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Something To Sink Your Teeth Into

The Taste of New Tampa will be held in a community park in March.

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By GEORGE WILKENS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 7, 2008

Tampa Palms - Tampa Palms - Breaking tradition and the confines of shopping center parking lots, next month's Taste of New Tampa will be held in the expanse of the community's largest public park.

The 15th annual event will be from 1 to 4 p.m. March 30 at the 40-acre New Tampa Community Park, next to the Freedom High/Liberty Middle schools campus on Commerce Park Drive.

In November, the New Tampa Community Council was invited to hold the food fest at Tampa Palms Professional Center, across the street from the park.

Community council President Frank Margarella said, however, the layout there posed challenges, so he inquired about using the park, an idea warmly received by Karen Palus, Tampa's parks and recreation director.

The park offers many advantages and, most importantly, Margarella said, it could become a home for the annual fundraiser to benefit public schools, first held in 1994.

"The site is important, and what the park provides for the Taste is the potential for us locking in future dates. We don't have to be like gypsies," moving from site to site each year, Margarella said. "That's one major thing you don't have to worry about."

For the past four years, the nonprofit organization has held its popular all-you-can-eat Sunday afternoon event in shopping center parking lots.

In 2005 and 2006, it was at the Shoppes at New Tampa in Wesley Chapel, and last year faced postponement when Publix, an anchor store in that center, expressed concerns about customer parking during the three-hour event. The issues were resolved a few weeks before the May 6 festival.

Additionally, the secured park area will eliminate the need to rent temporary fencing, which cost $5,000 in each of the past two years, Margarella said. The park offers ample room for parking, an issue during the past four years, including the two when it was at the Shoppes of Amberly in Tampa Palms.

Traditionally, beverages dispensed at the Taste of New Tampa have included beer and wine, but alcoholic beverages aren't allowed at the park. "We know there are some conversations going on right now about that, but as far as we're concerned we're in Plan B," Margarella said.

That plan would mean alcoholic beverages, if any, would be dispensed off-site at the professional park across the street, Margarella said.

Advance tickets for the event, representing a 33 percent savings for those 13 and older, will be available at four area locations starting Feb. 23, said community council Treasurer Matt Palmer. The advance $10 tickets will be sold through March 29, Palmer said. Admission for those 13 and older on the day of the event is $15.

Ticket locations are: Wingate by Wyndham hotel, 17301 Dona Michelle Drive, (813) 971-7676; Hampton Inn & Suites, Tampa/Wesley Chapel (opening Feb. 18), 2740 Cypress Ridge Blvd.; You Do the Dishes, 15357 Amberly Drive, (813) 975-1700; and Frame by Frame Gallery, 16035 Tampa Palms Blvd. W., (813) 977-4841.

Last year's event drew an estimated 8,000 people and netted $35,000 for local public schools, scholarships and other local charities.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Taste of New Tampa

WHEN: From 1 to 4 p.m. March 30

WHERE: New Tampa Community Park, 17302 Commerce Park Blvd.

HOW MUCH: $15 for ages 13 and older ($10 in advance), $10 for ages 7 through12 and free for ages 6 and younger.

INFORMATION: Visit www.newtampa.org.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 865-4847 or gwilkens@tampatrib.com.

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