Here’s what’s happening in the thriving tech scene in Tampa Bay and surrounding areas for the week of Monday, January 26 through Sunday, February 1!
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, January 26
- Tuesday, January 27
- Wednesday, January 28
- Thursday, January 29
- Friday, January 30
- Saturday, January 31
- Sunday, February 1
Monday, January 26
Tuesday, January 27
Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. (online): Standing out on LinkedIn takes more than just having a profile. It takes intention, clarity, and the right approach. This live webinar is designed to help professionals cut through the noise and get noticed by recruiters, hiring managers, and industry peers. Led by the Computer Coach Career Services team, this session breaks down how LinkedIn actually works and how to use it as a tool for visibility, connection, and career growth.
Find out more and register here.
Tuesday at 5:30 at Hidden Springs Ale Works (Tampa): It’s the last Tuesday of the month, which means it’s time for another TampaTech Taps & Taco Tuesday! Come connect with industry peers, have some of Hidden Springs’ fine beers at 15% off, and of course, free tacos!
No speakers, no presentations — just great conversations and a raffle (because that’s way more fun!)
Wednesday, January 28
Thursday, January 29
Thursday at 4:00 p.m. at American Legion Post 138 (Tampa): It’s the January 2026 Tampa/MacDill AFB Orange Call!
In a military context, an “orange call” refers to an alert signaling a heightened cybersecurity state of readiness.
This orange call’s purpose is to gather and network amongst fellow communicators, guardians, and enablers of all ranks, titles, and experience levels, share resources and seek professional development. They will conduct an informal meet & greet and discuss MacDill communicators and missions, including the increasing role of cyber and the importance of defending our nation’s networks.
It’s also an opportunity for anyone looking for a job or internship — you get to make a 2-minute elevator pitch! Same for anyone looking to hire.
Find out more and register here.
Friday, January 30
Friday, starting at 8:00 a.m. at the Hilton Downtown (Tampa): Tampa Bay Generative AI Meetup is partnering with the Seventh Annual Tampa Official Cybersecurity Summit!
This is the must-attend event for CISOs and senior leaders looking to strengthen resilience, reduce risk, and align security with business goals. Join top executives, innovators, and experts for a full day of actionable insights, cutting-edge solutions, and high-impact networking. Experience interactive panels, exclusive solution showcases, and strategic discussions that go beyond theory to deliver real-world results, all complemented by a catered breakfast, networking lunch, and closing cocktail reception.
Also, Tampa Bay Generative AI Meetup organizer James Gress will be on the AI and Emerging Tech at the 2026 Security Frontline panel at 11:10!
Find out more and register here (use CSS26-TAMPABAYGENAI for free admission!)
| Event name and location | Group | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tampa Cybersecurity Summit Hilton Tampa Downtown |
Tampa Bay Generative AI Meetup | 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST |
| Computer Repair Clinic 2079 Range Rd |
Tampa Bay Technology Center | 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM EST |
| Friday Board Game Night Bridge Club |
Tampa Gaming Guild | 5:30 PM to 11:00 PM EST |
| MTG: Commander FNM Critical Hit Games |
Critical Hit Games | 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM EST |
| Taps & Drafts | EDH/MtG Night 1Up Entertainment, Tampa |
Nerdbrew Events | 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM EST |
| Modern FNM Sunshine Games | Magic the Gathering, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! |
Sunshine Games | 7:00 PM to 10:30 PM EST |
| Friday Pokemon Tournament Sunshine Games | Magic the Gathering, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! |
Sunshine Games | 7:30 PM to 11:30 PM EST |
| Return to the top of the list | ||
Saturday, January 31
Sunday, February 1
| Event name and location | Group | Time |
|---|---|---|
| ICEBREAKER Social Game Day ♀️♂️ Park Shore Condos – Community Rec Room |
Groupies Got Games | 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM EST |
| Sunday Gaming Tampa Bay Bridge Center |
Tampa Gaming Guild | 1:00 PM to 11:00 PM EST |
| Control (January’s Game of the Month) HOB Brewing |
Dunedin-Palm Harbor Video Game Book Club | 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM EST |
| Sunday Chess at Wholefoods in Midtown, Tampa Whole Foods Market |
Chess Republic | 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM EST |
| D&D Adventurers League Critical Hit Games |
Critical Hit Games | 2:00 PM to 7:30 PM EST |
| Sunday Pokemon League Sunshine Games | Magic the Gathering, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! |
Sunshine Games | 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM EST |
| Sew Awesome! (Textile Arts & Crafts) 4933 W Nassau St |
Tampa Hackerspace | 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM EST |
| Continuing adventures in the setting of Symbaroum. |
St Pete and Pinellas Tabletop RPG Group | 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM EST |
| A Duck Presents NB Movie Night Discord.io/Nerdbrew |
Nerd Night Out | 7:00 PM to 11:30 PM EST |
| Return to the top of the list | ||
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