MacDill Happenings

The Rays did not repeat this year, but wait till next year! Come out and support the Rays against the Yankess this Friday with game time at 7:38pm.  There are games on Saturday and Sunday.  Get to the game early and have a tailgate party! Listen to a live band and enjoy attractions at Lot 7. With a military ID, you can purchase 4 outfield tickets for half off! However, tickets have to be purchased at the box office! If you do get to the game early, then a car with 4 people or more can park for free in the Trop parking lots. Normal parking price is $15 at the Trop. The Trop is easily accessible from I-275. Inside the Trop, check out the Ray tank in centerfield. In the Left Field Street area, fans can participate in a baseball-themed game show, take their picture on a Topps baseball card, have their name inscribed onto a Louisville Slugger bat, touch and feel real game-used equipment, and broadcast play-by-play of baseball highlights. At Right Field Street kids can experience the magic of baseball in the Rays Baseball Carnival, a real working carnival that includes plinko, spin the wheel, ring-a-bat and skee ball. Or take a swing against a computer images of real Major League pitchers in a batting cage or test their arms in the speed pitch, both found in the T.G. Lee Rookie Challenge area of the Carnival. There is also kids-themed areas such as “Bats, Balls, and Brushes”, “St. Petersburg Times Pressbox” and “The Science of Baseball.” Centerfield Street has the Cuesta-Rey Cigar Bar, baseball’s first in-stadium cigar bar, as well as the Batter’s Eye Restaurant, located in the “batter’s eye” in center field. Centerfield Street also has the Ted Williams Museum and Hitters Hall-of-Fame.

For veterinary care for your pet, check out the MacDill AFB Veterinary Clinic. Located right behind the Exchange Mall at 7804 Blackbird St, Bldg 936, the clinic is easy to find. The clinic is housed in a new modern facility. Personnel with a military ID card with hospital privileges can use the clinic services. The clinic specializes in immunizations, heartworm testing, microchipping and outpatient services for the control of animal diseases transmissible to people. Health Certificates are also available for animals that will be traveling. Surgery is not done at this clinic. However, you can purchase medications and over the counter items to include flea and tick control, heartworm prevention medication, shampoos, tartar control chews and vitamins and prescription medications. Vaccines are now being divided into two classes. ‘Core’ vaccines for dogs are those that should be given to every dog. ‘Noncore’ vaccines are recommended only for certain dogs. Whether to vaccinate with noncore vaccines depends upon a number of things including the age, breed, and health status of the dog, the potential exposure of the dog to an animal that has the disease, the type of vaccine and how common the disease is in the geographical area where the dog lives or may visit. If you’re not sure what immunizations your pet should have, you can call the clinic or stop by to ask questions. Dogs should have an update to date rabies shot and bordetella shot if they are going to be boarded. Cats should have an up to date rabies shot and several other types of recommended immunizations. Heartworm medication is recommended in Florida. All services require an appointment which can be made by calling 828-3558. The Clinic is open Mon-Fri from 8am to 4pm. The Clinic is closed the last work day of every month for training.

Spend a relaxing afternoon at the Pier in St. Pete today. If you like the sounds of Modern Adult Contemporary or Rock ‘n Roll, you will love the band “Charlie Souza and the New Tropics.” Having performed at The Pier many times, they are always a favorite for listening or dancing in the Courtyard. The Music Fest is held every Sunday afternoon from 1pm-4pm in the Courtyard and you can relax by the water, listen to the music and grab a beverage or bite to eat while you enjoy your afternoon at The Pier. If you’re lucky, you might see a sailboat go by or catch a glimpse of a dolphin! If you haven’t been to the Pier it is located in downtown St. Pete on Tampa Bay. Located at the end of a mile-long approach, this five-story inverted pyramid features shops, restaurants, its own aquarium, boat docks and great place to fish from. On the ground floor of The Pier you can stroll through unique shops or grab a quick snack, and just outside a variety of activities are offered — from boat tours to feeding pelicans or peddling a surrey bicycle around the waterfront. The top floor of The Pier has a restaurant with a huge observation deck providing a beautiful view Tampa Bay. There are a variety parking options of near the Pier.

