New Competition Added to Tampa 4th of July Celebration

Last year the big new thing at Boom by the Bay was a pickleball tournament. That'll be back this year for the Tampa 4th of July celebration at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park for 2024. And of course there will be the fireworks too. But the big new thing this year? Apple pie.

A bunch of local vendors will compete in the Apple Pie Throwdown to see who can whip up the best apple pie in Tampa for the 4th of July. It's as American as, well, apple pie. You'll need to get there early though. If you're going just for the fireworks this year, you'll miss the Apple Pie Throwdown. So get there between 4pm and 7pm. You can buy a pass to sample the apple pies entered into the contest.

We all love apple pie. But you wanna know the deal on the fireworks. This year's show will be able to be seen from 3 downtown Tampa spots. Julian B. Lane is the obvious one. But you can also see the fireworks from viewing areas at Sparkman Wharf and Armature Works.

One place you will NOT see fireworks this year? Official say fireworks will not be shot off for those on Bayshore Boulevard, according to Channel 8. So stick to one of those 3 spots I mentioned and you won't miss a thing. All will be wrapped up by 10pm.

City of Tampa parking garages (including Fort Brooke garage) will cost $10 for the day. However, the City of Tampa is strongly encouraging everyone to use rideshare and public transit options like Uber or Lyft. If you insist on driving in, you do have a few good options like Poe Garage and Beulah Baptist Church. Or park in Ybor City and ride the streetcar downtown to the celebration. You have EV parking options too.

Publix today announced their new lineup of limited time summer ice cream flavors you'll see in stores soon. There are 8 new summer Publix ice cream flavors in total. 5 have my name written all over them. The other 3 you can have.

You may already have some of these in the freezers at your Publix now. But the limited-time summer flavors will disappear August 30, according to the Publix website.

You might see a Publix ice cream truck with the new flavors There are 3 Tampa are stops coming up. Look for them in Lakeland June 29 at Common Ground Park, in Tampa at Sparkman Wharf June 30, or at the St. Pete Pier July 4.

Related: 10 Tampa area ice cream spots to beat the Florida heat

Before I get to the 5 summer Publix ice cream flavors I've gotta try, here are the 3 runner ups that aren't so much for me... but you might like. I'm not an almonds fan so Coffee Almond Fudge will be a no for me. I'm not so much into pecans either so I'm going to pass on the Caramel Turtle Cheesecake. And my lack of love for nuts continues... I'm going to say "no thanks" to Hula Hula Macadamia.

Now, here are the 5 I'm going to be definitely looking for that BOGO on.

This one doesn't take me back to my childhood so much like the others do.  I didn't become a coffee drinker until way late in life.  It started when I was a morning guy on the radio in California.  That caffeine kick was a necessity when I had to be up every morning at 5.  A mashup with chocolate sounds good to me.  Publix describes this one as "cold brew coffee flavored ice cream with crème filled chocolate cookie pieces throughout."  So is it ok to eat this one first thing in the morning?  Asking for a fri... me, asking for me.

I didn't get a chance to get over to Plant City for the Florida Strawberry Festival this year.  So this will have to do.  Publix describes it as "strawberry flavored ice cream with ribbons of strawberry flavored sauce, studded with pieces of white chocolate flavored strawberry pecan bark."  Now I mentioned I'm not a big pecans fan.  But I'll still take this one for a spin for sure.  

Any dessert with peanut butter and chocolate is an instant yes for me.  I'm Team Reese's Peanut Butter Cups all the way.  This one isn't affiliated with the candy, but it sounds like the ice cream equivalent to me.  Publix describes it as "peanut butter ice cream loaded with chocolatey covered peanut butter buckeye candies and swirls of thick fudge."  I'm 100% in.

The ice cream truck menu only needed one thing to make me happy as a kid.  Ice cream sandwiches.  As simple as they are, that's what summer tastes like to me.  So I'm way into this one.  Publix describes it as "chocolate ice cream with decadent chocolate cookie crumb swirls and chunks of flavored chocolate sandwich cookies."

You probably heard me talk about this one on the show today. This one's got my name all over it. I love lemon flavored desserts. And being a kid from Maine, blueberries have always been a part of my life. Blueberry muffins, blueberry pancakes, I'll even buy blueberry coffee when I see it. So to see these 2 flavors together? Psh. No brainer. I'm all in. Publix describes it as lemon crème flavored ice cream with lemonade flavored flakes and blueberry flavored swirls.