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Kids & family

  1. Busch Gardens: Kids dig 'Madagascar' show, adults love AC

    05/16/13 FloridaBy Sean Daly, Times Pop Music Critic

    TAMPA — There's a fantastically subversive moment in the first Madagascar 'toon when Alex the lion — an escaped New York zoo critter freaked out by his newfound freedom — gets zapped with a tranquilizer dart. He immediately spins into a hallucination soundtracked by Sammy Davis Jr.'s Candy …

  2. Now it's $6 Day at the Zoo

    05/16/13 EventsBy Sharon Kennedy Wynne, Times Staff Writer

    Please, a moment of silence for $5 Day at the Zoo. This Sunday it bumps up to $6. Why? You can thank the increasing costs of hay and lettuce. For manatees, natch. Lowry Park Zoo has taken in 21 new manatee patients in the last four months because of Red Tide, compared to 20 manatees taken in all of last year, says …

  3. Raise a Toast to the Pier

    05/16/13 EventsTimes Staff

    The funky inverted pyramid has been a part of St. Petersburg's waterfront since 1973, so no one could let its final days tick off without a party. The festivities begin at noon Saturday with local artists, live music, water ski shows, bagpipes and children's activities. Then the real fun begins at 6 p.m., with sunset …

  4. Baby rhino born at Lowry Park Zoo

    05/16/13 KidsSpecial to the Times

    The Lowry Park Zoo has a new baby rhino to squeal about.

  5. Nifty at 50: Fort De Soto Park

    05/09/13 EventsKelly Smith, Times Entertainment Editor

    It's home to one of the most beautiful, pristine beaches in the world. Just a seashell's throw from strip malls, condos and cheesy T-shirt shops, it has stood sentinel along southern Pinellas County, a 1,136-acre spit of land practically untouched. Unbelievable. And on Saturday, Fort De Soto Park turns 50. When it …

  6. Events, free admission for Mother's Day

    05/06/13 EventsTimes Staff

    Alert: Sunday is Mother's Day, so don't forget. We offer plenty of ways to make mom feel loved.

    Free entry for moms

    Florida Aquarium

  7. Dogs fly at Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge

    05/01/13 EventsBy Sharon Kennedy Wynne, Times Staff Writer

    By SHARON KENNEDY WYNNE

    Downtown St. Petersburg's waterfront will be hounded by athletes of all breeds this weekend as nimble pooches from around the country make their way to Spa Beach Park to compete in the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge Eastern Regional.

  8. Paddles up for dragon boat races in Tampa

    04/24/13 EventsTimes Staff Writer

    Saturday is the 10th annual Tampa Bay International Dragon Boat Races, with paddlers from across the United States and Canada hitting Garrison Channel in the colorful boats. Each one holds 20 paddlers (trust us, it's not as easy as it looks) for the 450-meter races, with heats running every 12 minutes. The first …

  9. 5 things to do under $5, April 25-May 1

    04/24/13 EventsBy Sharon Kennedy Wynne, Times Staff Writer

    1Blast Friday: The family-friendly street celebration this month brings the radio-friendly '70s band Firefall for a free show (You Are the Woman, Just Remember I Love You). The street party features vendors, fun food, family activities, contests and entertainment in the 400 block of Cleveland Street in …

  10. Get a sneak peek at the new Transformers ride at Universal

    04/19/13 FloridaBy Sharon Kennedy Wynne, Times Staff Writer

    ORLANDO — Transformers: The Ride is set to open at Universal Studios Orlando this summer, and the Tampa Bay Times got an inside sneak peek at its marvels, including an engaging queue and a walk through some of the movie trickery used to make you feel like you are in the movie.