City: Tampa Bay, FL

Category: Annual Events & Festivals

Telephone: (727) 937-3540

Address: 17 E. Tarpon Ave.

Description: Don’t miss the January 6 Tarpon Springs Epiphany Celebration, which commemorates the baptism of Jesus Christ in the River Jordan. Greek-language church services begin at 8 a.m. with the liturgy at 9:30 a.m., both held at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral. At noon the Archbishop offers the blessing of the waters, and then everyone processes to Craig Park at Spring Bayou (one block west of Alternate U.S. 19 at W. Tarpon Ave.). Here, thousands of spectators sit on folding chairs and blankets. Several dozen Greek male teens wait on boats for the Archbishop to bless, then throw a white cross into the water. A dove is released, the cross is tossed, and the young men dive in after it, hoping for the special blessing awarded to the one who retrieves the cross. Then it’s Glendi time—party time, that is. The big Glendi (festival) is at the Spanos-Pappas Community Center’s Theofilos Hall, 348 N. Pinellas Ave., where the opas and the Greek food and the traditional dancing go on from early afternoon until 9 p.m.Locals say the Tarpon Springs Epiphany Celebration is the largest of its kind in the world. If you go, be prepared for crowds—the town more than doubles in size. There are several free city parking lots in the historic downtown district near the church and street parking is permitted unless posted otherwise. Several paid parking lots are located in the sponge docks area—an attraction in itself. A trolley runs between the two areas.