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  • City Pipe bands, visitors to open Highland Games in Dunedin

    City Pipe bands, visitors to open Highland Games in Dunedin

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    DUNEDIN, Fla. — The city of Dunedin is embracing some its first settlers’ roots — more than usual this weekend!

    What You Need To Know

    • The 55th Highland Games are taking place at Highlander Park, Dunedin

    • 8 a.m. opening ceremonies

    • Pipers, Dancers, Athletes and Clan Village 

    • 5:15 p.m. closing ceremonies

    Their 55th Highland Games celebrates the city’s Celtic roots — add that to the street names and city pipe bands.

    Festivities kick off Friday evening with a parade and party…all before Saturday’s main event.

    “We’re gonna shut down the street on Broadway and have our games kick-off party on the street,” said Eric MacNeill, head of the Highland Games.

    “We’ll have live music and vendors, of course some beverages, until 10 o’clock that night. So, it’s a pretty great way to start the weekend.”

    Iain Donaldson has a tough gig — tuning bagpipes.

    At a recent rehearsal, we got a look at how Donaldson runs the city’s pipe bands in Dunedin.

    And each instrument is a handful.

    “The bagpipe is almost constantly going out of tune because it’s so sensitive to heat or temperature and moisture,” said Donaldson.

    Donaldson’s leading the bagpipes for the Dunedin Highland Games, the band started in 1964.

    And he’s passing on the tradition to this latest generation of Dunedin pipers in Pinellas County, including his son Graham too.

    Graham has also devoted decades to the bagpipe.

    “You are constantly blowing into the instrument to make the noise come out,” Donaldson explained. “And when you take a breath, you have to squeeze with your other arm, and it has to maintain the same tone and pitch of the instrument throughout the time you are playing it. So, it’s quite an active instrument. There are no breaks really.”

    But Graham, like dad Iain, is a Donaldson devoted to this Dunedin tradition.

    “Well it’s rewarding if we can get it all together,” said Iain Donaldson. “The trick is to make 10 bagpipes sound like one.”

    The sound of the Scotland Highlands here in Dunedin continues.

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    Virginia Johnson

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  • Chasco Fiesta nine days of New Port Richey good times

    Chasco Fiesta nine days of New Port Richey good times

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    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Nine days of celebrating the rich heritage of native Americans and New Port Richey kick off Friday with the Chasco Fiesta.

    The longtime yearly celebration features a week-plus of food, fun, and entertainment with many events including a street parade, boat parade, Native American Pow Wow and a different genre of music every night.

    Among the event presenters is Otter Oliver, who represents the Cree and Dakota Tribes. Oliver is from White Bear, in Canada’s Saskatchewan Province, about two and a half hours north of Montana.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Chasco Fiestal, Sims Park, New Port Richey

    •  March 24th – April 1st

    •  Monday, March 27th: Native American Day with evening Performances on the Main Stage

    • Events include concerts, a car show, a boat parade, a street parade — event proceeds go to charity

    Oliver creates the Native American arts and education programming for the Chasco Fiesta in New Port Richey.

    The Chasco Festival starts Friday and runs for a week-plus at Sims Park in New Port Richey.

    His life’s work is to be a cultural bridge. He travels frequently for outreach and education. The festival’s name was inspired by legends of the Florida’s indigenous people and their Spanish captives.

    But Oliver gets to show people something real—like singing and performing with dancers Dustin and Creed Big Mountain.

    It’s a chance to educate and break stereotypes through positive, authentic cultural exchange.

    “Having Native people here to represent that,” said Oliver, “it’s an honor for us to do that.”

     

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    Virginia Johnson

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  • SeaWorld goes all green for St. Patrick’s Day

    SeaWorld goes all green for St. Patrick’s Day

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — For the second year in a row, SeaWorld Orlando is going green all weekend long for St. Patrick’s Day.

    What You Need To Know

    • SeaWorld celebrates St. Patrick’s Day all weekend during the Seven Seas Food Festival

    • The park has added Irish themed food and festivities this weekend

    • The celebrations runs through Sunday

    • The Seven Seas Fest ends in May

    “It was absolutely something that we saw that no one else was really doing so we added it to our festival to once again keep that Seven Seas Festival fresh, and every weekend you come back there is something new to experience,” said Kyle Smith, Manager of Creative Show Operations at Sea World.

