Seize the day

By KATHLEEN LANG

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 3, 2000

Bring blankets and lawn chairs to Coachman Park as the city of Clearwater continues its early start on the holiday with the Sevilles, Gary Lewis and the Playboys and Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad performing at 7:15 p.m. today. Also today is a Taste of America Food Expo from 4 to 11 p.m. Coolers not allowed in the park today and Tuesday. The concert is free. Call (727) 562-4800.

May's destructive fire of a multimillion-dollar apartment complex under construction wasn't the first for historic Ybor City. Relive the blaze along with fires from 1891 and 1908 during the opening of the exhibit "The Catastrophic Fires of Ybor City" from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at the Ybor City State Museum, 2009 N 18th St. The exhibit, presented in conjunction with the Tampa Firefighter's Museum, features images of the 1891 and 1908 fires, as well as other events in Tampa and the state. Continues through September. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $2. Call (813) 247-1434 or (813) 247-6323.

Have a 24-hour good time from 7 p.m. today through 7 p.m. Tuesday at Independence Fest 2000 in the historic Cuban Club, 2010 Republica de Cuba, Ybor City. More than 23 live bands are featured for the event that benefits Refuge Ministries, the First Amendment Legal Fund, Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranch and the Police Athletic League. Tickets are $20, available until midnight day of the show. Call (813) 247-4400.

Things to view

Grab your kids and follow the Yellow Brick Road when Turner Classic Movies airs The Wizard of Oz commercial-free today. A one-hour special precedes the movie with special segments by celebrities including stars such as Michael Douglas, Ashley Judd and Jane Lahr, daughter of Cowardly Lion Bert Lahr. 7 p.m.

The Discovery Channel unveils three years of extensive restoration to The Washington Monument: It Stands for All. Tonight's special documents the progress of the restoration effort and the history of the monument. 8 p.m.

Find out what goes on behind the shelves and the sales at one of the world's most famous department stores on today's Travel Channel special Hidden Harrods. Experience the massive behind-the-scenes operation that runs the store visited each day by 35,000 shoppers, including royals and celebrities. 9 p.m.

-- Compiled by Times staff writer Kathleen Lang. She can be reached at lang@sptimes.com. For a complete roundup of activities around the Tampa Bay area, log on to the Web at http://www.tampabay.com.