This week: Citrus

CALLING ALL GATORS: The Citrus County Gator Club is having its annual season kickoff party and season ticket raffle from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Citrus County Fairgrounds on U.S. 41 S, Inverness, to celebrate the beginning of the 2003 football season. Again this year, Albert and Alberta, the Gator Mascots, will be the guests of honor and pose for photos with guests. The party will include food, music, a silent auction with many autographed items and door prizes. A pair of season tickets to all Gator home games also will be raffled off. Tickets for the raffle are $10 and can be purchased from any club officer prior to the Kick-Off Party or at the door. Only 500 tickets will be sold. Admission to the party is $10 for Alumni Club members; $15 for non-members and $5 for children under 12. Money raised from this raffle will go toward the Endowed Scholarship Fund for the University of Florida and our scholarship fund to graduating seniors of local high schools, which the Citrus County Gator Club sponsors each year. To purchase tickets, call Dwayne Allen, 634-1647, email dlagators@gowebco.com or Jenice Reichenbach at 344-1646, email jenice@tampabay.rr.com

ELKS GO COUNTRY: The West Citrus Elks Lodge, 7890 W Grover Cleveland Blvd., Homosassa Springs, will have a country-western dinner dance starting at 5 p.m. today. Music begins at 5 in the lounge with Gordon and Roy, followed by the Minus One Band performing in the main hall at 5:30. Buffet dinner of barbecue ribs and chicken will be from 5:30 to 7, followed by more music. Country-western attire recommended. Tickets are $12. Call 628-1221.

AUDITIONS: The Citrus Community Concert Choir, Inc. will be holding general auditions from 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 6 and 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 7 for all voices for a production of Handel's Messiah. The auditions (and rehearsals) will be at St. Timothy Lutheran Church 1070 N Suncoast Blvd, Crystal River. Rehearsals begin at 7 p.m. Sept 9. Performance is scheduled for Dec. 14. Call 628-3492 or 212-1746.

AUDITIONS: for the November production of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest will be at 7 p.m. Sept. 8 and 9 at the Citrus County Art League, 2644 N Annapolis Ave., Hernando. This comedy-drama tells of the clash of wills between a nurse and a patient who pretends madness to get out of prison. The cast calls for 12 males and four females. Call director Fran Barg for information at 746-3424.

CHORUS: The Chorus of Beverly Hills will begin rehearsals for its holiday concert at the Beverly Hills Recreation Association at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 9. Singers for all four voice parts are encouraged to join this group, whose director is Lorraine Wilmoth. The new accompanist is Renate Williams. A program featuring both secular and sacred Christmas and Hannukah music is planned for 3 p.m. Dec. 14, in the auditorium of the association. While the ability to read music is desirable, it is not necessary. Good instruction will be provided for all sopranos, altos, tenors and basses who join. Call Volena at 746-5680.

CFCC AUDITIONS: For Central Florida Community College's two choral groups, Variations and the Patriot Singers, will begin the first week of the fall semester on Monday at the Ocala Campus on State Road 200. Vocal auditions will be held Monday through Wednesday. There will be a group choreography audition at 1:40 p.m. on Tuesday for all students interested in the Variations show choir. Rehearsals will start later the same week.

ART LEAGUE GALA: The Gala Grand Opening of the Art Center Theatre takes place at 6 p.m. Sept. 13 in the Cultural Center gallery, 2644 N Annapolis Ave., Hernando. Cocktail attire is suggested for this celebration, which includes champagne, hors d'oeuvres, and a silent auction. Following a brief opening ceremony, at 8 p.m. the first play to be presented at the new Art Center Theatre will begin as the Stage Manager character of Our Town welcomes the audience to the fictional town of Grover's Corners. Tickets are $75. Call Lee at 746-0648 for reservations. Black tie optional.

ART LEAGUE TIX: The Citrus County Art League's box office is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Tickets are available for Come Blow Your Horn, a comedy by Neil Simon. The play opens Sept. 26 and runs for three weekends until Oct. 12. Tickets are $15. Director will bey Peter Abrams. Box office is located at the Art League Cultural Center, 2644 N. Annapolis Ave., Hernando.

ART & SEAFOOD: The 29th annual Homosassa Arts, Crafts and Seafood Festival will be held Nov. 8 and 9 in Old Homosassa. The festival features a juried arts show, a seafood court and arts and crafts. Tickets now available at all chamber of commerce officse and many area non-profit groups for 11 different drawings, each worth about $1,000 in merchandise. Tickets for the drawings are $2. Drawing will be Nov. 9 at the festival.

ART FESTIVAL: The 32nd Festival of the Arts will be held on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 15 and 16 on the Campus of the Withlacoochee Technical Institute, Inverness. Applications to enter the festival can be printed from the Festival Page at www.artleague.info Call Festival Chair Nancy Pearson at 382-2191 for additional information.

PLAY CARDS: A Military Card Party is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Sept. 15 at the Art League Cultural Center, 2644 N. Annapolis Ave., Hernando. Donation is $12 per person. The rules of the game are simple, and the refreshments are great. Call Nancy at 382-2191 to reserve a seat or a table of four. Visit the Art League Web Site www.artleague.info

JAZZ UP: Pennsylvania Avenue in downtown Dunnellon will be filled with cool jazz and blues, great food and other refreshments from 5 to 10 p.m. Sept. 27 for the sixth annual Jazz Up Dunnellon! downtown street jazz and blues festival. The festival will be held in conjunction with the second annual Marion County Springs Festival, which will take place at Rainbow Springs State Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the same day. The Marion County Springs Festival is a celebration of the river's first magnitude springs and will have educational, interactive displays, speakers and exhibitors present to promote the preservation and proper usage of the three area springs. Jazz Up Dunnellon! scheduled entertainers include the Paul Luciano Trio, Joe Michel Jazz Quintet, KathyJo & the Bluzification Band, Liz Pennock & Dr. Blues, The Bare Bones Band, Good Company Jazz Band, Valerie Levy, Keith Caton & the Accelerators, Gosia & Ali, the Dunnellon Male Chorus, and The Spectacular Gimmicks.

COWBOY JUNCTION: A traditional country western and bluegrass music concert will be at 2 p.m. Sept. 6 at Cowboy Junction Opry, State Road 44 and County Road 490, Lecanto. The shows will be held at the same time every Saturday through spring 2004. Performers include Buddy Max, Leo Vargason, Maxine Plowman, Evelyn Wydeck and others. Bring a lawn chair. Free admission. Call 746-4754.

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