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WESLEY CHAPEL, FL — The Big Red Bus is rolling into Avalon Park Wesley Chapel on Wednesday, May 27, from 2:00 PM to 5:30 PM — and this time, donating blood comes with a free wellness checkup and a $20 eGift card for every donor. OneBlood's Big Red Bus is one of the most convenient ways to donate blood in the community — no hospital visit, no complicated process. Just show up, schedule a time slot, and give back in a way that directly saves lives in the Tampa Bay area. What D

WESLEY CHAPEL, FL — Car and motorcycle lovers, this one is for you. Harley-Davidson of Wesley Chapel is hosting its Classic Cars and Vintage Bikes Show this Saturday, May 16, and whether you're bringing a showpiece or just coming to look, everyone is welcome. The show is now running from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM for the summer months — starting earlier to beat the Florida heat while keeping all the fun intact. Think rows of beautifully restored classics, gleaming vintage motorcycl

PASCO COUNTY, FL — The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1, and Pasco County is making it easier than ever for residents to get prepared before the storms arrive. Pasco County Emergency Management recently hosted a free Disaster Preparedness Expo at Pasco Safety Town in Shady Hills, featuring first responder equipment displays, emergency vehicles, local emergency preparedness vendors, and a live appearance by renowned Tampa Bay meteorologist Denis Phillips

WESLEY CHAPEL, FL — If you're a fan of Bacon Boss at KRATE at The Grove, get ready. The same team is opening a brand-new restaurant right at KRATE called Chicken Boss — and the concept is exactly what it sounds like. The owners of Bacon Boss announced the news on social media: "We're so excited to announce that Bacon Boss is opening a second restaurant at the Krates. Introducing… The Chicken Boss. Our menu is going to be centered on hand breaded chicken tenders." What to Expe

WESLEY CHAPEL / PASCO COUNTY, FL — After nearly 15 years leading the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, Sheriff Chris Nocco announced Wednesday, May 13, that he will resign from office effective November 2026. For Wesley Chapel residents, this is one of the most significant local government changes in over a decade. Nocco said he is stepping down to run for the Florida State Senate District 21 seat being vacated by retiring state Sen. Ed Hooper. Nocco was re-elected without oppos

Most high school seniors are winding down as graduation approaches. Daniel Park, an 18-year-old finishing his final year at King High School in Tampa, is heading to a national science competition — after winning first place at the Florida Invention Convention for research that explores using artificial intelligence to engineer tarantula venom into a potential treatment for anxiety disorders. The concept is unconventional. The science behind it is serious. Starting With a Real

It's been a jarring week for some Pasco County residents. After Tuesday afternoon's severe thunderstorms swept through the region, neighborhoods near Hudson and Shady Hills reported significant wind damage — and now it's official. The National Weather Service has confirmed that two separate tornadoes touched down in Pasco County, leaving property damage behind and raising questions about storm preparedness heading into Florida's active weather season. What the NWS Survey Foun

If you've been craving a shopping experience that goes well beyond the typical strip mall routine, something big is on the horizon for the Tampa Palms and Wesley Chapel area. Ebisu, the viral Japanese lifestyle megastore that has been making waves across the country, has officially announced it's bringing its largest U.S. location yet to Market Square at Tampa Palms — and local shoppers are already paying attention. What Is Ebisu? Founded in Osaka more than a decade ago, Ebis

WESLEY CHAPEL, FL — It's official. Hooters is coming to Wesley Chapel. The iconic restaurant — founded right here in the Tampa Bay area in Clearwater back in 1983 — has confirmed a new location at 25245 Wesley Chapel Blvd., next to the Harley-Davidson dealership, with an opening planned sometime in 2026. The 4,500-square-foot space will feature both indoor seating and an outdoor patio — a setup that plays perfectly into Florida's year-round outdoor weather. The Wesley Chapel

WESLEY CHAPEL, FL — Wesley Chapel finally has its own public library, and it's wasting no time getting to work. The new branch opened its doors in February 2026 and has already begun rolling out programming for all ages — with more on the way as the library settles into the community. Dozens of residents lined up outside the entrance on opening day, eager to be among the first through the doors. Since then, the library has been steadily expanding its calendar of events and se

