Tampa, Fla. (June 10, 2019) – Sparkman Wharf is pleased to announce a partnership with The Florida Aquarium for a new summer presentation series. The “Spark Talks” programs focus on Florida’s aquatic and terrestrial animals and ecosystems. This engaging series will be hosted on the entertainment stage at Sparkman Wharf located at 615 Channelside Drive in Tampa, Fla. Spark Talks will take place on the third Tuesday of each month starting at 6:00 p.m. and run from 45 minutes to one hour.
The speakers and topics are curated by The Florida Aquarium and feature leading experts on unique and unexpected areas of natural life in Tampa Bay and beyond, including urban wildlife, aquatic animal medicine, sharks, and coral conservation.
“We are inviting our local community to join us for this new engaging and charismatic series, which perfectly complements the growing live, work, learn and play lifestyle on the waterfront in downtown Tampa,” said Darrah Winker, marketing manager for Sparkman Wharf. “These experts will offer highly informative, educational and entertaining presentations that will appeal to a diverse range of individuals. The series will also ‘spark’ conversations that get people to think and spread nature and animal preservation ideas that matter to everyone in Tampa Bay.”
“We guarantee that The Florida Aquarium’s scientists and biologists will inspire and inform,” said Kari Goetz, Vice President of External Relations for The Florida Aquarium. “We’ve got cool topics for a hot summer of fun!”
See the full list of programs here:
Tuesday, June 18th
Hidden in Plain Sight: An exploration into downtown Tampa’s urban wildlife. Discover the nature that exists around our city and examine the ecological role that expanding urban areas play in supporting biodiversity.
Presenting Speaker: Kevin Van Dien, Lifelong Learning Coordinator, The Florida Aquarium
Tuesday, July 16th
The Doctor is IN…the Aquarium! A peek into the fascinating world of aquatic animal medicine. From sea turtle rescue to seahorse lifejackets, join The Florida Aquarium’s lead veterinarian as he shares the rarely straightforward, often messy, always exciting world of aquatic animal medicine.
Presenting Speaker: Dr. Ari Fustukjian, Senior Staff Veterinarian, The Florida Aquarium
Tuesday, August 20th
Sharks: From Fear to Fascination. A dive into the fascinating world of sharks. Explore the often-misunderstood world of sharks and learn why protecting them helps keep our one ocean healthy and thriving.
Presenting Speaker: Eric B. Hovland, Associate Curator, The Florida Aquarium
Tuesday, September 17th
Coral Conservation: Exploring the health of our coral reefs. Discover cutting-edge research and restoration efforts that are underway to protect and restore coral reefs.
Presenting Speaker: Keri O’Neil, Senior Coral Scientist, The Florida Aquarium Center for Conservation
About Sparkman Wharf: Sparkman Wharf features 180,000 square feet of reimagined, spacious loft-style office space, 65,000 square feet of ground-level retail, and a one- acre dynamic park-like environment, which will feature an intimate dining garden, biergarten, and lawn for recreation, situated in a relaxed, outdoor setting along the waterfront at the intersection of the Garrison Channel, Ybor Turning Basin, and Sparkman Channel in downtown Tampa. The dining garden will feature ten of Tampa’s best restauranteurs and chefs experimenting with new culinary concepts. Sparkman Wharf is owned and operated by Strategic Property Partners, LLC, the partnership between Cascade Investment LLC, and Jeff Vinik. SPP is a full-service commercial real estate development firm based in Tampa, Florida. Feel the spark? Learn more about Sparkman Wharf at SparkmanWharf.com and follow @SparkmanWharf on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
About Franklin Street: Founded in 2006 during one of the toughest real estate climates, Franklin Street focused on delivering value-added solutions to meet the evolving needs of clients. Through a collaborative philosophy of leveraging the resources, expertise and experience of each of its divisions – Investment Sales, Tenant and Landlord Representation, Capital Advisory, Insurance, Property Management and Project Management – Franklin Street offers unmatched value and optimal solutions for clients nationwide. Learn more about Franklin Street at FranklinSt.com.