MacDill Happenings

For an inexpensive night out on Friday and to get in the mood for Halloween, check out what is playing at the MacDill AFB movie theater. Usually, there would be a movie on Saturday but since it is Halloween there will not be a movie showing. On Friday at 7pm, the horror movie “Sorority Row” will be playing. This movie is rated R for strong bloody violence, language, sexuality, nudity, and partying and has a run time of 101 minutes. Cassidy, Jessica, Claire, Ellie and Megan are sorority sisters and true-blue friends to the end — until a prank gone wrong resulting in Megan’s demise. Rather than risk their futures by reporting the crime, the friends agree to cover it all up. Cassidy and company learn to regret their decision one year later when a stalker begins sending them videos of the night Megan died. Unfortunately for the sorority girls, the stalker doesn’t intend to only send videos but to go after them and anyone who knows their secret. Admission is only $4 for adults and $2 for children under 12. You can’t be the price of refreshments!

In alliance with the USO, eKnowledge is offering SAT and ACT test prep programs valued at $200, free to Military Service Members and their extended families. The eKnowledge Sponsorship Alliance includes Veteran Service Organizations such as AMVETS, the American Red Cross and DANTES, as well as a group of professional athletes from the NFL and MLB including. The eKnowledge Sponsorship Alliance has provided over 120,000 SAT/ACT Prep Programs to military families worldwide. The PowerPrep™ program helps prepare students to take the exams and increases student confidence resulting in higher test scores, and thousands of dollars in scholarships. The software includes more than 20 hours of video instruction and 3,000 files of supplemental test prep material, thousands of interactive diagnostic tools, sample questions, practice tests and graphic teaching illustrations. The new PowerPrep™ v6x software is MAC and PC compatible. Families interested in obtaining the FREE $200 v6x SAT/ACT PowerPrep™ Programs may order online www.eknowledge.com//nfl Enter Sponsorship Code: Code: 15E41DB9A6 or by telephone, 951-256-4076. There is a small fee of $13.84 (per standard program) which enables eKnowledge to provide technical and customer support, registration, licensure, processing, handling and worldwide shipping. This nominal fee allows the sponsorship alliance to continue helping tens-of-thousands of military families each year.

Hydro Harvest Farms in Ruskin is having a pumpkins patch this weekend. There will be thousands of pumpkins available for purchase. You can paint and decorate your pumpkins, play games, see lots of crafts for sale and join in on fun contests. And it’s all free! Pumpkins are 3 for $20. Hydro Harvest Farms was founded on the belief that we are what we eat and we are responsible for our families well being, the future of our planet and the desire to get back in touch with what is really important. Growing your own food is one of the most satisfying experiences. Eating healthy food is why you come to Hydro Harvest Farms. All food is grown using Hydroponic Methods. Hydroponic methods requires 80% less water that a typical farm. Only 1/8 of land is required of a typical farm. Every natural method is used to eradicated organisms and pests in the early stages of the problem by using natural enemies, natural solutions, organic controls and NO chemical pesticides. Hydroponic means “water working”. Instead of the traditional farming practice of growing in soil, hydroponic plants grow in a water and nutrient solution. The elements of the nutrition are the same in plants grown in soil, but they are fed directly to the root base as opposed to dispersing a lot of water in the soil and having the plant root search for the nutrition. This allows the hydroponic farmer to save water and not stress the plant because of a lack of water or the essential nutrients.

For an inexpensive night out this weekend, stop by the MacDill AFB movie theater. On Friday at 7pm, the action movie “Inglourious Basterds” starring Brad Pitt is playing. This movie is rated R for strong graphic violence, language and brief sexuality and has a run time of 153 minutes. In German-occupied France, where Shosanna Dreyfus witnesses the execution of her family at the hand of Nazi Colonel Hans Landa. Shosanna narrowly escapes and flees to Paris, where she forges a new identity as the owner and operator of a cinema. Elsewhere in Europe, Lieutenant Aldo Raine organizes a group of Jewish soldiers to engage in targeted acts of retribution. Known to their enemy as “The Basterds,” Raine’s squad joins German actress and undercover agent Bridget Von Hammersmark on a mission to take down the leaders of The Third Reich. On Saturday at 7pm, the comedy “Extract” starring Jason Bateman and Mila Kunis is playing. This movie is rated R for language, sexual references, and some drug use and has run time of 92 minutes. Joel is one step away from selling his flavor extract factory and retiring to easy street when a freak workplace accident sets in motion a series of disasters that puts his business and personal life in jeopardy.

