Neighborhood Spotlight – Jan/Feb 2009

Downtown Tampa: Busy Winter Ahead!

For residents and visitors of Tampa’s Urban Corridor (UC), this winter is an excellent time to be downtown. From unique retailers to mainstream sports, from arts and concerts to stage shows, from motorcycle ice racing to parades, you can enjoy as many wonderful experiences as you can handle.

The fact that two of the city’s biggest 2009 events – the Super Bowl and Gasparilla – will be happening within the same week is only amplifying the excitement!

Even though the Feb. 1 NFL championship game at Raymond James Stadium is just to the west of the Urban Corridor, the UC is Super Bowl Headquarters for the NFL and the national media (with downtown being of particular note).

You can find all the Tampa Bay Super Bowl Host Committee’s official event listings at www.TampaBaySuperBowl.com, but the following are our top selections for downtown winter fun:

At “Lights on Tampa” (www.lightsontampa.org), which is running until Feb. 2, artists have set up large-scale light installations for free night viewing at five sites in south downtown. “Lights” kicked off with a public shindig Jan. 10 and will shine every night of the event until 12 a.m.

“NFL History from Getty Images,” a 30-photo collection of iconic NFL images, is being held Jan. 22-Feb. 28 at the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, 200 N. Tampa St., Ste. 130 (www.fmopa.org; $4). On Wednesday, Jan. 28, 8:15 p.m., FMOPA is also hosting a four-course dinner ($84, 813-229-6028) at The Tampa Club, 101 E. Kennedy Blvd., Ste. 4100. Mario Prosperino, Getty sports league manager, will speak and several random attendees will receive photos at show’s end.

The busiest performance venue south of Washington DC is the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, 1010 N. MacInnes Pl. The Broadway plays, concerts, local productions and other events it brings to the city draw more than half a million patrons annually. Check out the center’s schedule at www.tbpac.org.

On Thursday, Jan. 29 at 6 p.m., the “Legends for Charity” dinner (www.legendsforcharity.com; $150) will honor ESPN broadcaster Chris Berman at the Westin Tampa Harbour Island, 725 S. Harbour Island Blvd. “Boomer” Berman will receive the Pat Summerall Award during the dinner, which will be emceed by Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic of ESPN’s “Mike and Mike in the Morning.”

Downtown’s new pride and joy is its $40 million Riverwalk (on the east bank of the Hillsborough River). It’s about one-third complete, with an additional 15 percent under construction. The colorful ribbon of walkway links several parks and provides amazing views of Tampa’s riverscape. The Friends of the Riverwalk (www.friendsoftheriverwalk.com) offers free walking tours on most Saturdays.

Another “signature” for the city opened in late 2008: the Tampa Downtown Market (www.tampadowntownmarket.com). It’s held in Lykes Gaslight Square Park, at Kennedy Boulevard and Tampa Street. Open Fridays through May, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., its more than 30 vendors have reported strong sales of produce, pasta, honey, breads and other foods; as well as jewelry, soaps, perfumes, crafts and more. With tempting aromas and sweet music wafting through the downtown air, the Market is a pleasure for all the senses.

On Tuesday, Jan. 27, 7:30 p.m., the Tampa Bay Lightning take on the Montreal Canadians in just one of dozens of 2009 NHL hockey games the Lightning play before April 9 at the St. Pete Times Forum (www.stpetetimesforum.com, $15-$225), 401 Channelside Dr.

The Forum will also be hosting a series of other events, including Professional Bull Riding featuring the world’s top 45 bull riders (www.prbnow.com, $11.75-$101.75) Friday, Feb. 2, 8 p.m.; Xtreme International Ice Racing and its wild racers who circle a frozen indoor track while riding motorcycles, 5 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 8 ($12-$20); and the Harlem Globetrotters 2009 World Tour, (www.harlemglobtrotters.com, $20-$96), Feb. 27, 7 p.m.

The Gasparilla Invasion (www.gasparillapiratefest.com) has been a Tampa tradition since 1904. On Saturday, Feb. 7, the ship and rebellious crew of fictional pirate, Jose Gasparilla, will “capture” Tampa at midday, easing north through Hillsborough Bay to eventually dock at the Tampa Convention Center. It’s a sight to see, as it’s escorted by a flotilla of thousands of rowdy sailors aboard private boats.

Next comes the 2 p.m. “Parade of the Pirates,” as 130-plus units – floats and marching bands, plus Shriners on minibikes, politicians in convertibles, pirates on foot and more – amble three miles down Bayshore Boulevard and on into downtown. Hundreds of thousands of folks attend and grab beads and trinkets flung from floats by ugly pirates and their beautiful women.

On the night of Feb. 7, the Pirate Fest Street Festival takes place in south downtown Tampa, with several stages, an entertainment midway, and tens of thousands of revelers. The fest continues late into the night.

Gasparilla is more than a parade. It involves many other activities, including the Gasparilla Extravaganza; the official kickoff that’s held on Saturday, Jan. 24, noon-7:30pm on Bayshore Boulevard (www.gasparillaextravaganza.com, free). This booze-free family event includes the Children’s Gasparilla Parade and the “Piratechnic” Extravaganza (a massive fireworks show).

Also, the Ybor City Naval Invasion is at noon, Sunday, Jan. 25, behind the Florida Aquarium, 705 Channelside Dr., at the S.S. American Victory Mariners Memorial & Museum Ship (free). The faux battle pits the Ybor City Navy versus Jose Gaspar’s invading pirates. Beware the loaves of hurled Cuban bread!

If music acts are more your thing, the St. Pete Times Forum has three very big names coming. On Jan. 28, Celine Dion’s “Taking Chances” tour ($46.75-$152.75) comes to town; on Jan. 29, The Eagles “Long Road Out of Eden” tour ($47/75-$187.75) stops by; and Billy Joel & Elton John go “Face 2 Face” on March 5 ($54.25-$179.75).

And last but not least, one of the country’s premier outdoor art events – the free Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts (www.gasparilla-arts.com) – will be held Sat-Sun, March 6-7. Read more about it in New Heights’ Arts & Events section (pg. 32).

Story provided by the Tampa Downtown Partnership.

Read More at www.NewHeightsMag.com.