A Leader Among Tampa Hotels Welcomes Another Season of Film Festival Goers

TAMPA, FL--(Marketwired - Oct 7, 2014) - In 1990, the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival began as a fundraising event for several local non-profit groups. Over the course of its 25 years, those in charge of the festival evolved their brand to include monthly screenings and community outreach around Tampa and St. Petersburg. The capstone of their efforts has always been and continues to be the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.

Spanning from October 3^rd to October 11^th, this nine day celebration of the best in LGBT cinema will take over downtown Tampa. Less than a mile away from the festival's epicenter sits the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina. Festival goers needing a Tampa hotel deal for the event can find easy access to all the festival's parties and events, and breathtaking views of the Bay starting from just $159.00 a night. 

Each day of screening will be held at the historic and classically restored Tampa Theatre -- a beautiful and ravishing venue that few other festivals can call home for the entirety of their event.

Sometime between screenings like George Takei's To Be Takei, playing cornhole with John Waters and friends, or rooftop cocktail soirees honoring Susan Sontag and Alice Walker, festival goers will want a home base to recharge for each event. A relaxing alternative to Ybor City hotels located in the midst of Tampa's bustling nightlife, the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina offers every amenity needed to feel right at home -- breakfast every morning at on-site Waterside Grill, a rooftop lap pool, and a full-service spa to rejuvenate after long days and nights enjoying the festival. And don't worry, this hotel near Ybor City is just a car stop from the energy of the charming strip of nightlife.

The Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival will kick off this Friday at 6:00PM with the Opening Night Street Party and a free screening of Blackbird at 8:00PM. The Opening Night Street Party will last until eleven o'clock and includes music from DJ Phoenyx von Black, three bars with wide open doors, and cupcakes galore.

If you can't book a downtown Tampa hotel room, make sure to follow Marriott Florida's blog, http://floridabuzzreport.com/lgbt-festival-tampa/ throughout the festival's run for updates about the opening festivities, Blackbird, and much more.

About the Marriott Tampa Waterside Hotel & Marina
A modern hotel that captures the energy and beauty of Tampa, Marriott Tampa Waterside Hotel & Marina's premiere location near Tampa Bay, in the heart of downtown Tampa offers the best of everything Tampa can boast. The majority of rooms are adorned with balconies providing breathtaking views of the Bay or inspiring panoramas of the Tampa skyline. Luxurious amenities like their full-service spa juxtaposed against their 50,000 square feet of meeting and event space perfectly blurs the lines between work and play. With two on-site restaurants -- Waterside Grill and Champion's Sports Bar, guests don't need to leave their hotel to eat well -- though that's not entirely recommended with downtown Tampa nearby, and the rich culture of Ybor City a streetcar stop away. Their 683 guest rooms and 36 suites are fully equipped with every modern amenity -- flat screen TVs, high speed internet. And most importantly, beds are furnished with the signature plush Marriott bedding for a restorative night's sleep.