Tampa Flugtag: Here’s what to know before you go

Red Bull Flugtag returns to Tampa this weekend

The Disco Pirates Krewe joined Good Day Tampa Bay ahead of this Saturday’s Red Bull Flugtag at the Tampa Convention Center.

TAMPA, Fla. - For the third time, people in homemade aircrafts will try to take flight in downtown Tampa when the Red Bull Flugtag returns on Saturday.

More than 80,000 people are expected to watch teams try to fly their makeshift creations outside the Tampa Convention Center, prompting road closures, increased pedestrian traffic and congestion on the roads and in the water.

What is Flugtag?

Red Bull Flugtag is a competition in which teams build and design ‘flying machines’ powered by humans and launched into the water. The name Flugtag comes from the German phrase ‘flying day’.

Between 30 -40 ‘flying machines’ will be selected to take flight on event day.

The teams are made up of five participants with only one person being the pilot and four ground crew members.

File: Tampa Flugtag

When is Flugtag in Tampa?

Tampa Flugtag is Saturday, November 9 at the Tampa Convention Center.

Gates will open at noon and the event runs until 5 p.m.

The first ‘flight’ will take off at 1 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public.

What roads are closed for Tampa Flugtag?

Road closures will begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday for Flugtag.

According to a city of Tampa map, Bayshore Blvd. and Franklin Street will be closed for Flugtag.

The city of Tampa will close roads near the Tampa Convention Center on Saturday for Flugtag. Image is courtesy of the city of Tampa.

The West Platt Street Bridge and the Harbour Island Bridge will be closed.

Tampa officials encourage Flugtag attendees to use alternative transportation options, such as the TECO Streetcar, HART buses, DASH service scooters or ride-sharing to get to and from the event.