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WMNF-FM reignites Tropical Heatwave music fest at the Cuban Club Ybor City, May 6
WMNF honors its roots and ushers in a fresh vibe with a sizzling line-up of national and local musical artists for the return of its signature music festival.
Tampa Bay’s spring concert calendar gets even hotter on Saturday, May 6, with the much-anticipated return of WMNF’s signature live music event Tropical Heatwave at the historic Cuban Club Ybor City. Concert-goers will enjoy a sizzling lineup of bands, including Grammy-nominated electric blues artist Shemekia Copeland, Louisiana-based funk-soul-rock group Seratones, and LPT, a 10-piece Salsa band out of Jacksonville, Fla.
““We’ll have a taste of everything—from blues to bluegrass, rap to rock, hip-hop to rockabilly, electronica to Americana,” said Linda Reisinger, host of WMNF’s long-running “The LuLus” show and festival organizer. “We worked hard to consider who to invite and how to be sure we had the right balance of national and local talent and a variety of music styles and genres.”
The 16-band line-up includes new acts and beloved favorites of the Tampa music scene: GA-20, Eilen Jewel Band, Glove, Have Gun Will Travel, Rocket 88, Laura Rain & The Caesars, The Snozzberries, Vodkanauts, Cottondale Swamp, Synergy in a Cup, Magadog, Talk to Mark. The Gulfport Gecko Amalgamated Marching Band will kick off show at 6 p.m. at the Cuban Club Ybor City.
The revival of Tropical Heatwave comes after a 7-year hiatus and signals the station firmly embracing its community roots while ushering in a fresh WMNF including a new station logo and tagline: “Where music, news, and culture collide.”
The first Tropical Heatwave was held in 1979 and most years until 2016. At its peak, Heatwave was a multi-day event held at various venues throughout Ybor City.
“There was a tremendous outcry from the WMNF community—from music fans, musicians, and local businesses—when we decided to end Heatwave after 2016,” said Reisinger. “Even now, a couple of years after pandemic shutdown, people are still clamoring to reunite with friends at their favorite music festivals, especially Tropical Heatwave.”
“Part of WMNF’s mission is to serve as a cross-cultural hub for Tampa Bay. Heatwave fits that bill in so many ways,” said Randi M. Zimmerman, WMNF general manager. “It’s an eclectic, exotic musical extravaganza that promotes cultural vitality.”
“This year we are excited to celebrate our collective roots by holding the festival at the beautiful Cuban Club in Ybor City,” Zimmerman said. “It’s a wonderful venue with a rich history and heritage and plenty of space. People will be able to move freely between acts on three stages.”
“We expanded our partnerships with other area businesses and agencies that see the value in bringing Heatwave fans into town,” she said. “We are very grateful for generous grants from the Ybor City Development Corporation and the Hillsborough County Arts Council that are making this event possible.
Tropical Heatwave sponsors include The Tampa Bay Times, The Bank of Tampa, Greaves Construction, Creative Loafing Tampa, as well as Cigar City Cider & Mead and Rock Brothers Brewing who will be offering limited selections of beverages at Heatwave.
WMNF’s Tropical Heatwave will take on Saturday, May 6, at The Cuban Club, 2010 Avenida Republica de Cuba, Tampa, Florida 33605. Tickets are $40 in advance, $50 at the door. Advance tickets are available for $40, at 10 a.m. EST at www.tropicalheatwave.org.
For more information about Tropical Heatwave, contact Linda Reisinger (813) 238-8001, ext. 131, or lindalu@wmnf.org.
ABOUT WMNF 88.5 FM COMMUNITY RADIO: WMNF 88.5 FM is a listener-supported, volunteer-powered, commercial-free community radio station based in Tampa, Fla. Founded in 1979, WMNF celebrates cultural diversity and is committed to equality, peace, and social and economic justice by providing listener-inspired broadcasts (and other forums with a grassroots, local emphasis) to promote creative, musical, and political vitality. WMNF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization governed by the Nathan B. Stubblefield Foundation. For more information about WMNF 88.5 FM, visit WMNF.org.
