Starting Saturday, September 18th, patrons over the age of five in any of the theaters at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts will have to provide proof of vaccination or a negative test. Masks are still required as well for those 2 and older. If you don’t want to comply you will have to contact the Straz ticket sales office by Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 6 pm to ask for a refund or on-account Straz credit. You can also email the Straz email at comments@strazcenter.org or call 813.229.7827 Monday through Friday 11 am. to 6 pm. For more from the Straz, please check here.

The Bucs will open the NFL season at home Thursday night at Raymond James Stadium. Tom Brady talked to the Tampa Bay Times Rick Stroud and said we was diagnosed with COVID-19 after the the team’s Super Bowl Championship Boat Parade. Brady said he felt the year would be “challenging” with all games sold out to capacity at Raymond James Stadium which hold 65,000. Masks are not mandatory but suggested at all games. The Bucs are now one two teams in the NFL that say they are are 100% vaccinated between the staff and team members.

You will have to deal with additional traffic issues for the game with the addition of the “NFL Kickoff” experience at Julian B Lane Park in Tampa with a concert from Ed Sheeran. Watch for plenty of barricades, detour signs and law enforcement. Some closures are already in place from 6 am to midnight, Sept. 11th, and you can find additional information here.

Invest 91-L is moving through the southern Gulf of Mexico is bringing higher rain chances for Tampa Bay. For more from Ten Tampa Bay in the Dove Hurricane Guide please click here. Hurricane Larry is a Category Three storm out in the Atlantic and no threat to Florida.

The Florida Department of Health will start to issue $5,000 fines against any business, government agency or institution that violates the state of Florida’s ban on “vaccine passports.” Those fines would begin September 16th and violators will be given 30 days to pay. The new law would not affect a business that requites their employees be vaccinated. For a look at the ruling from the Florida Department of Health click here.

Carnival Cruise Lines have a sailing date set out of the Port of Tampa next Month. The Carnival Pride sails November 14 and anyone on board must have proof they are fully vaccinated and provide a negative COVID-19 test. There are some exemptions which you can see here. Port Tampa will see other ships sailing soon with Royal Caribbean to start sailing in October and other cruise lines in the fall and winter.Want to be a mermaid? 

Weeki Wachee Springs State Park will hold auditions October 2nd and can last up to two hours. Part of the process includes includes an an endurance swim test. You must pre-register, with no walk ups allowed and be at least 18 years old. Click here for those link to sign up, and good luck!

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