Tampa Bay Sports

Hi all...Travis back for some Tampa Bay entertainment news for all of you sports and lifting fans out there. 

You may have heard, but the Raw Unity Power Lifting Championship is coming to town, and if you haven't heard, just click here to read the previous post from the Tampa Bay Sports guys!

Well, they have 5 spots available in the female division, 6 spots available in the heavyweight division, 8 spots available in the bench only division and 8 spots available in the deadlift only division.

So, if you are interested and meet the lifting requirements, get signed up soon! 

If you are interested in competing at Raw Unity then please check out the qualifying totals to see if you qualify for the meet...just click here.  
 

If you have not qualified and would like to apply for a spot, then simply send a “lifter resume” to erictalmant@yahoo.com.  Please include videos or links to videos if you would like to improve your chances.

Also, if you aren't a "lifter" but you know some who may be interested, pass the word to any and all lifters that may be interested. 

The roster that has been assembled is arguably one of the best that the sport of powerlifting has seen in a long time. 

If you want to see the current roster,just click here. 

Oh, and you can also attend if you just want to see the action.  I will definitely be heading out to see this one! 

Until then, keep checking back for more great things to do in Tampa Bay.
 

Hey everyone!  Travis here with two upcoming exciting Tampa Bay area events that you don’t wanna  miss!

The Tampa Bay Lightning take on the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday, November 25 at 7pm and the New York Rangers on Friday, November 27 at 7:30pm.

Fans will have the opportunity to watch all favorite athletes including Vincent Lecavlier, Martin St. Louis, Steven Stamkos, and Victor Hedman!

Lightning fans should look for regular announcements detailing the upcoming games and events. As always, you are encouraged to check out www.tampabaylightning.com to get more details about each game day for Official Game Notes, the latest stats, stories, game previews, line-ups and more.

Once again, come to support your team. The Deadline to order tickets is the day before the game days at noon or until the tickets are sold out. Don’t forget: “Together We Will”.  these are definitely the best St. Pete Times Forum tickets you can get. 

As always, keep checking back for more great things to do in Tampa Bay!

Hey everyone!  Travis here with some Tampa Bay entertainment that is a must-see!  The Tampa Bay Lightning and its players will host their second “Lightning Unplugged” event of the season on Tuesday, Nov. 10 from 6-8 p.m.

It all happens in Center Court at The Shops at Wiregrass located in Wesley Chapel.

For those who have not heard of these series, “Unplugged” is a new series of fan friendly events in the Tampa Bay community hosted by former Lightning player and 2004 Stanley Cup Champion Chris Dingman.

It offers fans a chance to meet the Lightning players and ask them questions in an open, casual, barrier-free environment.  This event will feature perennial NHL All-Star Martin St. Louis and new Lightning goaltender Antero Niittymaki joining Dingman at The Shops at Wiregrass. 

Also at the mall will be the Lightning Fan Interactive Truck, ThunderBug and the Lightning Girls. There will also be a merchandise tent, a ticket booth where fans can purchase tickets to upcoming Lightning games and Wiregrass’ holiday ice rink will be open to fans for skating.

Fans in attendance will also have the opportunity to enter to win great prizes. The entrance to the event will be on Piazza Ave. near GrillSmith New American Grill. Following “Unplugged” there will be a post-event party located at The Brass Tap (just south of Center Court on Piazza Ave.). The party will begin immediately following the event and will feature great drink specials (for those of us old enough to attend).

And there'll be more of these Tampa Bay area events, so Lightning fans should look for regular announcements detailing the future stops of “Unplugged” throughout the 2009-10 season. As always, you are encouraged to visit www.tampabaylightning.com to get more details about these happening. 

As always, keep checking back for more great things to do in Tampa Bay! 
 

Hey everyone!  Travis here with some Tampa tourism news.  Plus, it's some really cool Tampa Bay entertainment. 

The Sixteenth Annual ExTRAVELganza, the Bay Area's Premier Vacation & Sports Auction
Featuring the New Tours of Taste, take places on Friday, Nov. 13 from 7-10pm. 

It's happening at the at the spectacular newly opened Mainsail Conference Center!  As far as Tampa Bay hotels go, this one is amazing! 

There is no other fundraising event in the Bay Area quite as extraordinary as ExTRAVELganza, which provides the opportunity to purchase dream travel packages while raising scholarship dollars for hospitality and/or culinary arts students.

And, attendees will be delighted with a spectacular inaugural event - a Titanium Chef Competition with celebrity judge. Seats will be limited for this event.

So, make sure you log on to www.extravelganza.org to get more information about attending...also, they are looking for items for the auction.  So, if you have something you'd like to donate, you can do that as well...just check the site for details. 

