de Mayo celebration will be held May 5-7, and will feature Mexican cuisine, entertainment and more! This event overlaps with Viva La Musica, which runs select dates May 5-21, featuring authentic Hispanic music and culture! There’s yet another concert series as well! The lineup includes:
- May 5: Como la Flor Band (Selena tribute)
- May 7: El Gran Combo
Performances for May 6, 13-14, and 20-21 have yet to be announced.
Summer Nights
Want to get your coaster on after it gets dark? You can during Summer Celebration, which will run daily May 26-August 6, featuring dance parties, new shows, and even fireworks on select nights! Theme parks at night are a whole different atmosphere, and Busch Gardens is definitely no different. The park’s 4th of July celebration will also take place during this time from June 30-July 4.
Last year, the park called this event Summer Celebration, but has gone back to the original Summer Nights name. Take a look at our coverage from last year:
Busch Gardens Tampa Summer Celebration Brings Electrifying Fun
Bier Fest
Prost! This popular beer-centric event will return select dates from July 21-September 4, including Labor Day weekend! Those of age can sample craft beers from around the world, and local favorites as well, while nibbling on delectable eats and treats.
Take a look at 2022’s event:
Busch Gardens Tampa Updates: BierFest 2022 and Howl-O-Scream
Howl-O-Scream
Our favorite event at Busch Gardens returns for its 24th year of terrifying thrills and chills! It’s always a scary good time at Howl-O-Scream! This year’s event will run on select dates September 8-October 31. We can’t wait to see what this year’s lineup of haunted houses and scare zones will be! Unlike the majority of Busch Garden’s events, Howl-O-Scream is a separate ticket event and not included with regular daytime admission.
Here’s a look back at last year’s event:
Ghouls Night Out: Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream 2022 Thrills & Chills
Spooktacular
The intensity of Howl-O-Scream not your style? Want a more family-friendly Halloween alternative? Spooktacular will run select dates September 8-October 31, and will feature not-so-spooky activities for the whole family, including a costume parade, trick-or-treating, and story time. Spooktacular is included with regular park admission!
Christmas Town
Back for its 11th year, Christmas Town transforms Busch Garden into a winter wonderland with millions of dazzling lights, special shows, holiday treats, visits with Santa and much more! This year’s Christmas Town will run November 13, 2023 – January 7, 2024.
You can read about the most recent Christmas Town in the article below:
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Let’s Hear From You
Not unlike EPCOT, Busch Gardens Tampa has become a festival park. And that means the vibe and selection of entertainment is always changing. Is there a particular event at Busch Gardens Tampa you are interested in this year? If you haven’t been to the park before, does this array of events tempt you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.