Plus, Boom by the Bay is back.
 
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92º | 20% chance of precipitation | Sunrise 6:33 a.m. | Sunset 8:28 p.m. | Tides | Old Tampa Bay | High: 12:33 p.m. | Low: 6:19 a.m. + 8:52 p.m. | Clearwater Beach | High: 9:47 a.m. | Low: 5:27 p.m. | Full Weather Report | Traffic Report
 

Moving forward, looking back

Tampa is getting its first Black History Museum
St James Episcopal Church sits beneath cloudy skies. The red brick building has rounded windows and is surrounded by roads, apartments, and greenery.
The museum will open around the end of 2025. | Screenshot via Google
Tampa has extra reason to be excited for Juneteenth this year: The announcement of the city’s first ever Black History Museum. The center will offer a Tampa accompaniment to St. Pete’s Woodson African American Museum of Florida, and its location is as impactful as the stories which will line its walls.

Who + what?

On Monday, June 17, the Tampa Bay History Center and Tampa Housing Authority formally announced the imminent arrival of the museum.

“We’re very excited about this journey,” said Fred Hearns, the Tampa Bay History Center’s curator of Black History. “Learning your history is so important, especially for young people.”

“It’s motivational when you find out that people who had much less than we have back in the time when Black people could not vote, had very few rights, and there were no Black elected officials,” Hearns added. “They persevered and overcame those challenges, and they did tremendous things, and they paved the way for this generation.”

Exhibits are yet to be confirmed, but officials say they will explore Tampa’s history with Black music, food, fashion, and neighborhoods.

An old timey photo of Tampa's Red Quarters district, taken in 1927. The photo shows people sitting outside homes, and a man pumping water in the middle of a square.

Tampa’s Red Quarters district, 1927.

|

Photo via Florida Memory

Where?

The museum will be located inside the historical St. James Episcopal Church, first built in 1895 at 1202 N. Governor St. The church is owned by the Tampa Housing Authority, and recently underwent a $2 million preservation renovation, completed in 2021.

The church is in downtown Tampa’s Encore district, an area of cultural + historical significance. Hearns noted, “it’s right in the middle of the historic Scrub neighborhood.” It was “the first real community of the formerly enslaved African people who lived here in Tampa and along Central Avenue... which was the Harlem of the South,” he added.

Records show musicians like Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, and Etta James all have ties to the neighborhood which was first formed in 1864, just after emancipation.
How to get involved
 
