Both SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa have Bands, Brew and BBQ events, with the SeaWorld version starting on February 9 and the Busch Gardens version starting a day later. They're both great events, but what's the difference? Here's a quick summary:
Length: The Busch event runs on Sundays only, while SeaWorld lengthened it for 2013 to both Saturday and Sunday, running through March 17 (it ends at March 3 at Busch).
Beer: Both parks have plenty of beer on tap, but the sampling works a bit differently. You buy a card for a certain number of samples at SeaWorld, while Busch Gardens offers an unlimited sampler.
Kids: SeaWorld Orlando has Shamu and friends on hand for photos, greetings and dancing with the kids.
BBQ: Both parks have plenty of BBQ, but the participating restaurants differ. In Orlando, you'll find Tony Roma's, Cecil's Texas Style BBQ, and Sonny's BBQ. in Tampa, it's Outback, Smokey Bones, and Kojak's House of Ribs.
Bands: Obviously, SeaWorld will have more bands, since their event runs longer and covers more days. Here's their schedule:
- Saturday, February 9, Chris Young with Jerrod Niemann
- Sunday, February 10, Merle Haggard
- Saturday, February 16, The Beach Boys
- Sunday, February 17, Styx
- Saturday, February 23, Big & Rich
- Sunday, February 24, Third Eye Blind
- Saturday, March 2, Daryl Hall & John Oates
- Sunday, March 3, Darius Rucker
- Saturday, March 9, Michael McDonald
- Sunday, March 10, Josh Turner
- Saturday, March 16, Rodney Atkins with Uncle Kracker
- Sunday, March 17, Sheryl Crow
Busch Gardens will have the following performers: John May & Steppenwolf, Barenaked Ladies, The Doobie Brothers, and the Goo Goo Dolls.
It's best to hit both events and compare them for yourself. If you can't, you'll still have an enjoyable time, no matter which one you choose.
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