MacDill Happenings

FishHawk Ranch in Lithia will be hosting a Farmer’s Market on 5 September from 8:30am to 1:30pm. Wholesome items such as fresh seafood, vegetables, fruits, domestic and imported cheeses, breads, baked goods, nuts, trail mix, granola, jams, jellies, teas, coffees, herbs, honey, flowers, plants, spices, sauces, pet treats, clothing and more will be available for purchase. All vendors are licensed with the appropriate Florida agencies. Farmer’s Markets will take place on the first Saturday of each month. During August there will more than 30 vendors offering a vast selection of fresh goods! 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. There is a Publix and a SweetBay grocery store along FishHawk Blvd. 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. FishHawk Ranch has a large number of military personnel who live there, so you might find someone you know or someone you work with there! There is a great running and bicycling path that meanders through the neighborhood which is great for those evening or weekend runs or rides!

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The classic black and white movie “Metropolis” will be playing at the Tampa Theatre today at 3pm. Metropolis is a 1927 German expressionist film in the science-fiction genre directed by Fritz Lang. Produced in Germany during a stable period of the Weimar Republic, Metropolis is set in a futuristic urban dystopia and makes use of this context to explore a political theme of the day: the social crisis between workers and owners in capitalism. The most expensive silent film ever made, it cost approximately 5 million Reichsmark. Ticket prices start at $9 with military, senior and children’s discount price of $7. Tampa Theatre Built in 1926 as one of America’s most elaborate “movie palaces”, the Tampa Theatre today is a historical treasure of Tampa. Located in downtown Tampa, the Theatre is easily accessible from I-275 and I-4. Designed by famed theatre architect John Eberson, the Tampa is a superior example of the “atmospheric” style of theatre design. Inside the Tampa, audiences are transported to a lavish, romantic Mediterranean courtyard replete with old world statuary, flowers, and gargoyles. Over it all is a nighttime sky replete with twinkling stars and floating clouds. Tampa Theatre was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, is a Tampa City Landmark, and is a member of the League of Historic American Theatres. There is on street parking nearby and parking lots within walking distance. Remember the street parking meters are not in service during the Federal holilday so parking at street meters is free. Just across the street from the Marriot Courtyard at Cass and N. Florida is a self-service parking lot that charges $5 for parking before 6pm and $3 after 6pm. If you ever come to watch a show it’s a tradition to hang out at The Hub, downtown Tampa’s classic dive that’s located two doors down, before or after a theater outing.

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How about taking out the pooch for a fun treat this Saturday! My dog doesn’t care for the water, but I know plenty of dogs do love the water. Today, the St. Petersburg Recreation Department is offering three sessions at Fossil Park Pool: 9-10:30 am, 11 am-12:30 pm and 1-2:30 pm of off leash-free swim and play for dogs before pool closes for season and maintenance. You just have to register at either start time with proof of dog’s current vaccination. Donations of dry Iams or Science Diet dog food, Nylabones, bleach, dish soap, trash bags, newspapers, clean towels and blankets accepted for the SPCA. Sorry no swimming for humans! The cost is only $5 per session dogs, but owners can watch for free! This pool is classic, with a one-meter and a three-meter diving board, two slides that reach around 20 feet tall, a basketball hoop set up in the shallow end and a baby pool option. The water in that pool sits between 2 1/2 to 3 feet deep and is a perfect splash area. Besides the pool, Fossil Park include: the Fossil Park Recreation Center, a playground, playcamp site, two lighted outdoor basketball courts, lighted regulation baseball field, two lighted youth-size baseball fields, a un-lite youth baseball field, six lighted tennis courts, a skate park and exercise trail. St. Pete is just across the bay from MacDill AFB and is about a 20 minute drive. The city is located on a peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. It is connected to mainland Florida to the north; with the city of Tampa to the east by causeways and bridges across Tampa Bay; and to Bradenton in the south by the Sunshine Skyway Bridge (Interstate 275), which traverses the mouth of the bay. It is also served by Interstates 175 and 375, which branch off I-275 into the southern and northern areas of downtown respectively. With a purported average of some 360 days of sunshine each year, it is nicknamed “The Sunshine City.”

