Fundraising costume party welcomes the community to kick off the Gasparilla season on January 12, 2019
Tampa, Florida-December 6, 2018 The ROTARY CLUB OF TAMPA invites the community to kick off the Gasparilla season at the GASPARILLA BASH on January 12, 2019 from 7-11 p.m. at the Historic Rialto Theatre in Tampa Heights near downtown Tampa. This inclusive pirate costume party will raise money for the Rotary Club of Tampa Foundation, which invests $50,000 or more annually in grants, scholarships and programs that serve children and families in the Tampa area and abroad.
The party features live music from local favorite The Black Honkeys, as well as generous hors d’oeuvres provided by food partners: Catership, Le Chateau Catering & Events, Pei Wei Asian Kitchen and Alessi Bakeries. A cash bar is provided by St. Petersburg Distillery featuring the event’s signature cocktail a Smokin’ Seadog reminiscent of an old fashioned served in a smoke-filled glass made with Old St. Pete sweet corn whiskey. VIP tickets include access to the St. Petersburg Distillery VIP Lounge with luxury seating, “back stage” access to The Black Honkeys and other entertainment, complimentary beverages and cocktails and free valet parking.
Sponsorships are available to individuals and companies. Sponsors include: Cox Media Group Tampa, J.C. Newman Cigar Company, BB&T Bank, University of Tampa, Digitech and Image 360. Expected attendance is 350 guests. More information on tickets and sponsorship is available at www.gasparillabash.org. General admission tickets are $75 and $125 for VIPs.
“While many of the krewes have their own private events, there is not a pirate costume gala that is open to the community. The Rotary Club of Tampa saw this opportunity to host an annual community celebration and fundraising event that offers anyone the chance to dress up in pirate regalia and dance the night away,” says Christy Vogel, event chairman.
Proceeds from the Gasparilla Bash benefit local charities that partner with the Rotary Club of Tampa Foundation. The Rotary Club of Tampa has a long-term commitment to supporting the Boys and Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay, the Cigar Family Foundation, and Rotary’s Camp Florida. In addition, several local organizations are the recipients of financial grants from the Foundation each year. The Foundation also provides scholarship support for top area high school graduates from the Boys and Girls Clubs, and shares holiday gifts with the county’s neediest elementary school students in partnership with Hillsborough County Public Schools.
The Rotary Club of Tampa was formed in Tampa in 1914, and currently has 160 members representing the local business community. The Rotary Club of Tampa Foundation was formed in June 1983 and is registered with the State of Florida as an autonomous 501(c)(3) organization. Since 2014, the Foundation has invested over $254,000 and thousands of volunteer hours in programs that benefit children and families in the Bay area. Learn more about the Rotary Club of Tampa at www.rotarycluboftampa.org.
For additional information, please contact:
William Foley Christy Vogel Brad Kelly
Marketing Chairman Event Chairman President-Elect/Sponsorship Chair
wfoley@wfoleylaw.com cvogel@marketingdirection.com jbkelly5@aol.com
813-270-9548 813-526-1870 813-376-5931