05.01.2025

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89º | 10% chance of precipitation

Sunrise 6:49 a.m. | Sunset 8:04 p.m.

Tides | Old Tampa Bay | High: 5:03 p.m.

Clearwater Beach | High: 1:53 p.m. | Low: 7:35 a.m. + 10:03 p.m.

Full Weather Report | Traffic Report

Gift ideas for parents

Presented by The Buy

A few gifts overlaid on a patchwork background, including a Carharrt lunch box and a jewelry dish.

Find the perfect gift to express gratitude and love for the role models in your life. | Graphic by 6AM City

Shopping for a loved one? With Mother’s Day falling on Sunday, May 11, it’s a great time to give to parents, grandparents, neighbors, mentors, and life-long friends. Browse the gifts we think will do the trick:

Custom initial jewelry dish | $16.99 | A sweet, delicate ceramic jewelry tray you can customize with their initial.

Local pick: Tampa Pickleball Crew membership | $52+ | Prep the rents for the steamy summer months with a 4-day, 8-day, or unlimited membership to the indoor Ybor facility.

Mom’s/Grandma’s/Husband’s last nerve candle | $9.99 | Make them laugh with a candle that lights their last nerve on fire.

Weighted silk lavender eye pillow | $19.99 | A silk sleep mask and a cooling gel eye mask are included in this spa set named one of Oprah’s Favorite Things in 2023.

Golf practice net | $99.99 | Golfers can perfect their swing before stepping out on the course with this golf net.

Kendra Scott triple strand necklace | $80 | Gift them this chic layered necklace that comes in silver, gold, or gold and teal.

Barefoot Dreams lounge top | $99 | There may be no better gift than something luxuriously soft, cuddly, and cozy — this lounge top fits the bill.

Local pick: Straz Center Broadway season tickets | $347+ | The 2025-2026 lineup features shows like “The Wiz” and “Water For Elephants” and is sure to be a spectacular hit.

Mom’s story book and Dad’s story book | $24.95 | Prompt them to write down memories, advice, and stories in these guided journals.

Neck + shoulders heating pad | $39.99 | This electric heat wrap helps with back pain, muscle aches, and de-stressing.

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey | $25 | You don’t have to worry about this lipstick flattering them — Black Honey is designed to look incredible (and different) on everyone.

Shop more top gifts for parents

Events

Thursday, May 1

Redefining Practical Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity | 8-10 a.m. | Tampa Bay Chamber | $35+ | Learn how to prepare your small business for storms using actionable strategies as we approach hurricane season.

Night Market | 6-9 p.m. | Water Street Tampa | Free entry | Shop 30+ vendors under the stars + contribute to the evolving Community Art Wall, take in live art installations, and listen to live tunes.

“On Swift Horses” | 7:30 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | $10+ | Tuck into a cushy red seat for a captioned showing of the 2025 flick starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Will Poulter as they leave their Kansas home for a new life in San Diego.

Friday, May 2

Bloom & Bliss Floral Arranging event | 2-4 p.m. | Tampa Women’s Club | $35 | Mingle with other local women + unleash your inner florist as you design your own beautiful floral arrangements with expert guidance.

Country Thunder Florida | Friday, May 2-Sunday, May 4 | Raymond James Stadium | $168+ | It’s finally time to jam out at Ray Jay to hoedown hits from Riley Green, Ella Langley, Blake Shelton, Jake Owen, Ashley McBryde, and Jelly Roll.

Saturday, May 3

Kids Day at the Chihuly Garden | 9-11 a.m. | Morean Arts Center | Free | Tow the kiddos along for live music and crafts that celebrate Florida’s rich wildlife and environment — all in the stunning outdoor setting of the Chihuly Garden.

J.C. Newman’s Founder’s Day | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | J.C. Newman Cigar Company | Free | Take a free tour of the longtime Ybor City cigar factory, check out the museum, and party with live music, food trucks, and lawn games.

Sunday, May 4

2 Bears 5K | 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Raymond James Stadium | $59+ | Join Tom Segura, Bert Kreischer, and Jelly Roll for a laid-back 5K and some brews — you can pay to spectate, too.

Tons more spring-y fun

Click here to have your event featured.

Festival

🖼️ 53 years of Mayfaire by-the-Lake

Presented by Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art

1: A row of pop up tents with people walking by on a lake shore, 2-5: People looking at art displays and art for sale in pop up tents, including pottery, paintings, and woodworking.

Mayfaire by-the-Lake is a weekend of fun and fine arts for all ages.

Mayfaire by-the-Lake, one of the oldest arts festivals in Central Florida, returns to the shores of Lake Morton on Mother’s Day weekend, May 10-11.

Hosted by the Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum and presented by Citizens Bank & Trust and The Ruthvens, this local celebration has come a long way since starting as a small craft fair on the Lakeland Public Library Lawn in 1971. The weekend now includes:

150+ artist booths to view + shop, from paintings and sculptures to hand-crafted jewelry
Free hands-on art activities for children of all ages + abilities at the Mayfaire Kids Zone, sponsored by Publix Super Market Charities
“Kids Collect,” a kids-only tent for young art lovers to purchase donated artwork at nominal prices

The two-day event is free + open to the public. Use the visitors’ guide to plan your day, and find out why Sunshine Artist Magazine has ranked Mayfaire among its “200 Best Art Shows” for ten years in a row.

