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Love flapjacks, great music, cigars, stuffed grapeleaves, reading and a thousand other fun activities? Have we got the festivals for you.
By Times staff
© St. Petersburg Times, published October 31, 2002
The first of November kicks off festival season in this part of the world, the time when the weather begins to mellow and the idea of spending a Saturday morning or a Sunday afternoon outdoors becomes appealing.
This weekend's lineup includes salutes to pancakes, cigars, books and more. Expect to see a similar diversity of events almost every weekend through April.
A full list appears in the Get Away calendar, page XXW; here are some of the highlights:
Flapjack Festival: Sure, this tribute to the pancake has arts and crafts, midway rides, entertainment and other food for sale, but the free flapjack breakfast (8 to 10 a.m. Saturday) is always a high point. There's also a flapjack parade at 11 a.m. Saturday and a concert with James Taylor Curtis and Silver Eagle Band at 8 p.m. Saturday.
Festival hours: 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Midway open until 11 p.m. Friday through Saturday and 6 p.m. Sunday. At Land O' Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O' Lakes Blvd. (U.S. 41, 3 miles north of SR 54). (813) 996-5522. Free.
Tampa's Annual Greek Festival: Food also stars at this annual fest, with plenty of Greek classics, such as spanakopita, moussaka, souvlaki, dolmades and gyros, made by parishioners in the kitchen at St. John's Greek Orthodox Church. The event also includes arts and crafts, Greek music and dancing.
Festival hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. Sunday at the church, Swann and Armenia avenues (near Hyde Park). $1, younger than age 12 free. (813) 876-8830.
Art Arbor: This annual festival -- under the oaks and pines of Boyd Hill Nature Park -- is as much about the art of nature as it is about art made by people. The event, along with arts and crafts, features tours of the park, wildlife shows and displays by conservation groups. There also are lots of children's activities, a food court and continuous live music.
Festival hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday through Sunday at the nature park, 1101 Country Club Way S, St. Petersburg. $2 adults, $1 children. (727) 893-7326.
Ruskin Seafood and Arts Festival: More food, this time from the sea, alongside a show of juried fine art and crafts. This one is aimed at families; no alcohol is served or allowed. It also includes entertainment, environmental exhibits, boats and accessories and a kids' activity area.
Festival hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, E.G. Simmons Park, 2401 19th Ave. NW, Ruskin. $3 adult, $1 ages 5-12; free for area active-duty firefighters, police, EMS and military with ID. (813) 645-3808.
Cigar Heritage Festival: Ybor City pays homage to the cigar and the role it played in the area's development with this annual event, a fundraiser for Ybor City Museum State Park. National radio host Cigar Dave will broadcast his Smoke This show live from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday. There also will be displays of cigars and Harley-Davidsons, plus ethnic food, music by Southtown Fever and the Radiators and kids' activities.
Festival hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Centennial Park, Ninth Avenue and 19th Street, Ybor City. (813) 247-1434. Free.
Times Festival of Reading: The 10th annual celebration of reading fills the Eckerd College campus with visits by authors including Peter Matthiessen, Sarah Ban Breathnach, Ace Atkins, Carol Berkin, others. There's also music, poetry, children's activities and food. (See special section in today's Times.)
Festival hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Eckerd College, 4200 54th Ave. S, St. Petersburg. (727) 892-2358 or www.festivalofreading.com. Free.