Local Places, Local Faces

Local Places and Faces on the Nature Coast of Florida

St. Patrick’s Day in Crystal River

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(set to the tune girls, girls, girls by Motley Crue)

dogs,

dogs,

dogs

You know I love a parade. 

And dogs. Yes, love those pooches.

What could be better than a PARADE of DOGS!

Terry and I traveled up the road a bit to finally, after all these years, see the St Patrick’s Dog Parade hosted by Burke’s of Ireland Pub in Crystal River.

And it was better than even I expected!

First we watched the pre-parade entertainment from Muttsville Comix.  Dogs did some death-defying tricks on the high wire, up ladders, and hoisted into the air. A conga line, some jumping in and out of boxes and through hoops.

It made me kind of sad because those dogs–in all shapes, sizes, and breeds–didn’t look like they were enjoying it.

But then came the best part.  The entire pack just ran amuck.  Led by a very brave Jack Russell.  Three times.  Three times they broke through the barrier and went out to meet the audience.  Dogs gone wild!  

The trainer wasn’t too happy.  Told everyone in the audience to keep their dogs back.  Way back from his show.

Come on. He didn’t know that we were at a DOG PARADE?  

mutts

And then we met a bunch of pooches…

dogsAnd the parade started!

Not just dogs, but people!

People in the parade
The parade was on the sidewalk! No traffic problems! We can try this in Old Homosassa when we get our sidewalks!

But the dogs were the best.

dogsAfter the parade the party continued.  

We stopped in at the wine bar and then took a walk through Burke’s of Ireland.

But I just wasn’t ready at 10:30 am for a green beer or even a Guinness.

But this guy must have already been hitting the bar….

dog

Too many green beers? 

Total fun on a sunny Tuesday morning!

2015 Shrimpapalooza and Homosassa Heritage Day

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My favorite parade of the entire year!  The weather was great.  The turnout was fantastic.  And how many golf carts does Homosassa actually have?

Since this is a “local” parade and a lot of the participants are from right here in Old Homosassa, I’m putting up a lot of pictures!

First Terry and I stopped at the Old Homosassa Heritage Council’s booth at the festival to make a donation and pick up our freshly printed t-shirts!

OHHC T-SHIRT
Terry is modeling the back of the t-shirt.
water tower
Got any donations, just pop them into the newly created replica of the Old Homosassa water tower!

This is the first year that we actually went to the staging area for the parade.  That place was crazy cakes!

Old Mill
Craziness at The Old Mill Tavern
club
What?
Wilma MacRae and Bo Anderson
Wilma MacRae and Bo Anderson
Anne and Carly
Anne and Carly getting ready to get in their golf cart and hand out beads.

We usually stand in front of the Starting Gate cafe to watch the parade but this time we stayed in the shade right at the beginning of the parade under the beautiful oaks on Yulee Drive.

tree canapy
Always like to throw a pic or two of the tree canopy in.

Someone forgot to stop the traffic and it was a little entertaining to watch vehicles pull up, drivers curse and then turn around and attempt to find a different way out of Homosassa.  Really, this is the FOURTH annual Shrimpapalooza and it’s very well advertised.  There are people standing along the parade route plus Mason Creek Road is blocked off.  How any one that was back in Old Homosassa on Saturday morning not know that there might be a traffic issue?

Rosie and Clyed
Rosie and Clyde, they must have forgotten to bring Bloody Mary’s for Terry and me!

And then the parade started!

2015 Shrimpapalooza2015 Shrimpapalooza

2015 Shrimpapalooza
I do not know this little girl but she is adorable and so excited to be in the parade!
cooler
Looks like a cooler with ingredients and beer… but for what?
2015 Shrimpapalooza
OH NO! It’s a Shrimp Boil!

2015 Shrimpapalooza2015 ShrimpapaloozaWe not only have a bunch of golf carts and shrimp in this parade, we have dogs. 

It’s a PUPALOOZA!

2015 Shrimpapalooza2015 Shrimpapalooza2015 Shrimpapalooza2015 ShrimpapaloozaLab2015 Shrimpapalooza

After the parade we headed over to the Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park to check out Homosassa Heritage Day.  DeeDee Pierce Wilcox, a co-chair of the Old Homosassa Heritage Council, was promoting the new organization and had a bunch of her own personal treasures from the early days of Homosassa. 

Homosassa Heritage Days
That’s DeeDee on the left , her mom Judy Pierce in the middle and her daughter Caitlin Wilcox on the right.

heritageday1

Saturday was a fun day in Homosassa!