Tampa Bay News Wire

TAMPA, Fla. (May 22, 2017) – Tampa Downtown Partnership is proud to announce the addition of the TECO Line Streetcar System to the Fourth Friday lineup of promotions. The Streetcar will now be free to all Fourth Friday participants wearing the complimentary wristbands distributed by participating arts and cultural venues.

“THS, Inc. and HART are always looking for ways to improve regular ridership, particularly for area residents,” said Michael English, Board Chair of THS, Inc. and Board Member for Tampa Downtown Partnership. “This Downtown event includes Ybor City for the first time, which is noteworthy. We support all three districts the system runs through, and want such events to be successful for everyone.”

“We are so excited to have the TECO Line Streetcar System offer complimentary rides to our Fourth Friday participants,” said Kelsy Van Camp, Director of Marketing and Communications for Tampa Downtown Partnership. “Being able to seamlessly connect our Fourth Friday participants in Ybor and Downtown adds a significant benefit to those out enjoying Fourth Friday and also to the arts and culture venues and participating restaurants.”

Tampa Bay History Center’s Director of Marketing, Manny Leto, believes Downtown is getting more and more connected every day. The streetcar, the watertaxis, and the Riverwalk allow for people to get from, say, Tampa Heights to the History Center to Ybor City and home again without having to think about parking or traffic,” said Leto.

The seamless connection and hop-on, hop-off capability provided by the Streetcar invites Fourth Friday participants to enjoy both Downtown and Ybor City easily.

“Ybor City residents, workers and visitors enjoy the convenient connection to Downtown Tampa’s amenities and now through HART’s generosity in offering no-cost trips on the TECO Line Streetcar during Fourth Friday events further enhances the districts’ easy linkage that also will benefit the business community,” said Ybor City Development Corporation Manager Courtney Orr.

“Adding the Streetcar to the event’s offerings is a win-win for everyone involved and truly knits our communities together,” said Van Camp.

The service hours for the Streetcar will be their normal operating hours. Complimentary rides will only be honored by those with Fourth Friday wristbands. For Streetcar hours, visit tecolinestreetcar.org.

Now in its second year, Fourth Friday is a celebration of Tampa’s rich arts and culture scene offering patrons the ability to enjoy free or reduced admissions and special programming at participating venues. Restaurants participate as well offering special discounts to those wearing Fourth Friday wristbands.

This month’s Featured Offers are:

• Henry B. Plant Museum: Located at 401 W. Kennedy Blvd. on the University of Tampa campus, the Museum celebrates Fourth Friday from 4:00-5:00 p.m. with free admission and audio tours. This month the museum will feature two new programs. First stop by and take one of their Selfie Stations and take a picture with some historic figures, then be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to hold history in your hands with their touch tray of antiques.
• John F. Germany Library: Located at 900 N. Ashley Dr. in Downtown Tampa, the Library celebrates Fourth Friday from 4:00-6:00 p.m. with free entry to enjoy the exhibits. Check out the Hive’s 3D Printing, robotics lab and recording studio. Also, in the Hive, join them for mini-golf and games for some pre-summer fun.
• Le Meridien Tampa Hotel: Located at 601 N. Florida Ave. in Downtown Tampa, Le Meridien celebrates Fourth Friday from 4:00-8:00 p.m. with extended happy hour specials, an $8 Fourth Friday signature cocktail and a free guided tour at 5:30 p.m. In addition, Le Meridien will be offering a free guided “Unlocking Destination Bike Ride” from the hotel down to the Riverwalk in honor of National Bike Month. No need to bring you own bike, remember Coast Bikes are conveniently located throughout downtown.
• The Portico: Located at 1001 N Florida Ave. in Downtown Tampa, The Portico celebrates Fourth Friday from 7:00-9:00 p.m. with a free muffin with the purchase of a specialty coffee. Enjoy your beverage and snack while taking in their Open Mic Night from 6:00-9:00 p.m.

