Armature Works continues to celebrate the holidays by offering a free viewing party for the Downtown Tampa Lighted Boat Parade on Saturday, December 21st, 2019 from 6:30PM to 9:30PM.
The free event will take place on the Riverfront Lawn just south of Armature Works along the Hillsborough River.
Downtown Tampa Holiday Lighted Boat Parade is set for December 21, 2019! This FREE Holiday event that will include a large route with multiple public viewing areas!
The annual parade has become one of Tampa’s signature holiday events featuring hundreds of festive aquatic vessels as the make their way down the Hillsborough River.
Guests are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets. The event is also pet-friendly.
Note: outside food, drinks, and coolers are not permitted at Armature Works.
Parking: Parking at Armature Works is free Monday through Thursday and Friday before 4PM, Saturday and Sunday mornings before 11AM. Parking at all other times is $5. In addition, there are over 400 street-side parking spots available. Valet is also available most event nights and weekends. For more information please visit armatureworks.com/parking.
Celebrate Veteran’s Day weekend at WestShore Plaza this Saturday, November 9th, 2019 from 3PM-8PM. Food trucks will be present including Vanchetta Food Truck, Jazzybgrille, and Mr. C’s Grilled Cheese. The event is free to attend and family-friendly.
Parents can enjoy a free kids area presented by Mathnasium.
Proceeds will benefit The Stano Foundation. The mission of The Stano Foundation is “to support our Armed Forces and Veterans through project based initiatives focused on enhancing their comfort and quality of life with a piece of home.”
Event Name: Red, White, & Brew
Venue: WestShore Plaza
Address: 250 Westshore Plaza, Tampa, FL 33609
Date & Time: Saturday, November 9th, 2019, 3PM-8PM
Savor St. Pete is bringing their food and wine festival to Downtown St. Petersburg on Saturday, November 2nd and Sunday, November 3rd at North Straub Park.
The event was previously known as Clearwater Beach Uncorked. It will be a showcase of Tampa Bay chefs, restaurants, breweries, and a wide variety of wines.
Savor St. Pete is sponsored by City of St. Petersburg, Publix, and Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater. The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club is the official hotel partner for the event.
“We look forward to creating an extraordinary level of excitement in the ‘Burg,’” said Tammy Gail, festival founder and producer. “We are bringing elements that will ramp-up the cool factor that SAVOR ST. PETE will feature.”
Tickets are now available for general admission on both Saturday, Nov. 2, and Sunday, Nov. 3. General Admission guests are welcome on-site from 1PM to 4PM. GA tickets are $75 per person per day.
All event guests receive a limited-edition wine glass, custom tote bag, and exclusive access to the Grand Tasting Village that is located within a 30,000-square-foot tent.
Remember the fun and excitement leading up to Halloween when you were small? Finding just the perfect costume, making plans with friends in hushed tones, and the anticipation of the sugar rush? All of that is can be yours again!
Grab your besties and get ready to find all the treats that come with being an adult in Tampa.
sPoOky Szn is here! 🎃👻 Happy October 1st, Tampa! It's time to start thinking about your Halloween costume–the @TampaRiverwalk Trick-Or-Treat takes place October 26 from 4-7om. Get ready for a spooktastic time for ghouls of all ages! Info: https://t.co/GIcgV55OUmpic.twitter.com/H9Kce4D5cK
For those of you that have little ones and are planning a little family fun…head over to the Tampa Riverwalk for their annual Trick or Treat. Your kiddies get the excitement of trick or treating and you get a lovely stroll with a tasty beverage.
Now, for those of you who are ready to find your spooky and are over 21…Downtown Tampa will not let you down! Don’t forget to haunt responsibly. ProTip: Use Uber or Lyft to avoid the hassle of parking or spending time with the Tampa PD.
Bizou Brasserie in the Le Méridien Tampa Hotel is ready to tantalize you with their Halloween goodies! The creative mixologists there are making sure you get all the treats and none of the tricks. Making it a mesmerizing start to your escapades.
Maybe you and your ghouls want to haunt a few more spots? Grab your tickets for the annual Downtown After Dark Halloween party happening Saturday, October 26th from 10PM-2AM. For those over 21, the block party covers most of Downtown Tampa and each spot is ready to haunt you! Some featured bars include GenX Tavern, Four Green Fields, and Spain Restaurant Toma Bar.
