Here’s what’s happening in the thriving tech scene in Tampa Bay and surrounding areas for the week of Monday, May 12 through Sunday, May 18, 2025!
This list includes both in-person and online events. Note that each item in the list includes:
✅ When the event will take place
✅ What the event is
✅ Where the event will take place
✅ Who is holding the event
This week’s events
Monday, May 12
Tuesday, May 13
Tuesday at 9:00 am: Tampa Bay Infragard presents these talks:
- Marco Di Pasquale, Dan Brown & Ray Secrest: Digital Defense for Imperium Sine Fine
- Dan Brown: Cyber Threat Fusion Center at Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC)
- Ray Secrest: Lessons from the Breach & Path Forward (members only)
Find out more and register here.
Tuesday at 10:00 am, online: Computer Coach presents The Interview Cheat Sheet! Ready to ace your next interview? Join our webinar, “The Interview Cheat Sheet: Interviewing Tips to Level Up Your Game,” and gain valuable insights to excel in your interviews. Elevate your interview skills and stand out from the competition.
Find out more and register here.
Tuesday at 6:00 pm: Tampa Bay Product Group presents Shaping the Future of Project & Change Management – An Agile-Focused Discussion!
Join a group of agile experts from local organizations to discuss how to successfully integrate agility into project and change management. This facilitated roundtable discussion will focus on how agile principles and practices can drive successful transformation, along with key considerations to keep in mind.
You don’t need to be an agile expert to gain value from this session. This session is designed to build awareness for those who seek to know what to do to help yourself become stronger or help your organizations approach the opportunities agile can provide it.
Find out more and register here.
Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.: Data Analytics & AI Tampa Bay presents Eric Vogelpohl taking a step back to focus on what’s realistic over the next 6-12 months. The conversation will span the spectrum of perspectives — from cautionary voices like Geoffrey Hinton to the unbridled optimism — exploring how to temper expectations while still embracing the incredible potential ahead. It’s also a chance to reflect on the ethical responsibilities that come with this tech and how we navigate its rapid evolution.
Find out more and register here.
Wednesday, May 14
Wednesday from 11 am to 6 pm at the Mahaffey Theater: It’s Tampa Bay Tech’s annual poweredUP Tampa Bay Tech Festival! It’s a day of innovation, inspiration, and connection. This highly anticipated gathering will bring together the brightest minds and boldest ideas in technology for an experience that’s as engaging as it is impactful.
Find out more and register here.
| Event name and location |
Group |
Time |
World Toasters Toastmasters Club
Online |
Toastmasters Division E |
7:05 AM to 8:00 AM EDT |
Weekly Networking
Hampton Inn Dunedin |
Dunedin Business Networking and Referrals |
7:15 AM to 9:00 AM EDT |
NPI St. Pete Sunrise Chapter – Exchange Qualified Business Referrals
St Petersburg Yacht Club |
Network Professionals Inc. of South Pinellas (NPI) |
7:30 AM to 9:00 AM EDT |
St Pete Downtown Young Professional Networking Breakfast Connect your business
Hangar Restaurant, Albert Whitted Airport |
RGA Networking Professional Business Networking |
7:30 AM to 9:00 AM EDT |
Grow Your Business with focused Referral Networking
Sons of Italy Lodge |
BNI Tampa -Referral based networking |
7:30 AM to 9:00 AM EDT |
NPI Profit Partners Chapter – Exchange Qualified Business Referrals
The Karol Hotel |
Network Professionals Inc. of South Pinellas (NPI) |
7:30 AM to 9:00 AM EDT |
Tampa Highrisers Toastmasters
