Tampa Today News: Happy Thanksgiving Edition
Wishing you a day filled with good food and memories.
Happy Thanksgiving! Welcome back to Tampa Today News. I’m Carlos Hernandez, your host explaining everything you need to know about what’s happening in Tampa including local news, events, and more.
Today’s weather: High of 71 and low of 57. Party cloudy skies.
Fun fact: 2.8 million Floridians are expected to hit the road for the Thanksgiving holiday, according to AAA.
I’m thankful for all the support I have received over the years from everyone in Tampa. I am grateful for the opportunity to keep you informed and cover our community. Thank you!
Let’s get you updated on the everything Thanksgiving.
A word from our sponsors: Due Amici & Geo’s Fine Wine & Champagne
Due Amici is a family-run pizza and pasta bar restaurant located in Ybor City at 1724 E 7th Ave. The restaurant takes pride in their gourmet food, handcrafting sauces to compliment the flavors in each dish. Pizza dough is made in-house, hand-spun, topped with the freshest ingredients, and carried to the oven with love.
Geo’s Fine Wine & Champagne Bar is the latest hotspot in Ybor City right next door to Due Amici. The bar has a selection of fine wines and champagnes to choose from as well as charcuterie boards and live music and events regularly.
Are you interested in sponsoring Tampa Today News and promoting your business, events, or products? Reach out at carlosreportsnews@gmail.com and I will be happy to discuss rates.
Top things to know today in Tampa:
What restaurants are open Thanksgiving Day in Tampa Bay? Capital Grille, Flor Fina at Hotel Haya, Rusty Pelican, Columbia Restaurant, Bern's Steak House, Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, Council Oak Steaks and Seafood at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hard Rock Cafe, SHOR American Seafood Grill, The Dan, Birch & Vine at The Birchwood. Many hotel restaurants will stay open to help serve guests visiting for the holidays. Call ahead for reservations as availability could be limited at some places. (tampabaydatenightguide.com, opentable.com, patch.com)
What chains and fast food options are open today on Thanksgiving? Chains open today include Boston Market, Burger King, Cracker Barrel, Domino's, Hooters, IHOP, Dave & Buster's, Krispy Kreme, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Qdoba, Red Lobster, Waffle House (always) and Wendy’s. Call ahead to make sure the location by you is open as opening hours will vary today. (wtsp.com)
What grocery and convenience stores are open today in Tampa? Options will be limited today if you need last minute groceries with a few exceptions. The Fresh Market will be open today from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Some Whole Foods locations will be open with limited hours. Some Albertsons stores will be open with limited hours. Most Dollar General stores will be open normal hours. Closed stores include Publix, Walmart, Walgreens, Target, Sam’s Club and Costco. (patch.com)
Volunteer and help feed kids today in Tampa: Donatello in South Tampa will host Thanksgiving for over 1,000 families today, an annual tradition for the Italian restaurant. Donatello will serve families and children in the restaurant with a Turkey dinner with all the trimmings and pasta. This event is in need of volunteers to help serve food. If you can make it, the restaurant asks that you try to arrive by 10:30 a.m. No registration needed. Donatello is located at 232 N Dale Mabry Highway. (thatssotampa.com)
Metropolitan Ministries is spreading hope today for Thanksgiving: 15,000 food boxes and 15,000 turkeys (or hams) have been distributed through Metropolitan Ministries’ holiday tents and pop-up locations by Thanksgiving Day, or about 600,000 individual meals. For those in need or with no place to go, 3,600 hot meals will be distributed today for Thanksgiving Day. Hot meals in Tampa will be provided at The Portico Café from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (metromin.org)
Top events today in Tampa:
Thanksgiving Cruises at Yacht Starship. (hours vary)
Tampa YMCA Turkey Gobble at Amalie Arena. (7 a.m.)
Thanksgiving Day Buffet at The Tampa EDITION. (11 a.m.)
Thanksgiving Dinner at Elevage - Epicurean Hotel. (11 a.m.)
Tampa Bay Festival of Lights at Greater Hillsborough County Fair. (6 p.m.)
97th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Details
The 97th Macy’s Parade lineup includes 5,000 volunteers, 16 featured character balloons, 26 floats, 32 heritage and novelty balloons, more than 700 clowns, 12 marching bands and nine performance groups. Parade fans nationwide can watch the official telecast on NBC and simulcast on Peacock, from 8:30 a.m. to noon EST.
New balloons include Beagle Scout Snoopy by Peanuts Worldwide; Blue Cat & Chugs from Cool Cats; Kung Fu Panda’s Po by Universal Pictures’ Dreamworks Animation; Leo by Netflix, Inc.; Monkey D. Luffy from One Piece by Toei Animation Inc; The Pillsbury Doughboy by Pillsbury; and Uncle Dan by Illumination.
“TODAY’s” Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker will join as hosts of the Emmy-Award winning celebration. The Spanish language simulcast on Telemundo will be hosted by the network’s daytime personalities, Carlos Adyan and Andrea Meza. Legendary star of music, film, stage and television, Cher, will perform a new holiday hit and kick off the season at 34th Street for the 97th parade.
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If you have a news tip, I am all ears. My e-mail is carlosreportsnews@gmail.com.
That’s all I have for today. I hope you have you have a happy Thanksgiving! See you tomorrow.
-Carlos Hernandez