Gary, Florida

Things are changing fast in Gary.

 Let’s 1^st go back in time.  Gary originally had no boundaries. It included East Ybor City, Spanish Park and Palmetto Beach. In 1898 the US Postmaster established a post office here and named it after himself, Gary. Then in 1903 this first official plat of land was recorded and called Gary-Town.  Its boundary were 26^th Street on the West to 40^th on the East.  21^st Street to the north and to the bay on the south. The City of Gary was incorporated 1915.  Then in 1923 the City of Tampa extended its boundaries to include Gary.

Today there is much talk about redevelopment in Gary. The Tierra del Lago Cigar Co. located at 1908 N 36th St. is starting a major renovation. Check out  these interesting links below.

Welcome to Gary!

https://www.fox13news.com/news/tampa-developer-seeks-historic-designation-for-old-cigar-factory

https://www.fox13news.com/video/914654

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_(Tampa)

Tampa PRIDE May 22, 2021

It’s a go for Tampa PRIDE 2021!!! Trucks are arriving everyday with things for this year’s events. Thank You JBD Wet Brush for your very generous donation!!!

 It Truly takes a village to host Tampa PRIDE!!!! The New VOLUNTEER sign up are now posted at https://tampapride.org/volunteer/

The Tampa Pride Diversity Parade

The Tampa Pride Diversity Parade will be held this year at 4 pm on Saturday May 22nd in Ybor City.  If your group registered for the 2020 parade you are registered for the 2021 parade.  We need to know if you will be participating in the parade this year.  Emails have been sent out requesting a yes or no response but many groups still have not responded.  Let me know if you are still participating if you haven’t already done so.  Your registration isn’t complete until the parade application packet has been filled out and sent back.  Cutoff date is May 1st.  Tampa Pride Diversity Parade is on! https://tampapride.org/parade/

Tampa Pride Entertainment Committee working hard for All of Us!!

Tampa Pride Street Festival

The Food Court is SOLD OUT!!!

Only a few other Festival booth spaces left. Get yours TODAY. https://tampapride.org/festival/

It’s a 1990’s FLASHBACK – SUNday FUNday

Fabstayz

Did you know that Fabstayz was started in Tampa? The owner had a store in Ybor City on 16^th & 7^th Ave. It was called Bourbon Street Boxers.  All they sold was Boxer Underwear and the staff al wore just boxers too. Later this store was also at The SunCoast Resort.     Check out the new Tampa page today

Metro Inclusive Health Ybor City

The new Ybor Home of metro Inclusive Health is coming along. YAAAAA

Tampa PRIDE 2021

Everyone is very busy getting ready for Tampa Pride on May 22, 2021. This week the committee had a meeting at the Tampa Cuban Club. This will be where Tampa PRIDE at Night will be. Visit www.Tampapride.com 

Like to help support Tampa Pride?

Donations are now been accepted on Venmo @TampaPRIDE

Amanda D Rhod

Our local favorite Miss Amanda D Rhod https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001213991871  is in Las Vegas competing for Miss Diosa Latina USA.  The pageant is on April 18^th.  Good Luck from your Ybor Family.

Women’s History Month

To celebrate women’s history month, the Ybor City Museum has chosen to highlight Clarita Garcia, an influential woman in the Ybor City food scene and beyond. Garcia was born and educated in Spain. Before she married Manuel Garcia Jr., her mother instilled a love of cooking in her. Her mother was a perfectionist and taught Clarita most of what she learned. From the importance of caring for utensils to the picking the right ingredients, her mother prepared her to own a successful Tampa restaurant. During her life, she wrote two cookbooks, with the most notable being Clarita’s Cocina featuring Spanish recipes, some of which were used in the restaurant she managed, Las Novedades. She was arguably the first celebrity chef in Florida, hosting a cooking show on WTVT, and brought Spanish cooking to many.

Girl Scout Cookies

This sounds like the beginning of a joke. A girl scout walks into a Gay Bar….  Once again this year Bradley’s on 7^th purchased 100’s of boxes. This is just another way Bradley’s on 7^th supports the community. Thank You Bradley’s, you make us all so Proud.