Hyde Park United Methodist Church |
Toastmasters District 48 |
7:45 AM to 8:45 AM EDT |
2025 poweredUP Tampa Bay Tech Fest presented by A-LIGN
Mahaffey Theaterh |
Tampa Bay Tech |
11:00 AM to 6:00 PM EDT |
Carrollwood Networking Lunch ~ All Welcome~
Glory days grill |
RGA Networking Professional Business Networking |
11:30 AM to 1:00 PM EDT |
NPI North St. Pete Networkers Chapter – Exchange Qualified Business Referrals
Carrabas Italian Grill |
Network Professionals Inc. of South Pinellas (NPI) |
11:30 AM to 12:45 PM EDT |
Brandon Professional Networking Lucnh
Just Love Coffee Cafe |
RGA Networking Professional Business Networking |
11:30 AM to 1:00 PM EDT |
Optimizing Your Content for Google AI Overviews
Online |
Tampa SEO and Digital Marketing Meetup with Steve Scott |
1:00 PM to 2:00 PM EDT |
How To Create An Easy Income With AI
Online |
Orlando – Digital Nerd Entrepreneurs |
2:00 PM to 3:00 PM EDT |
Inspiring Authors & Book Immersion Meetup
Online |
Lady Lake Memoir Writing Meetup Group |
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM EDT |
Social “Hump Day” Wednesdays
Online |
Social Entrepreneurs Networking Group |
2:15 PM to 4:15 PM EDT |
Wednesday Night Gaming
Nerdy Needs |
Brandon Boardgamers |
5:00 PM to 10:00 PM EDT |
Wednesday Board Game Night
Bridge Center |
Tampa Gaming Guild |
5:30 PM to 11:00 PM EDT |
Orlando Chess Association
West Osceola Library |
Greater Orlando Chess |
5:30 PM to 8:30 PM EDT |
Ybor Game Night w/Retro House
Retro House Coffee Bar and Asian Bistro |
Tampa Game Nights |
6:00 PM to 10:00 PM EDT |
Board Game Night
Critical Hit Games |
Critical Hit Games |
6:00 PM to 11:00 PM EDT |
Casual Commander Wednesdays
Sunshine Games | Magic the Gathering, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! |
Sunshine Games |
6:00 PM to 11:00 PM EDT |
Great Big Trivia Wednesdays @ Terra Ceia Bay Country Club Palmetto 6-8PM
Terra Ceia Bay Country Club |
South Florida Poker, Music & Entertainment Group |
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM EDT |
The Fallen Lands
2103 Laceflower Dr |
Brandon and Seffner area AD&D and OSR Group |
6:00 PM to 9:30 PM EDT |
Trivia Night @ Swan Brewing
Swan Brewing |
Lakeland Hangouts (20’s & 30’s) |
6:15 PM to 8:15 PM EDT |
Blockchain & Crypto Investors & Enthusiasts – International Blockchain Group
Online |
Blockchain and Crypto Investors and Enthusiasts |
6:30 PM to 8:00 PM EDT |
Game Night!
Southern Lights Brewing Company |
Drunk’n Meeples the Social Tabletop (Board) Gamers |
6:30 PM to 10:00 PM EDT |
Tampa Writers Alliance Critique Group
Online |
Tampa Writers Alliance |
6:30 PM to 8:30 PM EDT |
Sun Coast Euchre Club
The Hanger Restaurant & Flight Lounge |
Suncoast Euchre Club -St Pete |
6:50 PM to 8:50 PM EDT |
[Virtual] Tampa Bay Bitcoin Meetup: News, Markets, & Community
Online |
Tampa Bay Bitcoin |
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM EDT |
Woodshop Tool Sign Off-Jointer, Planer, & Bandsaw (Members Only)
Tampa Hackerspace West |
Tampa Hackerspace |
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM EDT |
Sarasota-Manatee Tech Network Happy Hour – Downtown Sarasota – Wed May 14th
Cask & Ale |
Sarasota-Manatee Tech Network |
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM EDT |
Carrollwood Toastmasters Meetings meet In-Person and Online
Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library |
Toastmasters District 48 |
7:00 PM to 8:30 PM EDT |
Improve Your Communication and Presentation Skills
Online |
Communication Skills for Interviews and Presentations |
7:00 PM to 8:00 PM EDT |
Magic Pioneer Event
Sunshine Games | Magic the Gathering, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! |
Sunshine Games |
7:00 PM to 10:30 PM EDT |
Games & Grog @ The Grove SoHo!
