I Like It Hot Fest This Weekend + Tampa Airport Flamingo + 9/11 Local Hero

Happy Friday, Tampa! Here's everything you need to know about what's happening in Tampa today.

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First, today's weather:

Humid and mostly cloudy throughout the day. High: 88 Low: 76.

Here are the top stories in Tampa today:

1. A massive floor-to-ceiling flamingo sculpture is coming to the Tampa International Airport in spring of 2022. The project is called HOME by Matthew Mazzotta. It is part of 4 new public art works coming to the airport. (That's So Tampa)

2. Visit Florida Board of Directors approved plans to apply for a $14.8 million federal grant to help the state attract travelers from other parts of the U.S. Florida attracted 31.7 million domestic and international visitors during the second quarter of 2021, a 2.2 percent decline from 2019. Visit Florida downplayed concerns over the Delta variant and travel, although hospital groups are pushing for more federal aid as they say the virus disrupts travel plans. (Creative Loafing Tampa)

3. Grab your milk and prepare for some heat. The 21st annual I Like It Hot Festival will take place this weekend at the Largo Event Center. Hot sauce makers from around Florida will compete for who makes the spiciest concoction. The festival will take place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Tampa Patch)

4. The Firehouse Cultural Center in Ruskin will be offering a variety of music and comedy in September including blues music with TBone Hamilton and T.C. Carr, Comedy Night with Rahn Hortman, and Irish tunes with Mike Donahue & Third Man Out. Tickets are now available and must be purchased in advance. There is no day-of-show pricing at this time to allow for proper social distancing. (Osprey Observer)

5. Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office training specialist Damon Plonczynski rescued lives on 9/11 as a rookie NYPD officer. He also served at the morgue and worked as a digger at Ground Zero. He says photos of the victims of the attack were posted all throughout the city on that day and he is at peace about doing all he could to help. (WTSP)

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Today in Tampa:

• Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream. Opening night. (7:00 PM)
• The Bull - USF Alum! It's Football Season! at Painting with a Twist - Carrollwood. (7:00 PM)
• Countryside High School Football Game vs. Clearwater High School. (7:00 PM)
• The Card Counter (2021) at Tampa Theatre. (7:30 PM)
• Movie Under the Stars at Avalon Park Wesley Chapel - Ratatouille. (8:00 PM)

Tampa Patch Notebook

• Tampa Bay Rays: "Future's looking bright Erik Neander has been named President of Baseball Operations and has agreed to a multi-year contract extension." (Facebook)
• The University of Tampa: "The University of Tampa has been again named by The Princeton Review as one of the nation's best institutions for undergraduate education. In its profile, students praise UT’s “many resources and opportunities” and its “hands-on and expe..." (Facebook)
• Tampa International Airport: "Fast and Furious 27: Airplane Drag Brian Singleton" (Facebook)
• Tampa General Hospital: "Join us in celebrating USF Health Morsani College of Medicine's 50th anniversary! We’re honored to share a partnership with this incredible organization, continuing to build one of the nation’s leading academic medical centers. We can’t ..." (Facebook)
• Hillsborough County Public Schools: "Do you know someone who loves working with children and is looking for a part-time job? We are looking for qualified candidates to work for The HOST Program. Current Openings: Afterschool Aides, Afterschool Assistant Instructors, and Aft..." (Facebook)

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Events:

• 2021 Tampa Boat Show (September 10)
• 9/11 Memorial Service (September 11)
• 9/11 Memorial Lights (September 11)
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You're officially in the loop for today! See you tomorrow for another update. If you're liking these newsletters, consider bringing some friends and neighbors on board. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— 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? Email me at carlosreportsnews@gmail.com.