📜 A Few Reasons to Scroll Today:
Local Businesses: The most deliciously unique fall dessert
Hidden History: The day the bay destroyed Bayshore Blvd.
Fun Things to Do: Watch costumed pets parade
Connect with Nature: Why Bayshore could flood again next week
Site Seeing: What’s being built on Gandy for 1,400 people
Worth the Drive: Where to find spooky events
Community Contributions: Share a little-known South Tampa fact
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Local Businesses
Foodie Find
Pumpkin cream filled croissant at State Flour Bakery. (By Danielle Glick for The South Tampa Scroll).
We’ve been on the hunt for the most delicious fall flavors in South Tampa, and State Flour Bakery is leading the dessert category with this pumpkin cream filled croissant— available only until Oct. 31. It’s a flaky exterior dotted with meringue and topped with a pumpkin-shaped candy corn. Inside is a combination of pumpkin cream and pumpkin ganache that tastes like a creamier version of pumpkin pie filling. The black bands are colored with activated charcoal and don’t noticeably impact the flavor. What this email can’t convey is the incredible crunch sound when it gets sliced open, so follow us on social media for that video: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok.
Businesses on the Move
FRAME, a fashion brand known for denim, clothing, and accessories, has opened in Hyde Park Village.
Wright’s Market, the new shop inside Oxford Exchange, announced it will double as Wright’s Gourmet House’s test kitchen.
Brunello Cucinelli, the Italian luxury fashion house, is opening in Hyde Park Village in 2027.
Cartier will be opening its first Tampa location in Hyde Park Village in late 2027 or early 2028.
➡️ Is your business opening, closing, moving, or renovating? Reply to this email for a chance to feature it.
Hidden History
This Week in Local History: The Unnamed Hurricane
105 years ago this week, on Oct. 25, 1921, an unnamed major hurricane hit Tampa Bay. It made landfall near Tarpon Springs as a Category 3 with 120 mph winds, but South Tampa took the brunt of its storm surge.
The bay rose an estimated 10.5 feet above mean low water. It washed out sections of Bayshore Boulevard and pulled up the streetcar tracks along the waterfront to Ballast Point. Accounts at the time said the water rose above the gas lamps lining Bayshore Blvd. In Hyde Park, homes flooded about halfway up their first floors, and some residents had to be rescued by boat. At Ballast Point, the pavilion and bathhouse were partially destroyed (see photo in our Sept. 11 edition).
It’s still the last major hurricane to make direct landfall in the Tampa Bay area and set a new Tampa Weather Bureau record for lowest barometer reading at 28.81 inches. Hurricane Milton came close to the bay in 2024, but technically made landfall south of the bay at Siesta Key.
Check out the National Weather Service’s historical damage photos for this hurricane showing a bricked Bayshore Blvd. with 1920s automobiles driving around washouts, plus sliding then-and-now overlays of three Tampa streets.
Fun Things to Do
Hyde Park Pet Parade & Costume Contest
If you love seeing pets in costumes, don’t miss the free Hyde Park Pet Parade Costume Contest! It returns on Oct. 24 from 10–10:45 AM. The route starts at St. John’s Tampa (906 S. Orleans Ave.) and finishes at Hyde Park Presbyterian Church (1309 W. Swann Ave.). Costume awards follow at 11:30 AM, with categories for small, medium, and large pets, best family theme, and best kids’ costumes. Local rescue groups will bring adoptable dogs, so you might even meet your next family member! Free registration is required to march, and costume contest entries must register by Oct. 23. Watching is free.
Meet New Friends
Decadent Autumn Macarons: Learn to make seasonal versions of the colorful French cookies with Sur La Table in Hyde Park Village on Oct. 23 from 9–11 AM. Tickets required.
16mm Microcinema Friday Night: Watch vintage shorts, animation, and the 1962 feature David and Lisa projected on real film, with intermissions for mingling, hosted by The Paper Seahorse on Oct. 23 and Nov. 27 from 6–9 PM. Tickets required.
Tempranillo Terroir: Compare six Tempranillo wines from Spain, Mexico, Argentina, and Australia during a seated seminar at Vintage Wine Cellars on Oct. 23 from 7–8:30 PM. Tickets required.
4th Sundays Market: About 70 vendors, food trucks, and live music at a dog-friendly monthly market in the Westshore Marina District on Oct. 25 from 9 AM–1 PM.
The Haunted History of Florida: Hear historian Christopher Daley explore Florida’s ghostly legends at Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library on Oct. 27 at 6–7 PM.
Feel Good Giving Back
Towels for the Humane Society: Bring a clean, gently used towel to the Hyde Park Pet Parade on Oct. 24 to support the Humane Society of Tampa Bay’s surgical team.
Picnic Island Park Trash Cleanup: A shoreline and kayak cleanup with donuts, supplies, and prizes hosted by Pure Initiative at Picnic Island Park on Nov. 8 from 8–10 AM. Free RSVP required.
Connect with Nature
Upcoming Natural Events
As seen from South Tampa, the Oct. 20 Falcon 9 rocket jellyfish cloud with 4 separate parts visible: capsule (right), booster (center), and 2 nose cone pieces (white dots). (By Danielle Glick for The South Tampa Scroll).
Notable Weather Changes:
This year’s highest king tides will occur on Oct. 26–30. This can flood our low spots on Bayshore Blvd. and around Davis Islands. Onshore winds or rain on top of it would push levels higher, and a northeasterly wind would knock them lower. Check weather on those days for more accurate predictions.
Windy on Oct. 24–27 with gusts up to 33 mph on the afternoon of Oct. 25. Secure lightweight Halloween decorations now.
Hurricane Prep: The only Atlantic storm the National Hurricane Center is watching is moving far away from Florida. Use this quiet stretch to make sure you’re signed up for the county’s HCFL alerts.
