Plus, a pause on scallop season for Pasco.
 
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Today’s Forecast

92º | 60% chance of precipitation | Sunrise 6:49 a.m. | Sunset 8:22 p.m. | Tides | Old Tampa Bay | High: 1:39 p.m. | Low: 7:39 a.m. + 7:51 p.m. | Clearwater Beach | High: 4:08 p.m. | Low: 10:06 a.m. + 10:17 p.m. | Full Weather Report | Traffic Report
 

Welcome to the Sip-gar City

Local libations: A round of Tampa Bay-centric craft beers
A hand holds up a yellow and blue "Beach Blonde Ale" can from 3 Daughters Brewing up in front of a blue sky with palm trees.
Have you tried 3 Daughter’s Beach Blonde Ale? | Photo via @3daughtersbrewing
Tampa Bay makes a lot of great craft beer. In fact, our area is home to 110 craft breweries, according to Drink Local Florida. Local brewers are constantly tapping their creative juices to drum up crafty collaborations, standout recipes, and fun names for their frothy masterpieces.

As we celebrate Drink Up Week, we’d like to raise a glass to five Tampa Bay-centric brews with names that draw inspiration from our city’s history, communities, and culture:

Night Swim, Coppertail Brewing Co.
This dark beer name-drops the splashy, nocturnal hobby beloved by Tampanians and poses the very important question: “What just touched my leg?” Fun fact: This brew won silver at the 2023 Great American Beer Festival.

Style + flavor: This 6.2% ABV brown porter features Jarrylo hops and locally roasted cacao nibs for a roasty flavor with hints of chocolate.

Orange Crush, Hidden Springs Aleworks
This beer’s name calls out our official state fruit — orange you glad we highlighted it for you?

Style + flavor: This 5.2% ABV American wheat ale is made with wildflower honey and sweet orange peel for a refreshing, citrusy flavor profile.

An outdoor area with fake grass, benches, and red umrellas facing an ivory-covered wall with a rainbow in the sky.

There’s nothing like relaxing on the lawn at Green Bench.

|

Photo by @ashleyofthesea via @greenbenchbrewing

Sunshine City IPA, Green Bench Brewing Co.
The name of this brew celebrates the beautiful sunny city of St. Petersburg — aka the Sunshine City — and was made to “be as bright as the warmest summer day.”

Style + flavor: This 6.8% ABV India pale ale is double dry-hopped with Mosaic, Citra, and Azacca hops. It has an intensely tropical flavor profile and aroma — think tangerine, nectar, and peach.

This is just a sampling of local craft brews with TBAY-related nods in their names. If we missed your favorite, share it with us.

Cheers to you, Cigar City.
Two more bold brews
Asked

I visit a local brewery…
A. Once a week
B. Once a month
C. Once in a while
D. Never
We gotta know
 
