07.25.2025

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94º | 30% chance of precipitation

Sunrise 6:48 a.m. | Sunset 8:23 p.m.

Tides | Old Tampa Bay | High: 6:17 a.m. + 3:30 p.m. | Low: 8:27 a.m. + 11:23 p.m.

Clearwater Beach | High: 12:14 p.m. | Low: 5:59 a.m. + 7:34 p.m.

Full Weather Report | Traffic Report

📚Libraries al fresco

A biker takes advantage of the sunny day at North Shore Park. | Photo by TBAYtoday

A cool breeze, some vitamin D, and a good book. Does it get much better than that?

If you ask a resident of South Korea’s capital city, Seoul, the answer would probably be a resounding “no.” The city’s innovative Outdoor Library concept drew in a million visitors in the past three months, and has attracted 6 million since launching in 2022.

What is it?

“The Seoul Outdoor Library is designed as a vibrant space where people can freely read books and engage in cultural activities outside the traditional library setting,” according to the official city website. The space features chairs, rentable books, and multiple locations.

Where would one go in Tampa Bay?

Our vote? North Shore Park. With palm trees offering shade near the playground, 33 acres to find a quiet grassy spot, peaceful waterfront views, and quiet nature trails, it’s a solid weekday escape — and a popular weekend hangout spot.

We’d love to know where you’d like to see an outdoor library so we can share it in a future newsletter.

Asked

Where would you put an outdoor library in the Tampa Bay area?

Your answer is overdue

Events

Friday, July 25

Saturday, July 26

An Introduction to Bonsai | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | Sunken Gardens, St. Petersburg | Included with admission | Learn about different bonsai styles and how to start your own garden at this class led by Shaji Mathews of the Hukyu Bonsai Society of Tampa.

Christmas In July Market | 5-9 p.m. | Keel Farms, Plant City | Free | You have less than five months to complete your holiday shopping — get started by browsing local vendors, sipping wine and cider, and listening to live music.

Wine + Charcuterie Pairing Night | 7-8 p.m. | Aspirations Winery, Clearwater | $41 | Sip on a handcrafted wine flight paired with artisan cheeses, meat, fruits, and spreads.

Kiss Alive the Tribute | 8:30-10 p.m. | Largo Event Center, Largo | $40+ | “Rock and Roll All Nite” with this act that pays tribute to the legendary rock band.

Sunday, July 27

Tampa Bay Rays Day | 12-4 p.m. | Great Explorations Children’s Museum, St. Petersburg | Included with admission | Show your love for the Rays at this celebration featuring music, themed crafts, activities, and appearances from Rays mascots.

Sneaker Travelers | 12-5 p.m. | Florida State Fairgrounds, Tampa | $24 | Kick it at this trade show featuring collectable footwear, rare shoes, and plenty of sneaker enthusiasts.

727 Day Drone Show | 4-10 p.m. | St. Pete Pier, St. Petersburg | Free | Celebrate the 727 area code with a party featuring music, ice cream, and a synchronized show with 1,000+ drones at about 9 p.m.

More weekend fun

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Civic

The Tampa Water Department has launched a new irrigation rebate program to help locals save money and water. Customers installing or repairing equipment may be eligible for reimbursements through Tuesday, Sept. 30. Qualifying expenses include items like rain sensors, high-efficiency rotary nozzles + capping irrigation heads.

Development

Local leaders broke ground on Windhorst Commons, a 23-home affordable housing community in Brandon. The development will be built by Habitat for Humanity of Tampa Bay Hillsborough and feature hurricane-fortified houses. Construction is slated to be completed by the end of 2026.

Travel

A new, nonstop route is getting ready to depart from Tampa International Airport. JetBlue will start offering daily service to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. If you’re already planning a trip, the first flight will take off starting Thursday, Dec. 4.

Environment

Local volunteers pulled 4,000 pounds of trash and marine debris out of Tampa Bay waters in an effort to clean the area + protect marine life. The haul included 128 “ghost traps” — abandoned crab traps that can lure, capture, and kill marine animals for years when left unattended. (Tampa Bay Times)

Opening

Raising Cane’s released saucy details about the opening of its first St. Pete’s location. The Tyrone Square Mall restaurant will debut on Tuesday, Aug. 5 with a grand opening ceremony that morning featuring music, giveaways, free samples, and a chance to win free food for a year. (St. Pete Rising)

Number

$8.8 million. That was the sale price for a waterfront Snell Isle house, making it the most expensive home sale in Pinellas County this year. The newly constructed residence includes five bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a saltwater pool, and a private boat dock. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

Ranked

If you’re a recent college graduate, Tampa is an A+ city to live in. The Big Guava ranked No. 9 on CoworkingCafe’s list of top cities for grads in 2025. The study assessed factors like the number of people with bachelor’s degrees, unemployment rates, and median income.

Legacy

WWE legend Hulk Hogan has died at age 71. The championship wrestler grew up in the Tampa Bay area and acquired a love of the sport while attending Robinson High School (see his photo in the Wrap). Hogan was discovered by the WWE in 1979, and he resided in the Clearwater area later in life. (People)

Sports

The Rays suffered a tough loss to the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday — can they recover as they head into a series against the Cincinnati Reds? Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews and more from local experts of the Tampa Bay Rays with Locked On’s daily podcasts.

Fact or Fiction

The color of your car impacts your car insurance rate. Fact or fiction? Luckily for Nicki Minaj, this is fiction. Still, rates can change for other reasons, so experts advise shopping around regularly. See if you could save with this quick questionnaire.*

Read

Tangle is a rare political newsletter that doesn’t take sides — it lays them out. Every day, it delivers balanced reporting on major political stories, minus the bias. Subscribe for free.*

The Buy

Amazon’s deals are still rolling, and we’re here for it. Shop more picks while the sales last:

📱 Shop 15% off a MagSafe portable charger that’s sleek, slim, and comes in light pink and lavender.
🍚 If you cook rice, oatmeal, or quinoa almost daily, Cosori’s 4.8-star rated grains cooker is 10% off for a limited time.
💺 Upgrade your home office chair for a high-back leather version while it’s 38% off.
📹 Snag 44% off a like-new Ring stick-up camera that can be installed inside or out.
📚 Get a like-new version of Kindle’s latest model, the Paperwhite, for 26% off.

See today’s deals

Games

The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.

Let the games begin

The Wrap

Today’s edition by: Michael

Hulk Hogan in a tuxedo and bow tie in his high school senior class photo. — Hulk Hogan in his senior class picture, taken at T. R. Robinson High School. | Photo via @historycoolkids

I was never the biggest wrestling fan, but even I was struck by Hulkamania. In the 1990s, I dressed up as Hulk Hogan for Halloween — he was so popular you could buy costumes of him in department stores.

I also watched his show “Hogan Knows Best” on VH1, which showed many parts of Tampa Bay. He called this area home for most of his life, and I know he’ll remain a part of Tampa Bay’s history.

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