🦓 Free Beer and a Zebra?

Buzzing with Joy: No Politics, Just Positivity!
A community-led initiative.

Good Morning From Lutz. It’s early in the week, but keep chasing your dreams of freedom like that zebra in Tennessee. He was on the loose for a full week, clearly inspired by Marty from Madagascar and just looking for a little wild of his own.

Here’s what to look forward to in this Tuesday edition:

🏋️ A new YMCA breaks ground in Wesley Chapel
🍺 Free beer is back at Busch Garden
🍀 A possible new Irish pub coming to Lutz

You can always reply to this email with suggestions or just to say hi, we are neighbors, after all. We also post extra local finds on Instagram.

Send this to the friend who says “we should go to that” all week and “I don’t know” when Saturday comes. Seriously, they could use this.

Digest

YMCA Groundbreaking Update

We mentioned this about a week ago, but now it’s official. The Mary W. Sierra Family YMCA broke ground on May 28 across from BayCare Hospital in Wesley Chapel. Here’s a little shot of the area.

This $35 million project will bring nearly 50,000 square feet of indoor fitness space, plus a 36,000-square-foot outdoor aquatic center with an 8-lane pool, therapy pool, and family splash zone. Inside, expect youth sports, senior wellness lounges, cancer recovery programs, and more. It’s expected to open in summer 2026 and serve over 40,000 nearby residents.

Civic News

New Tampa Blvd Repaving Project Set for 2026
The morning routine…press your shirt, buckle up (which wrinkles your shirt), hit a bump, and wear your coffee. If that sounds familiar, help is on the way. Mark your calendar because New Tampa Boulevard is getting a full resurfacing in 2026, thanks to $2.5 million in city funding. The project will cover the stretch from I-75 to Highwoods Preserve Parkway, addressing years of wear and tear.

Local leaders, including District 7 Councilman Luis Viera, pushed hard for the funding, citing the road’s poor condition and importance as a major connector.

Restaurants and Local Business

A New Irish Pub May Be Headed to Lutz
I don’t know about you, but I was still getting notifications about live music at 40 Thieves even though the place has been closed for some time now. Now it looks like something new might actually be moving in.

Plan review documents show The Wexford Irish Pub & Grille is looking to open at 2741 E County Line Road, the former home of 40 Thieves. The Wexford, known for its draft beer, pub fare, and live music, is currently listed as “Temporarily Closed” at its Tampa location. Whether this is a relocation or a brand-new spot for Lutz, we’ll keep an eye out for more details.

Celebrating 50 Years of Sauce & Soul
Damian Mandola, founder of Mandola’s Italian Kitchen and co-founder of Carrabba’s, has officially hit 50 years in the restaurant world. What started as a college project in Tampa has grown into a beloved name with locations across Florida, including right here in Odessa and Carrollwood. Known for hearty family recipes and that classic red-sauce warmth, Mandola’s remains a go-to for comfort food done right.

I’m always driving by the one in Odessa. If it seems like a big chain, remember it has local roots.

To mark the milestone, Mandola’s is rolling prices back to 1975. On Sunday, June 16, the first 50 guests at each location can grab spaghetti and meatballs for just $2.25. It’s a thank-you to the local fans who’ve kept the tables full and the kitchen busy for five delicious decades.

Community

Free Beer Returns to Busch Gardens for Summer Nights
It’s cold and it’s small but we love it anyway. Busch Gardens is bringing back its iconic Free Beer promotion just in time for Summer Nights, running now through August 4.

Guests 21+ can grab one free 7 oz beer per day at Twisted Tails Pretzels, right near the entrance. It’s all part of the park’s summer celebration, which also includes extended hours, fireworks, live DJs, and glowing night rides.

TPA’s New Terminal: Bigger, Brighter, and Built for the Future
If it feels like TPA is leveling up, you’re not imagining things. From new automated shuttles to easier rides from places like Wesley Chapel and Brooksville, getting to and through the airport keeps getting better. And now, Tampa International just unveiled more details about Terminal D, a two-story expansion with 16 new gates, open-air patios, floor-to-ceiling glass, and a lineup of local restaurants.

Construction starts this summer with plans to open in 2028. It’s the airport’s first new airside in nearly 20 years and part of a $1.5 billion effort to keep up with Tampa Bay’s growth while making the travel experience feel even more relaxed and local.

Events North of Tampa

If you have something coming up and you would like us to feature it at the top of the newsletter, let us know.

As the week goes on, the weekend events will fill out and we’ll have them ready for our Friday edition.

We are still looking for some more feedback on the calendar. Go ahead and respond if you have any ideas or pain points. Feel free to save, bookmark or download the calendar to make it easier.

