Free Weekend Arts Fest Returns to New Tampa With Zootopia 2, Instrument Petting Zoo

New Tampa Performing Arts Center is throwing open its doors for a free, three-day festival this weekend, kicking off its 2026-2027 season with performances from nearly 20 local arts groups and a Saturday built entirely around families. Arts Fest '26 runs Friday, Sept. 11 through Sunday, Sept. 13 at NTPAC, 8550 Hunters Village Rd., and every event is free to the public.

The third annual festival marks the venue's biggest community push yet, blending theater, dance, music and comedy across the weekend. Saturday is the day to bring the kids: it opens with a 10 a.m. screening of "Zootopia 2," followed by a visit from Hillsborough County Library's Mobile Literacy Unit, food trucks parked outside, and The Florida Orchestra's instrument petting zoo, where children can pick up and try real instruments.

Who's performing

Nearly 20 local performing groups are on the schedule this year, ranging from student ensembles to established companies. The lineup includes:

• Tampa City Ballet and Jansen Dance Project
• Wharton High School Band and Hillsborough College Music Program
• Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival and Winold Music Festival
• Power Stories Theatre, New Tampa Players and Outcast Theatre
• Anna Dance Academy, Rudram Indian Dance, and Kuumba Dancers and Drummers of Africa
• Countdown Improv Festival and Devine Madness Sketch Comedy
• Entertainment Revue, Wattaka, Drama Kids and Meredith Renuart Music Studio

Beyond the main performances, lobby shows by students and professional artists run throughout the weekend, giving festivalgoers something to catch between the bigger acts.

Backstage tours and tickets

NTPAC is also opening up its stage for guided backstage tours, showing visitors how a production actually comes together behind the curtain. Tours are offered at set times across all three days:

Every performance space has a limited capacity, so some events will be ticketed to manage crowds. That does not mean paying for admission: all events remain free and first-come, first-served, with tickets for select shows available at the box office the day of.

The full festival schedule, including set times for each performance and lobby show, is posted at NewTampaArtsCenter.org. Anyone planning to catch a specific group, or the Zootopia 2 screening, should check the site before heading out since spaces fill on a first-come basis.

Ready to plan your weekend? Find more details and updates at Tampa Community Website, follow us on Facebook, and join the conversation in our Community Forum. For more things to do around town, check out our events coverage and community stories.