Mr. Rogers was so awesome, it straight-up makes us wanna cry when we realize he’s not alive anymore. That doesn’t mean he isn’t a part of the world, because his legacy endures. His show, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, went off the air the end of August, 2001 (scant days before we really could have used a double-shot of Fred Rogers!), but his legacy of kindness continues, and we’re stoked to go see Won’t You Be My Neighbor? when Tampa Theatre — along with only a few other theaters across the country — premieres this documentary.
Right before the film, Tampa Theatre and the Tampa Downtown Partnership will throw a Franklin Street Block Party, with samples from Bavaro’s Pizza Napoletana & Pastaria, Jerk Hut, 1895 Kitchen—Bar—Market, Indigo Coffee House + Social Bar, SoFresh and Vale Food Co. Under the grand marquee at Tampa Theatre, take a gander at a pop-up art exhibit from Illsol, the on-the-road iteration of the soon-to-be-legendary Tampa Heights art space. Holland King will create live chalk art and other artists will live-paint Mr. Rogers-themed art.
Get to know your Tampa neighbors, too — Heart Gallery of Tampa Bay, the Henry B. Plant Museum, The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, the Tampa Bay International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival and WEDU-PBS (among others) will have space at the block party.
And here’s the best part: Remember how Mr. Rogers used to change sweaters at the top of every show? Whelp, Tampa Theatre’s collecting new and gently used sweaters and sneaks (’cause Mr. Rogers changed shoes, too) for The Spring of Tampa Bay (and other local charities). While the block party ends right before the movie starts at 7:30, the sweater and sneaker drive will keep going throughout the film’s run (through June 27). Why? Tampa Theatre explains it as such: “Mr. Rogers said, “We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It’s easy to say ‘It’s not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.’ Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes.””
This article appears in May 17-24, 2018.
