Tampa Bay's Swing Dance News for December 31st 2010

TONIGHT, join us for THE greatest swing-dance party & celebration in modern Tampa Bay history! Swingin' the New Year has it all... one of the world's top swing bands... one of the world's biggest & best dance venues... an exciting crowd of 1000+ (expected) swing/dance/music/party enthusiasts! ...New Year's Eve at the spectacular St. Petersburg Coliseum! (details below)

DAY OF EVENT INFO: BUY TICKETS ONLINE NOW to reserve the best available seats! Online ticket sales will remain open through the end of the event. You may also buy tickets by phone at 727-669-7830 or 813-579-4645 until 7pm tonight; after 7pm, do not call these numbers and do not leave a message, because your call won't be returned until Monday. Instead, after 7pm buy tickets online or buy them at the Coliseum. The Coliseum box office can be reached tonight at 727-892-5202 with any questions (depending on call volume, your call MIGHT be answered); they don't sell tickets over the phone; they do sell tickets if you show up in person (Box Office is open from noon onward today).

Make plans now for Tampa Bay's biggest & best-ever swingin' New Year's Eve celebration!

Swingin' the New Year!
GRAND NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATION FOR ALL AGES
Friday, December 31st, 2010
at the Spectacular ST. PETERSBURG COLISEUM!
Live & Swingin' Big Band Music by
BILL ALLRED'S CLASSIC JAZZ BAND!

New Year's Eve -- Friday December 31st 2010 -- Swingin' the New Year, a grand New Year's Eve celebration for all ages, happens at the spectacular St. Petersburg Coliseum, and features the world-renowned Bill Allred's Classic Jazz Band! The evening includes live music, dancing and celebration 9pm-1am, plus an intro swing-dance lesson 8-9pm (no partner needed); doors open 7:30pm. The celebration features a midnight countdown & balloon drop, dance performances, a vintage fashion photo shoot & contest, party favors & chocolates, prize giveaways, free parking, and a full cash bar with champagne bottles and toasts available. The St. Petersburg Coliseum provides historic swing-era ambiance, a smoke-free atmosphere, and an unparalleled 15,000 square foot oak dance floor! Dress to impress! ...New Year's and vintage attire are encouraged. The St. Petersburg Coliseum is located at 535 4th Ave. N., St. Petersburg FL 33701. Swingin' the New Year is produced by Swing Time and Swing Gang, and sponsored by Helinger Advertising.

Bill Allred's Classic Jazz Band is a powerhouse of swing, a band that's currently enjoying world-wide acclaim as one of the most talented and versatile in the industry. This 8-member ensemble creates a jazzed-up, full-throttle, big-band sound by combining a 5-piece horn section (doubled up on the trumpets & trombones) with a superb rhythm section and outstanding vocals. In 2010, Bill Allred's Classic Jazz Band celebrates its 20th Anniversary! Highly active on the jazz festival circuit, the band regularly plays some of the most prestigious festivals and venues in the world. The band has toured four continents and recorded thirteen albums! They enjoy frequent air-play on the nation's leading jazz radio stations. This has earned them an ever-growing base of followers, plus an international fan club of over 1500 loyal members!

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Live Music & Dancing + Celebration! 9pm-1am
Swing Dance Lesson: 8-9pm (no partner needed)
Doors Open 7:30pm

Midnight Countdown & BALLOON DROP
Vintage Fashion Photo Shoot & Contest!
Dance Performances
Full Cash Bar w/ Champagne Bottles & Toasts Available
Party Favors ~ Noisemakers ~ Chocolates ~ Prize Giveaways
* All Ages * Smoke-Free * New Year's Decor * Free Parking *
Dress to Impress! New Year's and Vintage Attire Encouraged

NEW FOR THIS YEAR'S CELEBRATION:
No Surcharges Anywhere (except Ticketmaster)
$2/Ticket Discount for Groups of 10+
All Tickets Provide a Reserved Seat!
Reserve an Alcove with Just 4 Tickets Upfront!

TICKETS: $24/in advance -or- $29/day of event; Purchase Advance Tickets:
Securely Online at www.TampaBaySwing.com
By Phone at 727-669-7830 or 813-579-4645
In Person at Coliseum Box Office: 535 4th Ave N, St Petersburg (10am-4pm M-F, 727-892-5202)
In Person at Gulfport Casino: WED 12/29 6-11pm

Group Discounts & VIP Reservations: Group discounts and Reserved VIP Alcoves & Tables are available for parties of 10 or more, with complimentary deluxe chocolates included! To receive your group discount of $2/ticket, phone 727-669-7830 or 813-579-4645 to purchase 10 or more tickets (all tickets provide reserved seating) or visit our swing-dance events to get your tickets in person. Parties reserving VIP Alcoves (alcoves provide 20-28 seats) may arrive early to custom decorate their alcoves, and may contact us for custom seating arrangements, reserving multiple adjacent alcoves, etc. Click here or phone 727-669-7830 or 813-579-4645 to reserve an alcove. The Coliseum balcony, with seating for up to 150 plus its own private bar and dance floor, is also available for a large group reservation or sponsorship.

