September was a whirlwind in Tampa with a handful of fun things to do and events to attend, despite the hurricane weather. While the beginning of the month brought in several inches of rain, that didn’t wash away the festivals, activities and shows this unique city had to offer. Here’s a compilation of a few of our favorites, in case you missed it.
It’s a Jungle Out There
On September 10th, the Hilton Tampa in downtown was occupied for the evening by an event called “The Jungle Book Gala,” a gala held to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay. The event was BBBS’s 18th annual event, sponsored by USAmeriBank. BBBS of Tampa brings children and volunteers together in an effort to bring positive role models in the young girls’ and boys’ lives. Together, they spend time with each other attending events, after-school activities, and more!
A Moment of Silence
On September 11th, we first and foremost will never forget the day our nation was shaken to its core. This year marked the 15th anniversary of the World Trade Towers, Pentagon, Stonycreek Township’s devastation. We lost so many lives that day, still, we as a nation stood up and stood strong, together. We will never forget.
Feel the Rhythm
The Bad Boy Family Reunion concert event took place in Tampa, bringing together some of our favorite hip-hop artists including Puff Daddy, Lil’ Kim, Faith Evans, Mase, 112, Total, Mary J. Blige and French Montana. Taking the stage together, they performed the show on tour that Sean “Diddy” Combs claimed was 20 years in the making.
Visionary Artist
Tampa hosted widely known rapper and hip-hop artist Kanye West at the Amelia Arena on September 14th. West, the 22-time Grammy Award winning artist, has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide and has been named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people twice. Making a stop in Tampa during his tour, The Saint Pablo Tour, West performed songs from his seventh consecutive #1 album, The Life of Pablo. The North American tour is promoted by Live Nation and is taking West to nearly 40 cities across the U.S.A. and Canada.
Sing Your Hearts Out
Speaking of good music, here’s a list of other performing artists we appreciate who made their way to the Tampa area for a visit this September:
Sept. 13 — Brian Wilson performed at 7:30 pm at the Mahaffey Theater.
Sept. 18 — Zac Brown Band performed at 7 pm at the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater.
Sept. 21 — Il Divo performed at 8 pm at the Ruth Eckerd Hall.
Sept. 22 — Heart, Joan Jett and the Black Hearts performs at 6:30 pm at the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater.
Sept. 23 — Toby Keith performed at 7 pm at the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater.
Sept. 24 — Govt Mule performed at 7 pm at Jannus Live.
In for a Treat
The Centre For Women’s 25th annual Gourmet Feastival took place on September 15, offering guests a wide variety of delicious treats! You can bet that people left the Feastival with a good taste in their mouths and happy bellies, because 40 of Tampa’s local restaurants came out to offer a great assortment of yummy delights! Accompanying the event was music provided by the Southern Train Band. The annual Feastival raised funds to support the Centre for Women, a nonprofit organization that aids and supports women in the Tampa Bay region to succeed both personally and professionally. More than 3,000 people are helped yearly through this Centre. You can’t beat supporting a good cause and eating delectable local favorites all at one sitting!
Arrr You Ready for Some Fun?
Tampa Bay’s 4th annual Talk Like a Pirate Day celebration took place on September 16th at the Gaspar’s Grotto in Ybor city, a neighborhood in Tampa. Last year, the event raised over $5,000 for Hospices in the Tampa Bay area. There were live entertainment, beer and drink specials, complimentary pirate contests and prizes at the fundraising event. And of course, this fun, four-hour celebration was decorated in pirate-themed costumes and entertainment!
Toast to This WineFest
Tampa theatre’s 15th annual WineFest took place September 16-18, this year’s title and theme being “Caskablanca.” WineFest is Tampa Theatre’s biggest annual fundraising event that benefits this historic movie palace’s artistic, educational and community programs. This tasteful fundraising event also helps fundraise for the 90-year-old movie palace’s continual preservation and restoration. Over the span of the three-day event, guests enjoyed wine tasting from dozens of wines, as well as wine pairing with delicious small plates of bites that married well with each specific wine. On the last day, the Caskablanca WineFest paired up with Tampa Theatre’s 25th annual Summer Classics movie series, appropriately concluding the fest with a screening of Casablanca.
These were just some of the highlights of September in Tampa. Sprinkled throughout the month, the Tampa Rays baseball team played several games as their loyal fans cheered them on, while volunteers and local service workers worked around the clock to clean up the mess caused by Hurricane Hermine. If you were on vacation or away from the Tampa area during the beginning of the month, the hurricane was one thing you should be glad to have missed!
Although the hurricane weather was rough, it certainly didn’t wash away the spirit of the people and the exciting and unique town happenings in Tampa. If you missed a concert, game or a festival, no worries because Tampa always has something fun going on! And now that we are in October and fall has officially come upon us, you should expect nothing short of a Spooktacular, festive season ahead.
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