Okay, the long weekend is over, and Mayor Jane and the rest of Tampa’s staff — and everyone else — are back to work. Specifically, they’re ironing out the 2026 Fiscal Year Budget.
$79 million to replace aging pipes and water lines
$11 million for permanent backup generators
$2.5 million for road repaving
The first public hearing for the budget is tomorrow, Sept. 3 at 5 p.m. Head to Old City Hall or tune in virtually to see how it evolves. Make sure you preregister if you want to ask a question or comment.
Asked
Asked
You be the mayor: What do you want to see Tampa spend more on?
A. Fixing roads and city facilities B. Stormwater system improvements C. Affordable housing D. Replacing pipes
“Razed” Screening and Q&A | 5-8 p.m. | University of South Florida St. Pete | Free | Sit back for a screening of the documentary diving into the untold story of the historic Gas Plant Neighborhood and its former residents, followed by a Q+A session.
Oba, Oba Bossa Nova & More with O Som Do Jazz | 7:30 p.m. | Palladium Theater | $25+ | Embark on a musical journey back to the1960s- 1970s with this show blending Brazilian Bossa Nova, samba jazz, MPB, and Baião.
Wednesday, Sept. 3
Coffee with a Curator: Beyond the Walls | 10:30-11:30 a.m. | The Dalí Museum | Free | Head to the renowned museum for a behind-the-scenes look at “Outside In: New Murals Inspired by Dalí” + the SHINE Mural Festival.
Mayor’s Food Truck Fiesta | 11 a.m. | Lykes Gaslight Square Park | Price of purchase | Make the short week back a little sweeter with a bite from Rock Fire Pizza, The Friendly Greek, California Crack Tacos, The Hangry Hungarian, or Pineapple Express at the downtown park.
Tampa Bay Rays Chamber & Networking Night 2025 | 6:05-10:35 p.m. | George M. Steinbrenner Field | $50 | What’s better than networking with local pros over some brews on the Budweiser First Base Rooftop? Not much.
Thursday, Sept. 4
“This is How We Do it: 80s-90s R&B and Hip-Hop Party” | 9 p.m. | Crowbar Ybor City | Dress on theme for this salute to your favorite R&B and hip-hop anthems from artists like Montell Jordan, Salt-N-Pepa, TLC, Snoop, LL Cool J, Mary J. Blige, Biggie, and Aaliyah.
Sports bar aficionados across the land just named Ferg’s Sports Bar & Grill the No. 1 Best Local Sports Bar in the US. Judges called the longtime Rays bar “a juggernaut within the St. Pete drinking and dining scene” for its two-blocks-long size, 90 tvs, slate of events, and more. (St. Pete Catalyst)
Number
95. That’s how many haunted houses are in Florida, according to The Scare Factor, though that number may climb if more haunts make their presence known. You can explore the directory to find one near you, but only if you’re brave enough.
Tech
Google has launched Preferred Sources in the US, a feature that allows your favorite sources to appear more frequently in search results. This is great news if you love TBAYtoday — you can follow Google’s instructions to see even more of our hyperlocal content.
Eat
Chipotle has launched “Build-Your-Own Chipotle,” a new, digital-only offering that allows you to order key ingredients in bulk for small groups (or meal prepping, perhaps?) Alternatively, switch up your lunch routine with a bite from one of these local spots where a meal for one costs less than $15.
Biz
Cracker Barrel’s “Old Timer” is here to stay after all. After receiving feedback on its rebranding from its patrons, the country store and restaurant has announced it will stick with its original logo. Speaking of old timers, take a walk down memory lane with these since-closed spots locals miss the most.
Sports
Will the Buccaneers maintain their dominance, or can a dark horse emerge? Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews and more from local experts of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
The Buy
It’s finally September — that means it’s basically fall, right? Treat yourself in honor of a brand new autumn season with top-rated decor that’s all $30 or less.
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.
Want to see how the Big Guava’s stormwater system improvements are going? The City just launched a new tracking dashboards, so you can see when fixes are coming to your neighborhood.
Check out what work is already done and what projects are still to come. Talk about bang for your city’s buck, huh?
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