Plan your festival day

News Notes

Number

$9 million. That’s approximately how much the pricetag on USF’s forthcoming football stadium just went up. USF’s Board of Trustees just approved the new $348.5 million cost — which includes adding additional design and structural upgrades. Think: Adding seating capacity, additional locker room amenities, and academic space. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

Coming Soon

South Tampa’s old Winn-Dixie reopens as an Aldi today. But former Winn-Dixie shoppers should expect some changes. The German discount grocer will operate in a space about half the size of the old store. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

Real Estate

A 50-story tower is on the way to the Sunshine City — and it’s time to lock in your spot. The Waldorf Astoria Residences, which will be the city’s tallest tower, just launched sales. Each of the 163 units will enjoy a personal concierge, valet parking, bellman, and doorman. (Tampa Bay Times)

Transit

Listening to Doechii makes you drive better — really. Auto Trader recently ranked our Tampa-megastar as the second-best artist for improving focus behind the wheel. Consider this your suggestion to pop on “ALLIGATOR BITES NEVER HEAL” the next time you’re whipping that Nissan Altima. (That’s So Tampa)

Announced

The owners of the Burg’s Euclid Church are launching the Treehouse Farmers Market. Head to the church’s parking lot on Sunday, May 4 + Sunday, May 25 to shop goods like local greens, Italian artisan pasta and sauces, and pottery. Proceeds go toward restoring the church’s interior. (I Love the Burg)

Sports

That’s our Sammie. WNBA’s Chicago Sky just drafted the USF Bulls’ guard Sammie Puisis. She’s the 10th Bull in school history to be drafted or signed to a free agent or training camp contract. And for good reason. Puisis ranked fifth nationally in total three-pointers made (106) per game in the 2024-2025 season. (I Love the Burg)

Watch

“A Land Remembered” is coming to the TV screen — eventually, that is. A Tampa-based producer is hoping to adapt the novel in Florida. For those who haven’t experienced its magic: Patrick D. Smith‘s novel follows three generations of the MacIvey family as they venture from Georgia to the Florida wilderness. (Tampa Bay Times)

Listen

Can the Lightning stay alive in the postseason without Hagel? Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews, and more from local experts of the Tampa Bay Lightning with Locked On’s daily podcasts.

Biz

Did you miss the chance to feature your business’s product or service in today’s feature of the 2025 Parents’ Gift Guide? Don’t worry — you can still secure your spot in time for Father’s Day. Bonus: Use code PGG2025 for 20% at checkout.

Stat

$5,000. That’s how much you may have to drop if your dog or cat tears their ACL — a surprisingly common knee injury in pets. To the rescue: pet insurance. With this plan, 90% of that cost could be reimbursed.*

Number

540,000+. That’s how many customers choose this hearing aid when it comes time to make that decision for their loved ones. See why.*

Finance

Last chance to invest in the “Uber of mobile phones.” Mode Mobile grew 32,481% from 2019-2022, and just secured their Nasdaq ticker with plans for a potential IPO. The opportunity to invest at $0.26/share closes today.†*

City

Weigh in locals ⬇️

Tampa's skyline, with the Rivergate Tower pictured on the right. Its yellowish brown color is reflected in the sun, with windows lining the outside. There is an ominous cloudy sky with streaks of blue above.

It’s nicknamed the Beer Can Building for a reason. | Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Are you guilty of the calling Rivergate Tower “the Beer Can Building?” You’re not alone.

Across the US, communities have created their own nicknames that might confuse out-of-towners asking for directions. Chicago’s Willis Tower is still referenced by locals as the “Sears Tower,” NYC’s Brooklyn-Queens Expressway is lovingly shortened to “the BQE,” and Greenvillians in SC call Augusta Street “Augusta Road.”

How the names originate doesn’t matter. Be it a former title that locals can’t let go of or a silly nickname that caught on, we’re curious to know what Tampa Bay residents really call things — even if it’s just among friends or family. We’ll go first:

Some longtime locals still call Amalie the Ice Palace — even though that hasn’t been its name for 20+ years.
One of the Howard Frankland Bridge’s infamous nicknames is the “Howard Frankenstein,” for the sheer number of accidents incurred on the TBAY stretch.

What nicknames do you have for Tampa Bay’s parks, stadiums, roads, buildings, and other landmarks? Let us know, and we might share them in the newsletter.

Asked

What year did it stop being “The Ice Palace?”

A. 1999
B. 2004
C. 2007
D. 2002

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The Buy

Swim trunks with pockets. These quick-drying swimsuit trunks have a hidden pocket built into an anti-chafe compression liner — perfect for keeping phones, keys, and cash safe on beach days.

More worth The Buy

The Wrap

Okay, I have a very niche question for you all. My current breakfast hyper fixation is a heaping bowl of vanilla yogurt, strawberries, and maple granola. A delicious classic.

What’s your favorite spot to get locally-made yogurt or fresh strawberries? Please share so I can amp up my game.

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