Sharon Kennedy Wynne, Times Staff Writer
Sharon Kennedy Wynne is a Tampa Bay Times writer and editor who focuses mostly on events and fun Things To Do, but also veers off into stories of parenting on the Whoa, Momma! blog, as well as cool gadgets or whatever captures her short attention span. A lifelong St. Petersburg resident, she has been a journalist since 1988 and joined her hometown Times in 1994. She is married and has two sons.
Phone: (727) 893-8595
Email: wynne@tampabay.com
Twitter: @SharonKWynne
Blog: Whoa, Momma!
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SeaWorld's Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin puts you inches from penguins
05/17/13FloridaBy SHARON KENNEDY WYNNE
Times Staff Writer
The largest expansion in SeaWorld's history opens Friday, bringing visitors on a high-tech ride across an ice floe, followed by an up-close visit to the living room of 250 penguins of Antarctica where the only thing separating you is a low rock wall — not even a glass partition.
The Tampa Bay Times got an exclusive sneak peek at the ride and realm created for the gentoo, king, Adelie and rockhopper penguins that have taken up residence at the new attraction called Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin, estimated by industry experts to cost $50-million. ...
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Go with the Force to Star Wars Weekends at Disney
05/16/13FeaturesThere will be a huge Force of costumed crowds at Disney's Hollywood Studios for the annual Star Wars Weekends, which run through June 9. And while these fans really get into the movies, two features really help you get in the movies by turning your face into an action figure or a mold. Last year the park introduced the "Carbon-Freeze Me" exhibit during the annual ode to George Lucas, giving visitors the option to have their likeness cast as a three-dimensional, 8-inch figurine ($99.95; takes four weeks). This year they've added another personalized action figure: a Stormtroopers figure featuring fan faces. The 10-minute experience uses a high-resolution 3D face scanner to send the image to a 3D printer to create the figurine ($99.95; seven to eight weeks). To kick things off, this weekend features appearances by Ray Park (Darth Maul), Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett ) and Dee Bradley Baker (voice of Capt. Rex in Star Wars: The Clone Wars). Everyone's favorite galactic smuggler, gambler and scoundrel, Lando Calrissian, a.k.a. actor Billy Dee Williams, returns on the fourth weekend, June 7-9. Go to disneyworld.com for details and best ticket prices....
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Now it's $6 Day at the Zoo
05/16/13EventsPlease, 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 spokeswoman Rachel Nelson. "It helps us address the increasing costs of animal care and expenditures," she says of the increase. About four times a year, the zoo opens for cheap admission on a Sunday. It was $3 Day until 2008, when it went to $5 Day. And the worst part for me? Now it's priced right out of our popular "5 things to do under $5" feature. But, hey, it's still a good deal and you should still get there early and steel yourself for the crowds and some upcharges, like $2 to feed a giraffe. It's normally $19.95 for kids and $24.95 for adults. Free extra parking is available next to the Tampa Greyhound Track. Free shuttles will run continuously from that lot to the zoo at 1101 W Sligh Ave., Tampa, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. (813) 935-8552. ...
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Get freebies at Tampa Theatre on Sunday
05/16/13EventsThe Tampa Theatre wraps up its Family Favorites film series Sunday at 2 p.m. with a showing of E.T., but get there early for some giveaways. Outspokin Bicycles will be giving away a BMX bike (we wonder if this one can fly across the moon like Elliott's). Other door prizes will include passes to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Tampa Theatre tickets and your very own Tampa Theatre gargoyle, "Ebie," shown here. Ebie was designed by T. Oliver Kopian and created by the Creatures of Delight studio, formerly of Ybor City, for a piece commissioned by the Tampa Theatre Restoration Society in 2007, said Tampa Theatre spokeswoman Jill Witecki. He is named after the theater's architect, John Eberson. Only 25 were created, and each is hand-signed and numbered by the artist. The theater will be giving one away as a door prize before E.T., and the few remaining will be available for sale at the concession stand. Tickets are $9 for adults and $7 for children at the box office or online at TampaTheatre.org. The historic movie house is at 711 N Franklin St. in Tampa. —Sharon Kennedy Wynne...
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5 things to do under $5 May 16-22
05/15/13Events1 Pet-a-palooza: Raymond James Stadium goes from pirates to the dogs at this day filled with pets, food, vendors, interactive booths, live music, more than 30 local animal rescue groups and DockDogs, a canine aquatic dock diving competition. Plus, who can resist Twiggy the waterskiing squirrel? It runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at 4201 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa. Free.
2 Fire Truck Pull: Instead of a tractor pull, teams of up to 10 attempt to pull a fire truck the farthest at this event with games, face painting and photos. It all benefits the Be the Match Foundation, which helps patients who need a bone marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant find a donor and receive treatment. The event, which is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, is free for spectators and $100 for a pulling team at the England Brothers Bandshell Park, 5010 81st Ave. N, Pinellas Park. (727) 546-2170. ...
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Kevin James bringing standup tour to Mahaffey
05/14/13StagePaul Blart is coming to the Mahaffey Theater. Working class funnyman Kevin James, star of Zookeeper, Paul Blart, Mall Cop and TV's The King of Queens, is following his successful 2012 return to standup with another tour that will bring him to St. Petersburg's Mahaffey Theater on Aug. 24. James started his career as a standup on the Long Island comedy scene and arrived on TV in good friend Ray Romano's Everybody Loves Raymond before landing his own show as the lovable underdog of The King of Queens, which he created in 1998. Tickets are $52.50-$75.50 and go on sale May 23 at themahaffey.com. — Sharon Kennedy Wynne...
