City Editor Bailey here. There's no more TBAY-esque party than Tampa Riverfest with its riverfront sunsets, live dancey music, and tons of incredible local eats. This year's event was sponsored by Publix and Publix GreenWise Market, who were out in full force serving hearty eats like barbecue + mac n' cheese.

I got the fortunate chance to attend this year's Friday night festivities. Read on to see how the event went — how this is just one way Publix betters the Tampa community.

What we tried:

I stopped by the Taste of the Riverwalk festivities and tried Publix GreenWise Market's fresh arugula salad with citrus chicken. I paired the dish with a Stella lager, and then headed to the Publix food truck just outside the Taste event to feast on delish samplers of:

Publix Deli Pulled Pork (available in the Publix Deli on select days, along with smoked sausage and barbecue ribs)
Publix Deli White Cheddar Mac n’ Cheese
King’s Hawaiian Rolls

Pro tip: All these items are sold at Publix stores.

Publix served up the ultimate summer staples: mac and cheese, barbecue, and rolls. | Photo by TBAYtoday

What not to miss:

Make sure you fit in the Taste of the Riverwalk event-within-the-event. Tickets to the massive foodie fair were $15 for three samples and $20 for five samples. There were tons of local spots like The Tampa Edition, Driftlight Steakhouse, and Publix GreenWise Market.

It was special to see local restaurants, museums, businesses, local musicians (hello, No Doubt + Kate Perry tribute bands), and hundreds of Tampanians livin' it up on the riverfront.

What we’re still talking about:

Publix chose to sponsor Tampa Riverfest because they believe in giving back to the community and being a part of making Tampa a vibrant + exciting place to live. How else do they better TBAY? Publix Charities works with local organizations to help alleviate hunger, reduce homelessness, support youth programs, and more. Think: Habitat for Humanity, Feeding America food banks, and meaningful youth organizations.

Folks milled around long after they finished their plates. | Photo by TBAYtoday

How you can experience this:

Next year's Tampa Riverfest may be a while off, but there's always community events happening at Publix GreenWise Market, like Bingo Night, Tap Takeovers, and 5K Fun Runs.

Another way to be a part of + improve the Tampa community: Simply shop at Publix and Publix GreenWise Market. The local stores donate millions to organizations, and by supporting the store, you support our community.

Things to know if you go:

Experience: Tampa Riverfest (and other Publix community involvements)
Price: Varies
Website: thetampariverwalk.com + publixcharities.org
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