🌱 Holiday-Themed Events Hit Tampa Bay + HART Layoffs After Tax Defeat

Morning, everybody. It's me, Carlos Hernandez, your host of the Tampa Daily — here to explain all the most important things happening in town these days. Today's issue includes news about...

• 🎞️ Historic Tampa Theatre is bringing back movies at Curtis Hixon Park in downtown Tampa this holiday season.
• 🎅 "Miracle" holiday-themed pop-up bars are coming to Tampa Bay. Tampa's location will at Strandhill Public in Tampa Heights.
• 🚌 Layoffs hit employees at HART after residents in Hillsborough County voted down a planned transportation tax on Tuesday.

Today is National Pupusa Day in El Salvador. I recommend trying Pupuseria CentroAmericana in Tampa for delicious pupusas and other Central American food locally.

But first, today's weather:

Sunshine and patchy clouds. High: 77 Low: 59.

Here are the top stories today in Tampa:

1. Historic Tampa Theatre is bringing back parkCinema on both Nov. 19 and Dec. 16 at Curtis Hixon Park in downtown Tampa. Planned screenings include "Arthur Christmas" and Disney's "A Christmas Carol." The events are free and open to the public. Snacks can be purchased at the Winter Village nearby. (That's So Tampa)

2. Holiday-themed pop-up bars are about to take the Tampa Bay area by storm. Options this season include "Miracle at Mezzo," located at Intermezzo Coffee & Cocktails in St. Pete, and "Miracle on Main," located at Strandhill Public Tampa Heights. The bars will served specialized cocktails in celebration of the occassion. "Sippin' Santa," a tiki-themed holiday pop-up bar is also headed to The Honu in Dunedin. (WFLA)

3. The Straz Center and Metropolitan Ministries have teamed up to bring dance to elementary students. The partnership has created dance classes at Sullivan Partnership School on the campus of Metro Ministries. (Fox 13 Tampa)

4. Local State Farm agents and Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful will join volunteers on Nov. 17 to distribute 295 trees to Tampa residents on a first-come, first-served basis. The goal of the trees is to make the community more resilient, especially in the face of weather. (Tampa Patch)

5. The failed voted for the Hillsborough County transportation tax is bringing budget cuts to Tampa's beleaguered transit service HART (Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority). Several high-ranking employees were terminated on Wednesday. Tampa has one of the worst funded transit systems for a major city in the United States. (Creative Loafing Tampa)

Today in Tampa:

• Bucs Vs. Seahawks Watch Party at Irish 31 Hyde Park. (9 a.m.)
• Football Watch Party - Buccaneers Vs. Seahawks at Original Westshore Pizza. (9:30 a.m.)
• Second Sunday Art Walk And Vendor Fair at Armature Works. (11 a.m.)
• Brunch In The Garden : Rosé Forever Edition at Eden Downtown. (noon)
• Beso Del Sol: Tampa Bay's Premium Latin Dance Pool Party at Hotel Alba Tampa, Tapestry Colleciton By Hilton. (3 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers shared: "The Buccaneers are helping the NFL's efforts to expand the game globally as they prepare to face the Seahawks in Munich on Sunday, but the contest also comes at a critical juncture for Tampa Bay." (Tampa Bay Buccaneers via Facebook)
• Busch Gardens Tampa Bay shared: "You never know what kind of festive goodies you'll find in the Christmas Town Shop! 🎄🎁 Find all your favorite holiday merchandise and kickstart Tampa's biggest & brightest holiday event in the merriest way." (Busch Gardens Tampa Bay via Facebook)
• Tampa Museum of Art shared: "Time For Change: Art and Social Unrest in the Jorge M. Pérez Collection" is now open!" (Tampa Museum of Art, Inc. via Facebook)
• City of Tampa shared: "Did you know the City of Tampa purchased the Henry B. Plant Museum hotel and 50 acres of property in 1905? The hotel operated until 1930, closing due to the Great Depression." (City of Tampa via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (November 15)
• Taxes in Retirement Seminar at HCC Ybor City Campus (November 15)
• Add your event

Housing:

• Need Help Finding a Senior Community? Let us Help You (Details)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Sunday. I'll be in your inbox tomorrow morning with another update!

— 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.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Tampa Daily? Contact me at SouthTampa@Patch.com