MacDill Happenings

If you are making your plans for the weekend, you might want to consider the Ruskin Tomato and Heritage Festival this Saturday and Sunday. You get free tomato slices and tomato plants, while supplies last! Check out the food, fun and Farmer’s Market. There is an antique tractor show and see cracker horses and cattle. If you need some plants for your gardens, then you try the plant show and sales. Listen to Bluegrass Country music including: The Broadway Babes, Paul Carr and The Swamp Stompers, Southern Star Bluegrass Band, Crossroads Bluegrass Band and Kelly Emerson and The Bluegrass Parlor Band. The festival takes place at E.G. Simmons Park in Ruskin on Saturday from 10am to 5pm and on Sunday from 10am to pm. Ruskin is about a 45 min drive from MacDill AFB. Admission for 12 yrs and older is $5. Parking is free.

Get ready for the MacDill AFB Airfest on Saturday and Sunday 3 and 4 May. This is a huge event. The daily events run from 8an to 5pm each day. The Dale Mabry Gate and MacDill Gate will be open for the general public. Be prepared for traffic with over 100,000 people coming to see the show. The aerial show and static displays include the KC-135, E-2 Hawkeye, F-18 Hornet, KC-10, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-104 Starfighter, P-51 Mustang, UH-60 Blackhawk and T-38 Talon. The performance schedule on each day is the same and will include a parachute jump from Special Operations Command Parachute Team and the Canadian Forces Snowbirds. Of course admission and parking is free, but there will be plenty of food, drinks and souvenirs for sale. MacDill AFB is in South Tampa with Dale Mabry the largest road onto the base. Certain things are prohibited, but water bottles are okay. The MacDill Exchange and Commissary will be closed this weekend because of the crowds.

Enjoy the 25th Annual Asian-Pacific Heritage Celebration this Saturday at the St. Pete Times Forum. Asia Fest is an annual celebration of “National Asian Pacific American Heritage Month,” which has been held in downtown Tampa since 1982. Each year the event has been coordinated by the Asian Coalition of Florida (AACF). See Asian cultural performances, martial arts, and fashion shows. The festivities start at 11am with free admission. Taste authentic Asian foods and much more! Countries represented include Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. This event is held inconjunction with the Tampa Bay International Dragon Boat Race also held on Saturday on the Garrison Channel near the Waterside Marriott. The Tampa Bay International Dragon Boat Races are held on the Garrison channel in Downtown Tampa, FL. The race course is between the Beneficial Street and the Franklin Street Harbour Island Bridges. Each team races n the 400m course three times during the event. Teams load the boats at the Convention Center docks on the west side of the Marriott, and then travel up the Channel to the start line. The finish line is in front of the Marriott. A central viewing location is located at the Marriott Waterside Hotel and marina (700 S Florida Avenue) or at Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park, adjacent to the Marriott. The racing runs from 8:30am to 6pm.

Howard W. Blake High School for the Arts presents “A Night of Jazz-A Tribute to Thomas Ziegelhofer”. This event will showcase Blake High students as well as special guests Eric Darius, Belinda Womack, Jose Valentino, James Crumbly, Jack Wilkins, and Thomas Ziegelhofer and the Mike MacArthur Group. Thomas Ziegelhofer is retiring this year as an assistant principal at Blake. A Night of Jazz is an annual fundraiser at Blake and this year is dedicated to Mr. Ziegelhofer. Mr. Ziegelhofer was a music teacher and band director in Hillsborough County from 1976 to 1996, when he was hired as assistant principal for curriculum for Blake’s performing arts magnet program. Mr. Ziegelhofer plays the jazz trumpet at local jazz concerts and for private parties. Mr. Ziegelhofer will perform several numbers with the student jazz band, including “Georgia on My Mind.” The sets will include performances of “The Nearness of You,” by Hoagy Carmichael; “Speak No Evil,” by Wayne Shorter; “Chelsea Bridge,” by Billy Strayhorn; and “Afro Blue,” by Mongo Santamaria. The show starts at 7pm at Blake High. Tickets are $7 in advance and can be bought at Blake High by calling 272-3422. Tickets at the door are $10. Students are $3 in advance and $5 at the door.

Water is still at a premium in Tampa with water restrictions in place including yard watering allowed only once a week. There are somethings that you can do to save water and also save yourself money at the same time. To conserve water indoors, run automatic dishwashers and washing machines only with full loads. Turn off water when brushing teeth and shaving which can save up to 1,000 gallons per month. Rinse fruits and vegetables in a bowl instead of running water which can save up to 250 gallons a month. To conserve outdoor water use, only water grass when you see signs of wilt, such as grass blades folded in half or a blue-gray color and footprints that won’t go away. Raise your lawn mower blade to the highest level so that roots grow deeper and grass blades hold moisture longer. Use drought tolerant trees, shrubs, ground cover and flowers. Consider washing your car on your lawn so that the water just doesn’t go down the drain.

