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Storms Throw Wet Blanket On Fiesta Day Festivities In Ybor City

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By STEPHEN HAMMILL, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 24, 2008

TAMPA - About 3,000 patrons and food lovers braved the weather to attend Saturday's Fiesta Day in Ybor City before organizers closed down the event four hours early.
Heavy rains in the afternoon forced the closure of the free event about 2 p.m.

"We've produced this event for six years and never been rained out," said event organizer Teresa M. Cox Hickey of CC Event Productions, "but they warned us that there were severe winds coming, and safety was our first concern."

There are no plans to reschedule the event.

"We were able to get all the food contests judged in time," Hickey said.

The annual multicultural street festival raises funds for the Ybor City Chamber of Commerce.

Originally known as Ybor City Day, it began about 60 years ago as a day of rest for the district's immigrant cigar workers.

In the popular Flan Fest contest in Centennial Park, best-in-show honors went to Rose Torez of Lutz.

Tampa's Julio Colon won the Black Bean Blowout in the amateur division.

Each year the festival features an arts marketplace, ethnic food, the International Parade of Flags, multicultural exhibits and entertainment.

Previous Fiesta Days have attracted as many as 20,000 visitors. Last year's event drew 15,000, organizers said.

Reporter Stephen Hammill can be reached at (813) 865-1523 or shammill @tampatrib.com.

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