La Nouba is Cirque du Soleil’s newest production in Downtown Disney West Side. La Nouba is a presentation of a world where dreams and reality intertwine as the urban and circus worlds meet on stage. Blending acrobatics, dazzling choreography, whimsical characters and live music, the show will stretch your imagination from beginning to end. La Nouba is a circus-like performance featuring acrobats, gymnasts, and other skilled performers. The first time I went to a show I could not believe how amazing it was! The artistry was fantastic! All music is performed live at La Nouba by six musicians and two singers. Florida residents who buy an adult category 2 ticket for $83 can buy a second ticket for $25! Before or after the show enjoy the restaurants, shops or just the atmosphere of Downtown Disney. Choose from Planet Hollywood to the House of Blues to Raintree Cafe and everything in between. A great place for a reasonable price desert is the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop which can get crowded but service is always quick and the deserts are excellant. If you just want a quick bite, there is also a McDonalds! Parking is always free. Downtown Disney is about a hour drive from MacDill AFB.

If you want to go out shooting on the weekend, then try out the MacDill AFB Skeet Range on Rattlesnake Road.  Don’t worry if you don’t have your own shotgun, you can rent a 12 or a  20 gauge over and under shotgun!  You can also buy shells, but you can get a better price on shells by buying some at the local Wal-Mart.  Bring eye protection or you can borrow some from the counter.  Hearing protection is available at the counter. You can also borrow a ammo pouch free of charge.  There are two firing points that are available with automated launchers.  Skeet shooting is one of the three major types of competitive shotgun shooting at targets along with trap shooting and sporting clays. There are 8 shooting stations arranged in a semi-circle between two skeet houses.  The house on the left is the high house and the house on the right is the low house. A round of skeet consists of 25 targets - 17 are shot as singles and 8 as doubles. The first miss is repeated immediately and is called an option. If no targets are missed during the round, the last or 25th target is shot at the last station, low house 8.  The hard thing about skeeting shooting is knowing the aim point and how much to lead the piegon.  Do a little research online before you go out, hitting the piegon makes skeet shooting very enjoyable!

For an inexpensive night out this weekend, stop by the MacDill AFB Movie Theater to see the latest movies at a great price! Not only do you get inexpensive admission, but the refreshment are cheaper here also! This Friday at 7pm is the new action movie “G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra“. This movie is rated PG-13 for strong sequences of action violence and mayhem and has a runtime of 120 minutes. From the Egyptian desert to deep below the polar ice caps, the elite G.I. JOE team uses the latest in next-generation spy and military equipment to fight the corrupt arms dealer Destro and the growing threat of the mysterious Cobra organization to prevent them from plunging the world into chaos. On Saturday there are two movies playing. At 3pm, the musical comedy “BandSlam” is playing. Teenager Will Burton lives in his head, and his head is filled with music. When his mother, Karen Burton, gets a new job in New Jersey, Will starts his junior year at a new school only to find the old cliques still apply, but rock-n-roll rules the scene. Perpetually a misfit, Will strikes up a friendship with like-minded outsider Sa5m (the 5 is silent). They are both surprised when the school’s “it” girl, Charlotte recruits Will to help assemble a band to compete in “Bandslam,” a battle of the bands that is “Texas High School Football BIG.” Charlotte’s ex-boyfriend Ben Wheatly is poised to win with his band Glory Dogs - Springsteen wannabes down to their hats. For the first time in his life, Will finds he is uniquely suited to not only participate in something, but to truly make a difference. At 7pm, the horror movie “A Prefect Getaway” is playing. This movie is rated R. Cliff and Cydney are an adventurous young couple celebrating their honeymoon by backpacking to one of the most beautiful, and remote, beaches in Hawaii. Hiking the wild, secluded trails, they believe they’ve found paradise. But when the pair comes across a group of frightened hikers discussing the horrifying murder of another newlywed couple on the islands, they begin to question whether they should turn back. Unsure whether to stay or flee, Cliff and Cydney join up with two other couples, and things begin to go terrifyingly wrong. Far from civilization or rescue, everyone begins to look like a threat and nobody knows whom to trust. Paradise becomes hell on earth as a brutal battle for survival begins.

On Saturday 26 September, the City of Largo will host a Military Family Appreciation Day at Largo Central Park. The event runs from 10am to 2pm. This event will consist of opening and closing ceremonies, speakers and dignitaries, live entertainment, food and beverages, train rides in the park, and family games and activities. Best of all it is free to attend and parking is also free! Attendees will have to register and provide proof of a military relationship will be requested. Largo Central Park is a 70 acre park in the center of Largo. Largo is a community of more that 74,000 residents and the 3rd largest city in Pinellas County. It is centrally located in Pinellas County, touching the Intracoastal Waterway to the southwest and Tampa Bay to the northeast. Clearwater is Largo’s neighbor to the north. To the northwest are the towns of Belleair and Belleair Bluffs. The City of Pinellas Park lies south of eastern Largo. Seminole lies south of western Largo. The community of Ridgecrest forms a large enclave between western and central Largo. A number of county enclaves pepper the City of Largo. Largo is about a 40 minute drive from MacDill AFB.