    The celebration is a feast for the senses with some fresh bites from the Irish market, like Irish Coddle and the Shamrock Sour, which is made with Jameson Irish Whiskey. 

    “It is amazing you’ve got to come and taste it,” said Smith.  

    Once your belly is full, you’ll be ready to do your own jig, watching performers who will transport you to the Emerald Isle.

    “We’ve added entertainment with traditional Irish dancing we have some schools coming in that are local to the Orlando area and showcasing their talents for all of our guests coming into the park,” said Smith. “We also have some added stilt walkers, some traditional Irish musicians roaming the parks well to add in to the fun.”

    Like the saying goes, everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day and SeaWorld hopes these festivities will help bring people together.

    “Festivals like St. Patrick’s Day, Mardi Gras, Cinco de Mayo, it is something for people to bond over whether it is food and drinking, whether it is dancing, the festivals and the season just brings people more joy,” said Smith. 

    All this makes for a party you don’t want to miss.

    “Grab an Irish dish or an Irish cocktail and green beer and come on out,” said Smith.

    If you can’t celebrate today, don’t worry, the celebration runs through Sunday. After that, SeaWorld will add a special Cinco De Mayo party to close out the Seven Seas Food Festival in May.


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    Nicole Griffin

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  • Awakening into the Sun offers a decade of peace in St. Pete

    Awakening into the Sun offers a decade of peace in St. Pete

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Fred Johnson tells a story every time he touches an instrument.

    What You Need To Know

    • 10th Anniversary Awakening Festival

    • Saturday, March 11th, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m  & Sunday March 12th, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

    • North Straub Park, St. Petersburg

    • Artist Village, performers, indie market, yoga 

    His music is a language. The message is for healing through art.

    “We go to a different space in our being when we create. We create from a space and an energy of possibility, right?” said Johnson. “‘I’m imagining and discovering. So that’s a whole other opportunity that can be powerful and meaningful.”

    Johnson will take the stage on Saturday at the Awakening Festival. He creates west African beats on a Box drum.

    Slaves used boxes for percussion when stripped of their possessions. So, for Johnson, the drum itself is a symbol of resilience and continuity.

    “So you can’t take the tradition away,” explained Johnson, demonstrating the same beat from the box drum on his body. Johnson uses these unstoppable beats to change people’s perspective.

    “Good for your soul. They say the longest distance traveled is between the head and the heart,” said Johnson. “And if we look at the world today, it feels like a lot of people are way up here, and we’ve forgotten about our hearts. And the beauty of the rhythm of the drum is that it brings vou right into the heart.”

    For our weary hearts, Johnson offers his healing beats.

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    Virginia Johnson

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  • Performer talks about bringing the Carnival fun to Busch Gardens

    Performer talks about bringing the Carnival fun to Busch Gardens

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    TAMPA, Fla. — Mardi Gras marks the end of Carnival season, but not at Busch Gardens.

    What You Need To Know

    • Mardi Gras at Busch Gardens continues weekends through March 5

    • Several parades will be held each day, with beignets and other New Orleans-style offerings

    • Performers like Devin Collins bring the joie de vivre

    From the expert glitter application on his face to the green Chucks on his feet, Devin Collins is the walking embodiment of Mardi Gras ensconced in purple, green and gold — the holiday colors.

    “Basically, anything you that you throw at any of our performers, we learn it, we master it, we throw it in the show,” said Collins.

    Devin Collins started here with stilt walking in 2008, so the intricate Mardi Gras stage make-up is no big deal.

    It’s prepping and performing with his friends that puts Collins at ease, especially in the moments before they go live in the park.

    “There’s so much love and passion here within our Busch Gardens family, so we really like to just show that to our guests,” Collins said.

    Couple the performers with New Orleans jazz, and the crowds get wise quick. It’s parade time.

    “The vibe? they’re ready to party!” Collins said about the crowds, over the cacophony of music and clapping.

    The best part comes last — throwing the beads.

    “We have fun, the kids love this,” said Collins. “We get to bring a smile to everybody’s faces.”

    Happy Mardi Gras, Devin Collins.

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    Virginia Johnson

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  • Honey & Arts Festival to debut in Lealman as community grows

    Honey & Arts Festival to debut in Lealman as community grows

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    LEALMAN, Fla. — Hopes of community redevelopment is bringing new festivals to St. Petersburg.

