tbt* Weekend by Times Total Media

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

The Florida State Fair returns for 12 days with a mix of traditional and new. PAGE 2

The Florida State Fair opens Thursday. (LUIS SANTANA | Times, 2024)

things to do

Guide to 2025 Florida State Fair

BY SHARON KENNEDY WYNNE Times Staff Writer

The Florida State Fair returns Thursday for a 12-day stay, running through Feb. 17 with the largest midway in the nation, traditional agricultural exhibits, entertainment and, of course, lots of food, both traditional offerings and new twists that arrive every year to challenge our stomachs.

For the first time, the Florida State Fair is launching its own mobile app, offering an “ultimate guide” to the fair with a daily schedule, food vendors, attractions, exhibits, shopping and shows. You can download the free app in the Apple or Google Play stores.

“We’re thrilled to offer a more interactive and personalized fair experience for our guests this year,” said fair CEO Cheryl Flood. “The new app will give visitors an easy way to navigate the fairgrounds, discover new attractions and enjoy all the classic favorites. With so much to see and do, it’s all about helping you make the most of every moment at the Florida State Fair.”

The fair, first held in Tampa in 1904, has become one of the largest events in the state. It was on track to break records in 2024 with healthy spending and record turnout days, but then the final weekend brought a deluge of rain that dampened those expectations, says Carnival Warehouse, an industry trade publication. Though signs were good the fair would break the 2023 turnout of 405,888, the weekend deluge brought the final number to 335,000.

The fair continues its admission restrictions, especially for unaccompanied minors. After 6 p.m., those 17 and younger must be accompanied by a parent or guardian 21 years or older with a valid ID. A parent or guardian can supervise up to four youths.

This year brings new entertainment, which is all included with admission, such as the Sunny Night nightly LED light displays and fireworks on opening and closing weekends (8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and Feb. 15-16).

And there will be old favorites, promotional days to save money, and lots of agricultural exhibits and competitions, including two petting zoos, camel and pony rides, and rabbit, poultry and livestock barns.

The rides at the Florida State Fair, which opens Thursday, help make up the largest midway in the nation. (LUIS SANTANA | Times, 2024)

Entertainment

New entertainment this year, all free with admission:

• Disc-Connected K9s, a Frisbee dog show with choreographed, freestyle moves and tricks.

• Aaron Radatz Magic, an award-winning magician and Las Vegas headliner with his own brand of illusions.

• Alford E. Gator, a strolling performer dressed as a friendly gator in his Tiny Swamp House truck.

• Fritzy Brothers OneMan Circus

• IEA Hunter Jumper Horse Show on Feb. 15

• Blank Space, a Taylor Swift cover band, performs Friday

• Three bands from the Navy, specifically Navy Band Southeast, on Feb. 13-14. The music groups are the Ceremonial Band, the Windward Brass Quintet and Pride.

Returning favorites include:

• Baton Twirling Championships on Sunday

• Demolition Derby at 6 p.m. Feb. 15 and 1 p.m. Feb. 16 in the Covered Arena

• Professional food sculptors will build a giant butter

Promotional days and tickets

and Service Industry Day on Monday.

sculpture throughout the fair’s duration

• Hollywood Racing Pigs

• Cycle Circus Live, freestyle motocross show

• Circus Hollywood, seven revolving acts with camels, horses, dogs, clowns, daredevils, magi -

cians and trapeze artists

• Florida State Fair Water Spectacular, held in Center Lake with a rock soundtrack and water choreography

• Foam Zone, where people of all ages can enter a sea of playful foam for a bubbly adventure

Regular admission to the fair is $12-$16, and kids ages 6-12 are $6-$11, depending on the day. Ride armbands are $27-$45. Parking is free.

New promotional days this year include extending Heroes Day to two days, Thursday and Sunday, and adding a Scout Day on Sunday and Hospitality

• Heroes Day: Free admission all day for law enforcement, first responders, and active and retired military.

• Super Savings Sunday: Receive free admission Sunday with the purchase of an Anyday Armband after 3 p.m.

• Girl Scouts Day: The fair will celebrate Girl

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Gov. Ron DeSantis meets a sea lion at the Florida State Fair last year. (Times, 2024)

The Foam Zone is where people of all ages can play in a sea of foam. (LUIS SANTANA | Times, 2024)

The Soul Food Egg Roll, stuffed with grilled chicken, mac and cheese, and collard greens, is one of the new food offerings at the Florida State Fair.