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The Friday Night Concert Series at FishHawk Ranch continues on 16 July at Park Square in FishHawk Ranch.  Not only are the concerts for fun, but they are also to help with a good cause.  FishHawk Ranch has partnered with Feeding America Tampa Bay.  So please bring canned goods to donate directly at the Feed America van.  The food vendors at the concert have also pledged to donate 25% of their profits to Feed America, so please make sure that you check out what they have for sale.  On Friday, get on the bus and enjoy music from the Bus Stop Band.  The Bus Stop Band will take you back in time for all your favorite classic songs ranging from R&B, Contemporary, and Top 40 hits from the 1950s to the 1980s.  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. 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

The Westfield Mall in Brandon will host a free summer arts and crafts event on Friday from 1 to 3 .m. This summer-themed family fun event is designed for families with children ages 5-10. Bring the kids out for some free fun in some cool air conditioning and out of the rain. Before or after the fun, you can try out the food court for some reasonable priced food. There is a wide variety of food offerings. The Westfield Mall in Brandon is one of the largest malls in the Tampa area. Anchor stores at the Mall include Dillard’s, Macy’s, JC Penny’s, and Sears. With stores offering everything from shoes to sports to sunglasses and everything in between, the Westfield Mall is also a destination place for dining out from something quick to eat in the food court to a sit down restaurant in the restaurant courtyard. The Mall is open on Mondays to Friday from 10:30am to 8:30pm, Saturdays 10am to 9pm and Sundays from 11am to 6pm. Brandon is about a 30 minute drive from MacDill AFB. The LeRoy Selmon Expressway runs from Brandon to Tampa and can cut 10 to 15 minutes off your commute during rush hour. Make sure you buy a SunPass transponder it’ll save you .25 cents at each toll booth. Also, instead of waiting to pay at the toll booth with a SunPass transponder, you can go through the automated pay lane and save yourself some time. Brandon has all the amenities that anyone would need.

This year’s City of Brandon Fourth of July Parade starts at 6:30pm this year. The parade begins at the corner of the Brandon Parkway and Lakewood Dr. It heads North to Oakfield Dr., turns East and finishes at the Burlington Coat Factory parking lot.  Make sure you bring something to sit on, something for shade, something to keep the bugs away, and something to drink. Wear those red, white and blue colors! There will be local active military and veterans in the parade. The Bloomingdale Summer Band will be in the parade. See all the great floats from local organizations like youth football and cheerleading groups. Look for Gasparilla Krewes, the Rough Riders, the Lion’s Club, the Elks, the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce, and car clubs in the parade. This just a great local hometown parade!  After the parade you can head over to the Westfield Mall in Brandon to catch the fireworks at 9pm.

Channelside in downtown Tampa is hosting the annual 4th of July fireworks celebration.  Fireworks are shot over Garrison Channel which is the water channel next to Channelside at 9pm. You can get a great of the show from Channelside Bay Plaza as well as the Florida Aquarium, American Victory Ship, Yacht Starship, Cotanchobee Park, the Marriott Waterside, Harbor Island, the St. Pete Times Forum, and Bayshore Boulevard. The fun take place all day long. The Florida Aquarium is only charging $10 admission after 3pm. The SS American Victory is hosting Family Funfest from 6pm to 10pm which includes crafts, games, contests, scavenger hunts, prizes, and a great view of the Dragon Boat races. Tickets are limited so buy your tickets early. Adult tickets are $12 and children’s tickets are $7. There is free admission to the Tampa Bay History Center which has extended it hours so that it will stay open until 8:30pm. Dining is available on the Yacht Starship, at the History Center’s Columbia Cafe, or at one of Channelside Bay Plaza’s unique and compelling restaurants. Channelside will also be hosting live music, fun, all day long and of course fireworks at 9:00pm! Parking will be available in Channelside and other public and private lots, but spots will fill up quickly so you might park in Ybor City and use Tampa’s TECO Line Streetcar.

