Odelma Matos rolls a 140-foot cigar. // Chris Young, WMNF News, 4/13/2026
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Monday is the 140th anniversary of Ybor City, and hundreds came out to celebrate the neighborhood’s most iconic tradition: cigars.
Hundreds gathered inside and outside Ybor’s Haya Hotel to celebrate the anniversary with a cultural showcase, cigar-rolling lessons, and the live rolling of a 140-foot-long cigar.
Odelma Matos of La Faraona Cigar Factory sat outside the hotel rolling the giant cigar.
Standing next to her, Rene Guerrero of La Faraona Cigar Factory said it’s not the first time she’s taken on a feat like this.
“So she recently broke the record for the longest cigar ever rolled. March 21st she rolled a 469 foot cigar. So basically we closed from 13th through half of 15th, so two and a half blocks long. So this is like a mini version of that one.” Guerrero told WMNF.
Holden Rasmussen is the company historian for the J.C Newman Cigar Company.
He said it’s incredible to see people celebrating one of Tampa’s oldest and most historic industries.
“You know, the cigar industry might not be as large as it once was historically, but it still matters as far as the heritage and legacy of Tampa and why we’re here. Why are we here? Cuban and Spanish immigrants began rolling cigars 140 years ago.” Rasmussen said.
Olivia Nixon said she was familiar with Ybor’s history and came to the event to learn how to roll a cigar.
“I learned a lot at the history museum, so it was just, I guess, icing on the cake coming here and physically doing it myself,” Nixon said.
Attendees also enjoyed food and drink samples from local Tampa vendors.