The City of Tampa is gearing up to celebrate the grand opening of the new
Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park in West Tampa this Mother’s Day weekend. Beginning with fitness activities on Saturday morning and ending with a fireworks show on Sunday night,
Riverfront Rock! will include more than 24 hours-worth of events and entertainment.
As its name suggests, the Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park occupies waterfront real estate along the west bank of the Hillsborough River, just south of I-275. The 25-acre park features an event space, boathouse, two dog parks, athletic courts, picnic shelters, and a small waterpark for kids under 12. The festival lawn boasts a capacity of 16,000, with an adjacent lawn designated for smaller groups.
This weekend’s events include morning paddle boarding, dragonboat demonstrations, a mac and cheese cook-off hosted by Mayor Bob Buckhorn, and two days of concerts headlined by Third Eye Blind. Food and beer will be available for purchase. Each day kicks off at 9 a.m. For a complete schedule, see
the City of Tampa event page.
“This park truly has something for everyone,” Buckhorn says in a statement emailed to
83 Degrees. “We look forward to, decades from now, looking back on what will serve as the anchor for the West River Redevelopment and reminiscing on what will be a memorable weekend. So come out, bring your family and friends and enjoy two full days of activities in Tampa’s new Riverfront Park!”
Parking will be limited but
the city has arranged free transportation options via water taxi, shuttle bus, and bike valets.
The $35.5 million project has been in the works for nearly two years, beginning in June 2016. The primary consultant on the park was urban design firm
Civitas of Denver, CO, with sub-consultancy from
W Architecture and Landscape Architecture out of Brooklyn, NY.
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