The “Great Tampa City Council Karaoke Battle of 2025” happens in Forest Hills next month at the Babe Zaharias golf course clubhouse.
Nearly 100 years old, Babe Zaharias is one of three city-owned courses and a historic landmark located within the Forest Hills neighborhood.
“I’m not a good singer. I just have a good time,” Councilman Luis Viera, who represents District 7, told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.
He and District 2 Councilman Guido Maniscalco started this tradition in 2022, and it has grown to include their fellow council colleagues.
“Charlie [Miranda] comes around, and Alan [Clendenin] comes around, and he does it. And then I made up this band name, we’re the Tampacrats,” Viera added.
“Sometimes we have conflicts,” he added, alluding to disagreements on the dais. “And it’s good to have something like that where we just kick back and have a good time.”
District 3 councilwoman Lynn Hurtak told CL that she’s never done karaoke before, but has been practicing. “I’m ready to wipe the floor with my council colleagues. I haven’t told anyone the song(s) I’m working on, so it’ll have to remain a secret until the night of,” she added in a text message.
A flyer adds that no city business will be discussed (Florida’s eroding Sunshine Laws still prohibit that).
The band will have one less voice this year, too, after the passing of District 5 Councilwoman Gwendolyn Hendersen, who died last month at the age of 60 (a special election for her seat will be held this fall).
Even though being a councilmember is a serious job, Viera, who’s running for state house since he’s term-limited on the council, wants constituents to know that it’s OK to cut loose every once in a while.
Viera told CL that his dream karaoke song, “One Headlight” by The Wallflowers, is too long, so he has other choices up his sleeve as he hopes to appeal to the masses.
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This article appears in Jul 17-23, 2025.