    The Pinellas County Housing Authority is working with engagement committees and a long list of sponsors to bring the first Lealman Honey and Arts Festival to the Tampa Bay area.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Lealman Honey and Arts Festival is set for Saturday, Feb. 18

    • Dozens of local sponsors are supporting the event

    • A visiting artisan shares his story

    “I’m very excited,” said Kym Solitaire, a St. Petersburg resident. “As a retired schoolteacher of Pinellas County, this area represents schools I’ve taught at. It’s a historically underserved area. This is a deserving acknowledgment of the community, the hard-working parents and great students that live here.”

    Raymond H. Neri Community Park will be hosting the inaugural festival on Saturday, Feb. 18. There will be several events such as local honey and beekeepers selling their wares, craft vendors, food trucks and chainsaw art. Local radio personality Monika from 102.5 The Bone will be broadcasting live. Local bands The Black Honkeys, La Lucha and Pink Streets will also be in attendance delivering live performances. 

    “Coming together to celebrate the rich history of Lealman has been a dream of mine,” said Pinellas County Commissioner Charlie Justice. “The Honey and Arts Festival represents the dedication of many in the community working together to transform Lealman into a vibrant destination, a place where people can live, work and play.” 

    People from all over the nation are coming to support the festival, like chainsaw art cultivator, Alex Bieniecki. He traveled from New Hampshire to perform at the festival on Saturday.

    “I’ve been a tattoo artist for 22 years,” said Bieniecki. “Right out of high school, I was doing that so artistically. That was my training in the art world, all the different things they liked to do rounded me out as an artist.”

    Bieniecki said he’s been a woodsman for over a decade.

    “Normally, I work with white pine,” he said. “It’s light compared to other species of wood. This stuff has more sap in it, more than any I’ve worked with before.”

    Bieniecki was carving an image of a woman with Florida sand pine Wednesday.

    “I drove up to West Palm Beach for this wood. I cut the tree down from their yard for this,” said Bieniecki. “Some of these pieces take more than 40 hours to complete. I started this on Monday of last week and I worked on it every day until Thursday. 10-hour days, 10 hours of sanding,” said Bieniecki.

    What was once a hobby for Bieniecki, turned into a stream of income.

    “People love wood carvings. My whole world opened up to people I would have never tattooed. I have a lot of fun doing them because it’s like drawing and painting and carving. It’s two-dimensional but also three-dimensional and you get to paint it, so I really enjoy,” he said.

    For more on Lealman’s Honey and Arts Festival, view its Facebook page.

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    Ashonti Ford

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  • Lovefest offers to shower you in good vibes, sweet gifts

    Lovefest offers to shower you in good vibes, sweet gifts

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. —  A little pre-Valentine’s Day fun awaits you this weekend at Lovefest in St. Petersburg.

    What You Need To Know

    • Lovefest at Page Boy in St. Pete will be held Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

    • Vendors like Cassie Mrotek, who created the Astra self-care line, will be in attendance

    • Mrotek says small businesses like hers use festivals like the one in St. Pete to meet their customers

    It’s happening Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the grounds of Page Boy Vintage Market, Apothecary & Hair Studio.

    Along with food and drink, organizers say visitors can expect to see vendors and the shop bathed in objects of love.

    “We love to bring other vendors into the kind of the brick-and-mortar space,” said owner Jason Hall. “Especially this market, because it’s all about that collective energy, and we can’t do it alone, nor do we want to.”

    One of the Lovefest Vendors planning to attend is Cassie Mrotek, who created the Astra self-care line.

    Standing in front of her steam distillation kit in her workspace inside the St. Pete Salon Studio B, she explained the process of creating some of her products.

    “So really what I’m doing is extracting all the moisture from this plant and getting all of its spirit into a bottle, to use that then as a facial spray,” she said.

    The curving glass tubes of the kit could represent the winding business journey Mrotek has taken since she started her self-care line in the crush of the pandemic in 2020.

    Now she’s navigating St. Pete’s downtown development.

    “Every time I felt like I was finding a space for myself and getting settled in, then all of a sudden the rent goes up, or ‘Hey, we want to move somebody else in,’” Mrotek said. “They wanted to take the building down, they want to sell the building, develop something else.”

