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August 13 marks 813 Day in Tampa
The City of Tampa is once again celebrating 813 Day, complete with deals and giveaways. FOX 13’s Regina Gonzalez reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - August 13 is a special day in Tampa. Every year, the Bay Area celebrates "813 Day" to honor its area code and showcase everything that makes this community unique.
From the waterfront at Sparkman Wharf to the tree-lined streets of Hyde Park Village, businesses and organizations are marking the occasion with live entertainment, giveaways, and $8.13 specials on food, drinks, and more.
Events in Tampa on Wednesday
What to know:
At Sparkman Wharf, the celebration includes a social media campaign benefiting the historic Tampa Theatre. For every photo taken in front of the TAMPA sign and posted on Facebook or Instagram between Aug. 11–17 with the hashtags #SparkmanWharf and #813Day, $5 will be donated to the theatre — up to $1,000.
Wednesday night's event runs from 5–8 p.m. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor will be there to kick off the festivities that feature live DJs, local vendors, and $8.13 deals from Hampton Chocolate Factory, Jotoro, LightHaus Beer Garden, and more businesses all the way to Water Street.
Pictured: Tampa skyline.
Over at Hyde Park Village, the day kicks off with a free community workout from Barry’s and [solidcore] at 9 a.m., complete with donuts from The Salty Donut.
The Humane Society of Tampa Bay is hosting a pet adoption event from 10 a.m. until noon during Storytime in the Snow Circle.
In the evening, the Bayshore Breakfast Club will host a sunset walk and social for $20 — benefiting the Children’s Dream Fund — and an all-day school supply drive at the Capital One Café will collect donations for the Hillsborough Education Foundation. Shoppers can also enjoy live music, in-store discounts, and surprise pop-up activations throughout the day.
For a full look at events happening at Hyde Park Village, click here.
Beyond these major hubs, 813 Day specials and events are popping up across the city — from discounted admission at the Tampa Museum of Art, to lagoon entry deals at Epperson, Mirada, and Southshore Bay.
READ: Do you know the history of the 813 area code?
What they're saying:
Rodney Kite-Powell, Director of the Touchton Map Library at the Tampa Bay History Center, says the 813 area code is a point of pride with deep roots.
"813 didn’t come around until 1950, when the area code for the entire state was 305, and that was established in 1947. But there were so many people moving to Florida, they had to have a second area code — imagine that — and that second area code was set in on the west coast of Florida, and that is 813."
The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Regina Gonzalez.
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