We couldn’t think of a better place to wrap up the Orange Tour than the oceanside city of Tampa. After 12 stops across the nation, we’re ready to celebrate and enjoy this city’s warm weather and hospitality at our Lead Small event tonight and the main event tomorrow.
In doing a little research on our final destination, we found some curious facts about Tampa we’d like to share. Use these to dazzle and delight your friends!
- Tampa has been rated in the top 10 of Runner’s World magazine’s list of best cities for runners. The rating was due in part to the city’s number of local running clubs and road races, and its plans to create a continuous recreational trail system.
- Tampa’s Sant’ Yago Night Parade was voted the largest and most beautiful night parade in the South and one of the top 10 parades in the Southeast by Suncoast Magazine.
- Tampa is the only city that is invaded by pirates each year. In 1997, Tampa’s Gasparilla Pirate Fest —invasion of pirates —was recognized by Events Business News as one of the most unique festivals in the country.
- Plant City, the “Winter Strawberry Capital of the World,” holds the Guinness record for the world’s largest strawberry shortcake. The 104-by-8-foot, 6,000-pound cake contained over 100,000 strawberries, 450 pounds of sugar and 600 pounds of whipped topping.
- Tampa is known as the “Big Guava.” Guavas are yellow, pear-shaped tropical fruits found in Tampa. Ybor City guava delicacies include guava jelly, guava paste, guava turnovers and pickled guavas, which are usually displayed in the area’s guava cooking contests.
- Unmarried Florida women who parachute on Sundays may be jailed.
We hope you’re joining us at our last stop of Orange Tour 2014 in Tampa, Florida, tonight and tomorrow! Remember that Lead Small training will take place the night before the Tampa Orange Tour stop. Anyone with a tour ticket can attend for free. Those without a tour ticket may attend for $19. For more information, please visit www.OrangeTour.org.
