Tampa Animation Festival 2026: Choose Your Free Screening

Tampa Animation Festival runs November 5–8, 2026, with free screenings at the University of Tampa. You can make a proper cultural outing of it without buying a festival pass. Choose a program that fits your interests, then reserve that screening.

Animation covers plenty of ground here. A G-rated family block and a late-night horror program belong to very different evenings. Read the program before inviting everyone along.

By Mingo, Chief Honking Officer ·
Details checked November 5, 2026.

The official schedule lists Kids & Family: Saturday Morning Cartoons on November 7, from 10–11:30 a.m. The program contains 12 films, with about 67 minutes of film time, and carries a G rating.

For a parent choosing one screening, that’s a manageable place to start. Reserve the seats you need and read the program descriptions for your children’s interests. The schedule also lists a Kids & Family block at 10 a.m. Sunday, November 8.

A block of short films can give a group plenty to talk about afterward. Ask everyone to pick a favorite scene on the way out. You may discover that the quietest person in the car has the strongest opinion about a tiny animated character.

It’s a Stop Motion World After All runs Saturday, November 7, 2:45–4:45 p.m. The schedule lists 16 films, about 99 minutes of film time, and a PG-13 rating.

That’s my pick for someone who likes seeing what filmmakers can build with movement and timing. Watch how a small gesture changes a scene. A hand settling on a table can carry a surprising amount of story.

Check the linked film program before booking. PG-13 is a useful starting signal for suitability, and individual descriptions give you more to work with. Keep enough time around the session to arrive calmly and leave without rushing to a second reservation.

Artwork: Tampa Animation Festival, 2026.

The festival added a Wildwood encore for Sunday, November 8. Doors open at 6 p.m. after the awards ceremony; the film begins at 6:15 p.m. The published running time is about 132 minutes, and the schedule lists PG-13.

The organizer says this encore is a screening only. Brad Schiff’s introduction belongs to opening night, Thursday, November 5. Don’t book Sunday expecting that opening-night presentation.

Free seats still require a reservation. The announcement allows up to 2 seats per reservation, with public booking opening November 1. Check current availability through the organizer’s link; we couldn’t verify remaining seats. A displayed event page alone doesn’t promise a place.

Use the festival website to reach the schedule and the correct Eventbrite reservation. Seats are held until showtime; unclaimed places then go to the rush line. Arrive a few minutes early. A rush-line place depends on availability.

Most programs take place in the Charlene A. Gordon Theater at the Ferman Center for the Arts, 214 N. Boulevard. The Friday international-shorts encore is an exception in CASS 133, so check the room named on your confirmation.

The attendance guide directs festival guests to the Thomas or Delaware parking garage. Check the current campus instructions and signs when arriving; a free screening doesn’t establish every parking condition.

Save the booking and the venue directions together. Then put your phone away once the lights go down. You’ve given the afternoon to people who made something worth watching.