Events
Friday, July 26
  • Dueling Pianos | Friday, July 26 | 6:30-9:30 p.m. | Maggiano’s Little Italy, 203 Westshore Plaza, Tampa | $85 | Watch two pianists engage in a friendly musical duel over the TBAY spot’s family-style dinner.
  • Flick & Splash Summer Movie Series | Friday, July 26 | 7-10 p.m. | E.H. McLin Pool, 602 14th St. S., St. Petersburg | $1-$2 | Pack the floaties and pool floats for a family-friendly showing of “King Fu Panda 4.”
  • Captain Midnight Band | Friday, July 26 | 8-11:30 p.m. | Cage Brewing, 2001 1st Ave. S., St. Petersburg | Free | Rock out to tunes from the world’s only “Waterbed Rock and Roll” band at the laid-back brewery.
Saturday, July 27
  • Burgday 24: A 7/27 Day City Celebration | Saturday, July 27 | 5-10 p.m. | Trail Garden at St. Petersburg Distillery, 800 31st St. S., St. Petersburg | Price of donation | Celebrate all things Sunshine City with live art installations, music, and a firework show.
  • Latin Dance Class & Salsa Party | Saturday, July 27 | 6-9 p.m. | Riverwalk, 601 Old Water St., Tampa | $5-$10 donation | First learn the moves from the folks at RELPro Dance Promotions, then dance the night away on the Riverwalk.
  • HEF’s “Erase the Need” Back to School Drive | Saturday, July 27-Sunday, Aug. 4 | Times vary | Armature Works, 1910 N. Ola Ave., Tampa | Free | Drop off pencils, art supplies, and other classroom essentials for The Hillsborough Education Foundation’s “Erase the Need” Back to School Drive.
Sunday, July 28
  • Sunset Pilates Featuring [solidcore] | Sunday, July 28 | 7:30-9 p.m. | The Tampa EDITION, 500 Channelside Dr., Tampa | $45 | Head to the luxe hotel’s bougainvillea-laden roof for a core-focused sweat sesh.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
News Notes
Opening
  • Bonchon, the massively popular twice-fried Korean chicken chain, is coming to Tampa. And they’re bringing their bulgogi fries, popcorn shrimp, udon soup, and Korean donuts too. Keep your eyes peeled for the chicken shop at 2308 E. Fletcher Ave. (That’s So Tampa)
Coming Soon
  • We like our olive oil like we like our news: hyperlocal. Volta Wine & Provisions is opening in downtown St. Petersburg early next year. The wine bar + specialty wine, food, and retail market will stock goods from Florida and the Southeast. (Tampa Bay Times)
Transit
  • Expect a nighttime road closure along I-275 in St. Pete. The Florida Department of Transportation is working on two huge concrete repair projects — which will wrap up in 2026. Drivers will find the southbound I-275 entrance ramps from 26th Avenue South closed nightly through Sunday, July 28. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)
Outdoors
  • Florida wildlife officials are putting a pause on scallop season in state waters in Pasco County — including north of the Anclote Key Lighthouse. Leaders say new water quality tests revealed potentially harmful levels of algal blooms. Scalloping will resume once the water returns to safe levels. (Tampa Bay Times)
Olympics
Civic
  • You can do more than just your grocery shopping at your neighborhood Publix. The Hillsborough County Tax Collector just added more self-service kiosks to some TBAY stores that allow residents to renew their vehicle registration and decal. (Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)
Award
  • TBAY’s own Kforce, Masonite, and Bloomin’ Brands were just ranked in the top 500 midsize companies in a new study by Time Magazine + Statista. The rankings took into account factors like sustainability transparency, employee satisfaction, and positive revenue growth. (Tampa Bay Times)
Plan Ahead
  • Happy sad girl summer, TBAY. Sad Summer Fest takes over the BayCare Sound tomorrow, July 27. The lineup includes emo faves like Mayday Parade, The Maine, The Wonder Years, and We the Kings. Get ready to mosh. (Tampa Bay Times)
Number
  • ~4,000 pounds. That’s how much trash could be pulled from TBAY’s waters at the Tampa Bay Debris Derby. Booked for Saturday, Oct. 5, residents will spend the day collecting debris from E.G. Simmons Park. Form your team to vie for the “Debris Derby Heavyweight Champion” title. (That’s So Tampa)
Sports
  • The Bucs’ Training Camp is here. Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews and more from local experts of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Drink Up
  • How refreshing. Drink Up Week runs through today — our annual celebration of Tampa Bay’s drink culture. Local businesses are offering buzzy deals like $2 craft cocktails at LALA St. Pete, so treat yourself and toast to our town’s vibrant bevvy scene.
Health
Finance
  • 2024’s “it card” is here. Not only does it offer a $200 bonus, but also unlimited 1.5% cash back and 0% intro APR until 2025. (Annual fee? We don’t know her.)*
 
City

Your Friday budget breakdown awaits

Breaking down Tampa’s budget: Capital Improvement Projects
The Selmon Expressway viaduct sits above the Hillsborough River. Tampa's skyline is behind it, and there are blue skies overhead.
Tampa’s parks are beloved. | Photo via Wikimedia Commons
Last week, Mayor Jane Castor released Tampa’s proposed Fiscal Year 2025 budget — with a focus on “community values.”

“This proposed budget reflects the shared beliefs and aspirations of our residents in building a Tampa of tomorrow that is prosperous, sustainable, and affordable,” Castor said in a release.

The price tag comes in at $1.8 billion. That’s a lot of dough, so we’re breaking it down for you in weekly installments.

A reminder: FY25 started on July 1 and runs through June 30, 2025. This is still a proposed budget, and will need final approval from Tampa City Council.

One of those priorities being capital improvement projects — basically, upgrades to city parks and other places we love around the Cigar City. The proposed budget includes $405.7 million for work on projects like:
  • Citywide athletic field lighting
  • Renovations to the historic Guida House
  • K-Bar Ranch Park
  • Citywide ADA improvements
  • Neighborhood parks
  • TPD Howard Avenue Annex Building
The Buy

The Buy 7.26.24 (Affiliate)
A foldable lap desk — it’s great for those who work from home, college students heading back to school, or anyone looking to read, write, or stream while they sip coffee in bed (read: us).
More worth The Buy
 
The Wrap
 
Bailey Lefever in a park near a pond

Today’s edition by:
Bailey
From the editor
Ready for a boot stompin’ good time? Tecovas just opened up its first TBAY location at the International Plaza. We took a peek at the dreamy Western store.
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