Grove Soho |
Nerdbrew Events |
7:00 PM to 10:00 PM EDT |
New Beginnings & Old Rivalries
Online |
Central Florida AD&D (1st ed.) Grognards Guild |
7:00 PM to 10:30 PM EDT |
Games & Grog (Social Game Night in SoHo)
Grove Soho |
Nerd Night Out |
7:00 PM to 10:00 PM EDT |
Cardfight Vanguard!! OverDress Weekly
Sunshine Games | Magic the Gathering, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! |
Sunshine Games |
7:30 PM to 9:30 PM EDT |
| Return to the top of the list |
Thursday, May 15
Thursday at 6 pm at Embarc Collective: Tampa Java User Group presents Bootiful Spring Boot: A DOGumentary. Spring Boot 3.x and Java 21 have arrived, making it an exciting time to be a Java developer! Join Josh Long and dive into the future of Spring Boot with Java 21. Discover how to scale your applications and codebases effortlessly. You’ll explore the robust Spring Boot ecosystem, featuring AI, modularity, seamless data access, and cutting-edge production optimizations like Project Loom’s virtual threads, GraalVM, AppCDS, and more. Let’s explore the latest-and-greatest in Spring Boot to build faster, more scalable, more efficient, more modular, more secure, and more intelligent systems and services.
Find out more and register here.
| Event name and location |
Group |
Time |
SLEUTHFEST Conference for Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense Writers
Hilton Hotel St. Petersburg Bayfront |
Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of Sisters in Crime |
Thursday, May 15, 2025 at 8:30 AM to Sunday, May 18, 2025 at 12:00 PM EDT |
One Business Connection Zoom Mtg
Online |
One Business Connecting Networking B2B |
10:30 AM to 11:30 AM EDT |
RGA’s Founders & Amplify Clearwater Partnership meeting ~ All Welcome, JOIN in.
Chili’s Grill & Bar |
RGA Networking Professional Business Networking |
11:30 AM to 1:00 PM EDT |
NPI Referral Pros Chapter – Exchange Qualified Business Referrals
Carrabas Italian Grill |
Network Professionals Inc. of South Pinellas (NPI) |
11:30 AM to 1:30 PM EDT |
Wesley Chapel Young Professionals Business Networking Lunch ~ Walk On’s
Walk On’s Bistreaux |
RGA Networking Professional Business Networking |
11:30 AM to 1:00 PM EDT |
Sarasota Speakers Exchange Toastmasters
Online |
Toastmasters District 48 |
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM EDT |
Thrive 2025
Online |
Network After Work Tampa – Networking Events |
1:00 PM to 4:00 PM EDT |
Canasta
Grand Bay Building 3 Cardroom |
Grand Bay Canasta Meetup Group |
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM EDT |
Gulfport Scrabble and Social
The Drunken Taco |
Gulfport Scrabblers and Social |
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM EDT |
CNC Thursday’s
MakerSpace Pinellas |
Makerspaces Pinellas Meetup Group |
5:30 PM to 7:30 PM EDT |
Vecna – Eye of Ruin (T3-APL14)
Coliseum of Comics Kissimmee |
Orlando Adventurer’s Guild |
5:30 PM to 9:30 PM EDT |
Omni Toastmasters Club 6861
Online |
Toastmasters Divisions C & D |
5:45 PM to 7:00 PM EDT |
Bootiful Spring Boot: A DOGumentary
Embarc Collective |
Tampa Java User Group |
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM EDT |
Shark Tank – Business Idea Pitch Night
Online |
Business Secrets Tampa |
6:00 PM to 7:00 PM EDT |
Game Night at Conworlds Emporium (Tarpon Springs)
Conworlds Emporium |
Drunk’n Meeples the Social Tabletop (Board) Gamers |
6:00 PM to 9:00 PM EDT |
Warhammer Night
Critical Hit Games |
Critical Hit Games |
6:00 PM to 11:00 PM EDT |
Lean Beer for All Things Agile (Tampa)
Wild Rover Brewing Company |
Tampa Bay Agile |
6:30 PM to 8:30 PM EDT |
3D Printer Orientation: Printing at Tampa Hackerspace (THS Members only)
4935 W Nassau St |
Tampa Hackerspace |
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM EDT |
