Sticks of Fire: a Tampa blog

Happy Valentine’s Day!

You know what today is - the day you go and buy your sweetheart some flowers, chocolates, jewelry or maybe take her/him to a romantic dinner somewhere to show how much you care. If you are tired of doing the same old thing every V day (I would never suggest you haven’t already made fantastic plans), why not take your sweetie to the Performing Arts Center tonight for the Cigar City Chronicles Preview.

You and your sweetie can learn about the history of Tampa through song and dance by the Center cabaret performers. Tickets are $50.00 per person OR $100.00 per couple (what a deal!), and that benefits the Ybor City Museum Society.

Enjoy free valet parking, a gourmet buffet and a cash bar. Also, ladies will receive one long-stemmed rose and gentlemen will receive a complimentary Tampa Sweetheart cigar. What else do you need?

Disclosure: We do have a promotional agreement with TBPAC for this play. This valentine’s day special is not part of our deal. Just want you to know.

Mix and mingle with other smart (Tampa?) lovers from 6:30 - 7:30pm, and the show starts at 7:30pm. For more information contact the Ybor City Museum Store at (813)241-6554.

The fresh air outside your house is provided free of charge. Get off the couch!

61 years ago…

January 17, 1946 – Marie Binder Cuesta, widow of A.L. Cuesta, Sr., the cigar manufacturer and founder of Cuesta Rey and Co., dies after a three-month illness.

Courtesy of the Tampa Bay History Center.

71 years ago…

January 8, 1936 – The Gradiaz, Annis & Co., and Schwab, Davis & Co., two of Tampa’s leading cigar manufacturers, announce their merger. The enlarged company, known as Gradiaz, Annis & Co., occupied 2311 18th St., a building still standing in Ybor City.

Courtesy of the Tampa Bay History Center.

61 years ago…

January 3, 1946 – The Tampa Morning Tribune reports that in 1945, Tampa cigar factories turned out 535,506,726 cigars, with over 56 million produced in October alone.

Courtesy of the Tampa Bay History Center.

110 years ago…

December 14, 1896 – Vicente Martinez Ybor, cigar manufacturer and namesake and founder of Ybor City, dies at the age of 81. Mr. Ybor is buried in the St. Louis section of Tampa’s Oaklawn Cemetery.

Courtesy of the Tampa Bay History Center.

75 years ago…

December 5, 1931 – The Tampa City Council passes an ordinance authorizing the use of special policemen, who were allowed to bear arms, to “protect” the city from striking cigar workers.

Courtesy of the Tampa Bay History Center.

Cigar City Magazine recently celebrated their 1st anniversary, and tonight they throw their annual event, Cigars & Stars.  Meet some cigar VIP’s, try some fantastic cigars, enjoy some gourmet food and fine spirits from Tampa’s best restaurants.  There will also be an open bar and live entertainment.  It all gets under way at 6:30 at the Ybor City Museum State Park in the beautiful outdoor garden.  100$ benefits The Ybor City Museum Society.

On Saturday, Margarita & Wallace Reyes will attempt to break into the Guinness World Record book for the Longest Cigar.  The Cigar Heritage Festival is at Centennial Park from 10am to 5pm.  The one hundred foot cigar is expected to be ready around 2pm.

110 years ago…

October 23, 1896 – Six hundred cigar workers walk out on strike at the V. Martinez Ybor & Manrara cigar factory. The workers were protesting the selling of lower-grade cigars, known as cheroots, at a higher price than they were paid for making them.

Courtesy of the Tampa Bay History Center.