Ybor City

Hi all!  Travis here with the cool Tampa Bay area events taking place in Ybor City tomorrow, Nov. 7.  There some neat things to do in Tampa Bay, so listen up. 

Ybor Art Walk (at Various locations) - from 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm, Ybor Art Walk, a monthly art event sponsored by Ybor Art Association, will take place in history Ybor City.

The Art Walk is a self-guided tour of over 20 participating artistic venues in Ybor City. This month, Square One Rocks! will kick off at 11:00am at the Ritz Ybor (www.ritzybor.com).

No street closures are planned and for more information and a brochure, visit www.YAAOnline.org. 

Kraftz for Kids (at 1923 East 7th Avenue) - it happens from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.  You can indulge yourself in some crafty creations!  

Jezabelles and Her Wandering Gypsies are hosting a FREE event each Saturday for the entire family.   For more information and a schedule, call  813 / 247-1923 or email jezabelle-gypsies@hotmail.com 

Ybor City Saturday Market at Centennial Park East Pavillion from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.  If you are looking for fresh produce or a November shopping adventure, then this is the place for you. 

Visit the Ybor Market this Saturday in Centennial Park.  For more information, please contact Lynn Schultz at 813/241-2442 or visit www.ybormarket@yahoo.com.

and there you go...so get out and start exploring Tampa's historic Ybor City.  and keep checking back for other things to do in Tampa Bay.
 

Hey everyone!  Travis here with some Tampa Bay entertainment that is for a good cause! 

The 8th Annual Richard's Run for Life, a 5K Run/Walk benefiting H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute will take place this Friday evening,  November 6 beginning at 7pm. 

The event will start and end on 9th Avenue in Centennial Park in Ybor City.  The event will follow the standard Ybor City 5K run route. 

Set up for the event will begin at 5pm and breakdown will be completed by 9pm.  In order to accommodate the event, several streets will be closed during the race between 6-8 pm to include the following:

Nick Nuccio Parkway between Nebraska Avenue and Interstate 4
Palm Avenue between Nebraska Avenue and 21st Street
9th Avenue between 18th and 19th Streets
19th Street between 8th and Palm Avenues

After the race, food and refreshments will be served in Centennial Park.  For more information, visit www.richardsrunforlife.com. 

And there you have it everyone!  Make sure you come out and run with Richard to benefit H. Lee MOffitt Cancer Center!!!!  get your running shoes on and I'll see you out there. 

Until then, keep checking back for other great things to do in Tampa Bay!  
 

Hey everyone!  Travis here with some cool Tampa Bay area events...well, really events taking place in historic Ybor City. 

Ybor City's special event season has officially begun and November's theme is "Celebrating Cigar Heritage".  That means, some awesome Tampa Bay entertainment for all of you. 

For a calendar of this month's special events, just click here. 

If you happen to be in Ybor City, the Ybor City Ambassadors will be distributing these calendars to merchants this week. 

If you want more information about other special events, just visit www.YborOnline.com. 

Enjoy...I love Ybor City, so make sure you get out there and have some fun.  And keep checking back for other things to do in Tampa Bay.
 

Hey everyone!  Travis here with some cool Tampa Bay entertainment for everyone!  This Sat., Oct. 31 (that's right, Halloween), the Raggae Jerm Jam hits Tampa Bay. 

It all happens from 2-9pm at the Bayanihan Arts And Events Center (at 14301 Nine Eagles Drive in Tampa). 

About the show:
The Reggae Jerk Jam is truly a wholesome family event that brings all the authentic tastes and sounds of the Caribbean directly to you. Share the music, love and the laughter of what makes the Caribbean unique and let it lead you all the way to your heart and soul.

Tickets are $10, but children 12 and under free!  Just head over to www.reggaejerkjam.com to get more details.  But, no matter what, make sure you plan on heading out to cool festival. 

Be back later with more cool 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. 
 

Travis here with a truly delicious event – the Ruskin Seafood and Arts Festival.  As far as Tampa Bay area events go, this one is at the top of the list to attend.  From Nov. 7-8, sun, sand and plenty of seafood line the shores of Tampa Bay for the annual Ruskin Seafood and Arts Festival. 

More than 20 vendors and restaurants offer visitors tastes of their seafood specialties, including shrimp, cracked conch, grouper sandwiches, clam chowder, alligator and oysters. 

