The stretch after Labor Day is usually when Pasco goes quiet. It doesn’t this week. There’s a carnival running three days in Trinity, a Roald Dahl musical downtown, and a container park in Wesley Chapel with something on four nights running.
Everything below was confirmed against the venue’s own website on September 6. Times and lineups do change — call ahead if you’re driving across the county for one of these.
Tuesday, Sept. 8
1. Trivia Night at The Social
The Social sits on Main Street in downtown New Port Richey and runs trivia every Tuesday as of this writing. It’s a cocktail bar rather than a sports bar, which changes the room considerably — this is the version of bar trivia where you can hear the questions.
The Social NPR, 5650 Main St., New Port Richey · 727-834-8137
Thursday, Sept. 10
2. Karaoke at The Social
Same room, different night. Karaoke runs Thursdays as of this writing, and downtown New Port Richey is walkable enough that it works as one stop of several rather than the whole evening.
The Social NPR, 5650 Main St., New Port Richey · 727-834-8137
3. Throwback Thursday at KRATE
KRATE is the shipping-container park at The Grove, and Throwback Thursday runs 6 to 9 p.m. If you haven’t been since it opened, the scale is the surprise — it’s a genuine open-air block rather than a few kiosks in a parking lot.
KRATE at The Grove, Wesley Chapel · 6–9 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 11
4. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory opens at Richey Suncoast
Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – The New Musical opens Friday at 7 p.m., doors at 6:15. Directed by Jess Glass, with music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman — and the score works in “The Candy Man,” “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket” and “Pure Imagination” from the 1971 film.
General admission is $32 plus tax; a VIP box seating four is $185 plus tax. The theatre recommends ages 7 and up. It plays again Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., then returns Sept. 18, 19 and 20 — and the Friday, Sept. 18 performance is ASL interpreted.
Richey Suncoast Theatre, 6237 Grand Blvd., New Port Richey · Box office 727-842-6777
5. Fall Carnival Weekend opens at Starkey Market
Three days of old-school carnival — giant inflatables, GellyBall, carnival games — running 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Starkey Market is already one of the few places in west Pasco that reads as a destination rather than a stop, and a carnival on the property is a reasonable excuse to find that out.
Starkey Market, 3460 Starkey Blvd., New Port Richey · 727-375-7606 · Sept. 11–13, 10 a.m.–9 p.m.
6. KRATE Has Talent
An open talent night, 7 to 10 p.m. Free to watch, which makes it the cheapest Friday night on this list.
KRATE at The Grove, Wesley Chapel · 7–10 p.m.
7. Danny Bub Combo at The Social
Live music downtown Friday night. The Social books a different act most weekends — FireFly follows on Saturday.
The Social NPR, 5650 Main St., New Port Richey
Saturday, Sept. 12
8. KRATE Rhythm & Vibes: Caribbean Edition
The second-Saturday music night at KRATE, 7 to 11 p.m., Caribbean edition this month. The container park is open-air, so this is a check-the-forecast event.
KRATE at The Grove, Wesley Chapel · 7–11 p.m.
9. FireFly at The Social
Saturday’s live act on Main Street, and the second half of a downtown weekend that pairs easily with the theatre four blocks away.
The Social NPR, 5650 Main St., New Port Richey
Sunday, Sept. 13
10. Sunday Morning Market at KRATE
Second-Sunday market, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pasco has plenty of weekend markets; this one has the advantage of permanent shops around it, so it holds up if the weather turns.
KRATE at The Grove, Wesley Chapel · 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
And the carnival at Starkey Market and the Sunday matinee of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2 p.m., doors 1:15) both run through Sunday, if Saturday gets away from you.
Running something we should know about? If you’re putting on an event in Pasco County, or you know a family-owned restaurant or business deserving a visit from us or our readers, let us know.