See you there.  And keep checking back for more updates about Tampa Bay area events and other great things to do in Tampa Bay! 
 

Hey everyone!  Travis here with more cool Tampa Bay entertainment!  This just in from the history center...on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 7pm the Tampa Bay History Center will present a Florida Conversations lecture featuring USF Historian Andrew Huse and Columbia Restaurant owner Richard Gonzmart.

The two will discuss Huse’s new book, The Columbia Restaurant: Celebrating a Century of History, Culture and Cuisine.

Although the Florida Conversations Lecture Series is normally hosted by the Tampa Bay History Center, this special installment will be held at the Siboney Room at the Columbia Restaurant’s Ybor City location.

Huse, a historian with the University of South Florida Libraries Department of Special Collections, worked closely with the Gonzmart Family to write this new centennial history of the famed Tampa restaurant.

In The Columbia Restaurant, Huse provides an in-depth look at the people who made the restaurant great. With a historian's eye for accuracy and a storyteller's ear for anecdotes, Huse traces the fortunes of the Columbia from the founder, Casimiro Hernandez Sr., to his great-grandson, fourth-generation restaurateur Richard Gonzmart.

Florida Conversations features authors covering the history, culture and people of Florida and is presented through a partnership with the University of South Florida Libraries Florida Studies Center.

Here's a great part about this event...it's FREE and open to the public. For additional information or to find out about upcoming lectures just head over to www.tampabayhistorycenter.org.  Have fun all you history majors and fans!

And keep checking back for more cool Tampa Bay area events, and other things to do in Tampa Bay. 
 

1. As the youngest of Ms Vayne's crew of bloodsuckers, the adorable Anya hails what region of South Florida?
2. Name one of two of the prized possessions that Ms. Vayne holds dear.
3. This Don Juan like character, and the only male member of Ms. Vayne's crew has origins that go back to 16th Century Spain where he first met Ms Vayne at the coronation of what Spanish King?

Hey gang...Travis here with some Tampa Bay enterainment news, as well as some Tampa Bay hotel updates...all in one! 

Pop artist, Jules Burt, former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Mike Alstott, and current Buc defensive tackle, Chris Hovan are the celebrities confirmed so far to participate in the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino’s annual Angelus Guitar Auction. 

It all takes place tonight at 7p.m. in Floyd’s nightclub at the Hard Rock in Tampa, where one-of-a-kind guitars decorated and signed by Charlie Daniels, Kenny Chesney, and Brooks & Dunn will be auctioned.

Artwork produced by residents of The Angelus will also be available for purchase. All art exhibition and auction proceeds benefit The Angelus non-profit organization for severely handicapped children and adults, located in Hudson.

Tickets will be for sales at the door for ONLY $10. (This event is for ages 18 and up only.)

Hosted by Chad Brock and Dave McKay of country station WQYK 99.5, the night will feature a silent auction at 7p.m. and a live auction at 9p.m.

PLUS, complimentary hors d oeuvres and wine samplings will be served courtesy of the Seminole Hard Rock.

In case you don't know about the Angelus, here you go:
The residents and students at The Angelus all have cerebral palsy and use wheelchairs for every day functioning. The 20-year-old organization in Hudson, Florida is a place for severely handicapped residents to call home. The Angelus currently has five group homes with 32 residents. With the continued help of the community, the goals and philosophy of the Angelus “a place to live, to love, to learn” will be maintained and the quality of life for the people who cannot help themselves will be assured. Visit www.theangelus.com for more information.

and of course, you can log on to www.seminolehardrocktampa.com to get more info about the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. 

As always, keep checking back for more great things to do in Tampa Bay. 
 

Hey gang!  Travis back with more great Tampa Bay area events, taking place in downtown Tampa!!!!  So, let's get to it:

Tonight, start your engines.  The 2010 Model Tampa Bay International Auto Show races to the Tampa Convention Center.  If you are in the market for a new car, this is a must do before you go to the dealership.

 
tomorrow, October 24th, the popular Student Dance Happening will take place inside and out at The University of Tampa Oct. 21-24 at 8 p.m. A crowd favorite at UT, the Dance Happening will begin at the David Falk Theatre. The opening portion of the free program will take place inside the Falk Theatre, and the remainder will take place on the Plant Hall East Verandah. 