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Scouts on Sunday with free admission for Girls Scouts in uniform, plus discounted $10 adult tickets, $7 tickets for additional children and discounted $30 ride armbands until 6 p.m.

• Hospitality and Service Industry Day: Service industry workers on Monday get $5 admission all day with valid service or hospitality industry ID, plus some food and drink specials.

• $3 Thursday: On Feb. 13 there is $3 admission, select rides, games and food items after 3 p.m.

• Family Day: On Feb. 14 there is free admission for anyone 17 or younger until 6 p.m. with a paying parent or guardian. A parent or guardian can supervise up to four kids free with one adult.

• Kid’s Day: Feb. 17 has free admission for those 17 and younger with a paying parent or guardian until 6 p.m. A parent or guardian can supervise up to four kids.

• Senior Days: Any Monday-Friday, those 55 and older get $11 admission online or at the gate.

Fair food

The real perk of the Florida State Fair is being the first in the country to introduce strange or deep-fried food on a stick. It’s the

Also new to the Florida State Fair is a cinnamon bun filled with a cinnamonsugar swirl, topped with a buttery salted caramel sauce. (Florida State Fair photos)

birthplace of the Donut Burger smashed between two Krispy Kremes and the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Funnel Cake.

Among this year’s new offerings that caught our eye:

• Crack Mac: A bold twist on macaroni and cheese. Cavatappi noodles are topped with street corn, peppers, tomatoes and jalapenos. Topped with your choice of chicken, cho-

rizo or carnitas, plus ranch, Tajin seasoning, parmesan and fresh cilantro.

Location: Holy Macaroni.

• Baked Ziti on a Stick: Baked ziti goes mobile by putting rigatoni noodles, homemade marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese on top for an ooey gooey combo with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and a dash of parsley. Location: All American Concessions.

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FAIR

• Chocolate Dunked Bavarian Doughnut: A giant glazed Amish doughnut is decadent enough. This one is filled with homemade Bavarian cream and dunked in rich chocolate.

Location: Peachey’s Baking Co.

• Soul Food Egg Roll: A crispy, deep-fried egg-roll wrap stuffed with grilled chicken, creamy mac and cheese, and savory collard greens. Location: Eggroll Love.

• Salted Caramel Cinnamon Bun: A fluffy cinnamon bun filled with a cinnamon-sugar swirl, topped with buttery salted caramel sauce.

Location: Cinnamon Saloon. You can study up on all the new offerings at https://tbtim.es/4juCng5, and check out the fair’s mobile app for where to find the vendors.

Contact Sharon Kennedy Wynne at swynne@tampabay.com or 727893-8595. Follow @SharonKWn.

A strolling entertainer at the fair this year is Alford E. Gator in his Tiny Swamp House. (Florida State Fair)

IF YOU GO

Florida State Fair It runs Thursday-Feb. 17. Admission is $12-$16, kids age 6-12 $6-$11 depending on the day. Ride armbands are $27-$45. Parking is free. Check out the fair’s Discount Days page for deals on certain days. Gates open at 11 a.m. MondayThursday, midway at 1 p.m.; 10 a.m. Friday-Sunday, midway at 10:30 a.m. Florida State Fairgrounds, 4800 U.S. 301 N, Tampa. 813-621-7821. floridastatefair.com.

The Florida State Fair has two petting zoos. (Times, 2022)

Indoor pickleball club in Largo eyes sport’s growth

Tampa Bay Newspapers

LARGO — With a background playing and coaching professional tennis and pickleball, Pinellas County native Brandon Anandan understands the ins and outs of the two popular racket sports.

So, a year and a half ago, when he noticed a glaring need for indoor pickleball facilities to help accommodate the sport’s continued growth in Florida, Anandan decided to act.

“I saw people waiting in line to play on courts at parks and getting rained out, or the courts not being in the best shape from the sun and the rain, and I said there’s got to be

a better option,” Anandan said one day before the club’s Jan. 11 grand opening.

“So, I said I’m going to build an indoor pickleball club. And a month and a half later, Dink House was done.”

It took longer to receive the necessary permits and be compliant with city codes than it did to convert the 10,500-square-foot warehouse at 8116 Ulmerton Road in Largo. Now the pickleball paradise is complete with four professional-grade courts, 24-hour access for members, a weight section, a sauna, a cold plunge tank

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The new Dink House Pickleball Club in Largo, with indoor courts, held a grand opening Jan. 11. (JEFF ROSENFIELD | Tampa Bay Newspapers)

“This is the perfect facility for coaching and training or just coming out with a group of friends for some healthy competition, because it feels more like a club and not as commercial.”

