A crowd of about 80,000 is expected along the Riverwalk on Saturday to watch Red Bull Flugtag behind the Tampa Convention Center.
For the uninitiated, the event features inventive competitors launching home-made, human-powered flying machines off a 27-foot-high deck into the Seddon Channel basin. The goal is to see how far their designs go before reaching the water. Celebrities will judge successes and failures.
The free event runs from noon to 5 p.m.
While the participants dare the laws of gravity, drivers in the area can expect their own challenges around the convention center as early as 8 a.m. Tampa officials warn motorists to prepare for lane closures and the need for caution to navigate the throng of pedestrians along the Riverwalk.
According to the city, Bayshore Boulevard will be closed from Swann Avenue north and Brorein Street south to Platt Street. The West Platt Street bridge will be closed, as well as Franklin Street south, and the Franklin Street bridge to Harbour Island.
Parking will be limited, including at the Fort Brooke Garage.
The city recommends using alternative transportation, including parking in Ybor City and riding a free TECO Streetcar to the Greco Plaza stop in the Channel District.
Red Bull Flugtag hasn’t been in Tampa since 2011. The event also came here in 2008.
Registration for participants ended in September.