UT graduate Susannah LeMarquand ’01 is the Dance Happening coordinator this year. She has worked on cruise ships and is now working at Busch Gardens while teaching as an adjunct instructor at UT.  Presented by the Department of Speech, Theatre, and Dance, the Student Dance Happening features popular music and the work of talented students from all sectors of the University community. Choreography features new work by 21 UT students and alumni. The UT Dance Team and the Black Student Union Dance Team also will perform. Dance styles will include hip hop, modern, tap, lyrical and jazz, with more than 80 students participating.  The UT Dance Happening offers something for everyone. Don’t miss this unique “traveling” dance performance. The event is free!!!

Also, the Lightning take on the Buffalo Sabres.  Game starts at 7:30 p.m. For tickets and more information about the Tampa Bay Lightning, visit their Web site at www.tampabaylightning.com.

Then, on Sunday, October 25th, Get ready for Halloween with friends: new, old, and dead. Historian/actor Maureen Patrick is the guide for an often shocking, frequently hilarious hour-long tour of Oaklawn Cemetery (founded 1850) where pioneer Tampa's well-to-do and ne’er-do-well lie side by side. The graveyard is the final resting place of pirates, slaves, Indian fighters, 13 City mayors, veterans of seven wars, and victims of five yellow fever epidemics. Elegant statuary, moss-hung oaks, and winding brick pathways give Oaklawn a Gothic feel, while tombstone epitaphs range from the genteel to the ridiculous. Patrick will appear in elaborate nineteenth century mourning attire, in the character of Miss Prudence Fipwhistle (born 1855, died 1899.) A $5 donation is requested at the end of the tour and benefits Tampa Historical Society, a not-for-profit organization.
 
On Monday, October 26th, Make your way to Café Dufrain to celebrate at Corkage Free Monday Nights.  Bring your own bottle of wine and the staff of Café Dufrain will uncork it for you.  Enjoy fine dining while taking in the water views from the outside patio.  Watch the skyline of downtown Tampa turn from day to night. Gaze at passing boats all while relaxing Monday night away.  

Finally, on Tuesday, October 27, we are saying Happy Birthday to Mr. Plant!  Henry Plant would be having his 190th birthday. The HB Plant Museum thinks that's cause to celebrate and they hope you will join them!  What is a birthday without balloons, cupcakes and punch? They await you on the veranda, from noon - 2:00pm. All day Museum admission is complimentary and visitors will be given a 10% discount in the Museum Store.  In 1891, Henry Plant opened the most astonishingly magnificent Hotel of its day and it is still relevant as an iconic symbol of Tampa. Take a break from your busy schedule on October 27th, enjoy a cupcake on the veranda overlooking downtown, and stop in the Museum for a Victorian step-back-in-time moment. Happy Birthday Henry Plant!

Now, how's that for some cool Tampa Bay area events??!!  Make sure you get out and experience as many as you can. 

we'll see you here next time as we continue to bring you great things to do in Tampa Bay! 
 

Hey everyone!  Travis here with some Tampa Bay sports news...in more way than one.  The USF Bulls soccer team is taking on Dartmouth tonight at the USF Soccer field. 

We'll be out there promoting the 2018/2022 World Cup Bid.  Also, we'll be out there taping a video, so if you want to tell us what you think about our efforts for the World Cup, come on out! 

We'll be there starting at 6:30, and the game starts at 7:30.  The camera crew will be roaming the area, so come and find us!  Plus, if you are looking for some cool Tampa Bay entertainment, USF soccer is quite a show!

And if you can't make it out tonight, just log on to www.gousabid.com/tampabay to sign the petition and show your support! 

We need all the signatures we can get, and it only takes two seconds to sign. 

So, we hope to see everyone out there tonight.  And keep checking back for updates about the World Cup efforts. 

And as always, check back for more great things to do in Tampa Bay and other Tampa Bay area events.  
 
 

Hey everyone!  Travis back with some cool Tampa Bay sports news...kind of.  It's all about the Tampa Bay International Dragon Boat Races. 

The annual poster design contest for the Tampa Bay International Dragon Boat Races has extended its entry deadline from November 1st to November 30th to allow for additional entries to be received. 

The Tampa Bay International Dragon Boat Races will be held for the 7th year on May 1st, 2010.  The poster contest each year yields over 20 entries from local and regional artists.  One lucky winner is picked by a panel of judges and becomes the face of the event for the year. 
 
The winner of the contest receives $750 and the opportunity to be recognized nationally for their talent, as well as the opportunity to work with the Tampa Bay Dragon Boat Institute on future projects. 

This includes the 10th IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championship, being hosted by Tampa in August 2011.  The design is included on the event's posters, t-shirts, and event program cover.
 
All entrants to the poster contest will be displayed in a prominent location in the City of Tampa, and will also be available for purchase at the silent auction that the Institute hosts during the Paddler's Party, scheduled for April 30th, 2010.
 