Bharat Karunakaran, pro pickleball player and coach from Orlando

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and more amenities.

Prices range from $14.99 for a one-time drop-in rate to an annual membership of $149.99 monthly or $249.99 for a month-to-month membership.

“There’s three indoor facilities in the Tampa Bay area and another large one on the way,” Anandan said of the pivot to provide sheltered, indoor courts with amenities over traditional basic outdoor setups.

“We’re not just offering more. We just have a different goal,” he said of Dink House. He said he wanted his place to be “fun and social, but it’s also for people who like sports and health. There’s a need for all types of places. But we don’t always want it to be about beer and partying here.”

At Dink House’s grand opening, dozens of cars

lined the long driveway leading up to the facility, which sits in the back of an industrial park.

“I love it,” Bharat Karunakaran, a pro pickleball player and coach from Orlando, said during the event. “Indoor facilities like this are few and far between, especially in this area. So this is the perfect facility for coaching and training or just coming out with a group of friends for some healthy competition, because it feels more like a club and not as commercial.”

Karunakaran, who also produces pickleball social media content and goes by the name BK, said that as the sport, which started in Seattle in 1965, continues to grow in popularity, it needs more people like Anandan running top facilities like Dink House.

“There’s so much going on in this sport, we need more people like him because it’s nice to have

player-owned facilities,” Karunakaran said. “He understands the sport and the players and what the place needs in order to be successful.”

The sport’s popularity shows no signs of slowing. Anandan said there are currently 40 million active pickleball players in the United States.

“Youth pickleball is the future of the sport, and I think it’s inevitable it becomes a college sport,” he said.

Before it gets to that point, Anandan hopes to have several Dink House Pickleball Clubs up and running.

“I would’ve done it already if the permitting didn’t take so long,” he said, laughing.

Learn more

For information on Dink House Pickleball Club, including membership pricing, visit dinkhouse.com.

In addition to pickleball courts, Dink House Pickleball Club has a weight station, among other amenities. (JEFF ROSENFIELD | Tampa Bay Newspapers)

things to do

top events

BY SHARON KENNEDY WYNNE Times Staff Writer

Krewe of Sant’ Yago Illuminated Knight Parade: Gasparilla season continues with the annual nighttime parade hosted by the Ybor City krewe that was started in 1970 by prominent Latin businessmen to honor Tampa and Ybor City’s Latin heritage and culture. The grand marshal is TV personality Steve Wilkos, former Jerry Springer sidekick and host of “The Steve Wilkos Show.” The parade begins at 7 p.m. Saturday on Seventh Avenue in Ybor City, with floats and marching bands tossing beads and trinkets to the crowd.

Verizon Super Bowl

Fan Fest: A free Super Bowl party is coming to 30 cities for the big game, and Tampa’s party is on the waterfront at Sparkman Wharf from 4:30-10 p.m. Sunday. Pro Football Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks is scheduled to be there along with

other Bucs alumni, Captain Fear and team cheerleaders. The event is free to Verizon customers; request tickets (available on a firstcome, first-served basis) at verizonfanfest.com. Several additional ticket drops also will lead up to the big game. 615 Channelside Drive, Tampa.

Mary J. Blige: 7 p.m. Saturday. Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa. Tickets start at $54.75. ticketmaster.com.

Marine Quest and the St. Pete Science Fest:

The free day of science discovery takes over the St. Petersburg campus of the University of South Florida and at the Marine Quest Open House next door at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. Families are invited to explore their science inquiries through exhibits and hands-on experiments. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Free

at Poynter Park and at the commission’s institute. 140 14th Ave. S, St. Petersburg. 11th annual St. Petersburg Fine Art Festival: With free admission and a showcase of over 100 acclaimed artists, this event is big on the art lover’s calendar, featuring a curated selection of original and handmade art across various mediums. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. South Straub Park, 198 Bayshore Drive NE, St. Petersburg. Third annual Lealman Honey & Arts Festival: Live music, local honey, artists, food and family friendly activities. Admission and parking are free. Noon6 p.m. Saturday. Lealman Community Park, 3800 55th Ave. N. Drive-by Truckers: 8 p.m. Friday. Tampa Theatre, 711 N. Franklin St., Tampa. Tickets start at $44.50. 813-2748286. tampatheatre.org.

