MacDill Happenings

If you’re looking for a reasonable priced meals with a great view and friendly people, then go to SeaScapes at the MacDill AFB beach on Thursdays for $1 Taco Night! Every Thursday from 5pm to 9pm, you can get your fill of tacos for only a $1 each.  You can also order off the regular menu. Located right on the MacDill AFB beach, you’ll have a wonderful view of Tampa Bay especially during sunset! There is a great bar with very reasonably priced drinks and you won’t find a nicer and friendly bartender in Tampa! If you don’t want the try the tacos, then there is a wide selection of menu items including grouper, seafood platters, shrimp, chicken and beef! Clothing is casual just like everywhere in Florida. Take a walk along the beach afterwards. If you’re looking for place have lunch at during the day, SeaScapes also serves a great lunch!

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On Thursday nights from 5-8pm, MacDill Lanes has “Penny a Pin” night! To determine the cost of a game, you pay a penny for each pin you knock down. For example, if you bowl a 75, then you pay $.75. If you bowl over a 200, your game is free! Rental shoes are $1.50. MacDill Lanes offers 12 lanes of top quality bowling with automated scoring and pinsetters. Bowling is great family fun! 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 summer hours are Mon-Wed 11am to 5pm, Thu 11am to 8pm, Fri 11am to midnight and Sat 1pm to midnight. Per game rates during the week 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 Curtis Hixon Park for Rock the Park and enjoy a free concert and take in the wonderful Tampa weather and sunset this Thursday evening. Rock the Park is free music concert series that will takes place on Thursday evenings at Curtis Hixon Park. The concert starts at 6:30pm and finishes up at 9pm. The concert will feature southern rockers The Groves, soulful Chris Nathan, and folk singer Emily Dyke. 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. You can also bring a picnic dinner and don’t forget the blankets and chairs! There will also be a few concessions selling drinks and snacks. 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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Today, 1 August, stop in at the Tampa Theatre to see the classic 1953 WWII love story “From Here to Eternity“.  Showtime is 3pm. This adaptation of James Jones’s novel about army life in Hawaii in the idyllic days just before the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, boasts one of the hottest love scenes in screen history: Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr rolling around in the sandy surf. The film won eight Oscars, including awards for Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress (Donna Reed) and Best Supporting Actor (Frank Sinatra). 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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Get ready for football season this season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Training Camp on 31 July. The camp starts at 10:20am and ends at 12:30pm at One Buc Place. Tickets and parking are free, but you must sign up to receive up to six tickets per practice at Buccaneers.com. Practices will also feature autograph opportunities, cheerleader appearances and a merchandise tent. Refreshments are available at a discounted price. Lots and gates will open 2 hours before scheduled session time. All guests are subject to search. No Tailgating. No pets to be left in Vehicles. No 10 x 10 Tents. No loitering, vending or distributing handbills, pamphlets or promotional materials on Property. No Skateboarding. This year the Buccaneers are now offering deals such as partial season ticket packages and discounts for kids. Youth tickets are available for $25.  The final training camp is on 7 August at night which will conclude with a fireworks display.

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This Friday 30 July start your weekend out right and stop by SeaScapes Beach Club on MacDill AFB for free live entertainment outside at the Tiki Hut. From 6pm to 9pm Tommy “Bahama” Arnold will be playing beach music, new country, Motown and classic R&B. Take in the scenic view of Tampa Bay, while dining in the tropical atmosphere of SeaScapes. You don’t have to face the traffic or crowds like you find at other waterside venues. Sip delicious cocktails, or dine on delectable fare, while enjoying a magnificent view of the setting sun on the bay. A wide selection of menu items for dinner include grouper, seafood platters, coconut shrimp, grilled chicken and much more! You can’t beat the bar prices! SeaScapes is located at the MacDill AFB base beach and next to FamCamp. It’s a real casual atmosphere so beach wear is fine, remember this is Florida! It’s a great place to enjoy as a couple or bring the whole family! Or after an afternoon on the golf course, SeaScapes is a great place to relax!  You can’t beat the price of drinks at SeaScapes.  Draft beer is only $2 and well drinks are $2.75.  On Fridays from 5pm to 9pm, there is a seafood basket special for $8.95 which includes clam strips, cod, shrimp, potato and choice of side, either small tossed salad or coleslaw.