In addition to the seafood, an arts and crafts area has nearly 100 displays of hand-crafted goods, wood carvings, furniture, jewelry, stained glass items and commercial exhibits. Other entertainment includes a boat show, children’s court and exotic animals. 

There’s something for the entire family, so head out and enjoy a day full of food, culture and fun!  Admission is $5 for adults and children (under 12) are FREE.  Plus, parking is free!  Visit www.ruskinseafoodfestival.org to get more details. 

So, put it on your calendar and get ready for a great time!  And keep checking back for more great 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 back and of course we're taking you through some very cool Tampa Bay area events!  Today we are talking about an event we all look forward to each and every year - Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo's Zoofari!

Known as one of the largest and “wildest” all-inclusive food festivals in the Tampa Bay Area, Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo invites food lovers to its 23rd annual Zoofari feeding frenzy. 

The event features great food sampling from dozens of the Bay area’s best restaurants, open bars, the “Art Safari” wildlife art auction, and live music throughout the event.  The Zoo welcomes Florida favorite Sister Hazel on the main stage, and additional artists Jason Young, Nate Najar, Alan Darcy, and The Vodkanuts in locations throughout the Zoo.  

It is a fundraiser, so tickets are $75 online at LowryParkZoo.com, $80 by phone 813-935-8552 ext. 276, or $85 at the door the night of the event. 

VIP/group packages are available in the “Rhino Club” with exclusive use of the beautiful Safari Lodge. Individual Rhino tickets start at $135 with group packages available.  Admission tickets are all-inclusive and the event is rain or shine. 

if you need more info, head over to www.lowryparkzoo.com!  And keep checking back for more great things to do in Tampa Bay, and other Tampa Bay area events! 
 

Hey everyone!  Travis here.  We bring you so many Tampa Bay area events that we thought we should tell you about the opportunities to get involved in them too.  We just got this information from the City of Tampa. 

There'll be a Guavaween Community Meeting next Wednesday, oct. 28 at 6:30pm..."In an effort to assist in making this event safe, profitable and efficient for all of us." 

It'll take place at the Italian Club Cantina (that's at 1731 East 7th Avenue in Ybor City). 

In case you weren't aware, Guavaween 2009 will take place Saturday, October 31 and is one of Tampa's coolest events. 

If you want to take a look at some general information and rules for Guavaween, just click here.

If you need to know what streets will be closed and what vendors are participating, click here. 

So, make sure you attend and have an impact on this year's Guavaween Festival. 

And of course, keep checking back for more great things to do in Tampa Bay.
 

Hey everyone!  Travis here with a Tampa tourism update.  This is breaking news in from the county, so listen up! 

In today’s regular Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners meeting, the motion carried 7-0 to rename the Tampa Bay History Center building the 'J. Thomas Touchton Tampa Bay History Center.'

The renaming of the building was brought forward by Commissioner Rose Ferlita to honor the dedication and drive Touchton demonstrated to make the new facility a reality. Touchton, the founding chairperson, spent 20 years actively raising both endowment and capital funds for the History Center project. 

Plus, the Touchtons are in the process of donating their historic map collection of more than 3,000 items to the History Center. These maps and charts represent some of the “Florida” map-makers visions that have been created over the past 400 years.

The Tampa Bay History Center is located at 801 Old Water Street in the Channelside District, and serves as the County's official repository for historic artifacts. With a total cost of $52 million, $17 million provided by the County, the History Center includes 25,000 square feet of exhibit areas, featuring 12,000 years of local history, interactive displays and multiple theaters, plus a gallery that features temporary exhibits.

In addition, a research library is staffed by the Hillsborough County Library system. The Columbia Restaurant operates the Columbia Cafe, complete with a replica of the original Columbia Restaurant bar in Ybor City, founded in 1905.

If you want to learn more about the Tampa Bay History Center, visit www.tampabayhistorycenter.org.

and there's your breaking news update!  Check back for more Tampa tourism updates, as well as information on great things to do in Tampa Bay! 
 

The folks over at Hyde Park Village's new CineBistro had me over on Tuesday morning for the media preview and I must say - yum! Beyond the amazing food, the place is just beautiful in design and detail. I think this theater will be a great addition to the Hyde Park scene. The grand opening is tomorrow evening. The opening week's lineup includes: Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story; The Stepfather; Couples Retreat; Law Abiding Citizen; Spike Jonze's Where the Wild Things Are; and The Boys Are Back with Clive Owen.You can purchase tickest online by clicking here. And just to tease you a bit, here are some photos that are too good not to share! 

