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New Leadership on YCDC Board   Outgoing Board members Jack Rodriguez, John Doble, Kim Headland and Ken Cowart with immediate past president Dave Scott (center), YCDC manager Vince Pardo and Board Vice Chair Walter Aye (right). Every two years, changes occur on the Ybor City Development Corp. Board, which serves as the official Community Advisory Committee to the City of Tampa and the Community Redevelopment Agency on issues and policies affecting Ybor City. Board members generously volunteer their time and talents. The following Board members have completed two-year terms are: Ken Cowart, John Doble, Ken Garcia, Kim Headland, Elaine Illes, D. Stephen Moss, Sam Reiber, Jack Rodriguez, and Angelo Spicola. New members joining the Board for a two-year term: John Agliano, Don Barco, Cathy Bartolotti, Richard “Leon” Cannyn, Joe Citro, Mark Eary, Victor Fernandez, Judy Kelly, Jayme Kosar, and Rich Simmons. Returning Board members include: Manny Alvarez, Walter Aye, Richard Boom, Joe Capitano, Jr., Michelle Cardamone, Fran Costantino, Karen Goss, Tom Keating, Tony LaColla, Dr. Shawn Robinson, Gene Siudut, Veronica Swiatek, and Chris Whitaker. Joe Capitano Sr. and Monsignor Higgins continue as emeritus members. Gen. David J. Scott (Ret.) will transition from president to immediate past president. Museum Celebrates Tampa Baseball Heritage   Ybor City Museum Society Board members Stephen M. Barbas and Mary Alvarez accept the key from Council Chair Charlie Miranda, FDOT administrator Bill Scott and Commissioner Kevin Beckner. The Tampa Baseball Museum at the Al Lopez House has marked another milestone toward opening in spring 2014. The Florida Department of Transportation transferred ownership of Al Lopez’s former home to the City of Tampa, which then provided it to the Ybor City Museum Society. With the deed, the Ybor City Museum Society can begin rehabilitating the house. The façade will be improved while the interior is transformed into a museum. The City of Tampa awarded a façade grant to the Ybor City Museum Society (along with Silver Meteor Gallery) to defray construction costs. The Tampa Baseball Museum is seeking artifacts and memorabilia to create the exhibits. Business Community Grows in Ybor City   Mayor Bob Buckhorn prepares to cut through dungarees – instead of a traditional ribbon – with Police Chief Jane Castor and Black & Denim co-founders Christopher Findeisen, Luis Montañez and Roberto Torres on August 29. Black & Denim Apparel Company opened its first boutique at 1910 E. 7th Ave., inside the Blues Ship Cafe. The designs are made with 100% American raw materials. Mace Multimedia has moved from Riverview to 1603 1/2 E. 7th Ave., Suite 5. The marketing company is assisting with promotions for Historic Holiday Spirit events. Screening One, a provider of human resource solutions, selected Ybor City for its East Coast office. The office is located at 1860 N. Avenida Republica de Cuba. The Blues Ship Café at 1910 E. 7th Ave. has a new owner, John Michael, who has remodeled the interior and expanded the menu and hours. Czar joined The Ritz Ybor at 1503 E. 7th Ave. The nightlife destination has undergone extensive interior renovations. Gino’s Pizza & Brew moved into historic Ybor City after 15 years in downtown Orlando. The pizzeria is located at 1724 E. 7th Ave. 20/20 Companies, a national direct sales and marketing company, has moved into Centro Ybor, 1600 E. 8th Ave., Suite A-132. Tequilas, 1613 E. 7th Ave., has joined Historic Hospitality family of restaurants, which includes Bernini of Ybor, Carne ChopHouse and Ybor Green Iguana. Mace Multimedia co-founders Manny Potter and Gabrielle Perham celebrate the opening of their Ybor City office.  A Goolish Good Time Get into the Halloween spirit with spooktacular events in historic Ybor City. The Ybor Merchants Association’s Fantasma Fest kicks off with a celebration of Ybor City’s many flavors with Fantasma Feast on Thursday, October 24, and continues with the Little Monsters Promenade – trick-or-treating among the merchants in Centro Ybor and a pumpkin patch in the courtyard on Saturday, October 26. Later in the day, roll down 7th Avenue during the first annual Bed Races, where riders on wheeled beds race along two blocks in Ybor City. Guavaween returns for the 28th year as a costume contest on Saturday, October 26, in Centro Ybor. The Ybor City Chamber of Commerce has organized cash prizes for a variety of contests, including best costume. Halloween events in Ybor City: October 14 – Fantasma Fest Bartenders’ Competition October 24 – Fantasma Feast tapas trail October 25 – Fantasma Fest zombie crawl and zombie fest October 26 – Little Monsters Promenade & Pumpkin Patch, Big Monsters Bed Bash, Guavaween Costume Contest and Witchcraft Beer & Live Music Festival October 27 – Hell on Wheels motorcycle rally and poker walk October 31 – Fantasma Fest Halloween Ball For more events, visit YborCityOnline.com Sensational “Summer of Fun”   Over 10 weeks this summer, YCDC’s Marketing Committee held a “Summer of Fun” sweepstakes on Facebook with the help of many generous Ybor City merchants. Facebook users who like the Discover Ybor City page could submit a short entry form for a chance to win prize packages. Five winners were selected at random each week from June 24 to September 2. Each winner received a prize package that included 3-4 prizes with restaurant/dining, activity and nightlife options in historic Ybor City. Fifty winners were named, winning a total of 162 prizes worth $4,642. The contest was supported with a strong Facebook advertising campaign. More than 487,000 impressions were reached over the 10 weeks of the campaign. During the contest, the Discover Ybor City page grew by 65 percent. YCDC will continue the momentum by using the Facebook page to market the district, highlight special events and communicate positive news. Like Us on Facebook Forward to a Friend     New Parks Planned   Ybor City will gain two new memorial parks in 2014. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office will create the 9-11 Remembrance Park and the Fallen Heroes Remembrance Park near 8th Avenue and North 20th Street. The 9-11 Remembrance Park will honor victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. A steel beam from the World Trade Center will be the centerpiece of the park, along with statues honoring the firefighters, police and civilians who were victims of the terrorist attack. Fallen Heroes Remembrance Park will recognize the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputies killed in the line of duty. The park will include a sheriff’s office badge created from mosaic tiles, a wall inscribed with the name of each deputy, and a bronze statue of a sheriff’s honor guard deputy.   Employees of Kforce, a professional staffing and solutions firm headquartered near Ybor City, held a team building exercise at Stone Chef Catering and Events. As part of the session, the employees made dog treats for Tampa Police Department’s K-9 officers.  Holiday Tradition Continues   A community holiday celebration was tradition in the 1950s but it had fallen by the wayside. Led by Florida Entertainment Group, Ybor City community leaders and residents re-invented the community holiday celebration and created Historic Holiday Spirit – a series of free events celebrating the holiday season. Now in its fourth year, the businesses and residents of Ybor City are planning memorable holiday events, including: November 19 – Ybor City Holiday Decorating Party November 20 – Ybor City Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony and Miracle on 7th Avenue holiday party December 1 – Santa Speedo Run December 14 – Art in the Park and 2nd Annual Snow on 7th Holiday Parade December 31 – Outback Bowl Parade & Pep Rally For more events and information, visit YborCityOnline.com. Discover Ybor City “Ybor Flavors” TV show explores one of the country’s most colorful neighborhoods, historic Ybor City. Join host Veronica Swiatek on her adventures to Ybor City events, landmarks, businesses and restaurants. Watch episodes of “Ybor Flavors” on Bright House channel 615 or Verizon channel 15 or online at YborCityOnline.com. Walk the red carpet of the Gasparilla International Film Festival with Mayor Buckhorn. Learn to cook the signature dishes of Acropolis Greek Taverna and Stone Soup Company. YCDC Meeting Calendar The following meetings will be held at the YCDC Office at 2015 East 7th Avenue. All meetings are open to the public and free parking is available in the adjacent lot. Meetings are subject to change. October October 15 | 3:00 pm Retail, Arts and Special Events Committee October 17 | 3 pm Public Safety and Parking Committee October 22 | 4 pm YCDC Board November November 3 | 4 pm YCDC Board November 12 | 3:30 pm Planning & Infrastructure Committee November 14 | 12 Noon  District Marketing Committee November 19 | 3 pm Retail, Arts and Special Events Committee November 21 | 3 pm Public Safety and Parking Committee December December 3 | 4 pm YCDC Board Committee meetings will be scheduled as needed. January January 14 | 3:30 pm Planning & Infrastructure Committee January 16 | 12 Noon District Marketing Committee January 21 | 3:00 pm Retail, Arts and Special Events Committee January 23 | 3:00 pm Public Safety and Parking Committee January 28 | 4:00 pm YCDC Board

