Free and cheap things to do with the kids -- Fourth of July edition
We’re feeling pretty patriotic, so when the bank account explodes like cheap fireworks, we have some free and cheap things to do for you, our fellow Americans.
We already told you about all the Fourth of July activities but you can never hear about them too much. So pick your favorite fireworks spot and plan on having a great time getting your red, white and blue on.
Let your kids bring something to the July 4 potluck by making a wooden
picnic caddy at the Home Depot’s free kids workshops for ages 5 to 12.
They supply all the materials tools and even a work apron you can take
home. Just register online. They hold the workshop
between 9 a.m. and noon at all Home Depot stores on Saturday.
Get Downtown, the monthly first Friday block party in downtown St. Petersburg gets hopping with killer saxophonist Stacey Knights bringing her pop-jazz sound to Central Avenue between Second and Third streets. The music and fun start at 5:30 p.m.
Not to be outdone by Nathan’s contest in Coney Island, the fifth annual Dairy Inn Hot Dog Eating Contest adds to the festivities in St. Petersburg on Saturday. Starting at 11:30 a.m. at the Dairy Inn, 1201 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N, St. Petersburg, people will be horking down as many hot dogs as they possibly can in the 10-minute time limit. The event is a fundraiser for Pet Pal Animal Shelter in St. Petersburg. (They are accepting donations at the event as well as having a puppy-kissing booth.) First-place winners in each of the adult divisions get $100 cash and their name inscribed on Dairy Inn’s famous “Relish Green” belt. And all contestants will get free coupons for ice cream at the Dairy Inn.
Grab your little engineer and jet over to the Largo Central Railroad for free miniature train rides from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The railroad is at 150 Highland Ave. SE, Largo. And when your cuties tire of the train rides, just take them to the adjacent playground for a little run-around time. The train rides are free but donations are accepted for train and track maintenance. Local non-profit groups sell refreshments on site to raise money for worthy causes. Go here for more details.
Who says that fireworks are the only thing to see in the sky this weekend? At the Pier Aquarium in St. Petersburg on Saturday. Fish in the Sky teaches anyone how to draw the constellation Pisces and find it in the night sky. The course is from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Pier, 800 Second Ave. NE, St. Petersburg. Price is $5 for adults and $4 seniors and students ages 7 and older. Special
admission Sundays is $2.50 for all, ages 6 and younger free. Call (727) 895-7437 for info.
After the busy weekend, you may want to chill out. Or you can check out a couple of events to get the next week started.
Here's something fun for you to do on Mondays with your kids when they are tired of being inside. Try Monday Fun Days at the Tampa History Museum. The event feature hands-on activities, crafts, performances and more. The series kicks off July 6 with "Passport 1528: European Exploration Story." Learn more about the European explorers who came to the Tampa Bay area in the 16th century, and their encounters with the first people of Florida. This is free with museum admission: Adults $12; seniors, college students and youths 13-17 $10, kids ages 4-12 $7, 3 and under, free.
Got a young thespian in the house who dreams of being on stage? Take them to the auditions for the Patel Conservatory Youth Theater Company presentation of Willy Wonka Jr., at the TECO Theater at Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, 1010 N MacInnes Place, Tampa. Auditions begin at 6 p.m. Monday. Positions are available for students grades 2-12. The young actors must prepare a one-minute memorized monologue or poem and 16 bars of a song one minute or less. Dress for movement and bring sheet music or CD accompaniment. Auditions are by appointment only at (813) 222-1002.
On July 9, you can ease some of the post-holiday weekend stress by attending the thank you party hosted by the Holy Mud Company, a St. Pete-based company specializing in mud masks. The party is planned from 6 to 10 p.m. at Get Hip Studio in Tampa and it’s open to the public. They’re giving away free swag bags to the first 10 people to arrive, and free samples all night and product demonstrations. They’re also serving mud slides and light food at the party.
Go out and make it a fun weekend and eat a slice of apple pie for us.
-- 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.
Here's a FUN, FREE program to do with your kids this weekend! Your kids can see wild animals up close!
Dont miss Wild Wetlands, presented by The Florida Aquarium on Saturday, July 11, 2009 10:30 am – 11:30 am.
What’s wild about wetlands? Come face-to-face with some of Florida’s wild and beautiful creatures. Learn about wetlands ecology with the help of interesting critters through this interactive, educational, and fun program. This event is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required. Recommended for ages: 6 and up. For additional information, call Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center at (727) 453-6500. The Center is located at 1800 Weedon Drive NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33702. Visit us at: http://www.weedonislandpreserve.org
Posted by: Lilian | July 07, 2009 at 09:08 AM
For Ivery, who says everything is too expensive, fyi - the Patel Conservatory has free ballet lessons for kids July 11 and several in August, plus a free event july 25 where you can sample classes. (www.patelconservatory.org)
Posted by: Leslie | July 06, 2009 at 09:14 AM
If you missed the great fireworks show in Treasure Island you can check it out on Podshowradio.com
Posted by: Brent | July 05, 2009 at 07:32 PM
wow really everything is to expenisve
Posted by: ivery | July 04, 2009 at 11:20 AM