Things to Do This Weekend: 3/8 - 3/10

Looks like gorgeous weather for the weekend coming up!

André Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra

Tampa Bay Times Forum - Friday, March 8 - 8:00 p.m.

Internationally-renowned maestro and violin superstar Andrѐ Rieu brings his 60-piece Johann Strauss Orchestra to the Tampa Bay Times Forum as part of his international "And The Waltz Goes On" tour. In addition to his trademark waltzes, Rieu's concert features famous Viennese operettas, film scores, spirituals, musicals, folk songs, and marches; Rieu's concerts are a perfect mix of thrilling, romantic, festive and emotional melodies combined with surprises, balloons, beautiful soloists and Rieu's great sense of humor.

Gasparilla Music Festival
Curtis Hixon Park - Saturday, March 9 - 11:00 a.m.

Over 30 acts will play the fest!

The festival will feature over 30 musical acts from a wide variety of genres on several stages and cuisine from the region's top restaurants. The Meter Men with Page McConnell and Dr. Dog headline the festival held at Curtis Hixon Park.

For the full lineup and more information visit www.gasparillamusicfestival.com
 

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Montreal Canadiens
Tampa Bay Times Forum - Saturday, March 9 - 7:30 p.m.

The Bolts are back and are at home Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens as they look to stop their recent slide. Come BE THE THUNDER and cheer on the team.

Check out the game in one of the country's best venues. The Tampa Bay Times Forum features REAL lightning bolts, plush seats, a sweet party deck, the world's most powerful synthetic pipe organ and the U.S.'s largest century-hung Arena HD video display!

The TECO Line Streetcar drops off at the Tampa Bay Times Forum - HSBC Station.  Don't worry about getting stranded, the streetcar has your back until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Enjoy the weekend!

Things to Do in Tampa this Weekend: 5/4-5/6

Oh what a weekend...

You will absolutely LOVE this weekend if you're a music fan. Just perusing the event calendars yielded more than 5 decent sized music bills featuring a variety of genres at venues from Channelside, to Ybor and downtown. We'll begin with perhaps the biggest FREE music event taking place this weekend.

FRIDAY:

FREE music at Curtis Hixon Park! Photo: Tampa Bay Times

Rock the Park
Curtis Hixon Park - Whiting Station (Station #11 of the streetcar line)

Rock the Park is a monthly music series featuring some of Tampa's best bands. This concert normally taking place on the first Thursday of the month, has been bumped to Friday to take advantage of a big bill featuring 4 of *tbt's "Top 10 Tampa Bay area musicians".

• Sleepy Vikings
• The Groves
• Crash Mitchell 5
• Drake and Sofia

*Note the concert has moved this month from the lawn portion of Curtis Hixon to the Kiley Gardens area of Curtis Hixon.

And here's the reason it moved...

Burger Showdown
Curtis Hixon - Whiting Station (Station #11 of the streetcar line)

Rock the Park will be sharing Curtis Hixon with a good ol' fashioned Burger Showdown! The area's top restaurants will face off for bragging  rights for the title of Best Burger in the Bay.  Mayor Buckhorn is the honorary chair of the event featuring unlimited burger samples, dessert and non-alcoholic beverages.

Participating restaurants include Ashley Street Grille, Danny's All-American Diner, BGR The Burger Joint, Burger 21, Champions Bar & Grill, Chili's, Datz, Green Iguana Bar and Grill, Lee Roy Selmon's, Square 1 Burgers and Bar, Stacked Burgers and the Tampa Convention Center/Aramark. Proceeds benefit the Friends of the Tampa Riverwalk.

The cost for the event is $45 in advance, $55 at the gate and $95 for VIP, which includes a cocktail reception.

Celebrate the day at the Bricks of Ybor!

Star Wars Day at the Bricks: May the 4th Party 
The Bricks of Ybor - Streetcar Society Station (Station #3 of the streetcar line)

The Bricks is blowing out May 4th with a Star Wars-themed party ("May the 4th be with you") with specials, prizes for best costume and music. 21+ to enter. Party responsibly!

A few blasts from the past are in town at a number of venues in downtown this weekend...

New Edition
Tampa Bay Times Forum - Streetcar HSBC Station (Station #9 of the streetcar line)

New Edition with all six members are heading out on tour for their 30th anniversary. Wow! How old does that make you feel? A night with New Edition at the Tampa Bay Times Forum starts at $52.50.

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
The Ritz Ybor - Streetcar Society Station (Station #3 of the streetcar line)

Another band that will show your age a bit, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are at The Ritz in Ybor Friday. The band is often credited as a progenitor of the ska-punk genre and are best known for their hit single "The Impression that I get," which reached #1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks in 1997 and has appeared in a number of movies.

Show starts at 8pm Friday with tickets costing $23.

SATURDAY:

"Surf's up" at the Straz Center Saturday night.

The Beach Boys
David A. Straz Jr. Center

The Kings of Surfer Rock are back! Touring together for the first time in two decades, the Beach Boys celebrate the band's 50th anniversary with a tour stopping at the Carol Morsani Hall at David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts.

Hear all their greatest hits! The show begins at 8pm on Saturday and tickets start at $49.50.