Get in free to the Florida International Museum at St. Petersburg College at 244 Second Ave. N in St. Pete on Saturday from 10am to 5pm. The free admission is courtesy of Smithsonian Magazine. You have to go to www.smithsonian.com/museumday to download a Museum Day Admission Card. Each card valid for two people. One card per household allowed. Originally an independent museum opening in 1995, the Florida International Museum became a part of St. Petersburg College in 2008. Past blockbuster exhibits include Treasures of the Czars in 1995; Splendors of Ancient Egypt in 1996, Titanic in 1998, and Diana, a Celebration in 2005. The current main exhibit “In a New Light” celebrates the recent acquisition of the Gulf Coast Museum of Art Collection by St. Petersburg College. In a New Light highlights more than 125 works by significant contemporary Florida artists and fine craftsmen from the Southeast. Many set the tone for today’s rich and diverse arts community in Tampa Bay by embracing this region’s history and beautiful landscape even as they broke barriers and stereotype of conventional “Florida” art. Museum hours on Tues to Sat are 10am to 5pm.
Sunday hours are noon to 5pm.

Get ready for Halloween with ZooBoo at the Lowry Park Zoo. Shriek Peek Weekend is the first weekend of ZooBoo on 25 and 26 September. Admission on these nights only is $10 for ages 3 and up. ZooBoo is a family-friendly Halloween time event. It gives kids and adults alike a fun, spooky and safe place to celebrate this time of year. It features top-notch haunted houses and trails, animal encounters, light displays, music, free rides and more! One admission ticket per person will provide entrance to the entire ZooBoo event. The cost of admission includes unlimited select rides! The regular price of a ZooBoo ticket is $17 for 12 and up and $14 for ages 3-11. Rides included in the price of the tickets are Haunted Carousel, Treetop Skyfari ride, Pony Rides, Boomer’s Flyin’ Bananas, Gator Falls flume ride and the all new Tasmanian Tiger family roller coaster. The “Hidden In The Mist” horse-drawn carriage ride is $4 per person, per ride. Most animals will have gone to bed during ZooBoo. The Asian Gardens, Primate World and Safari Africa will be closed. Don’t miss the special exhibit called “Creepy Crawler Lane,” the Flying Fox Bat House and the new ” Halloween Animal Show ” featuring a variety of animals. Little boys and ghouls are welcome to wear their favorite costumes (ages 11 and under please). Adults (ages 12 and up)–no costumes, make-up, wigs or masks allowed at this event. Guests wearing costumes will be turned away at the front gate. No toy weapons of any kind (children’s or adult’s) will be allowed into the Zoo. This event will be open from 7pm to 11pm each night. Parking is always free at Lowry Park Zoo. Located off of I-275 in Tampa, Lowry Park Zoo is easily accessible and easy to find.

There is nothing like spending a Sunday afternoon watching baseball! Come out and support the Rays against the Blue Jays this Sunday with game time at 1:38pm. Plus there is a Aki Rattle drum giveaway for the first 10,000 kids 14 and under. Get to the game early and have a tailgate party! Listen to a live band and enjoy attractions at Lot 7. With a military ID, you can purchase 4 outfield tickets for half off! However, tickets have to be purchased at the box office! If you do get to the game early, then a car with 4 people or more can park for free in the Trop parking lots. Normal parking price is $15 at the Trop. The Trop is easily accessible from I-275. Inside the Trop, check out the Ray tank in centerfield. In the Left Field Street area, fans can participate in a baseball-themed game show, take their picture on a Topps baseball card, have their name inscribed onto a Louisville Slugger bat, touch and feel real game-used equipment, and broadcast play-by-play of baseball highlights. At Right Field Street kids can experience the magic of baseball in the Rays Baseball Carnival, a real working carnival that includes plinko, spin the wheel, ring-a-bat and skee ball. Or take a swing against a computer images of real Major League pitchers in a batting cage or test their arms in the speed pitch, both found in the T.G. Lee Rookie Challenge area of the Carnival. There is also kids-themed areas such as “Bats, Balls, and Brushes”, “St. Petersburg Times Pressbox” and “The Science of Baseball.” Centerfield Street has the Cuesta-Rey Cigar Bar, baseball’s first in-stadium cigar bar, as well as the Batter’s Eye Restaurant, located in the “batter’s eye” in center field. Centerfield Street also has the Ted Williams Museum and Hitters Hall-of-Fame.