Metro Inclusive Health

3/16/21 UPDATE: Metro Inclusive Health is adding new vaccination dates as doses are made available to us. We will continue to update this link with new appointments and information on those who qualify as it is made available. Please check back often for updates. https://www.picktime.com/MetroCOVIDVaccine

The Gary Elementary School

Who remembers the Gary Elementary School? Located just east of Ybor City =. This once proud build  was “Demolition by Neglect!”

https://www.ghosttowns.com/states/fl/gary.html

NEW Dog Park & More

This week the Madison Street Park was dedicated. Located in Channelside this park is packed with amenities. Including a dog park, playground, volleyball, public art, and more!

Rome Yard

 The City of Tampa has chosen Related Group to build the Rome Yard. Located on the Hillsborough River just West of the Armature Works. Soon there will be 954 families living here.

Bars That Were

About 10 years ago we went on a mission to list all the LGBT Bars that were in the area. We stopped at 244+ WOW. We know it needs to be updated again. Many times, people write to us their memories of the club. We try to add them to this list. Here is a letter we received just this week.

Hi Guys, I’m writing from Los Angeles, but grew up in Tampa. I’ve really enjoyed your “Bars That Were” section, but I think I can give you one more. It had to have been around 1968-69, and a buddy at Plant High School told me he was gay. And he told me I was too! In any event, he decided he was going to take me to a gay bar that he could get us into. We were 16.We drove to St. Pete, somewhere around downtown. He led me into a dingy neighborhood straight bar, with loud sports playing on a TV. There were maybe three drunks slumped over their drinks. But my friend led me past all that, to a door at the back of the room. He knocked on the door and someone on the other side slid open a small peep panel. My friend said the word “Fugativa” and the door was opened. Inside was a bigger room with quite a lot men – and a few women who looked like men – all much older than we were. Instantly, I felt like I’d walked into a den of wolves. We only stayed long enough for my friend to get served alcohol, without any questions. And I gulped down a Coke. But the hungry eyes of the male patrons were too scary for me, and we left fast. My buddy was pissed, but I had been to my very first gay bar. In essence, it was a speakeasy, and the name was Fugativa. Which he told me meant fugitive in Spanish. Well, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it! Use it on your web page if you’d like. Maybe it will spark other guy’s memories of that time or place.

Regards, Nancy

PROUD of Tampa

This week we were asked to be on a City of Tampa panel to discuss understanding diversity and how it can be taught to all city employees.  This course will be called “Implicit Bias, Diversity and Cultural Competency Training for City of Tampa Employees.”   It is also known as The USEA Enrichment Program (Understanding, Sensitivity, Enlightenment & Awareness). What a positive and proactive approach to making Tampa a better place to live.  Their motto sounds like Ybor City & something we all can live by. Each color has its own mission. Altogether they “Invigorate the Tree of Life.”

Tampa PRIDE

Help Support Tampa PRIDE. Go to Smile.Amazon.com and pick Tampa Pride, Inc. ( 46-5680985 ) as your charity. Thank You

Bradley’s on 7^th 10 Year Anniversary

Click HERE for more Photos

http://www.mcfilm.co/category/great-photos/caught-bradleys-on-7th/

NEW – Metro Inclusive Health’s Youth Market

Starting this Saturday, March 13^th https://www.facebook.com/events/1158136831285435

From Metro Inclusive Health….

METRO absolutely loves our LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, and we’re proud to say that these young folks are incredibly talented. That’s why we think it’s about time we share their talents with all the amazing folks who support us! Our first ever Youth Market is an opportunity for the young and emerging queer artists involved with METRO to have a presence in the community without the typical barriers that come along with vending in a market. So come on down to our welcome center and discover (and purchase) the beautiful artwork of these talented young people! All proceeds go to the artists and we accept cash and Venmo!

The Watermark Wave Awards

The 2021 Wave Awards are HERE!!! There is a lot to be proud of in the Tampa Bay Area!!!!

http://www.mcfilm.co/category/great-photos/special-events-photos/

Ybor City

Who can recognize this building today?

Here is a Hint.

SUNday FUNdays @ The Showbar Ybor City

CLICK HERE for More Photos

http://www.mcfilm.co/category/great-photos/caught-the-show-bar/