Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
BARBARA L. FREDRICKSENThe Chasco Fiesta runs Thursday through March 28. This year, the Native American Festival will last the whole time.
The largest and best-attended event in Pasco County, the Chasco Fiesta, starts Thursday in and around New Port Richey and continues with daily entertainment, two parades, several sports events and a plethora of food through March 28.
Highlights include a street parade at 1 p.m. Saturday, a boat parade at 1 p.m. March 27 and the Chasco Country Concert with Joe Nichols and Craig Morgan.
For the second time in the fiesta's 82-year history, the Native American Festival will remain open throughout the entire length of the event. Although the festival is based on an apocryphal American Indian tale, the participation of genuine Indians began only nine years ago. Until then, the main mention of American Indians was a children's pageant, which became the center of controversy until it was scuttled after the 2002 fiesta.
This year, most of the Native American Festival's food, arts and crafts vendors, dancers, storytellers and others will be on site until March 28, according to Chasco officials. Some vendors will leave for other shows, but new ones will arrive after the fiesta begins.
Award-winning musician Jim Boyd, from the Colville Indian reservation in Washington state, will headline "Native American Night" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Sims Park Amphitheater.
Boyd's music was used in the Miramax movie Smoke Signals. He has appeared with Bonnie Raitt and Motley Crue and performed with Greywolf and Winterhawk. The record by his group Kyo-T, alterNATIVES, was named Record of the Year at the 2002 Native American Music Awards.
Chasco Fiesta itself is open 5-10 p.m. Thursday and continues 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and March 27; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday and March 28; and 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through March 25.
The carnival rides will be open 5-10 p.m. Thursday; 5-11 p.m. Fridays; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturdays; 1-6 p.m. Sundays; and 5-10 p.m. Monday through March 25.
Following Thursday's "Native American Night" concert, the nightly entertainment lineup is:
6 p.m. Friday: "A Magical Night of Entertainment" hosted by Radio Disney and featuring young rap, rock and pop entertainers
4-11 p.m. Saturday: "Rock & Roll in the Park" featuring Funky Bizness and Martha Quinn
2-9 p.m. Sunday: "Talent Showcase"
6-10 p.m. Monday: "Bluegrass Music" with The Wildwood Valley Boys and Foothill
6-10 p.m. Tuesday: "New Rock Music" with Trip2Go, Soulfound, New Season, Shock Trauma and Feather Sound
6:30-10 p.m. March 24: "Latin Night" with Orquesta Infinidad and Los Archies
6-11 p.m. March 25: "Rhythm and Bluesmasters", with Rick Derringer, Damon Fowler, Mikki Taylor, Willie Lomax Blues Revue and Shawn Brown, admission $5
7-11 p.m. March 26: "Family Night Contemporary Christian Music," featuring Andrew Peterson, admission $5
7 p.m. March 27: Chasco Country Concert, with Joe Nichols and Craig Morgan, admission $22 prime seating, $12 general admission
2-4 p.m.: "Concert Band Showcase" featuring Gulf, Ridgewood and Mitchell high schools.
Other major Chasco events are the West Pasco Kiwanis Flea Market on Monday through Wednesday; Chasco Kayak Racing on March 27; Chaspex Stamp Show and the Chasco Arts Fiesta on March 27-28; and the Suncoast Sampler tasting feast at Gulf View Square mall on March 28.