MacDill Happenings

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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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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Today at MOSI is the final day of the Festival of Chocolate! If you love chocolate, then MOSI is the place to be at today. Everything Chocolate in one place! Local and Regional Chocolate and Confection Companies will showcase and sell a variety of decadent chocolate treats including: Truffles, Cakes, Cookies, Cupcakes, Crepes, Waffles, Ice Creams, Brownies, Chocolate Drinks. Learn the history of Chocolate; understand the process of the bean to the bar and be amazed by the artistry in a one-of-a-kind Chocolate Museum. Award Winning Pastry Chefs and Chocolatiers will share tips and tricks of the trade as they create breathtaking decadent chocolate creations right before your eyes. Experience more than 450 hands-on activities, including Kids In Charge! , one IMAX Dome Theatre Film and a 3-D film in the Coleman Science Works Theater. Take a ride on the High Wire Bicycle! You can take a chance on pedaling a bicycle on a 1-inch steel cable suspended 30 feet above the ground. See one of the largest dinosaurs ever discovered! The sauropods that are in the lobby are 3 stories tall! See the permanent exhibit on health, wellness and prevention. Or experience hurricane force winds. The Saunders Planetarium now features a new projection dome, new seating arrangements and a state-of-the-art star projector—the GOTO Space Simulator Chronos projection system—capable of recreating the night sky from any time in less than 20 seconds from the past, present, and future from anywhere on the planet! In addition, the new interactive planetarium is capable of playing movies, ultra 3D graphics and live videos from NASA. Kids In charge! is a designed for children 12 and under and emphasizes the value of learning through play. Parking costs $5 at MOSI. There is a museum shop in case you want to bring home a souvenir and a restaurant to keep you going through the day. Plan on 4 hours to see all the exhibits.

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Come out to Curtis Hixon Park for the 12th Annual Tampa Bay Black Heritage Street Festival and enjoy a free music, food vendors, arts and crafts, as well as unique villages. The Artist’s Village will have local and national artists showcase their wide variety of original, ethic artwork. The Author’s Village will have local and national authors showcase their literature. The Children’s Village will have face painting, storytelling, educational activities, arts & crafts, as well as several other intriguing activities for children. The Health Village will offer free health screenings for HIV, diabetes, hypertension, breast cancer, glaucoma, and many other prevalent health concerns. The Corporate Village will have Bay Area businesses. The Festival starts at 10am on Saturday and 11:30am on Sunday. On Saturday, Rose Royce will headline the free musical entertainment.  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 also 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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Winthrop Pole Barn in Riverview will be the location of a Food Truck Rally on Saturday 14 January! The rally runs from 11am to 3pm. The Winthrop Pole Barn is located at 11349 Bloomingdale Ave. in Riverview. The nearest cross street is Providence. There will be 10-15 gourmet food trucks offering everything from Burgers to Vegetarian Bites for sale. Expect to find something for anyone discerning palate. 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. Expect to see about 2,000 and 3,000 people. If you are one who likes to sit and eat, then you should bring a chair and maybe a portable table if you want to get really fancy! The Winthrop Pole Barn is a pretty big area so parking and seating should not be an issue. Vendors appreciate small bills v.s 10’s & 20’s. Some trucks do take Credit Cards, but many do not. There are some nearby ATM’s in Winthrop Town Center if you forget to bring cash. Riverview is a popular community with people who work on MacDill AFB. Riverview is about a 20 minute drive from MacDill AFB when using the Selmon Expressway. The HART express line which goes non-stop to MacDill AFB has several pickup locations in Riverview.

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