St. Patrick's Day weekend brought a lot of events to the Tampa Bay area. There was a celebration going on in Curtis Hixon Park, a national criterium bike race in downtown Tampa, and a parade in Ybor city.
This guy was the clear winner of the "I gotta get me one of those" award. He was jetting around the Hillsborough River with a jet pack tethered to a Jet Ski-looking device during the Mayor's River O'Green 2013 celebration. No, this picture is not enhanced. The river really is that green!
The Hillsborough River is dyed green by the city for the mayor's annual River O'Green celebration
At 11 a.m. Mayor Bob Buckhorn blew an air horn signaling the start of the second annual greening of the river. The mayor said he got the idea from Chicago but proclaims that Tampa's river is the greenest.
Mayor Buckhorn blows a horn to signal the crews to start dying the Hillsborough River green. He is seen with his daughters Grace and Colleen. Emcee Patty O'Funiture is in back.
The family-friendly party in the park includes dozens of games and activities for both adults and children, as well as food trucks and lots of kegs of Guinness. In this pic, 3-year-old Aiden Ryan, from West Palm Beach, attempts to improve his golf swing.
There are more St. Patrick's Day happenings — including the Cigar City Criterium race and the Rough Riders Ybor City parade.
This article appears in Mar 14-20, 2013.