Entertainment
Kenny Chesney Wows Tampa Bay After Five Years with Trip Around the Sun Tour
Last night, Kenny Chesney kicked off his “Trip Around the Sun” tour in Tampa, Florida and the show was nothing short of energetic, exciting, and a trip! With the beach style setup of the stadium with the floor seats and VIP area on beautiful white sand, considered the “sandbar,” and tons of beach balls bouncing throughout the stands, the atmosphere already took fans’ imagination on a tropical vacation. The sold out crowd of 55,292 fans were eager and enthusiastic to see Chesney back in Tampa Bay. Chesney has not done a stadium tour, let alone been in Tampa, for five years and apologized to fans numerous times for that last night, saying,
“Five years is way too long to stay away from Tampa Bay, and I apologize for that, and if you let me, my band, and my road family, we’re going to take you by the hand and make love to you all night! And I promise we’ll make up for all five years we did not come here!” With that said, Chesney, along with his tour mates, most definitely made up for it, just as he promised!”
The show kicked off with newer artist, Brandon Lay, known for his hit “Wilder Horses,” initiating the crowd’s engagement. Seats began filling in even more as Old Dominion took the stage, getting the stadium on their feet. Fans loved when Old Dominion sang their hit “Written in the Sand,” but they loved it even more and sang a little bit louder when the band played “Break up with Him.”
Thomas Rhett swooned the crowed opening up with “T-shirt.” Rhett then transitioned into his song “Sixteen,” when he located a fan, Jaden, who was actually celebrating her 16th birthday in the front row, and sang happy birthday to her. After “Sixteen,” the women in crowd sang their hearts out to “Marry Me.” Rhett showed off more of his artistic skills as the stage crew brought out a drum set for him to tear up towards the end of his song “Unforgettable.” Wrapping up his set, Rhett hopped off the stage to interact with the fans, running through, taking photos and giving hugs.
After a calming intermission, came the moment everyone was waiting for, the return of Kenny Chesney to Tampa, Florida! The electrifying visuals had nothing on the energy Chesney ran out on stage with to greet the crowd as he launched his set with “Beer in Mexico”. A fan, Lauren, told me prior to Kenny Chesney’s set, “I’ve been watching him for ten years and he’s still one of the most energetic country artist[s] ever, completely entertaining and just keeps you smiling in awe of him the entire concert!”
She was right about that. Chesney had the crowd in complete awe as he rolled from one hit to the next. There was not one dull moment during the show–it’s like he didn’t even need to stop for air–dancing, singing, loving on the fans, and rocking the night away.
As Chesney introduced the song, “Save it for a Rainy Day”, it turned out that two band mates from Old Dominion actually wrote that song, so Kenny had the two join him on stage to perform it. After that, Chesney had his audience give a heart-warming shout out to his pianist, Wyatt, who had to get surgery just two days prior to the concert and couldn’t play. As the crowd shouted “We love you Wyatt!” Chesney introduced, Thomas Rhett back out on stage to sing “When the Sun Goes Down” with him, which the fans loved every bit of. Roughly the second-to-last song of the night, Chesney performed his former hit, “Out Last Night,” a song which seemed like the whole stadium knew the words to. The singalong echoed throughout the stadium and probably halfway down Dale Mabry Blvd.
It was a night many did not want to end, but as Kenny Chesney promised, he sure did make up for not being in Tampa, Florida for five years and there’s no doubt that fans will be counting down to the next “Trip Around the Sun.”
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Kasey Hudson is a contributor for Florida National News. | social@floridanationalnews.com
Central Florida News
Orange County Arts & Cultural Affairs Presents ‘HYPE HAIR’ Exhibit by Peppermint Sandy in Downtown Orlando
Entertainment
USF Credit Union Named Presenting Sponsor of ‘Rainbow To Your Door’ With $5,000 Challenge Match Grant
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — The production team behind Rainbow To Your Door announced that USF Credit Union has joined the upcoming theatrical production as its Presenting Sponsor, accompanied by a $5,000 Challenge Match Grant aimed at encouraging community support and helping fully fund the project.
The partnership reflects a shared commitment to arts, education, and community engagement across Central Florida. Organizers say the challenge grant will match community contributions dollar-for-dollar up to $5,000, helping expand public access and educational opportunities connected to the production.
Original Play Celebrates Florida’s Artistic Legacy
Rainbow To Your Door is an original stage production written by Los Angeles-based playwright Kenneth Brown. The play is inspired by the historic friendship and artistic exchange between acclaimed author and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston and artist Jules André Smith.
Set in 1938 at the historic Maitland Art Center, the production explores the challenges, triumphs, and purpose of artists navigating a rapidly changing world while preserving their creative voices.
“This partnership represents more than sponsorship. It is an investment in storytelling, culture, and preserving the legacy of artistic voices that helped shape Florida’s creative identity,” Brown said. “We are incredibly grateful to USF Credit Union for believing in this vision and helping us create meaningful community impact through the arts.”
Challenge Match Campaign Aims to Fully Fund Production
As part of the sponsorship, USF Credit Union will provide a $5,000 Challenge Match Grant to encourage community participation and charitable giving. Production organizers say that once the matching goal is reached, Rainbow To Your Door will be fully funded.
Donations generated through the campaign will support expanded accessibility initiatives, educational programming, community outreach, and audience engagement efforts associated with the production.
“USF Credit Union is proud to support initiatives that enrich the communities we serve,” said Rick Skaggs, CEO of USF Credit Union. “Rainbow To Your Door reflects the power of culture, education, and the arts to inspire meaningful conversations and strengthen community connections.”
Production Scheduled for October 2026
Media relations and promotional efforts for the production are being coordinated by Fierce Entertainment.
Rainbow To Your Door is scheduled for Oct. 10–11, 2026, at the Timucua Arts Foundation in Orlando.
Additional information regarding ticket sales, sponsorship opportunities, and the community challenge campaign will be announced in the coming weeks.
Media Contact:
Rob Henlon
Fierce Entertainment
rob@alwaysfierce.com
For sponsorship information and production updates, visit Rainbow To Your Door.
Central Florida News
FNN Honors Teen Reporter Isabella Schmitt as She Graduates and Pursues Communications Degree
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Florida National News proudly celebrates Isabella Schmitt as she marks an important milestone with her high school graduation and prepares to begin an exciting new chapter pursuing Communications in college.
Over the years, Isabella has represented the next generation of young voices with professionalism, creativity, determination, and passion.
Through reporting opportunities, community involvement, and media experiences, she has continued to shine both on and off camera while inspiring others through her dedication and work ethic.
Jenny Rosario, Vice President of Florida National News, praised Isabella’s accomplishments and bright future ahead.
“Watching Isabella grow both personally and professionally has been truly inspiring,” Rosario said. “She represents the future of journalism, communications, and storytelling. Her passion, confidence, and commitment to making a positive impact through media are remarkable, and we are incredibly proud of all she has accomplished.”
Rosario added that Isabella’s decision to pursue Communications in college is a natural next step for someone with such strong talent and determination.
“The world of media and communications needs more young voices like Isabella’s,” Rosario said. “We know this is only the beginning of many great accomplishments to come.”
Florida National News congratulates Isabella Schmitt and the entire Class of 2026 on this exciting achievement.
“Keep dreaming big and telling stories that matter,” Rosario added.
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