    And while she doesn’t have her own brick-and-mortar shop, Mrotek said events like Lovefest help her meet new customers.

    And she’s got retail space in Salon B, where she shares a workspace — a place that she said is always inviting other creators to collaborate.

    “So anyone I can sort of bring with me on this journey of amazing small business-ship or whatever it is called, let’s do it,” Mrotek said with a laugh.

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    Virginia Johnson

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  • Once a school bus, Krewe of Zingaro float now a dream and beer carrier

    Once a school bus, Krewe of Zingaro float now a dream and beer carrier

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    TAMPA, Fla. — Preparations got underway for a Krewe about to join in on the biggest pirate party in Tampa Bay.

    What You Need To Know

    • There are more than pirates in Gasparilla: there are Rough Riders, Fire Fighters and Gypsies

    • The Krewe of Zingaro celebrated their 25th anniversary

    • The Krewe is 50 to 60 gypsies strong, doing charitable work throughout the year
    • Most of the Krewe walk alongside their float — an old school bus painted purple and fitted with bathrooms and keg coolers

    The Gasparilla Parade of Pirates kicks off on Saturday, Jan. 28.

    “We are putting some beads on the float,” said James Raulerson, a gypsy with the Krewe of Zingaro.

    The Tampa Bay native knows these plastic trinkets will be vied for like real, precious jewels.

    “Everybody wants beads,” said Raulerson, smiling. He and his Krewe are ready.

    They ride on a mostly purple float. They call her ‘Barney.’

    “It’s our gypsy wagon, an old school bus,” Raulerson said.

    Restrooms are a must for a float crawling down the 4.5 mile parade route and so is room to throw beads, though most of his crew walks.

    And of course, there’s a cabinet to store adult beverages.

    “And here,” Raulerson said, pointing to a cooler sitting just below three taps, “We have a keg, which is nice.”

    With the float loaded, Raulerson checks for safety and design.

    Raulerson noted any ripping fringe or missing lights. The float will get all its superficial design repairs once it’s off the highway and into the staging area. The Krewe will be closer to the end of the parade in spot #111.

    The floats, dignitaries, community leaders, dancers, bands and community organizations will be stretched down Bayshore Boulevard starting at Bay-to-Bay Boulevard, lined up stretching toward Gandy Boulevard.

    Raulerson devotes time and energy to the group’s charities throughout the year, and Gasparilla is a chance to not only celebrate, but also bring a lot of cheering joy for a tiny, inexpensive souvenir.

    “You’re giving beads to people, but they’re so happy. It’s great you’re bringing happiness to people. You never know,” Raulerson said about the people they’re throwing beads to. “That person might be having a horrible week at work or something, and they come out to Gasparilla and get to have fun. It might just change your whole attitude. So that’s the fun part.”

    The Krewe is about 50 to 60 gypsies strong. 

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    Virginia Johnson

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  • Gasparilla is based on disproven pirate lore: nobody cares

    Gasparilla is based on disproven pirate lore: nobody cares

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    TAMPA, Fla. — It’s the height of Gasparilla season with huge crowds screaming for beads and throws as pirates ignite cannons for massive explosion excitement.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Historical documents disprove Jose Gaspar story, capture

    •  Gulf currents and shallow depths in Tampa Bay add further doubt to massive marauders doing battle in Tampa Bay 

    •  There is documentation of Gulf Coast pirates in Gasparilla’s alleged era- but no record of him

    • Tampans have embraced Gasparilla for more than a century, whether or not the pirate Jose Gaspar ever came to town

    It’s a huge juxtaposition from the quiet of the Touchton Map Library at the Tampa Bay History Center conference room, where Director Dr. Rodney Kite-Powell quietly carries the knowledge that it’s pretty much all a story.

    The study of the records relating to Gasparilla, along with maps from 1700s Florida and beyond, point to a reality without Jose Gaspar.

    “The possibility of pirates being here is just very unlikely because there was nothing to steal,” said Kite-Powell.

    While there are records of piracy on the gulf coast of Florida, activity happened in south Florida and the east coast, not here.

    And not with Jose Gaspar.

    “I’m from here. I grew up with this. I’ve heard about the Jose Gaspar legend since I can remember,” said Kite-Powell.

    But the center’s Treasure Seeker gallery further separates fact from fiction.

    “You can learn about all the different things the real pirates in Florida were looking for and what they did,” said Kite-Powell.