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If you’ve ever been to a Raymond James Stadium and wondered what everything looked like behind the scenes, then here is your chance!  The Tama Sports Authority has sent up public tours of the stadium.  No reservations are required for individual tours, just show up 15 minutes before the start of the tour.  Tours are subject to stadium availability, so call ahead  at 350-6500 to make sure that tours are still being conducted on the day that you want to go.  Scheduled dates are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.  Start time is 2pm each day. ’Cost is $5 for ages 16 and up, $3 for ages 6-15 and seniors Group tours can be schedules with a minimum 10 guests, and maximum 30 guests. Call at least two weeks in advance to reserve your groups tour time slot. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the tour to allow for check in. Reserved group tours are done on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays starting at 9am or 10:30am. The cost for Camps, Rec. Centers and Paid Summer Programs is $3 per child, adult groups (16 and older) is $5 per person, senior groups (65 and older) is $3 per person, and Hillsborough County School Groups are free during school year. You see how big or how small the stadium seems when there is no one else around. This backstage tour will take an hour. During that one hour, you will have the opportunity to checkout the locker rooms, have a chance to feel like one of the players while venturing out onto the field through the ‘home team’ tunnel, have Club/Suite access and have the opportunity to play Buccaneer aboard the infamous pirate ship. RayJay of course is home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the home field of the USF Bulls.

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The Rays take on the Detroit Tigers on 27 July at the Trop!  Grow Financial Credit Union is having a great special on tickets for this game.  Tickets cost only $5!  The tickets are in the Upper Box which normally sell for $13.  With these seats, you get a really good view of the infield.  The first pitch is thrown at 7:10pm. The Rays are still continuing their hot streak that they started before the All-Star break. Get to the game early and have a tailgate party! If you do get to the game early, then the first 50 cars with 4 people or more can park for free in the Trop parking lots. Normal parking price is $20 at the Trop. There are private lots nearby the Trop that charge $10 for parking. 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 the 2010 season for every Rays Gold, Silver and Bronze games, the Rays offer a military discount of half off outfield tickets with a four ticket limit, when presenting an active military ID at the Tropicana Field Box office. This is a platinum game, so the discount is not available. To save money, make sure you purchase tickets earlier. If you purchase tickets on game day at the stadium, the price increases about $3 per ticket! If you buy tickets at the Ray downtown Tampa store, the service charge is only $1.75. For these tickets, the service charge is also discounted and only costs a $1 per ticket.

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Spend a relaxing afternoon at the Pier in St. Pete today. Listen to the relaxing R&B jazz vocals by Jeff Red. 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. When you’re at the Pier stop by and see the greenest part of the Pier, 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! The Electric Marina also has specials during the week and weekend. If you’re lucky, when you are the Pier 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.

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Metrocon will be at the Tampa Convention Center from 23-25 July. Metrocon is the largest Florida celebration of Japanese popular entertainment, including anime, manga, J-pop and J-rock music, cosplay and video games. Checkout the Anime Music Video contest, Official convention screenings of new releases, and panels with North American anime industry guests. There will be a Metrocade video game room and continuously running screens of Japanese anime and related programming. Metrocon will be hosting the seventh year of the Orginal Anime Human Chess Match.Opening ceremony is at 1pm on Friday.  Dress up as your favorite character! Please remember that you are not allowed to wear a mask or anything else that covers your face outside of the convention center. Any costume that could incite fear or panic from uninformed bystanders,like SWAT gear, military uniforms, anything with fake blood on it, etc., should not be worn out side the convention center. Admission costs: weekend pass-$55 + $3.85 = $58.85, Friday or Sunday day pass-$25 + $1.75 = $26.75, Saturday day pass-$30 + $2.10 = $32.10, Masquerade ticket-$10 + $0.70 = $10.70 Ages 5 and younger are free. There plenty of parking at and around the Convention Center.

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