I hope everyone has a chance to get out and attend this year's 20th Anniversary Clip Film Festival! Tonight's screenings include Friends & Lovers: Ski Trip 2, Butch Factor (both at Tampa Theater), City of Borders and Chef's Special (both at Muvico Baywalk). For a complete listing of times, schedules, parties and events click here.

Anyone attending tonight's USF Bulls game vs the Cincinnati Bearcats? I'll be there. Don't forget it's a "green out" and they are asking all fans to wear GREEN! Go Bulls!

So we're in the midst of the 20th Anniversary of the Clip Film Festival this week. Can you believe it? Twenty years "celebrating life in pictures"! Anyone been to any screenings or special events yet? I was unable to attend opening night, as I was out of town for a work obligation and I'm sorry I missed it. Las year's celebration was incredible and I can only imagine how they planned to top themselves for the 20th Anniversary. Screenings and special events are happening daily on both sides of the Bay. For a complete schedule, click here.  

I'm looking forward to attending this afternoon's media preview of the new CineBistro @ Hyde Park Village. Thanks for the invite, Katy. The grand opening happens this Friday, October 16th. You know the drill - high-end food, bar, great service, plus all your favorite films. Should be a great addition to the Hyde Park scene. It's also the home of the 2010 Gasparilla International Film Festival.

Speaking of Gasparilla, just got word of their next event via press release, here's a snipit: 

The Gasparilla International Film Festival in conjunction with Brokenmold Entertainment is proud to present a special performance by acclaimed singer/songwriter Matt Butcher live in concert at the Market on 7th Ave in Ybor City on October 22. The show will benefit the Gasparilla International Film Festival and will be preceded by a screening of the independent film, Visioneers, starring Zach Galifianakis, who was most recently seen in 'The Hangover' and the new series on HBO, Bored to Death.  Tampa fusionists Poetry 'n Lotion will close out the evening.

Should be a great event! Full details, including show times are online. Hope to see you there.

A shout out to the Guzzo Brothers who kick off filming today of their latest indie project, 'Caged Dreams'. I'm visiting the set this week so I'll be sure to snap some photos to share. Good luck guys!
 

Greetings, its Maria here with a Tampa Bay event that is sure to bring heat to the streets of downtown Tampa and this hot will not be about the weather but an event thats sure to provide a cool blast with an opportunity to just chill ... outdoors … that is...

Tampa’s 1st Annual Chillounge Night
Saturday Oct 10th from 6pm – 11pm

Downtown Tampa is the place to be for the Chic Stylish Outdoor Lounge Party

Four city blocks downtown near the historic Tampa Theatre will be decorated with hundreds of daybeds and plush couches & will be transformed into a South Beach-style outdoor lounges.  Tampa’s Chillounge Night will have an array entertainment, dancing, fine foods and drinks along with a fashion show, opera performances, and Cleopatra parade on beds, cigar lounge, a Brazilian Samba parade and much more!


Tampa’s Chillounge Night will be held from 6pm till 11pm - Admission is $20 at the gate, $15 in advance and limited VIP tickets $75. (All VIP tickets include: food, gift bag, cigar and drinks in the special VIP Lounge area). 

So come get your chic on for an enchanted evening to mix & mingle or check out the captivating sights and simply chill … but you must be 21 years old to enter and enjoy this event!

This evening of entertainment will also benefit the community and a local charity - The Friends of the Festival in honor of TIGLFF’s 20th anniversary.

Keep coming back for more information about this and other Tampa Bay area events and other great things to do in Tampa Bay! 

Peace!

The Chillounge Night party is the brainstorm of Floridian gallery owner Rainer Scheer, for more information on Chillounge events click here .

Ok, I need your help! We've been offered the chance to participate with Hyde Park Village as they celebrate the opening of Cobb Theater's Cinebistro theater/dinner concept in October. They are asking local organizations and merchants to decorate storefront windows and tie it around movies, making movies, Hollywood, etc. They've asked the Film Commission to participate in this "showcase" and I'm hoping to put together a beautiful window with props from locally-made projects. If you have anything to donate (you will get it back), please contact me via email ASAP so that we can coordinate the pick up/drop off. I need your help to make this window look great! 