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Reading Dalí around the (melting) clock
05/09/13Events"At the age of six I wanted to be a cook. At seven I wanted to be Napoleon. And my ambition has been growing steadily since."
That delightfully full-of-himself line opens Salvador Dalí's memoir The Secret Life of Salvador Dalí. To celebrate what would have been the author's 109th birthday, the Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg will stage a 24-hour read-a-thon of the memoir, with more than 80 preselected readers each taking about 20 minutes to complete the 417-page book. The event starts at 11 a.m. on Friday and ends 24 hours later on Saturday, the surrealist's birthday. It's free for all guests to listen to the readings in the lobby during regular museum hours; and $5 for nonmembers after 5:30 p.m. (The galleries will close after 5:30 p.m. Friday). There will be a toast to the artist at midnight, with snacks, beer, wine and coffee for sale and prizes for endurance. The book, published in 1942, was called "one of the most irresistible books of the year" by Time magazine, while George Orwell denounced Dali's accounts of physical abuse against woman, saying it is possible to still regard Dali as a great artist "and a disgusting human being." And yes, the book is for sale for $14.95 in the museum store at 1 Dali Blvd. (Bayshore Drive SE and Fifth Avenue SE) in downtown St. Petersburg....
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5 things to do under $5 May 9-15
05/08/13Events1Celebrity Sweat: We're shamelessly writing this just so we can run a photo of bodybuilder, fitness author and Home Shopping Network star Frank Sepe. He'll bring his MET-rx fitness magazine team on tour, landing at the St. Petersburg Pier on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a day of fitness classes, including two 45-minute sessions led by Tae Bo master Billy Blanks at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The event is free and you can find a list of demos and classes planned at csweat.com. Sepe himself will be conducting two workout sessions at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. It's all at the Pier, 800 Second Ave. NE....
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Plan your weekend May 10-12
05/08/13EventsPlan your weekend
Call your mom
Mother's Day This is your official reminder to call your mother Sunday. Or better yet, take her out. Moms get free admission with one paid admission from their loving offspring at the Florida Aquarium this weekend, as well as the Glazer Children's Museum on Sunday, the Tampa Bay History Center, Dinosaur World and the Lowry Park Zoo. For lots of Mother's Day events, see tampabay.com/things-to-do....
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Jay and Silent Bob bringing live show to Palladium
05/06/13EventsThe cult comedy duo Jay and Silent Bob, played by director Kevin Smith and actor Jason Mewes, are taking a new cartoon movie on the road — including to St. Petersburg's Palladium Theater — for one-night-only screenings followed by a live show taking questions from the audience.
The unusual tour for Jay & Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie brings back the stoner duo from Smith's 1994 indie hit film Clerks. The characters have appeared in almost every Kevin Smith movie including Chasing Amy and their own Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back....
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Universal sets opening date for Transformers ride
05/02/13FloridaThe 80-foot Transformer display plastered on the side of a downtown Orlando office building blinked the news Thursday morning: "Prepare for battle June 20," which means the highly anticipated Transformers 3D ride at Universal's Orlando theme park finally has an opening date.
At a recent behind-the-scenes tour granted to the Tampa Bay Times, ride designer Thierry Coup said he had just ridden the ride that morning, so there was much speculation Thursday on Twitter that park visitors will get a chance to ride it early during the "soft opening" days leading up to its debut this summer. ...
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5 things to do under $5 May 2-9
05/01/13Events1 Music and Movies in the Park: This popular event for dates or a family night in North Straub Park returns for five Thursdays in May with a local music act and a classic movie. It begins tonight with the Americana band Between Bluffs, followed by Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. (Next Thursday brings Sleepless in Seattle and park favorite the John Kelly Band, making its third appearance.) The music starts at 7 p.m., and the films start at dark at the downtown St. Petersburg park on Fifth Avenue NE and Bayshore Drive. Free....
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Dogs fly at Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge
05/01/13EventsBy 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.
One of the competitors will be Tampa's own Jordan Connelly, 20, right, a college student who at age 10 was invited to this same competition in 2003. That dog, Buck, is now 13 and retired, but Connelly has a 4-year-old border collie named Blitz, also shown at right, who is ready for the big show, she says. ...
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Teachers get free MOSI admission in May
04/26/13ConsumerHey teachers, Tampa's Museum of Science and Industry is giving free admission to any teacher to see Sea Monsters Revealed and MOSI's general exhibits for the entire month of May, a $24 value. Sea Monsters Revealed is a traveling exhibit that opened in March to display the world's largest collection of "plastinated sea creatures" put on by the creative team behind the Bodies show. Any teacher in the state of Florida with valid school ID gets admitted free. It doesn't include IMAX films, events or the ropes course/zip line, but teachers will receive a swag bag filled with goodies and coupons (while supplies last). MOSI is at 4801 E Fowler Ave. in Tampa. Regular admission is $18.95 for adults and $12.95 for ages 2-12. (813) 987-6000, mosi.org. — Sharon Kennedy Wynne...
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Plan your weekend April 26-28
04/24/13EventsPlan your weekend
Enter the dragons
Tampa Bay International Dragon Boat Races Saturday is the 10th annual gathering of these swift rides, 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 round of racing starts at 8:30 a.m., and it's free for spectators. Just head in the direction of the Marriott Tampa Waterside, 700 S Florida Ave., Tampa. (813) 223-3700. In conjunction with the races is Asia Fest, with dance performances, traditional music, martial arts and food in nearby Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park, starting at 11 a.m. Saturday. Free admission. (813) 864-4500....
