Local Places – Page 38

2015 Shrimpapalooza and Homosassa Heritage Day

March 16, 2015 by KTgreen

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.

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!

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 Shrimpapalooza

Looks like a cooler with ingredients and beer… but for what?

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

It’s a PUPALOOZA!

2015 Shrimpapalooza Lab

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.

Saturday was a fun day in Homosassa!

Upcoming Important Events

March 10, 2015March 10, 2015 by KTgreen

We have serious stuff to talk about today….

This evening at 5:30, Old Homosassa Historical Preservation Society holds their monthly meeting at the Gator Den at MacRae’s Motel, If you are interested in preserving Old Homosassa’s heritage for current and future generations, you should attend this meeting. Our current project is to buy, repair, and maintain the Old Homosassa Water Tower.

Thursday evening at 6 – 7:30 there will be a town hall meeting with County Commissioner Ron Kitchen Jr. at the Homosassa Library. According to the Citrus Chronicle, Kitchen said “I want the public to know that I am continuing to listen, I want to hear about any issues our citizens are currently facing.” If you are concerned with events occurring in our community, you should attend this meeting. Two hot issues right now are the sidewalk plans on Yulee Drive and the 110-unit motel being planned on Halls River Road.

Following the town hall, The River Alliance will be meeting at 7:45 at the Civic Club.

We have two big events on Saturday.

First, Homosassa Heritage Day will be held at Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park from 10:00am to 4:00pm. Here’s an opportunity to learn about Homosassa’s history. The event is held inside the park’s Visitor Center at the main entrance on U.S. 19 so you do not have to pay admission to the park.

Second is the 3rd annual Shrimpapalooza. The parade starts at 10:30 am and will feature about 10,000 golf carts and a gazillion beads. That might be a slight (huge) exaggeration but you should just come and see for yourself. The festival following the parade is held in the park behind the Homosassa Civic Club. Sponsored by the Homosassa Rotary club, the proceeds go to numerous charities, many of them local.

2014 Shrimpapalooza — There’s Anne, her daughter and granddaughter

Luminary Art Nights

March 9, 2015 by KTgreen

We had another weather-perfect Spring weekend. And we were busy busy busy.

Of course, the highlight of the weekend was the Luminary Art Nights.

And it was even better because our “part-time” neighbors Bill and Ellen (whose family have had a place right around the corner on our canal for over 40 years) surprised us with a text that they were relaxing in Old Homosassa for the weekend and ‘were we going to the Luminary Art Night?’

And you know the answer to that was YES!

Six galleries participated in the Luminary Art Nights this past weekend. I didn’t get to cover some of the galleries in my posts last week so I’m featuring photos from the other three places that I snapped at Saturday night’s festivities.

We started out at Watson’s Art Gallery and Studio and were greeted by Gil and Wendy Watson’s three sons and a roaring bonfire. Wonderful pieces created by local artists were displayed outside and covered all the interior walls plus several tables.

Next up was the Olde Mill House Gallery where Jim “Bo” Anderson, owner, entertained us with witty commentary and printing press demonstrations.

Olde Mill HOuse Gallery & CAfe — Terry and I thought this was very cool. Think it would look great on one of our walls but I doubt if Bo would part with it!

Bo showed Ellen and I how to make thank you cards.

notecards from Olde Mill House Gallery & Cafe — Bo made the one on the left on the big printing press, I made the one on the right with the little press.

We stopped in at Riverworks to check out Kevin Jenkins’s copper sculptures and driftwood furniture by Mark Arnett.

Next up was River Safaris & Coyote Cafe.

Our last stops were the Glass Garage where Ellen and Bill purchased some beautiful glass jewelry and I met the artists Louise Whitney and Lori Lenoir and then on to The Pepper Creek Pottery. We ended our evening with a delicious dinner at the Seagrass.

The evening was wonderful and the traffic of incoming visitors to the galleries was non-stop. Such a great event. I especially love that all of the owners and artists are locals and have made an investment in our community.

Next up–Shrimpaplooza on Saturday. Parade at 10 am! Be there!