And off they go, all fancied up, their bikes decorated with feathered boas and flowers. This global event has evolved into a big movement promoting women’s visibility and personality. Photos by Carole Devillers

Presented by TT Art Collective at Curtis Hixon Park for Fourth Friday, muralist artist and former NFL player Aaron Evans works on a painting representing his brand “King-Frog” to be on display in IKE Smart City kiosks in Tampa. Photos by Carole Devillers

Friends enjoy the casual and relaxed atmosphere of Sparkman Wharf on the Fourth Friday of August. Photos by Carole Devillers

A spiffy couple makes their way to one of the Fourth Friday cultural venues. Photos by Carole Devillers

Walking the Tampa Riverwalk is a great choice to connect to the participating venues while enjoying the colorful lighting display on the architecture. Photos by Carole Devillers

Fourth Friday, the monthly arts & culture crawl in Tampa’s downtown, resumed on Aug. 27th, attracting visitors with free live music and food and drink specials. Photos by Carole Devillers

Singer artist and emcee/producer Jinx, a Tampa native, performs with his wife Shelby Sol and their band, on the Straz Center’s Riverwalk stage during a free outdoor concert for Fourth Friday. Photos by Carole Devillers

Artist Crystaline Rojas of A Splash Of Passion Art contributes to the event at Curtis Hixon Park by creating a new artwork. Photos by Carole Devillers

As a "Sip & Stroll" Fourth Friday venue, Sparkman Wharf is a popular destination. Alcoholic consumption is allowed when purchased from participating vendors. Photos by Carole Devillers

A beautifully detailed mural depicting Tampa’s past and present maritime history adorns one side of Maven Designs building in the Channel District. Photos by Carole Devillers

Tampa

Tampa is on the verge of achieving many long-planned ambitions. Downtown and waterfront developments, the expansion of the city's port and airport, a planned and a substantial increase in research and academic activities at the University of South Florida, the University of Tampa and Hillsborough Community College fuel its progress.

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Feature Story

The improv act Camera performs during the 2023 Countdown Improv Festival. This year's festival returns to the HCC Ybor campus Performing Arts Building from August 7th through 11th.

August arts roundup: Countdown Improv returns

Christopher CurryWednesday, July 31, 2024

Feature Story

Nonprofit Centro Asturiano de Tampa works to preserve the legacy of Spanish immigrants in Ybor City and to restore and preserve the club's historic circa 1914 building on Nebrask Avenue.

Preserving Ybor's Centro Asturiano, Tampa's Spanish immigrant legacy

Tashie TierneyTuesday, July 30, 2024

For Good

The Helen Gordon Davis Centre for Women’s major annual fundraiser and signature event, the Gourmet Feastival, returns Thursday, August 1st.

Centre For Women's Gourmet Feastival returns with Jimmy Buffett-themed bash

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Source: Helen Gordon Davis Centre for Women

Buzz

A new partnership program places Crisis Center of Tampa Bay mental health specialists in the Tampa Police Department 911 dispatch center.

Partnership places mental health specialists in Tampa PD 911 dispatch center

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Source: Crisis Center of Tampa Bay

Feature Story

Success 4 Kids & Families programs like Successful Families and Nurturing Parenting strengthen families and communities in south and east Hillsborough County.

Nurturing parents, strengthening families in Hillsborough

Philip MorganWednesday, July 24, 2024

Buzz

ADA celebration at the Straz

Thursday, July 18, 2024

For Good

The Kiwanis Club of Tampa's StoryWalk installations in local parks blends exercise and children's literacy.

Kiwanis StoryWalk promotes literacy, exercise

Tashie TierneyWednesday, July 17, 2024

For Good

D'Andra Green launched her grassroots effort, SEANS Love Project, in memory of the son she lost to gun violence.

All 4 Peace: Grassroots effort for unity in University West community

Christopher CurryWednesday, July 17, 2024

Innovation News

Visit Tampa Bay President and CEO Santiago C. Corrada at the event unveiling the Monopoly: Tampa edition board game.

