by Adele Woodyard
Last week featured FREE entertainment, this week bring out the plastic. Whether food, flea market, paddling, theater, something’s going on from the Panhandle to the Keys.
Orlando
Sept. 1-30 is gourmet dinner time at the 5th Annual Orlando Magical Dining month. Over 60 restaurants from A (A Land to Remember) to Z (Zen) offer a 3- course prix-fixe dinner for $30 (tax and tip extra). $1 each meal benefits the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Central Florida. For restaurant, menu and reservations click on: http://www.orlandomagicaldining.com
Sept. 17-19 is the big weekend for the following towns:
Destin: 32nd Annual Seafood Festival has Starship starring Mickey Thomas and LoverBoy, arts & crafts, and more, at 210 Harbor Blvd. Contact: 850-837-6241.
Ocala: Brokenbone Bike Rodeo offers food, drink, and leather craft vendors along with the action at 7191 NW Gainesville Rd. Contact: 352-789-8736.
Stuart: Nautical Flea Market and Seafood Festival has new, used, closeout boats, fishing equipment and supplies for sale, at 2616 SE Dixie Hwy. Contact: 954-205-7813.
St. Petersburg: The Palladium Theater presents Sondheim’s A Little Night Music 7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. 253 Fifth Ave. 727-822-3580. http://www.stpeteopera.org
Tarpon Springs: Last weekend to see Our Town on stage at the Performing Arts Center.
8 p.m. Fri-Sat.,. 2 p.m. Sun. 727-942-5605. http://www.tarponarts.org
Big Bend area
Sept. 18-25 is the first ever Hidden Coast Paddling Festival with guided fresh and saltwater paddling trips. Host towns start at Cedar Key followed by Suwannee, Horseshoe Beach and Steinhatchee. http://www.hiddencoast.net
Tampa
Sept. 21-26 Skipper Smokehouse celebrates its 30th anniversary (under current owners) with a week of FREE concerts. Rock, reggae, blues, ska—you name it, they got it. Be sure and try the mullet 910 Skipper Rd. 813-971-0866. http://www.skipperssmokehouse.com
Florida Keys
Sept. 22-26 are the dates for the this year’s Birding and Wildlife Festival that’s Key-wide. Start with a reception, dinner before take off on field trips.A special event Sept. 24 is a guided walk in the National Key Deer Refuge Ohio Key from 8-11 a.m. Bring sunscreen, binoculars, water, etc. Contact: 305-872-0774. http://www.fla-keys.com”
Safety Harbor Spa offers two different dinner shows with music, prizes and games starting at 6:30 p.m. The Suncoast Dixieland Band takes the stage Tues. Sept. 28; Las Vegas own Carme in a Big Band performance, Wed. Sept. 29. Contact: 727-573-4654.
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