The City of St.Petersburg is celebrating Independence with their 4th of July Extravaganza and Fireworks. There will be activities and music at North Straub Park and The Pier throughout the day. In North Straub Park, a world renowned sand artist will create a patriotic sand sculpture from 40 tons of sand which will be near the Plaza (north end) of North Straub Park. Fireworks are viewable along the waterfront across the Bay beginning at 9 pm on July 4th, weather permitting. Also depending on sunset, fireworks may go as early as 8:30 pm or as late as 10 pm. At The Pier, there will live music starting at 1pm. Family entertainers will be throughout the Pier from jugglers to magicians, to hypnotists. Face painting is available for a minimal charge. Or stop by the Pier and try out an econo-friendly boat,  The Electric Marina Boat Rentals! Like the name says, you can rent earth friendly electric boats to leisurely cruise Tampa Bay! The top speed of the electric non-polluting boats are 5 mph, but the best about these boats at the end of your cruise you don’t have to pay a huge gas bill! Their new 24′ boats seat up to 12 people comfortably. And are equipped with a private restroom, swim transom, a recessed swim ladder, water sink and shower 4 speaker stereo/mp3 compatible, convertible top for shade or sun or fishing. The boats are equipped with GPS, depth and fish finder. You can also rent a propane barbecue for $28. Boat rental fees are $40 for a half hour and $75 for one hour. Besides electric boats, you can also rent water bike, kayaks and sailboats!

Come and celebrate 4th of July at the Brandon Blast!  The Westfield Brandon Mall is hosting the Brandon Blast from 4pm to 9pm. This event should take place at the parking lots on the west side of the mall. Listen to live music and take part in family fun events from bouncy houses to water slides.  If you get hungry or need a drink, there will be plenty of food vendors offering something for everyone’s tastes!   There is even a raffle for a $1,000 shopping spree!  Fireworks start at 9pm. The proceeds from the day go to support the Great Brandon Community Foundation who in turn helps to support 54 local registered charities. Come early to get a good parking spot and maybe bring a picnic or a portable grill and have dinner while you wait for the fireworks. The Westfield Mall in Brandon is one of the largest malls in the Tampa area. Anchor stores at the Mall include Dillard’s, Macy’s, JC Penny’s, and Sears. With stores offering everything from shoes to sports to sunglasses and everything in between, the Westfield Mall is also a destination place for dining out from something quick to eat in the food court to a sit down restaurant in the restaurant courtyard. The Mall is open on Mondays to Friday from 10:30am to 8:30pm, Saturdays 10am to 9pm and Sundays from 11am to 6pm.

Getting ready for Christmas in June in Tampa tonight! Come out to Old Hyde Park Village for “A Night of Leon“! Leon is Noel spelled backwards. This is a fund raiser benefiting Metropolitan Ministries for at risk youth in the Tampa Bay area. Admission is free, but a donation of $10 or an unwrapped new toy is recommended. This is a half-way to Christmas party with a 60ft ice slide and even snow! The fun takes place from 7pm to 9pm. Of course, Santa will be there! Listen to the live music, and see the Christmas decorations. For the kids, there will be face painting, Rock Band, a Silly Bandz trading table and free Pizza Hut pizza! Get there early for the pizza! Hyde Park Village is an open-air shopping center located in the neighborhood of Hyde Park. The weather should cooperate and so come out and enjoy strolling around the Village. The Village center is situated in several buildings located between Swann and Rome Avenues. Although are national retailers, the majority of tenants in the center are independent boutiques and eateries. The neighborhood of Hyde Park is located near the University of Tampa and close to Tampa’s business and cultural arts district. The boundaries of the neighborhood include the Hillsborough Bay to the east, Kennedy Blvd to the north, historic and picturesque Bayshore Boulevard to the south, and Armenia Avenue to the west. Major thoroughfares within the historical district include Kennedy Boulevard, Bayshore Boulevard, Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway, Howard Avenue, and Swann Avenue. There are 3 free parking structures available in Hyde Park.