Gasparilla festivities continue with the Krewe of Sant’ Yago Illuminated Knight Parade on Saturday in Ybor City. (LUIS SANTANA | Times, 2015)

Alice Cooper: 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The BayCare Sound at Coachman Park, 255 Drew St., Clearwater. Tickets start at $49. rutheckerdhall.com.

Johnny Mathis: 8 p.m. Saturday. Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater. Tickets start at $37. 727-791-7400. rutheckerdhall.com.

Peace Memorial Concert Series: Sonatas and cantatas from northern Germany are the subject of the St. Pete Baroque Ensemble, with guest Sarah Biber presenting an afternoon of authentic baroque music.

3 p.m. Sunday. Free. Peace Memorial Presbyterian Church, 110 S. Fort Harrison Ave., Clearwater.

The Florida Orchestra: Inside Debussy’s “La Mer:” The beauty of

the sea is the theme as the orchestra debuts a 30-minute concerto for six percussionists, orchestra and bigscreen film “Seaborne” that honors our oceans, featuring the popular Percussion Collective. Then dive into Debussy’s classic “La Mer,” filled with waves of power and peace. Rounding out the program is Sibelius’ “The Oceanides.” Chelsea Gallo conducts. 8 p.m. Friday, Straz Center for the Performing Arts, 1010 N MacInnes Place, Tampa; and 8 p.m. Saturday, Mahaffey Theater, 400 First St. S, St. Petersburg. Tickets start at $23. floridaorchestra.org.

Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular: 7:30 p.m. Friday. Mahaffey Theater, 400 First St. S, St. Petersburg. Tickets start at $34. themahaffey.com.

Second Saturday Art Walk: More than 40 studios and galleries will be open late and artists are often on-site to talk about

their work. Using public transportation is recommended. The St. Petersburg Arts Alliance’s website has a printable map with a list of every gallery, including contact and exhibit information, which is updated monthly. 5-9 p.m. Saturday. Various locations in downtown St. Petersburg. stpeteartsalliance.org.

Pickleball on the Pier: Participate in expert-guided pickleball sessions at the St. Pete Pier. Tickets are $5 for all-day play and an additional $5 to rent a paddle and balls. No reservation is required. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 8 a.m.9 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Runs through March 16 by the Splash Pad, 660 Second Ave. NE, St. Petersburg. stpeteathletic.com/pier.

This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing: A contemporary fairy tale with a killer playlist about three sisters left

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to navigate the world alone after they’re abandoned by their father. Runs through Sunday. American Stage Theatre, 163 Third St. N, St. Petersburg. 727-8237529. americanstage.org.

Windy Meadows Pottery: The Morean Center for Clay is opening an exhibit of fanciful mini architectural sculptures by Maryland artist Jan Richardson, each constructed individually by hand with whimsical flair. The exhibit opens Saturday and runs through March 1. 10 a.m.5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Sunday. There is an opening reception 5-9 p.m. Saturday. Free. Morean Center for Clay, 420 22nd St. S, St. Petersburg. Cocktails at the Chihuly Collection: The Chihuly Collection in St. Petersburg has brought in a special exhibit called BURST that represents the potent force of nature, with large crocheted panels of fabric in vibrant satin waves bursting forth from the gallery walls. There is a special artist talk and cocktail hour with artist Akiko Kotani from 6-8 p.m. Friday. It includes a tour of the collection and two cocktails. $20 members, $40 non -

Tuesday. Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa. tampabayfoodfight.org

Orchid Sale: Florida West Coast Orchid Society members will sell their plants from 8-11 a.m. Saturday. A general orchid care class will follow at 11:30. Free admission. Florida Botanical Garden, 12211 Walsingham Road, Largo. Use Walsingham entrance. 727-475-0750.

Performing Arts Center, 105 Central Park Drive, Largo. largoarts.com.

15th annual Oldsmar Cares Wine and Food Gala: Featuring fine wine and food, live and silent auctions. $100. 6-9:30 p.m. Thursday. The Bayanihan Arts and Events Center, 14301 Nine Eagles Drive, Tampa. zeffy.com/en-US/ ticketing/gala-tickets—2025.

members. 720 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-822-7872. moreanartscenter.org.

