MacDill Happenings

On 28 Jan from 11am to 4pm at Largo Central Park, Touch-A-Truck and Florida Clown Day will take place with plenty of trucks, loud horns and smiling faces.  Sponsored by the city of Largo, the event is in its 17th year and brings out fire trucks, dump trucks, motorcycles, buses, military vehicles, a Bayflight helicopter, 18 wheeler, and more. Kids of all ages will enjoy inflatables, train rides along Largo Central Railroad, Rocketship Car rides around the block, and a delicious food court in the middle of the park. Children can climb in the trucks, bounce on inflatables, have their face painted, ride the train, and enjoy delicious food. Florida Clown Day, brought to you by the Uptown Clown Alley, will feature over 100 clowns from all across the state of Florida. All ages are welcome to this free event. Wristbands are required for some activities and can be purchased for $5 at the event. Limited on-site parking is available and free event shuttles will be offered from Largo High School. Individuals may park and walk from Largo Middle School. Largo Central Park is located at 101 Central Park Drive, Largo 33771. Over the last 10 years, the Largo has developed such landmark projects as Largo Central Park, the Largo Cultural Center, and the new Largo Public Library. Downtown redevelopment is currently underway, as evidenced by the changes to West Bay Drive and the upcoming Clearwater-Largo Road Streetscaping project. Tucked away on tree-lined Vonn Road is the Largo Golf Course. This par 62 executive course was renovated in early 2007 to offer USGA standard greens and an enhanced golfing experience. Largo Golf Course’s 3,335 yards of family fun features eight par 4 and ten par 3 holes, great for the beginner or the pro looking for an exciting round. Bi-weekly Saturday morning Golf Scrambles offer a chance to join in the fun and take a swing at some great prizes. Largo is across the bay from MacDill AFB and is easily accessed by using the Gandy Bridge and is a 30 to 40 minute drive depending on traffic.

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If you thought last weekend’s Gasparilla event was big, then get ready for an even bigger weekend.  This weekend’s Gasparilla Pirate Fest is huge! Last weekend’s event was focused on children so this weekend’s event will be for adults.  Just take this in mind when trying to decide if you should bring children.  People are little more rowdy during this event.   The Pirate Fest Street Festival, which will take place along Ashley Drive, from Kennedy to Cass Street, runs from 10am to 10pm. However throughout the downtown and Channelside district of Tampa, there will be huge number of Gasparilla events. The Gasparilla Invasion takes place from 11:30am to 1pm. The Jose Gasparilla pirate ship will be sailing into Tampa with cannons firing and flags unfurled accompanied by hundreds of smaller boats. The Jose Gasparilla sets sail at the south end of Hillsborough Bay at 11:30 am, sails north to Seddon Channel (between Davis Island and Harbour Island), continues north and docks at the Tampa Convention Center at 1 pm. The Gasparilla Pirate Fest Street Festival features stages with live entertainment, food, and the Gasparilla Midway. The Gasparilla Parade of Pirates begins at 2pm and is scheduled to end at 5:30pm. The parade begins at Bay to Bay Boulevard and Bayshore Boulevard. It continues along Bayshore Boulevard to Brorein Street, turns east on Brorein Street, then north on Ashley Drive. The parade ends at Cass Street & Ashley Drive. The Gasparilla Pirate Fest Stage will be at Curtis Hixon Park this year. Parking is always a big issue because there will literally be a hundred thousand of people attending this event. Make sure you get out early. Parking is available at lots throughout downtown Tampa and Ybor City. If you park in Ybor City, you can use the TECO streetcars to get to the parade. Parking at the Centro Ybor Parking Garage or the Palm Avenue Garage costs $1 for the first hour and $4 for over 3 hours. The TECO streetcar conductor sells a 1-day Unlimited Ride for $5.

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Come to FishHawk Ranch in Lithia for the 6th Annual FishHawk Ranch Chili Cook Off on Saturday. The contest runs from 11:30a to 1:30pm. If you are interested in showing off your skills, the fee to enter your award winning chili is $15.00. For details, or to register as a Chef, please contact Jennifer Carle at (813) 657-6629 or by email at jcarle@fhrhoa.com. Individuals, Teams, and Business Owners are welcome to participate. If you want to taste and also vote, the cost is $5 per person. The event will take place at the FishHawk Park Square near the Palmetto Club just off Dorman Road in Lithia. Located within a 40 minute drive to downtown Tampa and MacDill AFB, FishHawk Ranch is a unique community with walking and biking paths throughout the neighborhood. You’ll find shops and grocery stores all around the neighborhood for your shopping convenience with a wide variety of restaurants for every taste. The FishHawk Aquatic Club has a competition swimming pool, a lagoon pool with an amazing water slide. There is also an outdoor aerobics stage, a massage room and a gathering room in the clubhouse. Top rated elementary, middle and high school are nearby with a new sports park close to Randall Middle School. Hillsborough Area Rapid Transit also offers express bus service to MacDill AFB from FishHawk Ranch. MacDill AFB also provides free monthly bus passes to military and civilian personnel.

