Seafood vendors, kayak races, arts & crafts, live music and even an alligator show will fill the air with laughter and some enticing aromas geared towards teasing your taste buds!  With bands such as Eden Brent, Nick Moss & the Flip Tops, Charlie Vegas & the New Blues Combo and Fortunate Son, a Creedence Clearwater Revival Tribute Band, the evenings will be filled with some toe tappin’, head bobbin’, finger snappin’ patrons enjoying the sounds as they permeate throughout the festival.

The festival is hosted by Greater New Port Richey Main Street as well as several other businesses in the area and has prompted thousands every year to come and get a taste of the New Port Richey lifestyle.
For more information feel free to contact 727-842-8066.

On October 17th enjoy a evening bike ride through the Withlacoochee State Trail from 6:30 p.m. – 9:30p.m., starting at the Suncoast Bicycle shop at the N. Apopka Trailhead.  A $15 entrance fee will include a t-shirt and refreshments after the ride, if you are pre-registered by October 3rd, after that date the fee will go up to $20.  Also, on October 17th, the Citrus County Auditorium will host a Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament, Vegas Style! There is a $70 pre-registration fee that includes free drinks and hors d’oevres.  Raffle prizes will be distributed throughout the evening as well as a trophy at the end of the night.  Black Jack Tables will also be available on site with professional dealers!  For more information on the Night Riders Moonlight Bike Ride or the Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament, feel free to contact Suzanne at 352-726-2801.

The Cooter Party Kickoff Block Party begins at 6:00 p.m. on October 23rd right on the Square in Downtown Inverness! Live Bands, Miss Cooter Pageant and plenty of food and beverage vendors will line the streets until 10:00 p.m.  Tickets can be purchased by calling 795-3149 or 726-2801.  From this point forward it’s no holds barred for the rest of the weekend!  Cooter Chariot Contests, Home Run Derby’s, video game competitions, kayak races and tons of entertainment will fill the air!!

October 24th the kick off of the Cooter Poker Run will begin at Love Motor Sports in Homosassa at 9:00 a.m.!  The actual ride will not take place until 10:00 a.m. however, you must allow yourself time to register.  Registration is $10.00 for this event with a maximum of two hands per rider and two riders per bike.  For more information, please contact Richard Palmore at 352-621-3678.

The following day on October 25th is the Great Cooter Triathlon!  The race will begin at Wallace Brooks Park and take you through the Rails to Trails route.  At 6:00 a.m. the registration and packet pick up will begin and first part of the race will begin at 8:00 a.m.  For more information please visit the citrus road runners website or call 352-637-2475.  This race is not for the faint of heart!  Bicycling 12 miles, running for 3 miles and swimming a 1/4 mile race in Lake Henderson; can you handle it?

The Strawberry Festival promotes 10 days of concerts, rides, food, good ol’ fashioned family fun and of course plenty of juicy, delicious strawberries! The main headliners this year will consist of Randy Travis, George Jones, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Larry Gatlin and The Gatlin Brothers, Jessica Simpson, Jeff Foxworthy, Ronnie McDowell and many others to brighten the stage with incredible entertainment!

The admission price into the festival at the gate is usually $10 for adults and $5 for children, with individual concert ticket prices ranging from $10-$40. For more information on the festival or information on tickets please feel free to call (813)754-1966.

Camping is available for a fee of $5 per night, there are a limited number of sites that provide water and electric for $15 per night.

For more information feel free to call 352-567-0264.

When: 10am to 6pm Saturdays & Sundays through April 6th

Where: Museum of Science & Industry grounds, 11315 N 48th St. Tampa

Admission: $16.95 adults, $8.95 children 6-12, seniors $13.95

For more information:toll-free 800-779-4910, or 813-983-0111,
renaissancefest.com/barf

The festival will feature live music at 7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., and 4:30 p.m. Sun. including Cajun, Zydeco and “swamp pop” bands. Dance lessons are available.

Activities include kids crawfish races, a mini-Mardi Gras bead toss and crawfish eating contests.

The festival is from 4:30 to 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday at Vinoy Park, in St. Petersburg. Admission will be charged.

Paid parking, with free shuttle service, is available at the BayWalk garage.

For more information, call (727) 892-5798 or go to cajunconnection.org.

View thousands of monarch butterflies as they prepare for their long journey across the Gulf of Mexico to wintering grounds in the mountains of Mexico.

Staff and volunteers provide educational sessions. Great photo opportunity. 850 925-6121