Is Downtown Tampa not your thing? No worries, there are few places that will haunt your evening. Starting with the delightfully haunted Plant Museum. Where you can connect with the dearly departed and delve into the eerie past, head over to the old Tampa Bay Hotel and join the team at the Henry B. Plant museum for a rare after dark visit.
Or grab your Lyft and haunt Sparkman Wharf for an evening on the Haunted Wharf on Saturday, October 26th from 7PM-11PM! The event is free and open to the public with live performances and $5 parking at the garage nearby.
Haunting Armature Works is bringing in an orchestra on Wednesday, October 30th from 6:30PM-7:30PM that promises to be the largest in Florida to play for an hour. Fall under the spell of bewitching favorites like Saint-Saens’ Danse Macabre and Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain. Make sure to check out their events calendar for the other Halloween events!
This time of year, everyone questions which wine goes with M&M’s or is candy corn better with merlot or pinot grigio, Society Wine Bar is going to answer those questions for you! Join them for their annual wine and Halloween candy pairing evening at either location on October 30th from 7PM-9PM. RSVP is not required but strongly suggested.
Grab your wicked and wild friends to decide which haunted Tampa adventure will captivate your old Hallows Eve adventures. Mind your manners, watch for the ghosts that will be stepping out to join you while out for your thrills and chills! Don’t forget to tag us at Carlos Eats during your haunts.
I stopped by the Taste of Latino today for their food festival for a few hours. Hundreds of people showed up for a beautiful Sunday in Historic Ybor City. One of the cool things about the event was the wide variety of people who showed up there. There was food from around Latin America including arepas, paella, empananas, flan, Cuban coffee, and more.
The event was organized by Latin Times Media and sponsored by Ford.
Delicious paella from Nonna’s Artisan who went on to win one of the trophys for Top Latino Chef.
I didn’t plan to judge, but ended up judging after being asked to help. How could I say no?
This rice went really well with the flank steak and plantains, although it was a little dry on its own.
It wouldn’t be a Latin festival in Tampa without a Cuban Sandwich. Tampa is the home of the Cuban Sandwich and the organizers of Taste of Latino also plan the annual International Cuban Sandwich Festival every spring, which is a qualifier for the World Food Championships.
I tried these ceviche tacos from Las Palmas (winner of the Cuban Sandwich Festival) and they were pretty good. Plenty of spices.
Flan was one of my favorite things here. One of the highest scores I gave out. I love good flan.
Chef Aldo Mosquera was one of the winners for Top Latino Chef at the Taste of Latino. It wasn’t totally shocking since his paella and empanadas were delicious.
The first annual Taste of Latino is coming Sunday, October 20th to Centennial Park in Ybor City from 11AM-6PM. The event is organized by Latin Times Media, creators of the Cuban Sandwich Festival and is presented by Ford.
Food will be featured from around Latin America with countries such as Puerto Rico, Mexico, Colombia, Cuba, Spain, Peru, Venezuela, and more represented. Award-winning chefs will be present at the event.
Live music and dance performances will occur around the event from Revelacion Salsera, Cukiara, Salsa Aerobics, XTreme Dance, and more. Be sure to bring cash for all the vendors who will be selling food from around the world.
Competitors will compete for who makes the best flan, paella, arroz con pollo, arepas, ceviche, and more.
The event is fitting Ybor City, which was once known as the “Cigar Capital of the World”, and home to numerous immigrants from Latin America. Over 950 historic buildings fill Ybor City and are the foundation of where the Cuban Sandwich was created long ago in Tampa.
VIP tickets to the event are available and start at $20. VIP guests can taste contest entries from competitors for the best latino food, complimentary refreshments, and hangout with VIPs, celebrities, and media.
The Godfrey Hotel & Cabanas Tampa located at 7700 West Courtney Campbell Causeway has a number of upcoming events for the holidays that guests can enjoy.
The main event is “Winterland” which will have a number of rotating events throughout December and a pop-up bar. The event is FREE on weekdays with the exception of private events and family-friendly until 10PM. Winterland is 21+ after 10PM. The event will operate 7 days a week.
Winterland is produced by Matthew McCahill, who leads the growing division of Food and Beverage as Corporate Food & Beverage Director at Oxford Hotels and Resorts.