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On Mondays at MacDill Lanes active duty personnel and their immediate dependents can bowl on Mondays for only $5. This special is only available on Mondays from 11am to 7pm and includes as many games as you want and shoe rental. MacDill Lanes offers 12 lanes of top quality bowling with automated scoring and pinsetters. Bowling is great family fun and is great way to keep the kids from getting bored! There is pro shop that has everything that you need for bowling including the latest balls that can be drilled to you hand size, bags, shoes and other accessories. The snack bar has great food at a reasonable price. The snack bar is open at 11am on Sunday to Friday and at 1pm on Saturday and closes one hour before the lanes close. The normal hours for MacDill Lanes are Mon-Tue 11am to 5pm, Wed-Thu 11am to 8pm, Fri 11am to midnight and Sat 1pm to midnight. Regular per game rates are from 11am to 5pm is $2, and 5pm-8pm is $2.50. On Saturday from 1pm-8pm, the cost is $2.50. On Friday and Saturday night from 8pm to midnight, Xtreme Bowling with glowing pins and balls and flashing lights takes place with a charge of $3 per game. MacDill Lanes also has a birthday party special for $100 for 10 kids. The birthday special includes 2 games of Xtreme Bowling, shoe rental, table and chair set up, decorations and a choice of hot dog, fries and a soft drink or pizza and soft drinks.

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Come out to downtown Tampa for The Park Cart at Curtis Hixon Park on 27 January starting at 4pm. This is a free event. The Park Cart is operated by the Tampa Downtown Partnership’s Guides and offers a variety of activities for park patrons. While providing information and directions downtown, the cart offers an array of recreational items such as kick balls, Frisbees, games, Hula Hoops and blankets to borrow free of charge. This a great opportunity for families or for friends to enjoy the park. The beautiful Curtis Hixon Park is located on the waterfront in downtown Tampa along Ashley St between the Tampa Museum of Art and the Sykes building. Food is available at nearby restaurants including Five Guys Hamburger across the street from the Park and a new nearby Mexican restaurant Urban Cantina located at the corner of Madison and South Tampa. Alcohol is not allowed but well behaved pets are! Curtis Hixon Park has a fenced animal park along the water. This park is one of nicest parks in Tampa. With an interactive playground, wide open flat grass play area, a view of the University of Tampa, and cooling water fountains, this is a great place to relax on during a Tampa evening. Parking is available at the Curtis Hixon parking garage or at nearby public parking lots. On street parking is free in Tampa after 6pm, so you don’t have to place any quarters into the meters! If you’re lucky, you can get a parking spot in front of Five Guys Hamburgers right across the street from the Park at the corner of Ashley and Polk.

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Come out and support the Tampa Bay Lightning as they take the ice against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday 24 January.  Game time is 7:30 pm at the St. Pete Times Forum.  The Lightning is having a tough season so far, but they never give up. They had a tough start last season but still made the playoffs! So come out and support your team!  If you’re not going to game but have to drive by the Forum, make sure you give yourself some extra time to drive by it.  The St. Pete Times Forum is located in the Channelside District of Tampa just south of downtown Tampa.  The Forum has state-of-the-art technology and innovative design which combine to make the St. Pete Times Forum one of the best facilities in North America. In addition to NHL hockey, the St. Pete Times Forum hosts more than 150 events annually, including concerts, family events, ice shows, the circus and other indoor sports. The Forum has a full range of food available including a great restaurant with a buffet, The Medallions. There is plenty of parking nearby at Channelside or directly across the street from the Forum.  Channelside offers a variety of restaurants sure to please any palate from Hooter’s to Stump’s.  Discount tickets are available at the MacDill AFB ITT office, but don’t wait for the last minute to purchase tickets. 