Mardi Gras at Busch Gardens: Get jazzed up with Mardi Gras-style entertainment and live music, and catch festival beads

after each parade. Feast on classic Cajun cuisine. Included with admission through March 2. 10165 McKinley Drive, Tampa. buschgardens.com. 2025 Tampa Bay Food Fight: A night filled with

food and flavors as team captains lead over 40 top restaurants in a head-tohead culinary battle, crafting their signature dishes. Proceeds benefit Metropolitan Ministries’ job training programs. $100-$150. 6-9 p.m.

The Ugly Duckling: Experience a heartwarming journey of self-discovery and acceptance from Stages Productions Family Theatre based on Hans Christian Andersen’s classic. 11 a.m. Saturday. Central Park

15th annual BBQ & Blues Festival: Featuring blues bands, amateur cornhole, hog calling contest, barbecue, kids grilling. Bring a lawn chair and a blanket. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. Bands start at 11 a.m.

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Maryland artist Jan Richardson is the subject of an exhibit of fanciful mini architectural sculptures opening at the Morean Center for Clay in St. Petersburg.

(Morean Center for Clay)

A detailed look at a portion of the special exhibit BURST at the Chihuly Collection in St. Petersburg.

(DIRK SHADD | Times)

Downtown Zephyrhills.

Rock The Park: For 14 years, the Tampa Downtown Partnership has produced a free monthly music series showcasing musical talents of all genres. Also enjoy food by local food trucks. 6:30-9:45 p.m. Thursday. Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, 600 N. Ashley Drive, Tampa. tampasdowntown.com/outside-is-in/rock-the-park.

Carrollwood Players

Presents: Conversations in Bed: The audience follows the conversations of four couples who are neighbors as they reflect on their lives, families, pasts, futures and the couples next door.

What if William Shakespeare had written “The Wizard of Oz?” Travel over the rainbow to the early 17th century in this reimagining of the classic story by L. Frank Baum. Members free; general admission $5. 7:30-9 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. A Sunday performance also will be offered at 2 p.m. Carrollwood Cultural Center, 4537 Lowell Road, Tampa. carrollwoodcenter.org.

Second Sunday Art Walk: The art walk and vendor fair takes place each second Sunday of the month. It features a rotating cast of artisanal artists and makers 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. Armature Works at the Heights, 1910 N. Ola Ave., Tampa. Louis C.K.: 7:30 p.m. Monday. Side Splitters, 12938 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa. 813-960-1197. sidesplitterscomedy.com.

Funbox Bounce Park:

$18. 8 p.m. Friday-Sunday, Feb. 14-16. Sunday shows also offered at 2 p.m. Carrollwood Players, 4333 Gunn Highway, Tampa. carrollwoodplayers.org Shakespeare’s Oz: A Parody Play in Five Acts:

The 25,000-square-foot play zone has been set up in WestShore Plaza near West Shore Boulevard, running every weekend through March 23. 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Tickets start at $18 at funbox.com/ tampa. For every ticket, $1 is donated to a local foster care charity. 250 WestShore Plaza, Tampa.

Movies in the Park: This week’s film is “Grease,” rated PG. 6:30 p.m. Friday. Snack concessions and on-site parking. Bring blankets, chairs and even your leashed pets. Personal alcohol is not permitted. All movies will be shown with subtitles. Largo Central Park, 101 Central Park Drive.

Also compiled by Lee Clark Zumpe, Tampa Bay Newspapers.

Contact Sharon Kennedy Wynne at swynne@tampabay. com or 727-893-8595. Follow @SharonKWn.

arts & entertainment

Largo business is show biz couturier

BY SHARON KENNEDY WYNNE Times Staff Writer

LARGO — A new business in Largo has deep show business roots and flashy clients such as Disney, Legoland, cruise ships and Broadway shows. Full Stop Costume Studio, part of Full Stop Productions, makes costumes for characters onstage and on parade, and it chose a space in Pinellas County as its headquarters.

Owners Nancy Hutson and Chris Nobels are industry veterans, having worked as producers at Feld Entertainment in Palmetto, the

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Nancy Hutson, left, co-owner of Full Stop Productions, checks the fit of a costume for Miss Florida, Casana Fink, at the company’s Full Stop Costume Studio in Largo last year ahead of the Miss America pageant.

(CHRIS URSO | Times, 2024)

COSTUMES

owners of the Ringling circus, Disney on Ice and Monster Jam. Having been the showrunners themselves, they saw a niche in the market for high-quality costumes.