FishHawk Ranch is a large beautiful subdivision in Lithia, about 40 min away from MacDill AFB, full of trees, walking paths and friendly people. As the FishHawk Ranch sub-division has grown so has the surrounding shopping areas. Near the main entrance to FishHawk Ranch on the northeast corner of FishHawk Blvd and Osprey Ridge Dr is conveniently located strip mall that has quite a bit of useful shops. Valrico State Bank is a cornerstone of the strip mall. Valrico State Bank is a local bank with the type of friendly tellers that remember you when you come back. The All Star Italian Cafe is a wonderful place for a meal. The baked ziti, chicken parmesan, and lasagna compares with some of the best in Tampa with a very affordable price. The prime rib is excellent. We started out with baked mozzarella cheese that was covered with a delicious bread coating. The chocolate cake for dessert is highly recommended. It is a huge 4 layer cake with dark chocolate for icing. At one end of the strip mall is DeSilva’s Coffee House & Rostery. This is their second location. Their original location is further west on Boyette Rd in Riverview. An excellent place to start your day off, have lunch or unwind at the end of your day. Free WiFi is also available if need to do some work or just want to surf the Internet. If you need coffee quickly, this FishHawk location has a drive-thru window. AfterImage Salon is a great place for men, women and children. It is a full service salon where not only can you get your hair done, but they also pamper your skin, do waxing and give relaxing massages. With select stylists, you can get a military discount. You can schedule an appointment at 657-3296.

Cat lover’s make your weekend plans now and attend the TICA All Breed Championship Cat Show this Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 4pm each day. Sponsored by the Tampa Bay Feline Fanciers, the show will take place at the Florida Army National Guard Armory in St. Petersburg at 3601 38th Ave. S. Showing and judging all breeds of pedigreed cats including Bengals, Ragamuffins, Hairless Sphynx, Maine Coons, Himalayans, Persians and more. There will be cat toys, gifts, and supplies available for sale. Kittens will also be available for purchase. Parking is free. General admission is $5, seniors are $4 and children 12-7 is $3. Admission is free for children 6 and under.

Springtime in the Tampa Bay area means warm but not too hot temperatures during the day and very little bugs in the evening which makes it a perfect time to have outdoor festivals and events. This weekend is no exception. On Saturday and Sunday, enjoy Summerfest in Largo and help others at the same time. Along with free concert performers, and a fun festival atmosphere, SummerFest 2008 will have a KIDS ZONE with rides and crafts to create. Saturday’s entertainment music theme is Latin. Sunday’s entertainment theme is Blues with the Neville Brothers performance as the highlist. Admission is free but you are encouraged to bring a can to donate to the RCS food bank. Saturday’s hours are noon to 10pm and Sunday hours are from noon to 9pm at Largo Central Park. This is about 30min from MacDill AFB.

If you want to make plans for the weekend, then you might add the 3rd Annual Suncoast Arts Fest to your calender for this Saturday and Sunday in New Port Richey. Because of the success of last years event, the Festival was moved to a 17 acre site and combined with the Taste of Pasco. Although it is about a 45 min drive north of MacDill AFB, it is a very enjoyable event. The Festival features fine art and good food. There will be works from more than 80 artists and 30 eating establishments. To highlight community artists, thirty of “Pasco’s Finest” artists were selected to represent the variety of fine artists and fine craftsmen locally. Emerging Artists, 10th grade through 12th grade students, are also given an opportunity to display their finest work as well! There is also entertainment scheduled throughout the weekend. This all takes place at State Road 54 and Starkey Blvd about 6 miles west of Suncoast Parkway. Festival hours on Saturday are 10am to 7pm and Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Funds raised from this event are donated to the Arts for Kids in Pasco County.

If you are new to the Brandon area and want to get your children and yourself involved in the community, meet new friends and just have fun, then consider joining the Brandon Cowboys Football and Cheerleading Association. The first dayof practice is 14 Jul. Open registration is this Saturday 26 Apr from 9am to 11am at the Brandon Cowboys football field at 3099 Kingsway Road. Although returning players get the first choice to re-join the team, there are open spots for Mighty Mite, Pee-Wee and Varsity football squads and all six cheerleading squads. Registration is $200 for the first child and $180 for siblings. Only $100 is due at registration with the remainder to be paid later. Birth certificates are also required at registration. Parents can also get involved with the team with spots open for a field manager and assistant cheerleading coaches. You can more specific information at the team website.