The War on I-4: Tampa Bay Storm vs. the Orlando Predators
Tampa Bay Times Forum - HSBC Station (Station #9 of the streetcar line)

The War on I-4 is back! Watch the Tampa Bay Storm take on the Orlando Predators at the Tampa Bay Times Forum. The game kicks off Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $12.

Need help getting around? You can download a map of the HART/TECO Line Streetcar downtown network of service here.
  
Ticket to Dine

Don't forget you can score some savings with your Florida Aquarium admission receipt or Tampa Bay Times Forum ticket stub. Simply show the streetcar motormen your admission receipt or ticket stub for HALF off a round-trip fare on the TECO Line Streetcar! There are a couple events at the Forum in the list above - so get to saving!

Ticket to Dine - Half off on TECO Line Streetcar!

We've got your ticket to ride during Ybor City's 'Ticket to Dine' promotion. From now until May 31, use your Florida Aquarium admission receipt or your Tampa Bay Times Forum ticket stub to get half-off an adult round trip fare on the TECO Line Streetcar!

Leave the car behind and enjoy the beautiful spring weather on one of our air-conditioned heritage streetcars or the open air 'Breezer' car for HALF the price.

You can also use your receipt or ticket stub for discounts at a number of Ybor City's best restaurants!

Bernini of Ybor

Half off an adult round trip fare! (Breezer shown)

$2 Martinis
1702 E. 7th Avenue, Tampa, FL 33605
(813) 248-0099
BerniniofYbor.com 

King Corona
10% Off Drinks & Purchases
1523 E. 7th Avenue, Tampa, FL 33605
(813) 241-9109
KingCoronaCigars.com

New World Brewery
10% Off Food
1313 8th Avenue, Tampa, FL 33605
(813) 248-4969
NewWorldBrewery.net
     
Sunday's Fine Dining
15% Off Food
1919 E. 7th Avenue, Tampa, FL 33605
(813) 248-4000
SundaysFineDining.com

The Laughing Cat Bistro
1811 N. 15th Street, Tampa, FL 33605
(813) 241-2998
TheLaughingCat.com

Click here for more information on the 'Ticket to Dine' promotion.

For TECO Line Streetcar fares, maps and schedules visit www.TECOLineStreetcar.org.

Things to Do in Tampa this Weekend: 2/24 - 2/26

The 65th Annual Fiesta Day
7th Avenue - 2/25 - 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

A day to celebrate Ybor City's culture and heritage, this free, family friendly "street festival" offers food, entertainment and shopping. Prepare your senses as the smells of Latin food and the rhythms of Latin music will fill 7th Avenue, along with vendors, dancing and a whole array of family fun.

Please note: 7th Avenue will be closed from 15th Street to 20th Street from 6:00am to 7:00pm to accommodate crowds and vendors. The TECO Line Streetcar might be your best bet as 15,000 attendees are expected and parking might become scarce. Simply park in the Channelside garage or any of Downtown's parking garages and catch the streetcar to Ybor.

The TECO Line Streetcar will have an information booth, so don't be afraid to come by and say hi!

Ybor City is served by TECO Line Streetcar stations 1-4.

Visit www.ybor.org for more information.


The 9th Annual Flan Fest
Centennial Park - 2/25 - 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Flan is the star of this fest!

Consider yourself a big flan fan? The fabulous dessert will be featured once again at Flan Fest, held in conjunction with Fiesta Day. The flan-tivities will be held this Saturday, Feb. 25 from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Centennial Park in Ybor City. The main attraction is the Annual Flan Bake-Off, a 40 contestant flan slug-fest to determine who has the best custard treat the Bay area. Judging begins at noon with winners announced at 2:30 p.m.

The event will also feature live entertainment, shopping, and all day food and flan sampling.

And if you really, really, LOVE flan, a Flan Eating Contest is also scheduled for the event.

Flan Fest is a fundraiser for the Ybor City Saturday Market, a non-profit organization.  Make it a flan-filled day in Ybor and support a great Ybor City group!

Centennial Park is served by TECO Line Streetcar station 1.


Comedian D.L. Hughley
Tampa Improv - 2/24 - 2/26

Funnyman D.L. Hughley might be most known for starring in his own sitcom "The Hughleys," but Hughley's comic roots are what have provided him staying power.  This "Original King of Comedy" has been featured in a number of television shows, movies, and comedy specials. Most recently, Hughley took the helm of his own late night talk show "D.L. Hughley Breaks the News" on CNN. Catch him while you can, as he'll only be in town for the weekend. 

Shows are 21+ except the 10:00 p.m. Friday night show, which is 18+.


Nuclear Cowboyz
Tampa Bay Times Forum - 2/24 - 2/25 - 7:30 p.m.

Motocross Mayhem!

The world's top freestyle motocross riders are in town to perform some of the craziest tricks you have ever seen. If that isn't enough, this theatrical performance will be paired with state-of-the-art lights, lasers and pyrotechnics. It's sure to be a mind-blowing motocross experience!

Sounds like the perfect date night... for your significant other and his friends.

Visit www.nuclearcowboyz.com for more information and to purchase tickets!

The Tampa Bay Times Forum is served by TECO Line Streetcar HSBC station (station 9).