Other Participating Venues for May 26 are:

• AIA Tampa Bay Gallery: Located at 1315 E 7th Ave., Suite 105, in Ybor City, AIA celebrates Fourth Friday from 4:30-7:30 p.m. with free admission to their CONSTRUCT: An exhibit of 16 Greater Tampa Bay Artists and refreshments.
  Dysfunctional Grace Art Co.: Located at 1903 E 7th Ave. in Ybor City, Dysfunctional Grace celebrates Fourth Friday from 4:00-8:00 p.m. with 15% off all artwork purchases.
• Florida Museum of Photographic Arts: Located at 400 N. Ashley Dr. in Downtown Tampa, FMoPA celebrates Fourth Friday from 5:00-7:00 p.m. with Pay-As-You-Will admission and refreshments.
• Straz Center: Located at 1010 Macinnes Place in Downtown Tampa, the Straz Center celebrates Fourth Friday from 6:00-9:00 p.m. with a free Live and Local performance by Shane Meade, Sip & Stroll bar locations, and ticket specials. Theatre tours will be given at 6:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.
• Jobsite Theater: Located at 1010 N. Macinnes Pl. in Downtown Tampa, Jobsite celebrates Fourth Friday from 7 p.m. with $15 tickets to Israel Horovit’z Gloucester Blue with your wristband. Curtain is at 8 p.m. and the show runs 2 hours with am intermission.
• Rialto Theatre: Located at 1617 N. Franklin St. in Downtown Tampa, Rialto Theatre celebrates Fourth Friday from 6:00-9:00 p.m. with an exhibit by Justine Parks.
• Tampa Museum of Art: Located at 120 W. Gasparilla Plaza in Downtown Tampa, the Museum celebrates Fourth Friday from 4:00-10:00 p.m. with pay-as-you-will admission and free scheduled gallery activities (check in at the front desk for start times). Waterfront dining, full dinner menu and beverages available at Sono Cafe.
• Tampa Theare: Located at 711 N. Franklin St. in Downtown Tampa, the Theatre’s lobby is open from 6:00-9:00 p.m., with $5 Stoli and Bacardi Cocktails from 6:00-7:00 p.m. and a free guided Theatre tour at 6:30 p.m.
• TECO Public Art Gallery: Located at 702 N. Franklin St. in Downtown Tampa, the Gallery celebrates Fourth Friday from 5:30-8:00 p.m. with free admission.
• Ybor City Visitor Center: Located at 1600 E 8th Ave. in the heart of Ybor City, the Visitor Information Center offers information about tours, Ybor history and helps you discover the latest hot spot from 4:00-5:00 p.m.

This month’s special programming includes:

• Tampa Bay Margarita Festival: Located in Curtis Hixon Park near the Tampa Riverwalk, the Tampa Bay Margarita Festival celebrates Fourth Friday from 4:00-7:00 p.m. with a river front bar serving up sample-sized Margaritas to celebrate the upcoming festival on Saturday, May 27.

Participating transportation partners include:

• Coast Bike Share: Located throughout Tampa, Coast Bike Share is offering a free hour to all new users. Claim your hour of  Coast using code FOURTHFRIDAY0517.
• TECO Line Streetcar: Present your Fourth Friday wristband to your Streetcar conductor and enjoy complimentary rides during Fourth Friday. Fourth Friday participants can pick up a wristband at any of the participating cultural venues during event hours and plan their route with the schedule and suggested itineraries online at www.FourthFridayTPA.com. Then, just park once and let Downtown’s many alternative transportation do the rest. Take a complimentary ride on the TECO Line Streetcar, stroll along The Tampa Riverwalk, cruise the Hillsborough on the Pirate Water Taxi, hail the FREE Downtowner ride service with an app on your smartphone, or saunter along 7th Avenue in Ybor, Tampa’s only Historic District. Participants also get a FREE hour of Coast Bike Rental with promo code FOURTHFRIDAY0517 (visit www.FourthFridayTPA.com)

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