“As producers, we knew those costumes have to be sturdy,” Nobels said. “After hours of sweating and dancing and twirling, they need to be available again for the next show.”

There are all sorts of potential costume calamities. Sometimes hats are attached to a costume by a magnet and the magnet gets sewn in backward so it repels, a Disney executive at a Sept. 12 open house for the costume shop recounted. The observation drew lots of agreeable groans from the crowd of producers.

Then there’s the production that needed a beautiful princess gown to fit two

satisfaction that we can solve the problems I often had to deal with,” Nobels said.

It’s the kind of detail that a theater or a theme park fan doesn’t appreciate. It takes a team of talents to make it happen, Hutson said.

off in 2020 when the company was struggling with COVID-required shutdowns of shows across the entertainment industry. That’s when they created Full Stop Productions.

actors. One was size 2, and one was a size 8. Full Stop’s solution: Put the actor in a

bodysuit and have the dress be like an overlay that could fit both sizes. And then the

bodysuit could be laundered, Hutson said.

“This is giving me some

The founders were among some 1,000 Feld employees, 90% of the company’s workforce, that got laid

That major exit of creative talent from Feld gave Tampa Bay some of its newest endeavors, with Feld alums having produced

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Costume fabricator Tory Newton, left, works on a model for a character head as studio tech Sterling Lovett, center, and costume stitcher Cayla Decker work at Full Stop Costume Studio in Largo in December. (Photos by CHRIS URSO | Times, 2024)

Custom buttons sit in bins at Full Stop Costume Studio. The business owners say they saw a need for quality costumes across the entertainment industry.

Bello Nock, a famous Ringling daredevil clown, was at the grand opening of Full Stop Productions last year in Largo. The business’ costume studio is “answering a need that keeps growing in the entertainment industry,” he says. (SHARON KENNEDY WYNNE | Times, 2024)

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work at places such as the FloridaRAMA art studio and creative space in St. Petersburg. Another Feld alum, Bello Nock, best known as the famous Ringling daredevil clown with the sky-high hair, said he was looking forward to working with Nobels and Hutson for his production company, which creates daredevil shows at the Florida State Fair and elsewhere around the world.

“They are answering a need that keeps growing in the entertainment industry,” Nock said at the September opening. “It’s very exciting, and they are creating jobs while filling that need.”

Nobels and Hutson opened Full Stop in the Omni Business Park in Largo. The biggest costume studios are in New York and Orlando, where the shows are, but Nobels said the pandemic gave them the gift of choosing where they want to live. “We are close to a major airport and highways, so we can ship our goods out easily,” he said.

Full Stop Costume Studio has 3,500 square feet of studio space and 1,500 square feet of office space, which enabled the owners to move their productions team into the same location. And the proximity to excellent hotels and beaches offers convenient housing and recreation opportunities for designers and cast members coming for meetings and costume fittings, Nobels said.

Contact Sharon Kennedy Wynne at swynne@tampabay.com or 727-893-8595. Follow @SharonKWn.

Courting sandwich success at this Cousin Vinny’s

BY HELEN FREUND Times Food and Dining Critic

TAMPA — It was barely 11:30 a.m., but the dining room was already packed.

Still damp from a morning of cold, misty rain, a lunchtime crowd stood shoulder to shoulder inside the tiny West Cass Street space. While waiting to place their orders, they hovered over tables, eyeing a menu of juicy chicken cutlet sandwiches oozing mozzarella and red sauce.

The scene was at Cousin Vinny’s, a new spot hawking New York-style sandwiches out of a small space formerly home to Cass Street Deli. The sandwich shop had been open just shy of a week, but judging by the

steady stream of customers, word had clearly gotten out.

The restaurant’s name is a reference to the classic movie starring Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei, and a nod to owner Vincent “Vinny”

he always thought the area was missing “a taste of home.”

Cousin Vinny’s, a new New York-inspired sandwich shop, is now open in Tampa.

(Photos by JEFFEREE WOO | Times)

Cousin Vinny’s owner and New York native Vincent “Vinny” Andriotti attended the University of Tampa and says

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Andriotti, who launched the business with friends Russell Leone, AJ DeSimone and Jake Schmidt. Together, the group dreamed up a restaurant that would satisfy their cravings for East Coast-inspired Italian-American dishes in a modern, fast-casual setting. A little taste of New York right here in Tampa.

