Issue #621: Juneteenth Events Across Tampa Bay, USF Founder Turns Bottle Caps Into Profits, Free Checkers Fry Truck Stops Tampa, Caminero Leads All-Star Third Base Vote

In this issue of NewTampa | WesleyChapel Local Pulse

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WEATHER  

Local News

—Juneteenth Celebrations Fill Tampa Bay With Music, Culture and Community Events

— From Waste to Opportunity: USF Entrepreneur Builds Business From Bottle Caps

Food

— Giant 43-Foot Fry Truck Brings Free Checkers Fries to Tampa for Three Days

Sports

— Junior Caminero Leads AL Third Basemen in All-Star Voting, Surprising Even Himself

Juneteenth Celebrations Fill Tampa Bay With Music, Culture and Community Events

Juneteenth celebrations are taking place across the Tampa Bay area this week, offering residents opportunities to honor history, culture, and community through a variety of events.

Tampa's largest celebration is Roc the Block's 6th Annual Juneteenth MusicFest, scheduled for Saturday at Raymond James Stadium. The event will feature live music, DJs, dance performances, food vendors, and family activities.

On Friday, the Tampa Police Department's Juneteenth Block Party at Fair Oaks Recreation Complex will provide free family-friendly entertainment, while St. Petersburg's Juneteenth Backyard Boogie on the Deuces will include live performances, vendors, dancing, and community activities.

Additional celebrations are planned in Gulfport, Sarasota, and New Port Richey, highlighting the holiday's significance through arts, music, cultural programs, and public gatherings.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved African Americans in Texas learned of their freedom more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.

Notable Events
• Tampa – Juneteenth Block Party (June 19)
• St. Petersburg – Backyard Boogie on the Deuces (June 19)
• Sarasota – Juneteenth Arts Festival (June 19-20)
• New Port Richey – Juneteenth Celebration (June 19)
• Tampa – Juneteenth MusicFest at Raymond James Stadium (June 20)

Read More: wfla.com 

From Waste to Opportunity: USF Entrepreneur Builds Business From Bottle Caps

A University of South Florida student is proving that entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability can go hand in hand.

Melina Korovessi, a USF environmental science and policy student, founded CapCycle Creations, a venture that transforms discarded plastic bottle caps into products such as coasters, magnets, keychains, and name tags. Her goal is to reduce waste while creating practical, marketable products from materials that often end up in landfills.

Korovessi developed the idea after noticing that bottle caps are frequently overlooked by recycling systems because of their small size and sorting challenges. Through support from the USF Nault Center for Entrepreneurship and the Student Innovation Incubator at USF CONNECT, she learned how to turn an environmental concept into a viable business.

Her efforts recently earned third place and a $1,500 award in USF’s inaugural RAIN Startup Plan Competition.

Korovessi hopes to expand CapCycle Creations beyond consumer products and develop broader material recovery solutions that create an even greater environmental impact.

Read More: usf.edu

Giant 43-Foot Fry Truck Brings Free Checkers Fries to Tampa for Three Days

Tampa residents will have a chance to enjoy free Famous Seasoned Fries from Checkers & Rally’s this week as the company’s 43-foot-long Fry Love Express truck rolls into town for a three-day stop.

The giant mobile fry kitchen, led by brand ambassador Travis “The Fry Guy,” will be parked at Cinco Soccer on East Henry Avenue while fans gather to watch FIFA Club World Cup matches. Visitors can stop by and receive complimentary fries without making a purchase.

The giveaway runs June 18 from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., June 19 from 3 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and June 20 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The Fry Love Express is part of a nationwide promotional tour celebrating the chain’s popular seasoned fries. Organizers say the Tampa stop combines two crowd favorites—soccer and free food—creating a festive atmosphere for local fans.

For anyone looking for an inexpensive evening out, the event offers free admission, live soccer viewing, and unlimited fry-themed excitement before the truck heads to its next destination.

Read More: thatssotampa.com

Junior Caminero Leads AL Third Basemen in All-Star Voting, Surprising Even Himself

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero has emerged as the leading vote-getter among American League third basemen in the first update of 2026 All-Star Game voting, a development that even surprised the 22-year-old slugger.

Caminero received 625,520 votes, putting him ahead of Toronto’s Kazuma Okamoto and Chicago’s Miguel Vargas as fans continue selecting starters for the Midsummer Classic. If the voting trend continues, Caminero could become the first Ray to start consecutive All-Star Games and only the second Tampa Bay third baseman elected by fans, joining Evan Longoria.

The young star has continued to build on last season’s breakout campaign, entering Tuesday batting .275 with 15 home runs, 32 RBIs, and a .864 OPS. Rays manager Kevin Cash said Caminero has performed like an All-Star all season.

Caminero credits the fans for the support and said he is grateful for the opportunity as voting continues through June 25.

Read More: mlb.com

Useful Arts & Entertainment Event Links

The Arts
- The Exhibiting Society of Artists (new)
- USF College of the Arts
- USF Steinway Piano Concert Series

Theater
- NTPAC - New Tampa Performing Arts Center
- New Tampa Players
- USF School of Theatre & Dance
- Wesley Chapel Theater Group
- Carrollwood Players Theatre

Misc
- Carrollwood Center Events
- Craft Festivals (new)
- Fall (Farmer’s) Market Guide for Tampa Bay (new)
- The Krate, WC
- The Shops at Wiregrass, WC
- visitflorida.com

For Kids
- Fun4TampaKids

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