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If you want to know where you can definitely see a manatee in Tampa, then stop by the The Tampa Electric Manatee Viewing Center . As the water cools down in the Bay, the manatees know that they can always find warm water at the Center. You will be able to see them along the warm-water discharge canal at Tampa Electric’s Big Bend Power Station in Apollo Beach, features a wooden boardwalk over the water, a garden and habitat displays, a snack bar, and decks from which to view the manatees.  At the center visitors can see a tidal walkway showcasing vibrant Florida plants and birds, butterfly gardens, and educational building. Ideal for all ages, the Manatee Viewing Center features a new mangrove exhibit, butterfly gardens, an expanded gift shop and Tampa Electric’s largest installation of solar panels. The Manatee Viewing Center is home to Tampa Electric’s largest photovoltaic (PV) installation. With a capacity of 23.8 kilowatts, the solar panels can generate up to 37,500 kilowatt-hours annually. That’s enough electricity from a renewable source to offset the carbon dioxide four average-size cars could produce in one year. Not emitting that amount of carbon dioxide is equal to planting 7.5 acres of trees. The center is open from 10 am to 5 pm daily. Admission and parking are free. Any donations you choose to make to the center are greatly appreciated and go directly toward the purchase and maintenance of educational exhibits and publications that can help teach more visitors about the manatee and the many animals and plants that share its habitat.

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If you’re looking for something to do beside go shopping this Friday, then go to downtown Tampa. Instead of paying for something at the store, take the family for a free fun and educational experience! Check out the Tampa Museum of Art in Tampa on Friday.  Art on the House takes place each Friday from 4 pm to 8pm. Art of the House provides access to the Museum galleries free of charge, but donations are always welcome. The Tampa Museum of Art building has 66,000 square feet that includes eight galleries providing 14,000 square feet for art exhibitions. Located on Ashley Street in downtown Tampa, the Museum is along the banks of the Hillsborough River directly across from the University of Tampa.  Opening shows feature art by Henri Matisse. Prints, paintings and sculpture by Matisse are included. The Tampa Museum of Art also will have contemporary art from the Margulies Collection, photographs by late 20th-century photographer Garry Winogrand, 20th century paintings by famous modern artists and Greek and Roman antiquities.  Outside the Museum is the Curtis Hixon Park with a dog park.  The children’s play area at the park has one of the funniest interactive playgrounds!  The touch light game at the park will give you a great workout!  Normal admission prices for adults is $10, seniors, groups, military plus one guest $7.50, students $5, and children ages 6 and under free. There are two nearby city parking garages, Poe and new Curtis Hixon garage at the Museum, and several public parking lots on or nearby Ashley St.

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Come out with some friend to the Channelside District of Tampa for new adventurous food and some movie entertainment all outdoors in the gorgeous Tampa evening at Flicks and Food Trucks. On Thursday January 19, there will be 10-15 gourmet food trucks offering everything from Burgers to Vegetarian Bites for sale. The event takes place at The Grand Central off of Kennedy. The trucks and flicks will be there from 6pm to 10pm. There will be independent short films (10-15 minutes each) provided for all to enjoy for free. The Independents’ Film Festival (IFF), an annual project of Tampa Bay Arts and Education Network, showcases student and independent film from around the world, while maintaining a focus on the Florida filmmaker. One of the longest running established film festivals in Florida, IFF supports creating a community of creative minded individuals who celebrate the art of the moving image. Expect to find something for anyone discerning palate. Cigar City Brews will be available on draft at the Pour House! The event is 21+, so bring your IDs and bring cash for beer and food. Please plan to expect waiting in line for your orders. While the food is worth the wait, it does not come fast because it’s not “fast food”. These are full blown restaurants on wheels and food is made to order. Consider it similar to tailgating: Most people stand and eat at Food Truck events. If you are one who likes to sit and eat, then stake out a spot on a curb or bring a chair! Vendors appreciate small bills v.s 10’s & 20’s. Some trucks do take Credit Cards, but many do not. There is an ATM on site through the courtyard area. There is a rarking garage located at Grand Central at Kennedy (900 spaces / Free for 2 Hours).

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Sign up now for the 2-Person Scramble Tournament at MacDill AFB Bay Palms Golf Complex on the 21st of January. There is plenty of time to start practicing now! It’s a best ball tournament where each player on the team hits a shot and best shot of the two gets selected for the next shot. It’s an 8am shotgun start. Cost is $30 for members and E1 to E4, $35 for E5 to O3, $40 for O4 and up and $45 for civilians. Price includes green fees, cart, prizes and a pasta lunch after the tournament. Before the tournament, warm up or work on your stroke at the 24-hour a day lighted driving range for only $1 for a bucket of balls. Of course, there are separate chipping and putting greens. The Bay Palms Golf Complex was named ‘Best Golf Program in the Air Force’ for 2002. There are two 18-hole, par 72 courses. The clubhouse has pro shop, restroom/locker areas and a great reasonably price eatery. The South Course is a scenic and challenging courses built along the Bay. The North Course course is a fairly straight course with several water obstacles. Group and private lessons can be arranged through the Bay Palms Pro Shop. The clubhouse has an excellent pro shop with a great friendly staff ready to help you. The snack bar serves a great variety of food and has an especially nice breakfast menu!

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