Food & Drinks: You may bring your own food to this event, or purchase a variety of snacks from the Coliseum's snack bar (everything from popcorn to ice cream to coffee). For drinks, the Coliseum will run a full cash bar, with beer, wine, mixed drinks, soft drinks, bottled water, and champagne. No outside beverages are allowed into the Coliseum, and no coolers are allowed.

For more info, visit www.TampaBaySwing.com or click the links below:
Purchase Tickets Band Info Map & Directions

Friday, January 14th, 2011
Swing Time! at the Gulfport Casino Ballroom
featuring Piano Superstar Mitch Woods
& his Rocket 88's!

Get ready to jump & boogie, rock & swing with internationally renowned piano superstar, Mitch Woods, and his band, the Rocket 88's! From swingin' New Orleans rhythm & blues dance grooves (in the style of Fats Domino, Smiley Lewis, and others) to swingin' high-energy originals, Mitch Woods & his Rocket 88's deliver music that'll make you want to jump up and dance! The event starts with a group swing-dance lesson, 8-9pm (no partner needed), followed by live music & dancing, 9:00pm-12:30am. Doors open 7:30pm, and all ages are welcome! It all happens Friday, January 14th, 2011 in the spectacular waterfront ballroom of the Gulfport Casino.

Boogie woogie pianist and vocalist, Mitch Woods, has been pumping the piano for over 30 years in the San Francisco Bay area and on tour across the globe! He's become a modern master of the eighty-eights, with wry vocals and thunderous chops that inspired legendary jump-bluesman Joe Liggins to tag him as "Mr. Rocket 88". He's recorded nine critically acclaimed CDs, and headlined some of the most prestigious clubs and music festivals in the world, including the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Amsterdam Blues Festival, the Belgium Rhythm & Blues Festival, and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, to name a few. He's played with, recorded with, and appeared in concert with a huge list of music legends including James Brown, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Neville Brothers, John Lee Hooker, and The Fabulous Thunderbirds.

Swing Time is Florida's Premier Swing Event, held one Friday each month in Tampa Bay at the Gulfport Casino Ballroom. The Gulfport Casino is located in the St. Petersburg area at 5500 Shore Blvd. S., Gulfport FL 33707.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Live Music & Dancing w/ Mitch Woods & his Rocket 88's 9:00pm-12:30am
Swing Dance Instruction (no partner needed) 8:00-9:00pm
Doors Open 7:30pm

All Ages & Smoke-Free
Friendly Social Atmosphere
Beautiful Waterfront Ballroom
Huge Dance Floor
Prize Giveaways
Full Bar

Tickets: General Admission...$12/advance -or- $15/day of event
Tickets: Reserved Seating...$15/advance (must be purchased in advance)
Purchase Advance Tickets Now securely online at www.SwingTime.info
-or- in person Wednesdays at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night
-or- in person New Year's Eve at Swingin' the New Year
Admission includes Free Lesson; Free Parking!

For more info, visit www.SwingTime.info on the web, or click the links below:
Tickets Band Bio Map & Directions More Info

GULFPORT CASINO SWINGS! -- Every WEDNESDAY

Every Wednesday in JANUARY 2011, the 6pm Bonus Lesson topic is Advancing Your Swing
Every Wednesday in FEBRUARY 2011, the 6pm Bonus Lesson topic is Charleston
Bonus Lessons are yours FREE! ...with paid admission to the event.

Bonus Lesson 6-7pm
Swing Dance Lesson 7-8pm
Swing Music & Dance 8-11pm

* All Ages * No Partner Needed *
Huge Dance Floor -- One of World's Best!
Beautiful Retro-Era Waterfront Dance Hall

Admission $7 (includes 2 Free Lessons!)
Students get 2-for-1 Admission!

Full Bar ~ Prize Giveaways ~ Smoke-Free ~ Free Parking
Celebrate Your Birthday at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night!

The Gulfport Casino is one of the world's best ballrooms, offering up social dance excitement in a picturesque beachfront setting.

Map & Directions Dance Lessons More Info