Bob Buckhorn Mayor Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) Board YCDC Board of Directors 2015 East 7th Avenue, Tampa, FL 33605  •  (813) 274-7936 www.YborCityOnline.com A Division of the City of Tampa Department of Economic and Urban Development Bob McDonaugh Administrator of Economic Opportunity YCDC Staff: Vince J. Pardo, Manager   |   Brenda Thrower   |   Corine Linebrink Like Us on Facebook | Forward to a friend  Copyright © 2013 Ybor City Development Corporation, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you ‘opted-in’ to join our mailing list. Ybor City Development Corporation 2015 7th Avenue Tampa, FL 33605 Add us to your address book

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Gulfport Celebrates 20 Years of Art Walks

For Immediate Release: October 15, 2013

Gulfport Celebrates 20 Years of Art Walks

Contact: Daniel Hodge; (727) 366-4086; dan@igc.org

JPG attached: “Original Art Walk Ad”

By Daniel Hodge

 

GULFPORT, FLORIDA: Gulfport will celebrate the 20^th anniversary of its well-known Art Walk on Friday, November 1^st.  A forerunner of similar events that are now common throughout Tampa Bay, Gulfport’s Art Walk now takes place on the first Friday and third Saturday of each month, year-round from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m.  Local and visiting artists and crafters line the sidewalks of scenic Beach Boulevard in Gulfport’s historic Waterfront District.  On the occasion of the 20^th Anniversary Celebration, organizers will offer a display of Art Walk memorabilia, a birthday cake to share with visitors, drawings for prizes donated by local merchants, and awards to artists participating for the evening.  Gulfport City officials will be on hand to help commemorate the event.  Cake will be served and awards presented in a brief ceremony beginning at 7:30 p.m. in front of Mangia Gourmet (2930 Beach Boulevard South).

The Gulfport Merchants Association has announced a “Call for Artists” to participate in the 20^th Anniversary Art Walk Celebration.  A $200 “Best of Show” juried award will be presented during the evening.  Veteran Art Walk participants will also be recognized with awards in a variety of categories.  Artists interested in participating should contact Suzanne King by email to suzfest@gmail.com as soon as possible.

 

The first Gulfport Art Walk, originally referred to as “Gallery Walk,” took place on the first Friday, November 5^th, 1993.  At that time, six recently-opened independent art galleries on a single block of Beach Boulevard banded together to draw attention to their burgeoning gallery scene.  An advertisement in the local newspaper announced the first Gallery Walk, and participants put out paper bag luminaries to direct visitors to the galleries, each of which offered refreshments.  The original participants were Sabal Palm Galleries (“tropical” and local art), Lynne Brown Fine Arts (Brown’s portraits and other art works), Troyka Art Gallery (Russian and European artifacts), Outta My Gourd (gourd and fiber art and basketry by Lisa Coopersmith), Kaleidoscope (stained glass work by Roger Turner), and Griffin Studio (paintings and pottery by Nan and Bill Griffin).

 

Gulfport’s Gallery Walk proved successful and drew increasing numbers of both locals and visitors to the firstFriday event.  As the event grew, a 1994 full-page feature by the St. Petersburg Times art critic highlighting the Gulfport art scene resulted in a “mob” of visitors that same evening, according to Turner.  Lines of people waited to get into galleries.  As Turner recalls, “We felt like we had arrived!”  By that time, additional galleries were opened, as others closed.  A year after its origin, the terms “Gallery Walk” and “Art Walk” were often used interchangeably.  Also at this time, gallery owners and locals began referring to the Waterfront District, particularly along Beach Boulevard, as the “Art Village.”  The third Saturday Art Walk, originally called the “Saturday Night Stroll,” was added to the calendar in 1999.  Now sponsored by the Gulfport Merchants Association, Art Walk expanded to include several blocks of outdoor exhibits by local and visiting artists several years ago.

 

Gulfport’s status as an “Art Village” has remained attached through the years, although the number of galleries has ebbed and flowed over time.  An insurgence of restaurants to the same area in recent years has created an equally strong identity as a dining hub.  Artists living and working in Gulfport continue to maintain a strong presence in the small, eclectic city, and a handful of galleries and retailers that include original art work in their mix add to the current Art Walk offerings.  The combination of art and artists indoors and out, a variety of dining choices, live entertainment venues, street performers, and the “Old Florida” charm of the Gulfport Waterfront District combine to create today’s lively Art Walk scene.  Free parking and free trolley service to and from offsite parking areas is available during each Art Walk.

                                                                       

The Industrial Arts Center of Gulfport (IACG) maintains quarters in Gulfport after a recent relocation to the “Alley of the Arts” off 29^th Avenue South, near Beach Boulevard.  Demonstrations and classes in hot glass-blowing and metal forging are offered at the IACG.  The nearby City of Imagination at Gulfport Arts Center (2726 54^th Street South), offers a venue for classes, exhibits and performances in a variety of visual and other art forms.

 

The Gulfport Historical Society will continue the celebration of Art Walk’s 20^th Anniversary by organizing memorabilia related to the history of Art Walk, artists in Gulfport and the growth of the “Art Village.”  Items will be displayed during the evening of the Anniversary event and will continue to be displayed at the Gulfport Historical Museum (5301 28^th Avenue South) through the month of November.  The Historical Society’s next monthly “Porch Party” on November 15^th will focus on the history of Gulfport’s Art Walk, Artists and Galleries. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. and includes a speaker, as well as a social hour and hors d’oeuvre, with visitors invited to bring food of their own to share, as well as their own beverages of choice.  Donations to the Society during their third Friday Porch Parties are encouraged.

 

For more information on the 20^th Anniversary Art Walk Celebration, contact Daniel Hodge by email todan@igc.org or phone 727-366-4086.

 

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