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Tampa Theatre

Tampa Theatre

Photo by Stephanie Klavens

Tampa Theatre, Tampa, FL

Ornate, historic downtown Tampa theater offers year round entertainment plus occasional encounters with resident ghost

by Mary Lou Janson | March 03, 2010

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Gargoyles to ghosts add to the eclectic elegance that can only be experienced at the stately Tampa Theatre, which opened in downtown Tampa in 1926.  Designed by acclaimed architect John Eberson, the landmark theater’s interior ceiling is a dazzling canopy of 99 twinkling stars and floating clouds and its stage floor opens to reveal a Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Organ rising from below for concerts that precede most movies. 

Former projectionist, now resident ghost, Fink Finley is said to still roam its halls—who can blame him for not wanting to miss out on the year round schedule of classic to current movies, concerts and special events held here?  Learn all about Fink during the monthly backstage-to-balcony tours of the nearly 1,400-seat theater. 

One weekend each year, movie fans are encouraged to get frilly, or silly, and applaud the live broadcast of the Academy Awards on the theater’s big screen. Only 50 movie theaters across the country are sanctioned as official Oscar Night America venues, so Tampa Theatre really rolls out the red carpet—literally.  Limos line up, paparazzi flash photos and interviewers swarm as guests arrive.  Expect everything from blue body-painted Avatar characters to apron-adorned chefs a la Julie & Julia.


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Tampa Theatre, downtown Tampa, Tampa, Florida, Tampa Bay, landmark theater, historic movie theater, movie theater, architect John Eberson, things to do in Tampa, Tampa attractions, ghosts, gargoyles, haunted movie theaters, haunted buildings, tours, historic tours, guided tours, city tours, Oscars, Academy Awards, concerts, concert halls, downtown Tampa entertainment



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