Live Music

Tuesday, June 10

Double Bogey’s Tavern & Grille, Lutz | Open Mic w/Fred Chandler | 7p–10p
The Orpheum, Tampa | Huntley – Winner of The Voice | 7p–10p
Ukulele Brand’s, Land O’ Lakes | Open Mic | 7p–10p

Wednesday, June 11

Double Bogey’s Tavern & Grille, Lutz | John Nunes | 6:30p–10p
SouthernEaze Bar and Grill, Lutz | Open Mic | 6p–9p
Tom’s Tavern, Forest Hills | Open Mic w/Fred Chandler | 7p–10p

Thursday, June 12

Jerry’s Crystal Bar, Zephyrhills | Sunny Situation | 8p–11p
Stonewater Grill, Land O’ Lakes | Carolyn Street | 6p–9p
Side Splitters Comedy Club, Wesley Chapel | Craig Gass | 8–10 PM
The Orpheum, Tampa | Casket Robbery | 7p–10p
Tom’s Tavern, Forest Hills | Open Mic w/Fred Chandler | 7p–10p

Friday, June 13

Art’s Tap House, Trinity | The Edisons | 8p–11p
Banana Wind Bar and Grill, Zephyrhills | Brittany Baldwin Solo | 8p–11:59p
Dade City Brew House, Dade City | Evan Taylor Jones | 7p–10p
Double Bogey’s Tavern & Grille, Lutz | The Two | 7p–11p
Jerry’s Crystal Bar, Zephyrhills | (No Friday entry — already listed for Thursday)
Moose Lodge, Zephyrhills | Lost Swamp Revival | 8p–12a
O'Brien’s Irish Pub, Carrollwood | The Hitmen (Day 1 of 2) | 9p–1a
Pete’s Place North, Tampa | Sam Rutherford | 7p–11p
Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa | Smokey Jones and the 3 Dollar Pistols | 8p–11p
SouthernEaze Bar and Grill, Lutz | Barefoot Bob 'O | 6:30p–9:30p
Starkey Market, Trinity | Lock & Key | 6p–9p
Stonewater Grill, Land O’ Lakes | Buddy Fitz Duo | 7p–10p
The Living Room, Wesley Chapel | Melissa Lee | 6p–9p
The Orpheum, Tampa | Blacktop Mojo | 7p–11p
The Twisted Oak, Dade City | Kevin Goolden | 7p–11p
Tiki Cove, Land O’ Lakes | Jessica Rose Powell | 7p–10p
Tom’s Tavern, Forest Hills | Maverick & Pasquini | 8p–11p
Treble Makers Dueling Piano Bar, Wesley Chapel | Dueling Pianos | 7p–11p
Ukulele Brand’s, Land O’ Lakes | Buzz Factor | 7:30p–10:30p

Events | Trivia | Karaoke

Tuesday, June 10

O'Brien’s Irish Pub, Carrollwood | Trivia | 7p–9p
O'Brien’s Irish Pub & Grill, Wesley Chapel | Trivia | 7p–9p
Treble Makers Dueling Piano Bar, Wesley Chapel | Trivia | 7p–9p
WOB Bar & Kitchen, Odessa | Trivia | 7p–9p

Wednesday, June 11

Banana Wind Bar and Grill, Zephyrhills | DJ Kenny Mathis Karaoke Night | 7p–11p
Moose Lodge, Zephyrhills | Karaoke | 7p–11p
O'Brien’s Irish Pub, Carrollwood | Line Dancing w/Simone | 7p–9p
O'Brien’s Irish Pub & Grill, Wesley Chapel | Karaoke | 8p–11p
Treble Makers Dueling Piano Bar, Wesley Chapel | Line Dancing | 7p–9p

Thursday, June 12

Art’s Tap House, Trinity | Karaoke | 7p–9p
Banana Wind Bar and Grill, Zephyrhills | Line Dance Lessons/Ladies Night | 7:30p–11p
Commandough’s Pizza, Land O’ Lakes | Trivia | 7p–9p
Double Bogey’s Tavern & Grille, Lutz | Trivia | 7p–9p
Krate at the Grove, Wesley Chapel | Throwback Thursday: 70s, 80s, 90s Hits | 6p–9p
O'Brien’s Irish Pub, Carrollwood | Karaoke | 8p–12a
SouthernEaze Bar and Grill, Lutz | Trivia | 7p–9p

Friday, June 13

Commandough’s Pizza, Land O’ Lakes | Karaoke | 7p–10:30p
Jerry’s Crystal Bar, Zephyrhills | Southern Knight Band (Day 1 of 2) | 9p–1a
Side Splitters Comedy Club, Wesley Chapel | Craig Gass | 7:30–9 PM
Side Splitters Comedy Club, Wesley Chapel | Craig Gass | 9:30–11 PM
Wesley Chapel – The Grove 16 | Karaoke | 7:30p–10:30p

We’ll be on Instagram with updates wherever we end up. Feel free to DM us to let us know we’ve forgotten a venue.

Thanks for reading the North Tampa Buzzletter! Let’s meet back here Friday morning, coffee in hand.

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