Free and cheap family fun for Oct. 16-18
We can’t bail out your checkbook, but we can bail out your day planner with these free and cheap things to do.
Maybe some free concerts in the park will bring on nice fall weather. The Florida Orchestra is doing its part by bringing back its hugely popular Pops in the Park with two shows, Friday at 7 p.m. at River Tower Park in the Sulphur Springs area of Tampa, and Saturday at 7 p.m. in Vinoy Park in St. Petersburg. Gerald Steichen, one of the most versatile young talents in music, will guest conduct all your favorites. (Tchaikovksy’s 1812 Overture, people!) Of course you should bring a picnic, and while you’re at it, bring canned goods to donate to Tampa Bay Harvest’s food bank services.
You have a couple choices this week to bring a blanket and catch a free movie outdoors. The St. Petersburg Pier will be showing The Gold Retrievers starring Steve Guttenberg. Costumes are encouraged (there will be prizes) on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Over in Gulfport, they will be showing the 1960s classic Mad Monster Party at the point behind the recreation center at 5730 Shore Blvd. S at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Movie munchies will be sold to support the Gulfport Teen Council.
Take the kids on a Family Friendly Haunted Hike, a spooky one-mile walking tour through the St. Paul-Euclid neighborhood’s creepy alleys, old homes and landmarks where costumed characters tell spooky stories. It’s $5 adults, $1 ages 12 and younger; 2 and younger free at www.espna.org or on site on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Meet at the haunted address of 13th Street and 13th Avenue N in St. Petersburg. For more Halloween fun, much of it free or cheap, see this roundup.
Got a floating flea collar? Cool off with your pet at the Soggy Doggie Day at
the Highland Family Aquatic Center, 400 Highland Ave., Largo, Saturday
where they will have two two-hour sessions that will feature dog
splashing, activities and contests. The sessions are divided for dogs
18 inches and smaller, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; dogs 19 inches and taller,
1:30-3:30 p.m. Remember to bring your dog’s proof of vaccination. Dogs
are $5 but families are free (but no swimming for you).
Elmo takes on flower power! In a Sesame Street Live a traveling show called Elmo’s Green Thumb, the Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 N McMullen-Booth Road, Clearwater.
The Sweetwater Organic Community Farm will once again invite friends and fans to bring a covered dish and enjoy music by the Urban Gypsies at the Planters Ball on Saturday. The dining and dancing under the stars begins at 5:30 p.m. at the farm, 6942 W Comanche Ave. in Tampa. Fresh organic salad and bread provided; benefits Sweetwater Farm. Price: $10, $5 ages 6-12, 5 and younger free.
Take the kids to Tampa’s fire station no. 20 on Saturday for Fire Safety Day, a free kid-friendly community event including fire truck tours, try on fire gear, K-9 dog demonstrations, helmet safety checks, chair massages, safety information from various vendors, snacks, water and more from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 16200 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in Tampa.
And for more fun family events, check out these listings. Get out and enjoy the beautiful cooler weather this weekend.
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.
Free art classes for children 12-18 yrs.
If you make less than $70,000 a year you could quilify for this program.
http://youthartscorps.org/
Posted by: Noemi | October 18, 2009 at 09:07 AM