Tampa YMCA Healthy Kids Day Helps Kids Exercise Minds, Bodies

The event will be held on Saturday, April 27 at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park.

From officials at the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA: In a few weeks, the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA is celebrating YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day with a free community event that encourages kids and families in the Tampa Bay area to get moving and learning. The Tampa Y’s Healthy Kids Day takes place at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, 600 N. Ashley Drive, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 27. The free event features fun, active play and educational activities, such as bounce houses, fitness demonstrations, arts and crafts, water safety tips, healthy snacks and sports giveaways. Back by popular demand is the Y’s annual local mascot challenge, where well-known mascots compete in an entertaining dance-off. Local mascots competing this year …

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Inaugural Tampa Bay Margarita Festival is May 25

The festival will be held at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park in downtown Tampa.

Margarita fans, unite. The inaugural Tampa Bay Margarita Festival is headed to Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park from 2 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Saturday, May 25. In addition to top shelf margaritas, attendees can expect a fireworks show, beach volleyball and the sounds of four local bands. Admission is $10, but goes up to $15 on May 10. Margaritas range in price from $6 to $8. A portion of proceeds benefits a University of South Florida nonprofit called Students in Free Enterprise, said Monica Varner, who is helping organize the festival. Fresh lime juice, tequila and fresh agave nectar are some of the ingredients included in the margaritas. No mixes allowed. Varner, who is working with business partner Ferdian Jap on the margarita festival, has …

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Riverwalk Project Being Considered by City Council

The City Council plans to consider an $8.8 million contract to build the portion of the Riverwalk that places walkers over the Hillsborough River, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Using a $10.9 million federal transportation grant, Tampa City Council will today consider a contract to expand the portion of the Riverwalk that takes walkers over the Hillsborough River, according to the Tampa Bay Times. The trek would take walkers north from MacDill Park under the Kennedy Boulevard bridge to Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, the Times said. If approved, the project would begin in June and be completed by Thanksgiving of 2014, the Times said. Construction on a section north of the Straz Center to Water Works Park is being designed, with plans to be completed sometime by early 2015. What do you think of the projects? Do you walk downtown on the Riverwalk? Tell us in the comments.

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'Take Back the Night' Honoring Survivors of Sexual Violence on April 21

The annual event will be held at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park in downtown Tampa.

In a few weeks, survivors of sexual violence and their supporters in communities including Seminole Heights will "Take Back the Night" in an effort to generate awareness about the issue in Tampa Bay. "Take Back the Night 2013: Together We Empower" will be begin at 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 21 at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, 700 N. Ashley Drive in downtown Tampa. The interactive event, sponsored by the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, will include sessions on telling your story and coping with sexual violence. We talked to Marilyn Shamblin, outreach and empowerment coordinator for the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, about what the event entails. Patch: How did the event come about? Shamblin: Take Back the Night began for the U.S. in the 1970s to shed…

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Adults Invited to Chill Out at 4th Annual Chillounge Night

The event will take place April 6 at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park.

Looking for a place chill out this weekend? Try Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park. The fourth annual Chillounge Night, the ultimate outdoor lounge party, will take place Saturday, April 6 starting at 7 p.m. at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, 600 N. Ashley Dr., Tampa. Benefitting the Friends of Tampa Recreation Inc., the adults-only event will feature live music by Gumbi Ortiz with his New Groove City Band, a fashion show by Dona Crowley with Luxe Fashion Group, hard rock tunes by Tampa DJ Chris Craze,  food vendors and cash bars. For the event, Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park will be transformed into a giant outdoor lounge with artfully arranged South Beach-style lounge furniture. The creation of former Sarasota art gallery owner Rainer Scheer, …

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Mayor Bob Buckhorn's River O'Green Appears Today in Downtown Tampa

The event is held at Curtis HIxon Waterfront Park.

New Movie in the Park Series Kicks Off in Downtown

Screen on the Green will take place every other Friday until August.

From City of Tampa Online: A new summer movie series in the park - Screen on the Green - will kick off Friday night in downtown. The free, outdoor, family event will feature movies that are rated G or PG and will start at dusk (approximately at 8-8:15 p.m.) with short animations from IFF featured before the main film at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, 600 N. Ashley Dr. Movies will be screened every other Friday until August. Screen on the Green will include: Popcorn, candy and food trucks will be available on site. Blankets, low-back chairs and picnic baskets are allowed. Alcohol, glass bottles/containers and umbrellas are prohibited in the park. IF YOU GO: What Happens if it rains? Movies will still be screened in light rain. The show will …

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Is Occupy Tampa Reoccupying Downtown?

Wednesday was the first day of a 5-day-long rally organized by Occupy Tampa in downtown.

“This country was built by men in denim and will be destroyed by men in suits,” and “when the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace,” were some of the messages written on signs held by a handful of people protesting in front of the Bank of America building. Wednesday, May 23, was the first day of the 5-day-long rally organized by Occupy Tampa in front of the downtown location of the giant world bank. “We just wanted to reawaken the awareness in downtown,” said protester Tim Sommers. Occupy Tampa, which was born last October, moved from the sidewalk of Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park in downtown to a private lot in West Tampa last December. The lot, called Voice of Freedom Park, is located on West Main Street and…

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Alessandra Da Pra

8:56 am on Friday, May 25, 2012

What do you think of the Occupy Tampa movement? Should it stay or should it go?   more ›

Letter to the Editor: Domestic Violence Is Everyone’s Business

The third annual Take Back the Night event will take place in downtown Tampa this weekend in an effort to raise awareness about sexual assault and domestic violence.

From Chuck Hamby, public relations manager at Verizon Wireless of Florida. Domestic violence is often treated as a “women’s issue.” This view is inaccurate and ineffective in solving an acute, yet broad societal problem. Abuse in the home has a devastating effect on entire families and communities, so we all need to be aware and engaged. This point should particularly apply for men, who are the abusers in a vast majority of cases but are largely absent from the dialogue and effort to end the pain. It’s critical men discuss their very intimate role in the issue of partner violence, and their responsibilities in helping victims. That is why Verizon Wireless is proudly supporting the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay’s 2012 Take Back the Night event…

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