For more information on submission specifications, just go to: http://www.tampabaydragonboats.com/Events/ArtContest/tabid/104/Default.aspx 

Now, it's not exactly Tampa Bay sports news, but it's really cool!  keep checking back for more Tampa Bay area events and other great things to do in Tampa Bay!
 

Hey everyone!  Travis here with some cool Tampa Bay sports news!  I'm sure everyone remembers this past February when we held the Super Bowl in Tampa Bay. 

Well, SportsTravel magazine announced the winners of the 2009 SportsTravel Awards at their TEAMS 2009 Conference & Expo (this is a really cool event that was held Oct. 13-17 in New Orleans). 

Super Bowl XLIII has received the award for Best Professional Single-Sport Event! 

The SportsTravel Award winners were nominated and voted upon by readers of SportsTravel magazine.  The ballot included nominees at the amateur, collegiate and professional levels in three categories each, and to be eligible, events had to occur between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009. 

Criteria for nomination and voting included: superior organization of and attendance at the event; the event provided a superior experience for competitors and/or spectators; and the event's host city or venue served to enhance the event. 

Here's some info about TEAMS for you, in case you were interested:
Travel, Events And Management in Sports (TEAMS) is the world's largest gathering of event organizers and travel planners from the sports industry.  The TEAMS Conference & Expo is organized by Schneider Publishing, the Los Angeles-based company that publishes SportsTravel and Association News magazines.

And, earlier this year, TEAMS was named one of the 50 fastest-growing trade shows across all categories by Tradeshow Week magazine for the fifth time.  

and there you have it...I hope everyone keeps checking back for more Tampa Bay sports news and info, as well as info about great things to do in Tampa Bay!
 

Travis here with some Tampa Bay entertainment that is good for the whole family.  You can join the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department for a sunset movie at Medard Park in Planty City. 

They are showing the famed Shrek next Sat. Oct. 24.  The movie starts at 7:15pm and the gates open at 5:15pm...so get there early.  Here are some Q&A for you -

WHERE CAN I PARK?  Enter Medard Park at Turkey Creek Road and you will be directed to the FREE parking area by an attendant. 

HOW WILL THE FILMS BE SHOWN?  they project the movies on a high-quality digital rear-projection system on a giant, inflatable 50-foot wide screen. Dual, synchronized digital projectors will produce an image that is luminous and crisp, and a powerful sound system will allow guests to enjoy the movie from almost anywhere in the park. 

WHAT TIME SHOULD I ARRIVE?  Way before the film begins.  You can arrive as early as 5:15pm for Shrek. Part of the fun will be arriving early to picnic, toss a Frisbee, people-watch and enjoy the early evening with your friends and neighbors.  Prior to the film, you might even see yourself on the big screen as snapshots of guests at the park are flashed upon the screen.   

WHAT HAPPENS IF IT RAINS?  The Tampa area is known for the scattered showers that are prominent during the late afternoons. The dark sky can intimidate and it may look grim for an outdoor movie, but don't let that scare you away. We will show a movie in light rain. We will only stop the show for safety reasons if there are very strong winds or lightning in the vicinity. Otherwise...the show will go on!

WHAT SHOULD I BRING?  Along with your friends and family, you might want to bring blankets, compact beach or lawn chairs, your own snacks, beverages, and rain gear if the weather is iffy.  If you like to toss nerf balls or Frisbees, bring them.  If you like to read, bring a book to read prior to sunset and the start of the movie. 

WHAT FOOD, BEVERAGES AND MERCHANDISE WILL BE AVAILABLE?  Tampa Theatre will provide all Sunset Cinema concessions and merchandise booths, featuring a traditional theater concessions stand offering popcorn ($2), candy ($3) soft drinks ($2) Gatorade, bottled water ($3), and juice boxes for the kids ($1).  Fun souvenirs like official Sunset Cinema Frisbees and picnic blankets will also be available.  Proceeds from concessions and merchandise sales help support Tampa Theatre’s year-round artistic and educational programming, and offset the cost of producing Sunset Cinema events.

CAN I BRING MY DOG(S)?  Well behaved pets are allowed as long as they are kept on a leash. Please clean up after your pets. We love our dogs just as much as you, but we will revisit our policy if pet owners are inconsiderate of others, or if the large crowds, darkness and abrupt loudness of the movies make pets disruptive to others.

HOW MUCH DO TICKETS COST?  Admission is FREE!

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS?  e-mail gargoyles@tampatheatre.org – "our small but intrepid staff will answer e-mail questions within 24 hours (Monday through Friday)."

So, get the friends and family ready, and go have some fun.

we'll see you here next time for more great things to do in Tampa Bay and other Tampa Bay area events.