🌱 Busch Garden Food & Wine Festival + Tampa's River O' Green Fest Return

Happy Sunday, Tampa! Here's everything you need to know about what's happening around town today.

First, today's weather:

Sunny and pleasant. High: 81 Low: 65.

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Here are the top five stories today in Tampa:

1. City of Tampa lit up Old City Hall on Friday night in the colors of the Ukrainian flag in support of the country and its people as they battle a Russian invasion. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said her heart goes out to the Ukrainian people during "this critical and most difficult time." (WTSP)

2. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is bringing back its annual Food & Wine Festival on March 11, the same day Iron Gwazi premieres to the general public. Some interesting items on the menu for the festival include bison burgers, a Flamin' Hot Cheetos Elote street corn, sangria floats, and urban duck fries. (Creative Loafing Tampa)

3. Curtis Reeves, the retired police captain who shot and killed Chad Oulson at a Wesley Chapel movie theater in 2014 after a fight over popcorn, was found not guilty on all charges Friday night. Reeves was acquitted on charges of second-degree murder and aggravated battery of Chad Oulson's wife, Nicole. He claimed self-defense in the shooting and testified about his history in law enforcement. (WFLA)

4. Pappy Derose and his family are continuing a Tampa culinary tradition of deviled crabs. According to a historian, devil crab first appeared in the 20th century in Tampa and became popular to the influence of Ybor City's immigrant population. His restaurant, Pappy's Island Crew Restaurant is located on East Hillsborough Avenue in Tampa. (Fox 13 Tampa)

5. Downtown Tampa's River O' Green Fest is coming back after a pandemic hiatus on Saturday, March 12 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Curtis Hixon Park. Hillsborough River will be transformed into a bright shade of green to mark the occasion. The free event will have live entertainment, food trucks, beer, and family-friendly activities. (Bay News 9)

Today in Tampa:

• Sunshine Sunday at Glazer Children's Museum. (10:00 AM)
• Chicken Yoga at Hotel Haya. (10:30 AM)
• Baseball: Florida Southern JV Vs. Tampa JV at University Of Tampa Athletics. (1:00 PM)
• Backyard Beekeeping 101 at Sweetwater Organic Community Farm. (1:00 PM)
• Black Love Classic Movie Series - Waves at Tampa Theatre. (3:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Grammy-nominated band OneRepublic is coming to Tampa this fall with Needtobreathe on Friday, September 2 at MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 4 at 10 a.m. (Creative Loafing Tampa)
• SeaWorld Entertainment, which owns Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, reported Thursday that attendance across its 13 North American properties hit 20.2 million in 2021. Attendance is still down from 2019, but rising back to pre-pandemic levels. (Tampa Bay Times)
• A free new trolley service in Sarasota will run between downtown Sarasota and Lido Beach. It will be called the "Bay Runner." (ABC Action News)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Monday Night Jam at Mastry’s Brewing (February 28)
• Learn How To Reduce Your Risk For Heart Disease During American Heart Month (February 28)
• [Free Giveaway] Mental Health Matters Decal - Tampa Counseling Center! (March 4)
• RelateFest, 2022 Miami, FL: For People Endlessly Curious About Relationships (March 4)
• Alternative Products Expo - Fort Lauderdale (March 11)
• Alternative Products Expo - Fort Lauderdale (March 12)
• Jazz on the Lawn @ Riverwalk STEM Academy (March 12)
• Alternative Products Expo - Fort Lauderdale (March 13)
• Add your event

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Sunday off right. I'll see you soon!

— Carlos Hernandez

About me: Hello my name is Carlos Hernandez and I am a food writer with over 10 years of experience in the industry. I write the food blog Carlos Eats (http://www.carloseats.com) and also contribute to several newspapers and magazines with food-related blogs and articles.