    Of course, pirates were always looking for treasure on their captured ships, and the gallery has fine gold chains and gold ingots, but they took everything on board.

    “Everything is worth something at sea,” said Kite-Powell. “Whether it’s something to eat. Or it’s a map that will tell you where something better is.”

    Textiles and tobacco were valuable, and pewter plates and drink storage vessels had practical use.
    Back in the library, Kite-Powell says he’s made peace with the myth and the reality of Jose Gaspar.

    “Gasparilla’s been around for 119 years now. So it has become a celebration. So whether he existed, which he probably didn’t, has become less relevant to me over the years,” said Kite-Powell, smiling.

    If you are looking for more history on Gasparilla, you can check out the exhibition “Gasparilla: A Tampa Tradition” at the Henry B. Plant Museum at the University of Tampa.

    They hold more of Tampa’s Gasparilla secrets, from ball gowns to feathered hats to Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla artifacts. Their exhibition is open until March 5.

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    Virginia Johnson

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  • Dancers keep home close during Lunar New Year

    Dancers keep home close during Lunar New Year

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    TAMPA, Fla. — Ziyao Rita Li is has been a professional dancer for five years.

    What You Need To Know

    • Lunar New Year is January 22, 2023 

    • Holilday celebrated throughout Asian cultures

    • Chinese American Association of Tampa Bay dance troupe Sunday, January 22nd at Waterworks Park, 1710 N. Highland Ave., Tampa from 11 am. – 4 p.m.

    But she’s been performing since she could remember in her native China.

    She’s warming up for a piece with moves from adapted from Indian dance.

    “So it’s very unique and the most popular dance in China,” said Li.

    Li has been here in the Tampa Bay area for about five months, and she joined this dance troupe from the Chinese American Association of Tampa Bay soon after her arrival.

    Here on a cultural exchange, she has met about 30 sisters to help her make her way in the states, led by association president Lisha Dong.

    “I really appreciate that these women trust and support me,” said Li.

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    Virginia Johnson

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  • 4-H student learns about fat, feed and hair sheen raising steer

    4-H student learns about fat, feed and hair sheen raising steer

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    PALMETTO, Fla. — Maverick the steer likes a clean coat and the cool off that comes with a wash down.

    What You Need To Know

    • Manatee County Fair Jan. 12-22

    • Steer Sale Jan. 14, 1 p.m.

    • 4-H students spend months raising animals for fair competitions; it’s their Super Bowl

    • Manatee County 4-H’er Mason Huttinger shampoos and blow-dries his steet Maverick every day

    Every day after school, 16-year-old Mason Huttinger is in his grandparents’ Palmetto field taking care of him.

    “I work with him, I spend my time with him. Like talking to him. Saying his name,” said Huttinger, a Manatee County Home Grown Heritage 4-H Club member.

    Huttinger got Maverick last summer, with the goal of growing the best-tasting beef and the shiniest hide in Manatee County by the week of the county fair.

    Every day since June of 2022, he’s washed and cared for this animal. Maverick has nearly doubled in size for the big show and beef auction.

    “I think it’s good it’s going to someone who will eat it and not waste it,” said Huttinger. “And it’s good for me – helping someone else.”

    That’s right. Maverick is a walking steak and a throw rug.

    After his shampoo and rinse, it’s blow-out time. It can take 45-minutes to dry Maverick.

    Huttinger says it’s part of the care he needs.

    “He doesn’t get sick and he feels much better,” said Huttinger.

    Plus Maverick gets a special hair conditioner — more product than Huttinger uses on his own hair.

    And more brushing.

    “I brush him up to keep the hair growing up,” explained Huttinger.

    Darkness falls as Huttinger finishes caring for Maverick, and Huttinger guides Maverick to his pen.

    “I’m ready to put him in his stance and feed him, and he goes to bed,” said Huttinger.

    The stance is the pose for fair judging.

    Maverick’s reward: a barley-based supper with a big side helping of hay. He eats 23 pounds of it a day.

    Huttinger hopes his investment will win Maverick “Overall Supreme Beef Breeding Champion.”

    But Maverick’s already given him a bigger prize — his ideals as a future farmer.

    “He’s going to a family that will love him and feed their kids.”

    Happy steer equals a good meal.

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    Virginia Johnson

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