During McCahill’s 28-year career, he has worked alongside top chefs/restaurateurs including Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck, and Nick Nicholas in fine dining restaurants and hotels from Las Vegas and Los Angeles to Chicago.
Christmas Caroloke will be available on Thursdays December 6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th. Sing your favorite Christmas songs at Winterland.
Families can enjoy photo ops and dinner with the Grinch: Saturdays on December 8th, 15th, and 22nd from 5PM to 9PM.
The dinner buffet will feature an special holiday menu along with cookie decorating for kids, hot chocolate and eggnog bar, a giant snowman, and FREE photo ops with the Grinch. Dinner is $24.95 for adults and $12.95 for kids ages 6 to 12. 50% off for first-responders.
Here are some notable events to keep track of:
Wednesday, December 5th (6PM to 2AM) – Grand Opening of Godfrey Hotel & Cabana Winterland: Enjoy a FREE event featuring a lighting of Winterland ceremony at 6PM, tour of Winterland, and the Grinch’s Cave, a meet-and-greet with the Grinch, holiday-themed Instagram photo ops, 12 cocktails of Christmas, and an eggnog and chocolate bar for kids and adults.
Thursday, December 6th (4PM to 9PM) – Pets in Wonderland: Bring your pets to this FREE event and enjoy some special photo ops with Winterland festivities on this day.
Friday, December 14th (5PM to 9PM) – Ugly Sweaters & Toys for Kids: Come out to an ugly sweater party at The Godfrey benefiting families in need. Tickets are $10. Donate a used or new toy for a FREE cocktail.
Monday, December 24th (5PM to 9PM) – Christmas Eve Dinner with Mrs. Claus: Enjoy a holiday dinner on Christmas Eve featuring a ham carving station, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing, and more. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be in the Winterland this day. Tickets are $24.95 for adults and $12.95 for kids ages 6 to 12. 50% off for first-responders.
Tuesday, December 25th (11:30AM to 8PM) – Christmas Day Buffet: Celebrate Christmas Day with a holiday buffet. Tickets are $24.95 for adults and $12.95 for kids ages 6 to 12. 50% off for first-responders.
Full disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Keel & Curley Winery located in Plant City. I have been compensated for my time.
This Saturday, May 12th is the 4th Annual Peach Festival at Keel & Curley Winery in Plant City located at 5210 Thonotosassa Road.
The event has FREE admission. It event will run from 8AM-6PM and feature U-Pick Peaches & Blueberries, Food & Craft Vendors, Peach Cider, Peach Wine and Blueberry Wine Bottle Specials for $10, Live Music, and more.
Full disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Keel & Curley Winery. I have been compensated for this post.
Keel & Curley, Florida’s second largest winery, will celebrate Valentine’s Day early on Sunday, February 11th, 2018 from 11AM-3PM in a formal brunch. Reservations are required.
The Plant City winery, farm, and home to Two Henry’s Brewing Co. will offer a formal brunch atmosphere with live music and choices including Prime Rib, Shrimp Scampi, and Cordon Bleu as entrees. Sides include tossed salad, a roasted vegetable medley, baked potato, and rolls.
Brunch will include one bottle of wine per couple and may be substituted for 4 drink tickets for wine, beer, or cider. Individuals receive 2 drink tickets for wine, beer, or cider.
Tickets are now on-sale and cost $85 for couples and $45 for individuals.
Keel & Curley Winery is located at 5210 Thonotosassa Road in Plant City located minutes off I-4 Exit 17 next to Dinosaur World. It is open 7 days a week from 11AM-9PM Sunday to Thursday and 10AM-11PM on Fridays and Saturdays.
The event is FREE to attend. Food trucks will accept cash and most major credit cards.
The first 400 guests will receive a complimentary Asian folding hand fan. 400 lanterns will be spread around the event for your enjoyment. Live music will be performed by Acoustic Thunder (Covers 50’s to current). Tampa Taiko and a Lion Dance Troupe will be in attendance at the event.
Adult beverages will be available for purchase.
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Parking information:
These lots will be available in addition to Downtown St. Petersburg garages:
Albert Whitted Parking (adjacent to the event) – Take 1st Street SE. to Dali Blvd
Dali Museum Parking – Take 1st Street SE. to Dali Blvd
Al Lang Parking – Corner of 1st Street SE & 1st Ave SE