Understanding People – Knowing Whom You Can Trust
Online |
Communication Skills for Career Advancement Group |
7:00 PM to 8:00 PM EDT |
Palm Harbor Toastmasters Club #8248
1500 16th St |
Toastmasters District 48 |
7:00 PM to 8:30 PM EDT |
Pathfinder Society
Critical Hit Games |
Critical Hit Games |
7:00 PM to 10:00 PM EDT |
One Piece Thursdays
Sunshine Games | Magic the Gathering, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! |
Sunshine Games |
7:00 PM to 10:00 PM EDT |
FABulous Thursdays
Sunshine Games | Magic the Gathering, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! |
Sunshine Games |
7:00 PM to 11:00 PM EDT |
Live streaming production and talent
124 S Ring Ave |
Live streaming production and talent |
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM EDT |
BOOK CLUB – Women Who Run With Wolves
Online |
Lakeland Social Circle Meetup Group |
7:00 PM to 8:30 PM EDT |
Weekly Hacks
Online |
Hacktivate – Hackathon Meetup Group |
8:00 PM to 9:00 PM EDT |
| Return to the top of the list |
Friday, May 16
Saturday, May 17
Saturday from 8 am – 5 pm: It’s the 2025 edition of Tampa’s annual cybersecurity conference — BSides Tampa 12! BSides Tampa is a community-driven cybersecurity conference that brings together professionals, students, and enthusiasts to share knowledge, network, and discuss emerging trends in the security field.
BSides Tampa is open to anyone interested in cybersecurity. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out, there’s something for everyone!
One of the talks at BSides is mine and Anitra’s: Surviving Your Layoff, which will show you how to make the layoff ride less bumpy and move from layoff to liftoff!
Find out more and register here.
Saturday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at CoHatch West Tampa: Tampa Bay UX Group presentsUX + AI Workshop: Designing Responsibly in the Age of Agents! This is a workshop for UX professionals, design strategists, curious practitioners, and adjacent entrepreneurs who want to explore how AI is reshaping the design process.
This is a hands-on, collaborative workshop where we’ll explore:
- How GenAI is already impacting design workflows
- Strategic opportunities for agentic UX and automation
- “To-be” journey mapping with design thinking methods
- Co-creating smarter, leaner workflows using AI
- Prompting and prototyping exercises using tools like ChatGPT
You don’t need a background in AI — just come ready to learn!
Find out more and register here.
Sunday, May 18
About this list
How do I put this list together?
It’s largely automated. I have a collection of Python scripts in a Jupyter Notebook that scrapes Meetup and Eventbrite for events in categories that I consider to be “tech,” “entrepreneur,” and “nerd.” The result is a checklist that I review. I make judgment calls and uncheck any items that I don’t think fit on this list.
In addition to events that my scripts find, I also manually add events when their organizers contact me with their details.
What goes into this list?
I prefer to cast a wide net, so the list includes events that would be of interest to techies, nerds, and entrepreneurs. It includes (but isn’t limited to) events that fall under any of these categories:
- Programming, DevOps, systems administration, and testing
- Tech project management / agile processes
- Video, board, and role-playing games
- Book, philosophy, and discussion clubs
- Tech, business, and entrepreneur networking events
- Toastmasters and other events related to improving your presentation and public speaking skills, because nerds really need to up their presentation game
- Sci-fi, fantasy, and other genre fandoms
- Self-improvement, especially of the sort that appeals to techies
- Anything I deem geeky