Stop by the R & R Ranch for an old fashioned Halloween Party on Saturday 24 October. The fun starts at 9am and ends at 5pm. There will be a hayride, pony rides, donkey cart rides and pumpkin decorating. Cost is $7.50 per child with free admission for adults. For a small additional fee, you can enjoy face painting, games, food and a lot more. R & R Ranch is a family owned and operated horse ranch specializing in safe enjoyable horse experiences. The Ranch offer ponys parties, guided trail rides, riding lessons, horse boarding,Playgroups and horse camps. The farm is a short drive from Tampa, Plant City, Brandon, and Riverview. The R & R Ranch is located in Lithia at 9805 Bryant Rd. R & R also offers pony rides, horse camps, pony parties and field trips for schools and playgroups. R & R is open from 10am to sunset 7 days a week by appointment.

The Clearwater Jazz Festival continues this weekend at Coachman Park in downtown Clearwater from 10am to 5pm each day. This is a free event! Now in its 30th year, the Clearwater Jazz Holiday is a world-class gathering of the some of the greatest talents and greatest fans of jazz. The event takes full advantage of its home in Clearwater offering music and art against the backdrop of warm breezes, brilliant sunsets and one of the world’s greatest beaches, on the Gulf of Mexico. The 2nd Annual Clearwater Jazz ‘N Art Walk will also be taking place on the 500 & 600 block of Cleveland St. from Ft. Harrison to East Avenue. Fine art of different mediums will be on display and for sale to the general public. The Clearwater Jazz ‘N Art Walk will also feature the Kids Educationl Zone, located in Station Square, showcasing some of the bay areas youth works and talents. Children will be able to browse through the kids’ art and experience hands-on activities created just for children. Each day enjoy the “Nick Pool Show” from 12pm-1pm along with other kids entertainment from 10am-11am and 2pm-3pm. The GTE Federal Credit Union main stage will be located at Garden Avenue with fantastic entertainment featuring local and regional talent. Performers on Saturday include The Hy Notes from 11am – 12pm, The Alan Darcy Experience from 1pm – 2pm and Level 10 from 3pm – 4pm. On Sunday listen to The Ruth Eckerd Hall Jazz Lab Band from 11am – 12pm, Suite Caroline from 1pm – 2pm and The Bus Stop Band with Chello from 3pm – 4pm. Of course, there will be plenty of food and beverages to choose from if you get hungry or thirsty.

The Florida Orchestra will be performing its free Pops in the Park concert on 16  October.  The concert will be at River Tower Park in the Sulpher Springs neighborhood of Tampa with a 7pm start time. River Tower Park is 12.52 acres and is adjacent to the Hillsborough River. Take the W. Waters Av exit off of I-275 and go south on N. Florida Ave to get to the park.  Bring your chairs, blankets and a picnic and enjoy the concert!  Don’t forget to bring bug spray in case the bugs come out, but no alcohol is allowed.  The Florida Orchestra is recognized as Tampa Bay’s leading performing arts institution, one of the leading professional symphony orchestras in Florida, and one of the best orchestras in America.The orchestra performs more than 100 concerts annually in the tri-city area of Tampa, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg. Concert series include Masterworks, Raymond James Pops, Coffee Concerts, Pops in the Park Concerts, and youth concerts. The orchestra has a wide variety of programs to make music accessible to the Tampa Bay community. The Heartstrings program allows underserved residents, including at-risk students, seniors, people with disabilities, and those facing financial challenges, to attend Masterworks and Pops concerts free of charge. There are Free Youth Concerts which target fourth and fifth graders and are presented during the school day at one of the major concert halls in the area. Each year over 30,000 students attend one of the orchestra’s youth concerts. A national string program for African-American and Latino musicians, Sphinx TFO Partnership offers an annual national competition, as well as training programs and professional development opportunities. The Florida Orchestra Young Artists Competition recognizes extraordinary young talent in the greater Tampa Bay area. The competition is open to students up to the age of 22, with senior (16-22) and junior (15 and younger) divisions. Musicians in the Schools offers orchestra musicians the opportunity to support high school orchestra and band programs in Pinellas and Hillsborough County schools by working as sectional coaches, providing private instruction or conducting rehearsals. Students, teachers and education staff members may purchase individual $10 tickets with a valid school I.D. to most Florida Orchestra concerts. The Instrument Petting Zoo is a project of The Florida Orchestra Tampa Guild and features a collection of musical instruments that children can touch, blow, pluck, and strike. Students from middle school through college can attend open dress rehearsals to witness how the conductor and musicians prepare that week’s program. Side By Side Concerts provide young musicians an opportunity to rehearse and publicly perform with the orchestra’s professional musicians.

