Free and cheap events for the family
Ah, January in Florida. It’s what people spend thousands of dollars to come visit, and we get it for free. We're lucky because many of the visitors who were here for the holidays have gone home and we have these great events to keep us busy.
There are a couple of free events specifically for the animal lovers in your house. On Thursday, the Florida Classic Clusters Dog Show begins its run at 8 a.m. at Florida Classic Park, 5360 Lockhart Road Brooksville. The AKC-sanctioned, all-breed dogs shows, obedience trials and rally trials. Behind-the-scenes show tours will be given and rescue organizations will be on site with adoptable dogs. Kids' Day is Sunday and Seniors' Day is Jan. 12. Admission is free but parking is $5. The shows run through Jan. 18. On Saturday and Sunday, you can enjoy the wonders of sea cows at the Manatee Festival in downtown Crystal River beginning at 9 a.m. each day. Highlights include seeing manatees in their own environment, a craft show, boat and kayak tours and a Jimmy Buffet contest. It cost $2 to attend and parking is free with a shuttle.
Take a jacket to the Weedon Family Night Hike at the Weedon Island Preserve 1800 Weedon Drive NE, St. Petersburg from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday. As children explore the trails of preserve, they are introduced to the special animals that take advantage of the dark. Hikers will look and listen for nocturnal animals. Parts of the hike occur on rugged trails and are not suitable for strollers. Recommended for families, suitable for children ages 5 - 12. Pre-registration is required. Call (727) 453-6500 to register and for more information.
Check out the Central Pasco & Gulf Railroad, a large-scale model train along 
the lines of the Largo Central Railroad, is offering rides to the public on Saturday and the second Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Round-trip rides take about 10-15 minutes. Suggested donation is $1 per person. Find the railroad at 16739 Crews Lake Drive, Brookesville. For information, call (727) 569-2289.
The Green Machine: Kids’ Expo 2009 will feature a day of planet preserving activities, including stories, crafts and entertainment. Featured act is Didgeridoo Down Under, an Australian-themed show combining environmentalism, culture and music. Children who make an earth-saving commitment receive a prize. Catch it from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at the Largo Public Library, 120 Central Park Drive, Largo. Call (727) 587-6715 for more info.
Did you realize there’s even a holiday for this general “the holidays are over, time to get back to work” feeling we all have? It’s call Roc Day, and the Pinellas Weavers Guild is celebrating this traditional time in European cultures for women to put away their holiday baking pans and get back to their needle work. The Pinellas weavers will have mini-classes at 1 and 2 p.m. with demonstrations throughout the day, exhibits and information for new spinners and weavers from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Heritage Village, 11909 125th St. N, in Largo. Free. (727) 582-2123. Also at Heritage Village on Saturday from 1-3 p.m., enjoy the
Brag to your squeamish friends that you are going all Crocodile Dundee on ‘em at the Alligator Walk this Sunday at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve. Learn about the natural history of the alligator, its habitat, eating habits and babies in a park that is crawling with them in Lake Maggiore. Chances are good that you and a prehistoric eating machine will be within spitting distance of each other. The talk is at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, and the preserve also has a nice picnic area and alligator-free playground at 1101 Country Club Way S in St. Petersburg. Cost is $3 for adults, $1.50 for children. Call (727) 893-7326 for more info.
Sunday is $5 Conservation Day at Lowry Park Zoo. The Walmart-sponsored 
event lets you visit the zoo on the cheap (it’s normally $18.95 to step into the jungle) and learn about endangered wildlife at what Child magazine ranks as the No. 1 family friendly zoo. Bring water shoes for the splash area, and be ready to shell out more dough for some of the extras such as the train or camel rides or feeding the giraffes by hand. That will cost you $2 to $5 each. The zoo is open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1101 W Sligh Ave. in Tampa. Read here for the best way to enjoy the visit while battling the crowds.
And even though this is early, these classes fill up fast so put this in your day planner to register for the Kids in the Kitchen class. Learn interesting facts about the foods you eat and gain skills to create quick and healthy meals the whole family will love. This is a free one-night family seminar open to families and kids 8 years old and up. Kids will have the opportunity to prepare and taste test a fun and healthy recipe. The class is from 6:30-8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29 at All Children's Hospital, Education and Conference Center, 701 Fourth St. S, St. Petersburg. Space is limited so call (727) 767-6923 today to register.
-- Sharon Kennedy Wynne and Sherry Robinson
Sharon Kennedy Wynne has sunscreen in her blood. She may have been born in Buffalo but she got here as fast as she could, in time for kindergarten. She grew up in St. Petersburg, graduated from the University of Florida journalism school, and even got married at Sunken Gardens. She's one of the few adults we know who actually loves taking her kids to the beach. She has two sons and with 10 years of parenting under her belt, she's starting to feel a little less out of her league. She comes from a large family and loves to debate, so brace yourself when the hot topics come up.
Amy Hollyfield is a workaholic mother of two young
daughters, blessed to have a work-at-home husband who makes their life possible. She was born in Detroit and moved around a lot as a kid (read: Air Force brat). She has lived in Florida since the month after she
graduated from Northwestern University. She lives for the yelps, hugs and kisses that greet her on nights that she makes it home before bedtime.
Sherry Robinson was born in the Sunshine State but she feels more comfortable inside a mall than outside at the beach -- thank goodness her husband is the outdoorsy type. He takes their two sons on night hikes, beach runs and bug hunts while Sherry does her best to take care of the homestead -- and find out what is new on the store shelves. A graduate of the University of South Florida in 19noneofyourbusiness, Sherry has been at the Times for nearly 20 years. And with nearly 10 years of parenting experience, Sherry is eager to offer up some great dish on raising kids and keeping your sanity.
Guest blogger Tracey Henry, a.k.a. Suburban Diva, is a frantic, slightly frazzled mother of four. She is a freelance humor writer and author which is the only thing that parenting four children ages 12-1 trains you for, except perhaps court jester and professional bull rider. She and her husband have lived all over the country, but settled in Florida eight years ago because the beachcombing is so much better here than on the banks of the Mississippi. Their family time includes a lot of sport -- both watching and playing -- and fun in the sun and surf. Catch her in Whoa, Momma! and on her site, 
Sherri Day and her husband welcomed their daughter into the world in early 2008. So far, she describes parenthood as exciting, exhausting and exhilarating. A self-described Southern belle with small-town values and big-city idealism, Sherri was born in rural Georgia. She received her bachelor's degree in journalism from Clark Atlanta University and her master's of journalism from the University of California at Berkeley. She is the Brandon bureau chief for the Times. Sherri moved to Tampa from Brooklyn four years ago.
As always, don't forget to check out the local source for savings. There are coupons for Florida Aquarium, Clearwater Aquarium, MOSI, Fun Centers, etc.
http://www.couponsoftampabay.com
Posted by: Mike | January 08, 2009 at 08:05 AM