🌱 NYE Celebrations Around Town + Tampa International Airport Flamingo

Hi all. I'm back with your fresh copy of the Tampa Daily. Come along for the most important things happening in town. Today you'll learn about these stories and more...

• There are plenty of options for NYE today.
• Dr. BBQ in St. Petersburg's EDGE District has permanently closed.
• Tampa International Airport has narrowed down the list for naming its new flamingo to three names.

But first, today's weather:

Some rain and a thunderstorm. High: 78 Low: 66.

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Here are the top stories in Tampa today:

1. Looking for New Year's Eve plans in Tampa? There are plenty of options. The ReliaQuest Bowl will host a New Year’s Eve Parade and Pep Rally in Ybor City today from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Busch Gardens' Christmas Town is hosting fireworks to ring in the new year. Sal Y Mar is hosting a party as well. (Tampa Patch)

2. Tampa International Airport's "Name the Flamingo" contest is coming to a close soon and is down to three names. The top 3 names in the final running are Cora, Finn, and Phoebe. It is unclear how long voting will stay open. (Fox 13 Tampa)

3. The historic Tampa Theatre will hold its 20th annual WineFest Fundraiser in March 2023, featuring the theme of Forrest Grape. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $7 for Tampa Theatre members. Participating restaurants include The Battery, Bavaro’s, Butter Burgers, The C House, Cru Cellars and Oxford Exchange. (Osprey Observer)

4. Dr. BBQ has permanently closed in St. Petersburg's EDGE District. The restaurant was a joint-venture between celebrity pitmaster and St. Petersburg resident Ray Lampe and Datz Restaurant Group owners Suzanne and Roger Perry. The Perrys sold the building to South Florida developer PTM Partners for $4.5 million in August 2022, according to the Tampa Bay Times. (Subscription: Tampa Bay Times)

5. The Children’s Home Network (CHN) has announced Taylor Cheeseman as its new Executive Vice President. Taylor will lead CHN's programs, services, and support operations. The Children’s Home Network is Tampa’s oldest and continuously running non-profit. (Tampa Bay Newswire)

Today in Tampa:

• NYE With 3LAU | Hosted By Brody Jenner at WTR. (9 a.m.)
• Downtown New Year's Countdown For Kids at Glazer Children's Museum. (10 a.m.)
• Medianoche NYE at Flor Fina. (5 p.m.)
• NYE 2023 - Heavenly Bodies at Hyde House. (7 p.m.)
• New Year's Eve Beach Bash at Whiskey Joe's Tampa. (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Tampa Bay Lightning shared: "A hard-fought W. ⚡️ 📝: tbl.co/gamerecap12-29" (Tampa Bay Lightning via Facebook)
• Tampa International Airport shared: "After a panel of judges reviewed 65,000+ entries and the reasons behind them in our Name the Flamingo contest, three finalists have been selected." (Tampa International Airport via Facebook)
• Tampa General Hospital shared: "To ensure the safety and health of all those who enter our hospital, we will begin screening visitors and patients for weapons starting Jan. 2, 2023. Our number one priority is to protect patients, visitors, volunteers, team members and physicians. We appreciate your cooperation and support." (Tampa General Hospital via Facebook)
• ZooTampa at Lowry Park shared: "Ring in the new year at ZooTampa with a special daytime celebration featuring an hourly toast to 2023! Presented by Mini Melts Ice Cream!" (ZooTampa at Lowry Park via Facebook)
• City of Tampa shared: "Tampa Parks & Recreation is hiring several seasonal positions for Summer Rec Leaders to direct activities at assigned rec centers or playgrounds, including arts and crafts, sports, coaching, team activities and more." (City of Tampa via Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Saturday! I'll see you around.

— 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