The Mahaffey Theater Duke Energy Center for the Arts

I had the absolute privilege of attending Elevation Church’s pop-up experience at the Duke Energy Center for the Arts – Mahaffey Theatre in beautiful downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, and it was nothing short of powerful. From the moment I walked in, the energy was electric, and the combination of Elevation’s dynamic worship, Pastor Steven Furtick’s inspiring message, and the stunning venue created a truly memorable Sunday.  The Mahaffey Theatre is an absolute gem. This 2,031-seat waterfront venue offers spectacular views of Tampa Bay and features elegant European box-style seating that provides excellent sightlines from almost every seat. The comfortable seats with ample legroom made the entire service feel relaxed and immersive, even with a full house.  What really stood out were the theatre’s top-notch amenities. Plenty of restrooms and snack bars are conveniently located throughout, so there’s never a long wait. The full-liquor bars (perfect for a pre- or post-service cocktail) and overall flow of the space made navigating the crowd effortless. On-site parking is available, and the location is incredibly walkable to downtown St. Pete’s shops, restaurants, and museums. Accessibility is also well-handled with handicapped parking, ramps, elevators, and accessible restrooms.  The acoustics in the theatre are fantastic—perfect for Elevation Worship’s high-energy live band and vocals that filled the space and lifted every heart in the room. The production quality was seamless, blending perfectly with the venue’s professional stage and lighting capabilities. Whether you’re a regular Elevation attendee or someone just discovering the church, this pop-up was a beautiful reminder of community, faith, and worship in an incredible setting. The Mahaffey Theatre proved to be the ideal host—elegant, comfortable, and well-equipped for a large-scale experience.  Highly recommend catching Elevation’s next pop-up here or wherever they land. 10/10—spiritual recharge in a world-class theatre! 🙌 — Grateful Attendee, June 2026

This is the second show we have seen at this Center and we absolutely love it!! It has a gorgeous view of the water which makes evening ventures magical. The gardens located right next to the Dali Museum make this a picturesque date night must!

The Duke Energy Center in St. Petersburg is an exceptional venue that strikes the rare balance between beauty, professionalism, and genuine theatrical credibility. From the moment you arrive, the outdoor waterfront setting sets the tone. The views are stunning and immediately elevate the experience before you even step inside. It feels intentional — like the venue understands that theater begins before the curtain rises. Inside, the experience only improves. Every staff interaction from start to finish was excellent: helpful, kind, friendly, and genuinely welcoming without being overbearing. That level of consistency matters, especially in a theater environment where timing, flow, and guest comfort are everything. As a venue for theater, the Duke Energy Center delivers. The space feels thoughtfully designed, acoustically strong, and intimate enough to stay connected to the performance while still feeling grand. Sightlines are solid, the atmosphere is polished, and the venue respects the art it hosts. I don’t say that lightly. I’ve been to the Kennedy Center, I’ve seen The Lion King on Broadway five separate times, and I took introductory theater courses in college. This isn’t a casual comparison — this venue holds its own. While it may not match the sheer scale of Broadway or D.C., it absolutely matches them in care, execution, and audience experience. The Duke Energy Center isn’t just a place to watch a show — it’s a place that understands theater. From the setting to the staff to the space itself, it’s a venue that gets it right. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates live performance done properly.

We went to see Elevation Worship. Free and easy parking. Beautiful, clean venue w friendly employees. Extremely well behaved crowd. We had a very special time.

Beautiful venue right on the water...practically a port of call for any wandering parrothead. 🏝️ Parking was included with our tickets. The staff were warm and friendly, letting us in a bit early since Florida decided to briefly cosplay as the Arctic. It was about 50 degrees with gale-force winds whipping through, making it feel more like 40 while we waited to enter… brrr, definitely not cheeseburger weather outside! Once inside, though...ahhh, paradise. You’re greeted by a massive glowing moon sculpture floating above your head like something straight out of a tropical dream. Very intriguing and totally worth pausing to admire. Throughout the building there’s plenty of art to check out, so take a little stroll and soak it all in if you can. Inside you’ll find drinks and light fare...and by drinks, we mean full bars ready to serve up boat drinks🍹 Food options include pretzels, hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, and yes… cheeseburgers in paradise. There’s even a fine dining restaurant if you arrive early and want to dine like a captain. We were there to see the Coral Reefers this past week, and wow...what a show! The venue was nearly sold out, buzzing with energy. Friendly ushers guided us right to our seats with ease. If you’ve never seen Jimmy Buffett’s band live, it’s an absolute trea...packed with beloved Buffett favorites and laid-back, beachy vibes 🌊 Everyone was dressed in full parrothead fashion, and the venue fully embraced the fun, which was refreshing since some arts venues can be a bit uptight. Huge thanks again to the Mahaffey staff for welcoming all the parrothead shenanigans with smiles. We’d happily sail back again...anchors up, fins to the left! 🦜🍹