Events
Wednesday, June 19
  • Beginners Watercolor Jellyfish Painting Workshop | Wednesday, June 19 | 3:30-4:30 p.m. | Beach House 5317, 2135 3rd Ave. S., St. Petersburg | $39 | Unleash your creative side with experts guiding your aquatic watercolor masterpiece.
  • “Love & Whiskey: Unfiltered” Book Tour | Wednesday, June 19 | 6:30 p.m. | Seminole Hard Rock, 5223 Orient Rd., Tampa | $100 | Learn about Jack Daniel’s rise to whiskey glory with a book-related Q+A and tasting.
Thursday, June 20
  • Summer Solstice Celebration | Thursday, June 20 | 8 a.m.-8 p.m. | Capital One Café, 700 S. Village Cir., Ste. #150, Tampa | Free | Get your first drink for free as we say hello to the start of summer.
  • Women in Wine | Thursday, June 20 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Thrive DTSP, 136 4th St. N., #Ste 201, St. Petersburg | $49 | Join sommeliers for this night spotlighting local women winemakers, and sample wines from across the globe.
Friday, June 21
  • Paws With Pride | Friday, June 21 | 5-8 p.m. | Dog Bar St. Pete, 2300 Central Ave., St. Petersburg | Free | Celebrate Pride alongside your pup with a silent auction + adorable fun — proceeds go to charity.
  • “The Skyway Bridge Disaster Documentary” Screening | Friday, June 21 | 6 p.m., 8:30 p.m. | Green Light Cinema, 221 2nd Ave. N., St. Petersburg | $16 | Watch the story of the 1980 tragedy, with a moderated Q+A to follow.
  • “The SpongeBob Musical” | Friday, June 21-Saturday, June 22 | Times vary | Ferguson Hall, 1010 N. MacInnes Pl., Tampa | $29+ | Head to Bikini Bottom for this student recreation of the cartoon classic.
Events calendar here
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News Notes
Today Is
  • Juneteenth — a federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. Honor this holiday + celebrate Black culture with the help of our Juneteenth events guide.
Development
  • All aboard. Plans are in motion to build a fourth cruise terminal in Port Tampa Bay. Officials approved a $500,000 contract for design and engineering work yesterday for the building set to sit north of Terminal 6. The expected total cost? Around $80 million. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)
Sports
  • Tampa Bay Sun FC just revealed their home and away kits for the inaugural USL Super League season. Tampa General Hospital is the main sponsor on the front of the shirt — with the home colors of dark blue accompanied by a bright yellow strip for road games. Pre-order now.
Open
  • Calling those with sweet teeth. Dapper Doughnut has made its Tampa Bay area debut, opening near USF at 2720 E. Fowler Ave. The chain offers 20+ flavors of made-to-order mini doughy goodness, plus specialty treats, seasonal specials, and coffee. Get a taste. (That’s So Tampa)
Coming Soon
  • A new spot for a pint is on its way to the Burg. The Dublin Drop is set to open by the end of the year at 129 1st Ave. N. Designed to become a local party spot, there is plenty of Guinness on tap, and live music of all genres lined up for the weekends. (St. Pete Rising)
Tampan
  • USF alumnus David Mearns made a historic discovery this past weekend. Mearns — a renowned shipwreck hunter — found the wreck of Quest off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. The vessel sunk in the 1960s, and was the last ship of legendary polar explorer Ernest Shackleton. (St. Pete Catalyst)
Kids
  • Tampa Bay area kiddos will be learning potentially lifesaving skills tomorrow morning. Four Tampa city pools are taking part in the World’s Largest Swim Lesson at 10 a.m., an event which has taught water safety across the world since 2010. Find out more about local swimming lessons. (Tampa Bay Times)
Giveaway
  • Hyde Park Village is making it easier to dress in style this summer. The neighborhood is giving away swag bags + gift cards worth up to a total of $1,500 for their Snow Street Summer Soirée, from brands including Peter Millar and Bouzy.
Try This
  • The James Museum in downtown St. Pete is hosting its inaugural annual Wedding Expo next month. Nearlyweds are invited on Saturday, July 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. to connect with local vendors who can help make the big day a perfect one. Tickets start at $20.
Ranked
  • No. 36. That’s where St. Pete ranked on WalletHub’s list of best-run cities in the US. Factors like city services, per-capita budget, and crime rate were all considered in ranking the 148 cities included.
Listen
  • Is Baker Mayfield the answer at quarterback? Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews, and more from local experts of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Beauty
  • PROVEN Skincare analyzes 47 unique factors to create a personalized three-step regimen just for you. Take the quiz today. Bonus: get 50% off with code PROVENPARTNER.*
 
Holiday

🎇 Here comes the boom

Brace yourself: Boom by the Bay is back
Fireworks light up the sky above downtown Tampa in 2021 during Boom of the Bay. The show is above the Hillsborough River at night time, with high rises in the background, and the Riverwalk in the foreground. The xplosions are a mix of pink, green, blue, purple and yellow.
Back with a bang. | Photo by City of Tampa
The City of Tampa is getting ready to celebrate the United States’ 248th birthday. On Thursday, July 4, Mayor Jane Castor’s Boom by the Bay returns.

Festivities will be headquartered at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, and admission is free starting at 4 p.m. Pyrotechnic extravagance will begin at dusk, but timing could be adjusted based on weather conditions that day.

Turn up hungry. This year, the Apple Pie Throwdown is the newest — and tastiest — addition to the fun. Vendors will compete to create the best tasting and most unique twist on the American classic from 4 to 7 p.m. The best part? A tasting pass purchase gets you access to all the entrants’ sugary goodness.

There will also be a host of food trucks, live music + entertainment, and outdoor games. As Mayor Castor put it, “there’s nothing like celebrating America’s birthday in America’s greatest city.”
Asked

What’s the best food to eat on the Fourth of July?
A. Apple pie
B. Burgers
C. Mac and cheese
D. Hot dogs
Dish it out
The Buy

The Buy 6.19.24 (Affiliate + Six & Main)
Too Faced’s coveted Better Than Sex Volumizing Mascara, which is newly available on Amazon.
 
The Wrap
 
Patrick Sidwell.jpeg

Today’s edition by:
Patrick
From the editor
After writing about the Rivergate Tower earlier this week, I asked whether you like it or not. ICYMI: That’s the yellowish round tower by the Tampa Riverwalk, also known as the Sykes Building or Beer Can Building.

If I’m being honest, I was nervous about the vote. However, a huge 81% of you said you like its uniqueness (with a small minority calling it an “eyesore”). Nothing beats some love for your home.
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