MacDill Happenings

The Florida State Fair starts Thursday 9 February and runs until 20 February at the State Fairgrounds in Tampa. The State Fairgrounds are not too far from the intersection of I-4 and I-75 on US Highway 301. On the first day, the fair is open from 9am to 11pm and will vary depending on the day. The state fair will showcase the best agriculture and equestrian items that Florida has to offer plus an abundance of shows, music, rides, food and shopping. Agriculture continues to be a major contributor to Florida’s economy, with an overall impact of over $50 billion. Outside of Florida, besides Disney World, Florida is world famous for oranges! Agriculture competes with tourism as Florida’s largest industry. There is plenty of free entertainment included with admission. And don’t forget about the funnel cakes and deep fried Twinkies and other kinds for food that you will only find at the fair! Parking is free during the Fair. Gates open daily at 9 am or 10am depending on the day of week and closing time varies by the day of the week and weather conditions. Admission on weekends $12 for ages 12 and older, $6 for ages 6-11, and free for 5 and younger. Admission on Monday-Friday $10 Adults for ages 12 and older, $5 for ages 6-11. On weekends, admission is $12 for adults and $6 for 6-11. On the 10th, Hillsborough Public School students are provided one free admission ticket. Pasco, Polk, and Manatee County Students can receive one free admission ticket on the 20th. On the 20th, veterans get in free and after 4pm on the 20th everyone gets in free. Rides on the Midway are an additional cost, but there discount days during various days.

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Come out the the Bay Palms Golf Complex at MacDill AFB for free golf lessons from PGA tour winner Gary Woodland. He is a up and coming player who won the 2011 Transitions Championship.  The 2012 Transitions Championship will take place at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor from 12 to 18 March. There will be a Military Appreciation special from 15 to 18 March. More details on the special will be coming out soon. But don’t forget about playing on MacDill! On Mondays and Wednesdays after 1pm, you can golf for only $15. For E-1 to E-4, the cost is only $11.25. During October, 3 guests and 1 military member can play for $100 including cart. On Saturdays and Sundays, the special is available after 11am. There is a twilight special after 2:30pm that includes green fees and a cart where E1-E4 pay $11, E5-O3 pay $15, O4 and up pay $16 and guests pay $18 for 18 holes of golf. There is a kids clinic on Saturday mornings from 8:30am to 9:30am that only costs $3. The Pro Shop is having a golf club liquidation sale on all in stock clubs. The Pro Shop is stocked with all the latest clubs, bags, ball, gloves, shoes and clothing. Of course you don’t pay tax so you save even more than you would out in town! There is a golf club liquidation sale going this month on all the in stock clubs, so stop by for the best prices and deals around! 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 challenging South Course runs along the bay. The North Course offers a prefect opportunity to work on your game. The complex has a lighted practice putting green, a 24-hour-a-day lighted driving range where a bucket of balls is only $1, a practice chipping green and sand trap areas. The clubhouse has an excellent pro shop with a great friendly staff ready to help you. During the month of June, there is a golf club liquidation sale going on all in stock clubs. The snack bar serves a great variety of food and has an especially nice breakfast menu!

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You’re never too old for cartoons at the Tampa Theatre with the Looney Tunes show. The show starts at 3pm. The Looney Tune show includes a feature-length collection of popular Warner Bros. classic Looney Tunes cartoons including, “What’s Opera, Doc?” “One Froggy Evening,” “A Fractured Leghorn,” “Home Tweet Home,” “Duck! Rabbit Duck!” “Rabbit of Seville,” This is a definite kid and family friendly event! 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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Downtown Large is hosting the First Friday Street Festival today from 6pm to 11pm. Enjoy free live music, street performers and art vendors. This month celebrates the opening of the Bay Area Renaissance Festival with a Renaissance themed street fair with drum circles and music by Noah Broe and the Groove. Noah Broe & The Groove Co. incorporates a fusion of styles, including reggae, rock, blues, funk and hip-hop grooves. First Friday Festival will be on 1st Ave Southwest, between Clearwater Largo Road and Ridge Rd. 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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Come out to downtown Tampa to listen to the sounds of some of the best local musical artists! Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park is the location of the City of Tampa sponsored Rock the Park Series on Thursday 2 February. Music starts at 6:30pm and should run until 9:30pm. The concert will include performances by indie rock band The Semis, country rock band Urbane Cowboys and hip hop artist Jinx. In addition to live music, there will be food and beverages on site. The Tampa Museum of Art offers free entry during this event. The beautiful Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park is located 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. Get it to go! You can also bring a picnic dinner and don’t forget the blankets and chairs!  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 a Thursday evening or any 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 Washington Capitals on Tuesday 31 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! Stamkos may yet lead this team into the playoffs!  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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Take a unique tour of the Tampa Theatre during their Balcony to Backstage Tour on 31 January. The tour starts at 11:30am and lasts about 90 minutes. The cost is $5 for ages 13 and older and $2 for children 2-12 years. The admission benefits the Theatre’s ongoing restoration and operations. No reservations are necessary. Learn all about the Theatre’s history and architecture. The tour also includes a demonstration of the Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ. 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 weekend so parking at street meters is free. 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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Come out to downtown Tampa to the historic Tampa Theatre and see a classic Charlie Chaplin silent movies “City Lights” & “A Dog’s Life“. “City Lights” begins with an uproarious skewering of pomp and formality ends with one of the most famous last shots in movie history and tickles the funny bone that in 1998 it was named one of the American Film Institute’s Top-100 American Films. Talkies were well entrenched when Charles Chaplin swam against the film making tide with this classic that is silent except for music and sound effects. The story, involving the Tramp’s attempt to get money from an operation that will restore sight to a blind flower girl, provides the star with an ideal framework for sentiment and laughs. The Tramp is variously a street sweeper, a boxer, a rich poseur and a rescuer of a suicidal millionaire. His message is unspoken, but universally understood: love is blind. “A Dog’s Life” (short) is a literal expression of Charlie Chaplin’s identification with the underdog. When his canine companion digs up money buried by thieves, the Tramp and his friend Edna get a chance at a better life. 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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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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