For an inexpensive night out and a chance to see the latest entertainment, stop by the MacDill AFB movie theater this weekend. Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for children. Refreshments will at least half the cost of refreshments out in town. On Friday at 7pm, the scary movie “The Final Destination” will be playing. This movie is rated R for violence/terror, and language and has a run time of 82 minutes. While enjoying a day at the track, Nick has a horrific premonition in which he and his friends all die following a freak accident involving multiple racecars. Nick manages to convince his friends to leave mere seconds before his vision comes true. They may have cheated death at first, but as the survivors start to meet increasingly grisly ends, Nick must figure out a way to escape his fate before death strikes again. On Saturday, there are two movies playing. At 3pm, the comedy “Julia & Julia” starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams will be playing. This movie is rated PG-13 for brief strong language, and some sensuality and has a run time of 123 minutes. A frustrated temp secretary embarks on a year-long culinary quest to cook all 524 recipes in Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. She chronicles her trials and tribulations in a blog that catches on with the food crowd. The film also covers the years Julia Child and her husband Paul spent in Paris during the 1940s and 1950s, when he was a foreign diplomat who was eventually investigated by Sen. Joseph McCarthy for alleged communist ties. At 7pm, the action movie “Gamer” will be playing. This movie is rated R for strong brutal violence throughout, sexual content, nudity, and language and has a run time of 95 minutes. Humans control other humans in mass-scale, multi-player online games: people play people…for keeps. Mind-control technology is widespread, and at the heart of the controversial games is its creator, reclusive billionaire Ken Castle. His latest game “Slayers,” allows millions to act out their most savage fantasies online in front of a global audience, using real prisoners as avatars. Kable is the superstar and cult hero of the ultra violent “Slayers.” Kable is controlled by Simon, a young gamer with rock star status who continues to defy all odds by guiding Kable to victory each week.

For free school help, stop by your local library! Use your local library to help you writing a school paper or study for an upcoming test or research on any college. The library will provide you access to live assistance from Tutor.com and NetLibrary. Those online services provide professional tutors in math, science, English and social studies. Help is available 7 days a week from 2pm to midnight in English and Spanish. Studying can be challenging at times, so why not use every resource available to help you succeed! Reserach habits learned at a young age at the library will help a student be prepared for future academic success. Use the Hillsborough County Public Library website at www.hcplc.org to fing archived newspaper articles, current events, online encyclopedias or research tools with information on science, literature and art. The library’s periodical databases are designed to help elementary, middle and high school students. There is help to work on the FCAT, SAT and AP tests. Check out the website or stop by your local library and ask the librarian about the resources available to help your child.

Today the largest bicycle festival in Tampa Bay, Bicycle Bash by the Bay, will take place in Vinoy Park from 11 am to 4 pm on the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront. This free festival is for all type of bicyclists from bike commuters and roadies; mountain bikers and single-speeders; fat-tire cruisers and recumbent cyclists. Highlights include a bicycle donation station, the city’s bike rodeo where the City of St. Pete will pass out free bike helmets for children and teach them important bicycling skills and several demos on topics such as fixing a flat and bike commuting. Learn about bike commuting in the Tampa Bay area.   Check out the swap meet where you can buy inexpensive used bikes and gear. Drop off your old bike that you no longer want to pedal at a bike donation station and get a free prize. Meet bicycle manufacturers and other bike part makers. See the latest in cycling and equipment. Of course there will also be music, and food!