Masaryktown Festival basks in the sun

By KELLY STEFANI

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 26, 2000

As the summer sun turns up the heat, area outdoor weekend activities are slowly becoming scarce, but there are places where you can still brave the sun and be entertained.

Arts, crafts, music and food are the highlights of the Masaryktown Festival from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in Kennedy Park, on U.S. 41 about 40 miles north of Tampa and 5 miles south of Brooksville.

More than 150 artists and craftspeople from across the country display and sell their prize works in watercolor, graphics, oil, acrylic, mixed media, photography, pen and ink drawings and fine crafts.

Grab a crab cake, a hot dog or a sandwich and find a comfortable spot to enjoy live performances beginning at 10 a.m. each day. Entertainment includes Flamenco guitarist Bob Webb, Trup Nation and Precise with positive rap and country musician Judy K.

Admission and parking are free. Call (352) 596-1862.

It's sailing tall

If you're into history, ships and music, you won't want to miss the weekend visit of the tallship Californian.

The Californian, a reproduction of the C.W. Lawrence, a Revenue Marine Service cutter built in 1848, arrives at 6 tonight at The Pier, 800 Second Ave. NE, St. Petersburg. Watch as Ye Mystic Krewe of Neptune takes over the ship in a mock capture, then dance until 10 p.m. to the sounds of oldies band the Saints.

There will also be a kids play area and live music by the Impacts from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Bombed Out Cat from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday and Gale and Kirk from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday.

The tallship will be open for public tours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday. Tours are free.

Area residents are invited to sail on the tallship for a three-hour cruise at 3 p.m. Sunday. Seats for the sailing are on a first-come, first-sail basis for $100 a person. Beverages and a snack are included. Call (727) 821-6443.

A rockin' time

Dust off your poodle skirt and get ready for a swell time at the hop. Relive the days of the Oldies Sock Hops from 8 p.m. to midnight today at the Coliseum, 535 Fourth Ave. N, St. Petersburg. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.

Recapture the days of rock 'n' roll, lava lamps and platform shoes with live dance music from the Satellites and the Sevilles.

BYOB is allowed. Snacks, sodas and other drink mixers are available. Tickets are $13. Call (727) 892-5202.

All roads lead to Clearwater

Car clubs from across the state will show off more than 500 classic, muscle, street rods and special interest cars at the U-92 Auto Fest from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in Coachman Park, 301 Drew St., Clearwater.

Enjoy hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, kabobs and more while you check out the cars.

Come back Sunday and relax to the live oldies tunes of Get Back! Cast of Beatlemania, the Turtles featuring Flo and Eddie and Paul Revere and the Raiders.

No coolers are allowed, but food and beverage will be sold both days. Admission is $2 Saturday and $6 Sunday. Call (727) 525-8061.

Down baseball's memory lane

Celebrate Memorial Day with the Devil Rays and an old-fashioned-style baseball game. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays go back to the 1960s and '70s at a Turn Back the Clock Game beginning at 4:15 p.m. Monday at Tropicana Field, First Avenue and 16th Street S, St. Petersburg.

The Devil Rays take the field dressed as the St. Petersburg Saints, a popular hometown team for six decades through the '60s. In the visitors dugout, the Baltimore Orioles honor one of their all-time greatest teams by dressing in their 1970 uniforms, the style Earl Weaver wore when he led them to pennant and World Series wins.

All uniforms used this evening will be sold through a silent auction. Proceeds benefit the Take Stock in Children scholarship fund.

Also, Louie the Lightning Bug gives away $100 each inning, and Devil Rays players give away free commemorative scorecards. The first 15,000 fans into the stadium receive a free St. Petersburg Saints baseball cap with a Turn Back the Clock buckle.

Admission is $7 for outfield seats and $4 for upper tier general admission. Call (727) 898-7297.