Building Livable Communities: Celebrate World Car-Free Day in Tampa with AARP Tampa Bay!

Mark your calendars for Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, and join us for the 2nd Annual World Car-Free Day in Tampa! This exciting event, organized by Walk Bike Tampa and sponsored by AARP Tampa Bay, promises a day filled with fun, community and sustainability.

From 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., experience Tampa like never before—on foot, by bike, or using public transit. With three major activity hubs at Midtown, Encore, and HCC Ybor Plaza, there’s something for everyone. Enjoy vendors, urban markets, entertainment, food trucks, chalk art, pickleball, children’s activities, and more. Be sure to stop by the AARP booth in Midtown for games and prizes!

Win a FREE E-Bike with AARP Florida’s Car-Free Sweepstakes

In celebration of World Car-Free Day Tampa, AARP Florida is sponsoring a Car-Free Sweepstakes where you can win a free e-bike! Imagine cruising around town effortlessly, reducing your carbon footprint, and staying active. To enter: Sweepstakes registration

It’s a fantastic opportunity to embrace a car-free lifestyle and enjoy the benefits of an e-bike.

*AARP is sponsoring a sweepstakes leading up to World Car-Free Day. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal residents of Florida. Must be 18 years or older to enter. Only one (1) entry per individual. For official rules, click: HERE

AARP Florida’s Commitment to Livable Communities

AARP Florida is dedicated to making our communities more livable for people of all ages, especially those aged 50 and above. Through the AARP Livable Communities initiative, AARP Florida works with local leaders and organizations to enhance the quality of life in cities, towns, and neighborhoods across the state.

This initiative includes the AARP Community Challenge Grants, which funds quick action projects with lasting impacts. Recent 2024 grantee recipients in Tampa Bay include:

• Clearwater: 360 Eats

This project will outfit a mobile soup kitchen with additional refrigeration units. This will increase storage space for donated food, which the organization provides to people facing food insecurity, particularly older adults and those transitioning from homelessness.

• Pinellas Park: Pinellas Park Fire Department

This project will install grab bars in the homes of residents age 50 or older. These residents have frequently used the local EMS response system and are considered at high risk of falling.

• St. Petersburg: St. Petersburg Housing Authority

This project will make a community garden accessible by constructing benches, an awning and raised beds for growing healthy, free food. The Housing Authority will also hold workshops on sustainable gardening, cooking and budgeting skills.

• Tampa-St. Petersburg: Feeding Tampa Bay

This project will install free-standing bike racks at a new food panty facility and café locations. The racks will protect bikes from theft and improve accessibility for neighbors experiencing food insecurity, as well as for staff and volunteers.

By supporting these projects, AARP Florida is helping to create safer, more inclusive, and vibrant communities where residents can thrive at any age.

Join Us!

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to celebrate Car-Free Tampa, with a chance to win a free e-bike and learn more about AARP Florida’s efforts to build livable communities. Together, we can make a difference and enjoy a healthier, more sustainable future.

For more information, visit the Car-Free Tampa event page and the AARP Tampa Bay website.