TAMPA, Fla. — While there's always something happening in downtown Tampa, this weekend has several large-scale events taking place on the same day. Because of this, several roads will be closed and with ongoing construction projects, it might make it harder to get around.
But don't worry — here's everything you need to know to plan and avoid unnecessary travel headaches.
The main issue is going to be on Saturday, Dec. 9. City of Tampa leaders say they are expecting an influx of more than 30,000 people flooding the downtown area to attend several events at multiple different large venues. Those venues include Amalie Arena, Curtis Hixon Park, the Tampa Convention Center, the Straz Center and Armature Works.
Because of the number of events and overlap in timing, traffic is expected to be heavier and drivers should prepare for delays in and out of the downtown area. Parking could also become a hassle, so it might be a good idea to plan parking options. You can find more information about garage locations and rates here.
The Dec. 9 events include the following:
Amalie Arena
- Comedian Nate Bargatze performs two shows — 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Curtis Hixon Park
- Annual OnBikes Wonder Ride — 2 p.m. through 11 p.m.
- Winter Village — 10 a.m. through 10 p.m.
Tampa Convention Center
- Champions League: All-Star Cheerleading — 9 a.m. through 7:30 p.m.
- Allstate Hot Chocolate 5K — packet pickup from 10 a.m. through 5:30 p.m. Race is Sunday, Dec. 10
- USAA Holiday Party — 7 p.m. through 11 p.m.
Straz Center
- Multiple performances starting at 2 p.m. through 11 p.m.
Armature Works
- Seven different events are taking place between 11 a.m. through midnight
Road Closures
City of Tampa leaders said several roads will be closed on Saturday, Dec. 9 because of these events. The list the city released says the road closures include "but are not limited" to the following:
- Brorein Street from S. Florida Avenue to Bayshore Boulevard
- Bayshore Boulevard from W Brorein Street to W Bay to Bay
- N Ashley Drive (southbound lanes only) from W Cass Street to W Kennedy Boulevard
- Ashley Drive from Kennedy Boulevard to Brorein Street
How to get around downtown
If you want to avoid traffic while you're downtown, you can utilize several alternative travel methods to get around.
These include the following:
- Parking in Ybor City and riding the free TECO Streetcar to your destination. Find the route and more info here.
- Getting a ride through DASH, a downtown Tampa transportation service that utilizes a yellow Tesla, or using a ride-share service such as Uber or Lyft. More info on DASH here.
- Using public transit such as HART buses.
- Taking a ride on the Pirate Water Taxi, which stops multiple times along the Tampa Riverwalk. More info here.
- You can also rent an e-scooter or bike or take a walk and enjoy the Florida weather.