Major Sky Events:
The full Hunter’s Moon peaks around midnight on Oct. 25–26, contributing to those king tides.
A ULA Vulcan rocket launches from Cape Canaveral no earlier than Oct. 29. No launch time has been set yet, so a jellyfish opportunity is TBD.
📜 Partners Wanted 📜
➡️ Have a business, event, or property you’d like more South Tampa residents to know about?
We’re opening a limited number of holiday partnerships 🎁🥂 to help businesses reach new South Tampa customers through featured stories and creative promotions. We only partner with those we’d recommend to a friend and think our readers would genuinely enjoy discovering. Might that be you?
Site Seeing
New Development
Concept drawing of the future Radiant Church. (Courtesy of LSI Cos.)
Nine months after its site purchase announcement, Radiant Church is scheduled to begin construction on its future permanent home at the former iHeartMedia site, 4002 W. Gandy Blvd. The almost 49,000-square-foot building will have a state-of-the-art auditorium seating more than 1,400 people. The church has met in Britton Plaza’s Britton Theater for over a decade, and this construction is projected to take 20 months.
Traffic Changes
Kennedy Blvd. from Woodlynne Ave. to Brevard Ave. will have nighttime lane closures for repaving through Oct. 22 from 10 PM–6:30 AM.
Gandy Bridge eastbound will have nighttime lane closures for traffic-technology improvements through Oct. 23 from 6:30 PM–6:30 AM.
Hyde Park streets between S. Orleans Ave. and W. Swann Ave. will be busy for the Pet Parade on Oct. 24 from 10 AM–noon.
Worth the Drive
Nearby Events
This Weekend
John’s Pass Annual Seafood Festival: Fresh seafood, live music, local vendors, and family activities at John’s Pass Village & Boardwalk in Madeira Beach on Oct. 23–25. Free admission.
Cars & Coffee: Bring what you drive, or just browse classics, muscle cars, imports, exotics, and antiques at the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum in Pinellas Park on Oct. 24 from 8 AM–noon. Free admission. Jeep and 4x4 drivers can also take on an off-road course in the field next door from 8 AM–4 PM, with paid entry.
20th Annual Autumn Harvest Festival: Live music, food, a hayride, local vendors, crafts, and a pumpkin patch at the Pioneer Settlement at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve in St. Petersburg on Oct. 24 from 10 AM–3 PM. Paid admission required on arrival.
15th Annual A Night at the Museum: Trick-or-treat among Florida history exhibits and meet costumed characters at the Tampa Bay History Center in downtown Tampa on Oct. 24 from 2–6:30 PM. Timed entry runs through 5 PM, and several time slots are sold out. Tickets required.
9th Annual Fall Fest at Armature Works: Local vendors, live music, a pumpkin patch, a petting zoo, and pony and camel rides at Armature Works in Tampa on Oct. 24 from noon–5 PM and Oct. 25 from noon–4 PM. Admission is free, but some kids’ activities cost extra.
Riverwalk Trick-or-Treat: 50+ treat stations, a costume contest, a Thriller flash mob, and a screening of Ghostbusters at Cotanchobee Park in downtown Tampa on Oct. 24 from 4–9 PM. Free admission.
6th Annual Halloween on Central: St. Pete’s largest street festival, with 22 car-free blocks of costumes, live music, candy, Halloween vendors, a family zone, a sensory-friendly area, and a classic car show. Hosted by the Edge and Grand Central districts on Central Ave. in St. Petersburg on Oct. 25 from noon–5 PM. PSTA buses are fare-free that day.
8th Annual Taste of Latino Festival: Latin American food, empanada smackdown, live music, and dance contest at Centennial Park in Ybor City on Oct. 25 from noon–6 PM. Free admission.
Next Week
The World Series comes to us! The Tampa Bay Rays host the Milwaukee Brewers at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg for Games 3 and 4 on Oct. 26–27 at 8 PM, plus Game 5 on Oct. 28 at 8 PM if needed. Tickets required.
Whispers After Dark: A free gothic Halloween night with fortune tellers and creatures of the night across Water Street in downtown Tampa on Oct. 28 from 6–9:30 PM.
Festival de Cempasúchil: Stroll free through fields of marigolds, a symbol of Día de los Muertos, at a family farm in Plant City daily through Nov. 2 from 8 AM–8 PM.
Book Ahead
Haunted History, Jungle Prada Ghost Tour: A historian shares real, accurate ghost stories at an ancient shell mound in a secluded jungle. Hosted by Discover Florida Tours at Jungle Prada in St. Petersburg on Oct. 29 and Oct. 31 at 6:30 PM. Tickets required.
Tampa Bay History Center Annual Gala: A black-tie “Golden Hour: Sunset in Sevilla” evening with dinner buffets, full bars, live music, and Riverwalk views. At the Tampa Bay History Center in downtown Tampa on Nov. 13 at 5:30 PM. Tickets required.
Community Contributions
Cast Your Vote
What's your favorite fact about South Tampa that a lot of people don't know?
➡️ Simply reply to this email to let us know. We love trivia, and an excuse to research its origin. We might feature your fact in a future edition!
Neighborhood Roast of the Week
Bayshore Beautiful: Named for its proximity to Bayshore, not your ability to actually see the water from your house.
➡ A.I. came up with the joke, and a human refined the wording. Do you think A.I. nailed this one or not even close?
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Your Local Writer & Founder: Danielle is a lover of food, craft cocktails, wine, travel, nature, and history. After living in Ohio, Dallas, New Zealand, and 37 countries as a digital nomad, Danielle decided South Tampa was the best place to settle in 2022. She blends a world’s worth of experiences with local expertise as a Meetup event organizer and marketing director to ensure The Scroll is always worth your read!