A busy, banner year for Visit Tampa Bay

Christopher CurryWednesday, July 17, 2024

Feature Story

A conceptual rendering for a future phase of Rithm, the mixed-use development on the University Mall property and part of the transformation of Tampa's Uptown District.

A decade of change in Tampa's Uptown District

Joshua McMorrow-HernandezWednesday, July 17, 2024

Buzz

The Tampa Bay History Center has multiple Archives Awareness Week events focused on what living in Tampa was like in 1924.

Archives Awareness Week celebrates Tampa’s 137th birthday

Friday, July 12, 2024

Source: City of Tampa

Development News

The section of the Green Spine across the Cass Street Bridge in January 2023. Construction starts soon to extend the urban bicycle trail through Ybor City.

Tampa extending Green Spine through Ybor City

Christopher CurryWednesday, July 10, 2024

Feature Story

Masthead gallery: Rooted in Play Mud Day

Carole DevillersWednesday, July 10, 2024

Feature Story

"Ybor Photos: Then and Now" at the FMoPA features historic photos, like this 1917 shot of the Burgert Brothers studio on the 1500 block of Seventh Avenue, alongside contemporary pictures in the same location, like this 2020 shot of La Faraona Cigars.

July arts: "Photo Ybor: Then and Now" at FMoPA, new exhibits on both sides of the Bay

Christopher CurryWednesday, July 3, 2024

Feature Story

The handles of Sky Puppy's 13 beer taps are sculptures of 13 bats in flight.

Sky Puppy Brewing takes flight in Ybor this summer

Christopher CurrySunday, June 30, 2024

Feature Story

At the west gateway of the Ybor City Historic District, Casa Marti, 127 studio, one and two-bedroom apartments across two buildings, welcomes its first residents this summer as three apartment communities with some 600 units open in the Ybor area.

Darryl Shaw talks Ybor revitalization, looks to future

Christopher CurrySunday, June 30, 2024

Feature Story

"When the Righteous Triumph," which tells the story of Tampa's civil rights lunch counter sit-ins, originally ran at Stageworks Theatre in March 2023. A community effort is raising money to restage the play at the Straz Center's Jaeb Theater.

Community effort will restage play about Tampa's civil rights lunch counter protests

Philip MorganWednesday, June 26, 2024

For Good

The Tampa Bay Caribbean Heritage Festival, which launches Caribbean American Heritage month, is one of CANDO's signature events.

CANDO: Tampa nonprofit strengthens and celebrates Caribbean American community

Bob SimonTuesday, June 25, 2024

For Good

Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay CEO Jose Garcia at the September 2023 opening of the hurricane response distribution center, which just received a Community Foundation Tampa Bay grant for community hurricane preparation.

Nonprofit collaboration gives Community Foundation Tampa Bay $300k for hurricane grants

Christopher CurrySunday, June 23, 2024

Development News

Water Street Tampa won multiple awards at the 2023 Planning & Design Awards.

Enter projects in the 42nd annual Planning & Design Awards

Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Source: Plan Hillsborough

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Tampa Highlights

Downtown Dwellers: Raising urban kids in Tampa Read Article

For Downtown Tampa families with young children, the neighborhood isn’t an urban jungle. It’s an urban jungle gym.

Photo: Lauren, Hudson, and Bryan Durkin pick up a popsicle at Duckweed Urban Market in downtown Tampa. by Amber Sigman

1 Million Cups: Meet local doers tackling opportunities in the global marketplace Read Article

Pitch your business concept and get constructive criticism among friends and neighbors at 1 Million Cups Tampa.

Photo: (L-R) Maria Gibbs, Scott Hutterman, Dr., Loren Murfield, and Jared Kohn at 1 Million Cups in Tampa. by Amber Sigman

Q&A: Ashly Anderson and Shaun Drinkard, Tampa Downtown Partnership Read Article

When President and CEO Christine Burdick retires from her post at the Tampa Downtown Partnership, she will leave behind a team of creative thought leaders working to enhance the city's urban scene. Meet two key team members.