WESLEY CHAPEL, FL — If you're a parent new to the area or just keeping tabs on how local schools are performing, GreatSchools.org has released its latest ratings for Wesley Chapel campuses — and several schools are scoring at the top of the scale. The ratings cover multiple categories including student progress, test scores, and college readiness for high schools. Here's where Wesley Chapel stands right now. The Current Ratings Dr. John Long Middle School — 9/10 Pinecrest Aca

A Tampa-based independent bookstore with a focus on local history and Florida literature is reportedly opening its doors for the first time at a brick-and-mortar location in the Hyde Park neighborhood. Itimpi Bookstore, which has previously operated as an online retailer celebrating Tampa Bay authors and stories, is holding what it describes as a grand opening event at 213 S. Howard Avenue in Tampa, FL 33606. According to the event listing, the opening is scheduled to run fro

If you've been looking for a reason to dust off your yoga mat, Pop Up Pilates LLC and Urban Crunch are teaming up for an outdoor fitness and wellness event right here in the Wesley Chapel area this week. Mats & Matcha is a community pop-up taking place on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at Bexley Hub — on the turf in Land O' Lakes, just minutes from Wesley Chapel. The event is open to all fitness levels and combines a guided Pilates class with complimentary matcha drinks

Classical ballet is coming to a stage near Wesley Chapel this month, as Tampa City Ballet prepares to perform Sleeping Beauty at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center. The production is scheduled for Saturday, May 16, 2026, from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. at 8550 Hunters Village Road in Tampa which is just minutes from the Wesley Chapel and New Tampa communities. The performance follows Princess Aurora's journey through a classic fairytale arc: a cursed sleep, a cast of enchanting char

WESLEY CHAPEL, FL — Help is about to get a lot closer. Pasco County Fire Rescue Station No. 2 — a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility on State Road 54 — is in its final construction phase and on track to open by winter 2026. The 13,840-square-foot, three-bay station is located at 32134 S.R. 54, less than a mile east of the AdventHealth Meadow Pointe Emergency Room. Groundbreaking was held on May 13, 2025, and the building structure is now fully complete. Crews are currently

WESLEY CHAPEL, FL — If you've ever wished you could order a decent salad as fast as a burger, Wesley Chapel just got your answer. Greenlane, Tampa Bay's homegrown drive-thru salad and wrap concept, opened its fifth location on Wednesday, February 25, right here in the Wesley Chapel area — and this one comes with a first for the brand. The new Cypress Creek location at 24801 State Road 54, just west of Tampa Premium Outlets, features the brand's first dedicated mobile-order dr

WESLEY CHAPEL, FL — Wesley Chapel's dining scene keeps leveling up. Tallo, the area's first-ever Caribbean-American fusion restaurant, is now open in the Avalon Park neighborhood — and if you haven't been yet, it should be near the top of your list. Located at 4424 Friendly Way, Suite 105, Tallo is owned by Puerto Rico native José Sato, who moved to Tampa in 2020 and worked at Boca in Sarasota before deciding that Wesley Chapel was exactly where he wanted to build something.

Popular Leather Goods Brand Makes Its Florida Debut in Wesley Chapel Wesley Chapel's retail scene just got a notable addition. Portland Leather, the nationally recognized brand known for its full-grain leather bags and accessories, has officially opened its first Florida location at The Shops at Wiregrass, located at 28330 Paseo Drive, Suite 620, in Wesley Chapel. Grand Opening Weekend Draws Large Crowds The grand opening celebration drew a significant turnout, with shoppers

Free Ocean Conservation Festival Heads to Coachman Park on May 16 Families across the Tampa Bay area have a reason to head to the waterfront this month. Sharkapalooza 2026, a free community festival centered on marine life, ocean conservation, and local art, is set to take place at Coachman Park in Clearwater, Florida on Saturday, May 16, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. What Is Sharkapalooza? Organized by Sharkapalooza Inc., a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the annual event

First-Ever Community Play-Along Concert Comes to the Straz Center This May The Florida Orchestra is doing something it has never done before — and Tampa Bay musicians of all skill levels are invited to be part of it. Play Out Tampa Bay, the orchestra's first-ever community play-along concert, is set for Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 7:30 PM at the Straz Center's Ferguson Hall in downtown Tampa. The event brings together amateur local musicians and professional orchestral players