On the film festival front, I have to give props to the folks over at the Gasparilla International Film Festival who invited me to join them last Friday evening at their Annual Benefit and Art Auction at The Ritz Theater in Ybor City. The event was a smashing success, raising money for the 2010 festival and offering support to Tampa's local art community. I'm didn't get the piece I was bidding on (bummer) but I hope the gentleman who outbid me enjoys his portrait of Audrey Hepburn. You can see pictures from the event here.

On the topic of the Gasparilla International Film Festival, their next Global Lens screening will happen on September 24th. 'Song from the Southern Seas' by Marat Sarulu, a film from Kazakhstan, will screen at Studio@620 at 7:30pm. Tickets are $8 at the door ($5 students/seniors), but members of the Gasparilla International Film Festival may attend free.  Beer and wine will be served!

Finally, the Tampa Film Network invites you to attend a "Producer's Panel" next Friday, September 25th, 2009 from 7:30-10pm at The Art Institute of Tampa. Local producers will discuss the role of Producer in filmmaking, what it takes to be successful, and how to avoid failure. The event is free and open to the public. Hey, you might just learn something!

I hope everyone has a great weekend. A lot of great Tampa Bay film community events happening out there - go check one out! 
 

Hey everyone.  Travis back with some great things to do in Tampa Bay this weekend.  Let's just get to it shall we??!!

Tommy Davidson hits the Tampa Improv in Historic Ybor City (Centro Ybor) on Friday at 8pm!  This Actor, stand-up comedian, musician, and singer will be a blast to listen to and experience, so head out there and get ready to laugh!!!

Next, head out to the World's Largest Garage Sale at the Florida State Fairgrounds!  It's Saturday from 9am to 10pm.  This two-day, huge garage sale event showcases more than 400 booths of merchandise inside the Expo Hall and outdoor displays with assortment of vehicles and water crafts.

There will be a business trade show area, a health and wellness section with free screenings and exhibitors, a music stage with live celebrity karaoke, and free giveaways every hour. Children 17 and younger are free (accompanied by adult), and adults are $5! 

Don't miss the football action at the hometown USF Bulls take on Charleston Southern at Raymond James Stadium!  Kickoff is 7pm and there's sure to be some hard-hitting action...so tune in or get out there and cheer them on in person! 

What would a weekend be without Free Line Dance Lessons??!!  It's Saturday at 8pm at Slingshots here in Tampa!  So, if you love to Dance, come hang out at Slingshots on Saturday (and Saturdays) and learn from the best. Every Saturday from 8-10 they offer the best in line dance lessons.... from the oldies but goodies... to the newest in country.  Remember there is no cover before 10 so the lessons are completely FREE!

We'll leave you with "Upstairs/Downstairs" at the Tampa Bay Hotel on Sunday at 2pm!  this is the Henry B. Plant Museum at the University of Tampa campus, so make sure you check this one out, because this place is really cool.  They will present single-character vignettes that bring the turn-of-the-century Tampa Bay Hotel staff members and guests to life with live theater.  Trust me, this will be one to see. 

Now, this is just a taste of what's happening this weekend, so if you know of more events, please chime in and let us know!!!!!! 

Until then, keep checking back for more great things to do in Tampa Bay, and other Tampa Bay area events!  

Hey everyone!  Travis back with some great Tampa Bay entertainment for the whole family.  We are going back in time at the Tampa Bay History Center this time.  Here are all of the details:

The Tampa Bay History Center will debut its new third-floor, 2,000-square-foot temporary exhibit gallery with Florida Cattle Ranching: Five Centuries of Tradition!  It debuts this Saturday, September 19th and continues through December 19.

Florida Cattle Ranching chronicles the history and culture of one of Florida’s oldest industries. Southern pioneers, Florida “Crackers” and Florida Seminoles all play a part in Florida’s ranching legacy, which began when Spanish explorers brought cattle and horses to Florida in the 16th century.

To date, cattle ranching remains an integral part of the state’s economy.  This exhibit features oral histories, Florida folk music, cowboy art and documentary footage. 

The History Center will celebrate the launch of their first traveling exhibit with a public opening on Saturday, the 19th.  Opening day activities will include whip-making demonstrations, children’s activities, and a book signing with author Joe Ackerman. 

Like we said, the exhibit is on view through December 19th at the Tampa Bay History Center, right here in downtown Tampa!  Viewing for the “Florida Cattle Ranching” exhibit is included in the general admission ticket price.

Of course, you can go to their website for more information - www.tampabayhistorycenter.org.  So, get out there and explore some of Tampa's History! 

And of course, keep checking back here for more great things to do in Tampa Bay!