Photo: Ashly Anderson, senior design manager for Downtown Tampa Partnership by Amber Sigman

Transformational change underway in North Hyde Park, West Tampa Read Article

The diversity of apartments, restaurants and shops in North Hyde Park is particularly attractive to young professionals and college students looking for an affordable neighborhood near downtown.

Photo: (L-R) James Rue and Gian Carlos Birriel co-own Raw Smoothie Co. Photo by Julie Branaman

Channel District grows along waterfront in Tampa Read Article

Looking across the horizon of downtown Tampa, what do you see? Construction cranes hovering over the Channel District as apartments, hotels and new shops emerge to create a walkable urban community.

Photo by Julie Branaman

Tampa Hackerspace provides a place to tinker Read Article

Tampa Hackerspace is helping to fuel Tampa Bay’s creative instincts, facilitating experimentation and collaboration with shared tools and space.

Photo: Mabel the T-Rex sculpted by J. Kent at Tampa Hackerspace. by Amber Sigman

Moving to downtown Tampa: Smart Lab brings innovative view Read Article

Suffolk’s Smart Lab featuring 3D virtual reality opens in the Channel District near Tampa Bay WaVE and Water Street Tampa, joining the Tampa Bay Area's growing innovation ecosystem.

Photo: USF’s new building rises a short distance from Channelside. Cheryl Rogers

Urban Stimuli: Meet CW a.k.a. Carolyn Wilson Read Article

Beyond her eponymous Gin Joint in downtown Tampa, Developer Carolyn Wilson is doing (and will continue to do) what she does best: Flex eternal good taste.

Photo: Carolyn Wilson or CW, owner and designer at CW's Gin Joint in downtown Tampa, wins the 2018 Private Sector Award. Amber Sigman

Commuter Challenge: Going carless in Tampa Read Article

Getting to work isn't easy for most of us using Tampa streets and Hillsborough County roads. So spend a week using alternative transportation and see what happens.

Photo: Tampa bicycle commuters Karen Kress, Alana Brasier, and Justin Willits. Photo provided by Karen Kress

Tampa Bay WaVE: Diversity highlights latest tech cohort Read Article

A diverse group of entrepreneurs completes its formal program with Demo Day at Tampa Bay WaVE, a nonprofit tech accelerator in downtown Tampa.

Photo: Jonathan Truong, co-founder of Verapy, a start-up at Tampa Bay Wave's Accelerator Build program. by Amber Sigman

Urban Stimuli: Armature Works, Tampa Heights Read Article

This is really Tampa: Armature Works will evolve how you think about Tampa Heights and the urban core.

Photo: A duo studies and reads at Union Coffee and Tea in Armature Works. Amber Sigman

What's next for Florida: Sam Gibbons, Tampa Read Article

When it comes to transportation, the goal must to be find equilibrium between what is socially, economically, and environmentally just for all people.

Photo: The Smart Mobility Division, created in early 2018, will oversee Tampa's $40 million transit system upgrade. Diane Egner

Tampa Bay Area thought leaders share what they anticipate most in 2018 Read Article

Find out what's on the minds of local thought leaders at the start of the new year, and what it could mean for you.

Photo: Tampa thought leaders

A typical day along the Hillsborough River in downtown Tampa. Diane Egner

The new smart car pilot program launched by Florida DOT, HART, and BEEP of Orlando gives driverless rides along the Tampa Riverwalk and in Tampa Heights. Courtesy of HART

The Tampa Museum of Art is celebrating its centennial year with special exhibits and events. Photos by Kimberly DeFalco

Alexsandra Wolfe runs Pure-Sipity, a company combatting date rape. Courtesy of Alexsandra Wolfe

Zarra Elias and her family enjoying The Tampa Riverwalk.

A still clip from the documentary Tampa Beer: Crafting the Bay. Courtesy of Tampa Theatre

Elementary school kids color during the after-school program. Amber Sigman

Approximately the size of a shipping container, WaterCube TM is portable and can provide up to 10 million gallons of water daily without access to any water supply. Courtesy of Genesis Systems, LLC