Free and cheap things to do with the family this week
We sprang forward, we fell back, and still our wallets are stuck. Here’s some free and cheap things to do while we wait for the next time change.
From 6-8 p.m. Friday, there will be special events for the opening of the new IMAX theater at the AMC Woodlands Square in Oldsmar. And the first movie shown will be Disney's new A Christmas Carol. There will be music, prizes and face painting. And there will also be a collection of unwrapped toys to be presented at the annual Mayor's Breakfast, a joint event of the cities of Safety Harbor and Oldsmar on Dec. 11. The toys and funds raised through the breakfast go toward helping needy families in both communities. You have to pay to see the movie, but the other events are free. The theater is at 3128 Tampa Road, Oldsmar.
Friends of the wild nature park on Lake Maggiore in St. Petersburg present Art Arbor at Boyd Hill,
an autumn family festival on Saturday with arts and crafts vendors,
live music, food court, plant sale, wildlife presentations and
environmental exhibits, guided tours and children’s activities. It runs
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, 1101 Country Club Way
S, St. Petersburg. Free; $2 suggested donation.
His plane is a star!
Joe Shepherd and his 1937 Lockheed Electra that he flew in the new movie Amelia will be in town as part of Airportfest, Friday and Saturday at the Peter O. Knight Airport on Davis Islands. The Electra is one of nearly 100 vintage and modern aircraft that will be on display at the free fest. It runs 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
There’s no need for gloves at the Boxer Bash. This party is for fans of the cute dog with the intelligent face. There will be food, raffles for a Bucs game package and other prizes, contests, adoptable dogs and shopping for both people and pets, and lots of doggie activities and agility demonstrations. It runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Al Lopez Park, 4810 N Himes Ave., Tampa.
The 2009 version of the Hillsborough County Fair is vintage Old Florida: frog jumping, pig racing, bronco riding, pageant queens and lots of livestock. It’s all on the corner of State Road 60 and Sydney-Dover Road Friday through Sunday. The fair will offer midway rides and an array of events that harken back to blue ribbons, candied apples and home-baked pies. The ranch rodeo, which kicks up Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., includes bronco riding, calf-doctoring, wild cow milking and team branding. Gates opem at 5 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. Saturday and noon Sunday. Admission is $5 for ages 8 and older and parking is free. Armbands for the midway rides are available every day.
The big Junior League sale is back! Support the local economy and get ahead on holiday shopping at the sixth annual Junior League of Tampa holiday market, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Florida State Fairgrounds Entertainment Hall, 4800 U.S. 301 N. Find clothing, jewelry, accessories, art, entertainment, giveaways and more. jltampa.org.
It’s the first Friday, so the block party Get Downtown will be cranking on Central Avenue between Second to Third streets in St. Petersburg. There will be live music by the Venturas and drink sales benefit the Christmas Toy Shop.
Skate if you love the troops next Wednesday. United Skates is hosting a Veterans Day Skate from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is $6 per person and includes admission regular skate rental. Anyone with a military ID will receive free admission for up to four people, so round up a soldier. It’s at United Skates of America, 5121 N Armenia Ave. in Tampa.
Photo: [CHRIS ZUPPA | Times]
-- 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.
Of all the talk about saving ENERGY, why does Progress Energy make no effort to turn off STREET LIGHTS in the Clearwater CITY LIMITS. They like the higher pay to run xtra light in the daytime?
Help is not on the way it appears.
Posted by: dudeprude | November 07, 2009 at 07:45 PM