TAMPA — Hurricane Isaias is aimed at the Florida Panhandle, but it has already wrecked Tampa Bay's weekend plans. At least four festivals across Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco have been postponed or canceled ahead of more heavy rain and coastal flooding expected Friday night into Saturday.
Here's what's moved, and where it's going.
Oktoberfest Tampa: now Halloween weekend
Oktoberfest Tampa is moving to Oct. 30, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park downtown. Organizers and the City of Tampa made the call after days of rain saturated the park and made it unsafe to set up tents. The beer, German food, live music and Bavarian performances are all still on the lineup. Tickets bought for this weekend will be honored for the matching day of the new weekend, organizers said.
Cotee River Bike Fest: pushed to January
The 20th annual Cotee River Bike Fest in New Port Richey, originally set for Oct. 9–11, now runs Jan. 15–17, 2027. Organizers cited safety for riders, vendors, crews, bands and volunteers, and said a weekend of stop-and-start performances on soaked grounds “isn't the experience we want to deliver.”
St. Pete Autumn Harvest Festival: Oct. 24
The fall festival at the Pinellas Pioneer Settlement, with hayrides, crafts, food vendors and pumpkin activities, has been rescheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24.
Island Fest at Honeymoon Island: canceled
Island Fest at Honeymoon Island State Park is off because of the expected weather. No makeup date has been announced.
What the weather is doing
Isaias was near major-hurricane strength Friday morning with winds around 110 mph and is expected to make landfall in the Panhandle Friday night or early Saturday, according to the National Hurricane Center. Tampa Bay is not under a hurricane warning, but the National Weather Service in Ruskin says 1 to 3 feet of surge is possible from Citrus County to Pinellas, with coastal flooding most likely Friday night into Saturday. Coastal parts of the bay could see 2 to 4 more inches of rain, with isolated higher totals.
The rain has already strained local drainage. Hillsborough County public works director Josh Bellotti told FOX 13 that county systems are built for a 25-year storm, but one recent overnight event more than doubled that, with more than 3.5 inches of rain, including 1.3 inches in under 15 minutes. Crews are clearing ditches in Town 'n Country and Egypt Lake-Leto, and Pinellas is staging pumps for weekend road flooding.
More cancellations are likely as the weekend gets closer. Check each event's official website or social media pages before you head out.