It’s the first brick-andmortar restaurant for Andriotti, who grew up on Long Island and attended the University of Tampa. He left a career in New York finance to work in the kitchen at Edison: Food + Drink Lab in 2021. About six months later, Andriotti’s father was diagnosed with lung cancer, and he went back to sales to be able to take more time off to spend with him.

“Vin, you’re the happiest when you’re in the kitchen,” Andriotti recalls his father saying. And shortly before he died: “For the life of me, I just want you to be happy.”

Those words spurred the idea for what would become Cousin Vinny’s.

“Going to school at UT and living in this exact area, I was always missing something,” Andriotti said. “A taste of home.”

The restaurant’s path

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Cousin Vinny’s serves several versions of sandwiches with breaded chicken cutlets.

Vincent Andriotti ran a popular sandwich shop out of a ghost kitchen before opening Cousin Vinny’s with some friends. (Photos by JEFFEREE WOO | Times)

is in many ways emblematic of the current dining landscape, and a testament to the social-mediacrazed zeitgeist. The crew got its start cooking out of a commissary kitchen on Nebraska Avenue in Seminole Heights in 2023, near the height of Tampa’s ghost kitchen boom. Fueled by a very active social media account, the spot quickly amassed a large following, and the menu became a hit almost overnight. But it quickly became clear that running a takeout, weekends-only operation wasn’t going to cut it for long. After securing the West Cass Street space last year, the crew got to work on a full renovation. The restaurant needed to look and feel like home, Andriotti said.

Outside the building, a New York Post newspaper box sidles a black and white mural of Robert De Niro’s character in “Casino” holding a sandwich, and Pesci from the restaurant’s namesake film. Inside, the kitchen takes up the bulk of the space, with a small collection of tables facing the register. The team is well-versed in the quick-service format, and the line moves fast. But on days when there’s a longer wait, the kitchen will cook up fried raviolis to pass out to waiting customers.

“We want everyone to feel like it’s two o’clock on a Sunday,” Andriotti said. “That’s when Italian-Americans meet with their family.”

The menu is heavy on Italian-American sub sandwiches. There’s the spot’s signature, That Louie ($15), which features a whopping breaded chicken cutlet paired with pesto aioli,

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From left, Cousin Vinny’s founders Vincent Andriotti, Russ Leone, Jake Schmidt and AJ DeSimone stand in front of the shop’s mural featuring actors Robert De Niro on the left and Joe Pesci, star of the movie “My Cousin Vinny.” (JEFFEREE WOO | Times)

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roasted red peppers and melted mozzarella cheese; and the Tony Piccante ($15), a version packing heat with a spicy vodka sauce, roasted red peppers, and ricotta and mozzarella cheeses. There’s also a classic meatball Parmesan sandwich ($16), a “basic” cutlet combo with American cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion and mayonnaise ($15), and the zingy Bella Bruschetta ($15), which combines a cutlet with a tomato bruschetta mix, mozzarella and balsamic glaze.

A separate section swaps out the spot’s toasted Italian bread for homemade Tuscan-style schiacciata

bread (like a thinner, crispier cousin to focaccia).

That forms the infrastructure of several sandwiches, including the excellent Prosciutto di Papo ($16), which fuses a tasty mix of the Italian cured ham with mozzarella, arugula, roasted red peppers, roasted artichoke cream, olive oil and balsamic glaze. There’s also the Uncle Jun ($16), featuring capicola, arugula, pecorino cream and red pesto; and the Tomei & Mozz ($14), a vegetarian sandwich made with mozzarella, tomatoes, arugula, pesto aioli and balsamic glaze.

For now, Cousin Vinny’s is open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Eventually, Andriotti said, the restaurant will be open daily and also serve breakfast.

Though the current menu isn’t expansive, Andriotti said he has roughly 85 other sandwich recipes tucked away and he hopes to begin rotating some of them in as specials soon. They’ll still be sandwiches made by — and, in part, for — homesick New Yorkers. But it’s clear Tampa is already on board.

IF YOU GO Cousin Vinny’s

1331 W. Cass St., Tampa. Open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. cousinvinnystampa.com.

Contact Helen Freund at hfreund@tampabay.com or 727-893-8310. Follow @HelenFreund. She dines unannounced and the Times pays all expenses.

The menu also includes a chicken Caesar wrap. (JEFFEREE WOO | Times)

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