PINELLAS COUNTY - The Gazette Staff is dedicated to providing residents and visitors a quick, but comprehensive view of events, activities and fun things to do in the community. From featured events, to a great week at-a-glance activities, the calendar offers a “first look” at what is going on in the area. Send your upcoming event to newsdesk@clearwatergazette.com.
BELLEAIR
Garden club plans meetings, tea party fundraiser
• 1 p.m. April 2, general meeting, program and tea. Doris Heitzmann from Pinellas County Extension will talk about Florida-friendly garden designs.
• 11:30 a.m. April 9, Mad Hatter's Tea Party featuring lunch, libations, hat contests and live and Chinese auctions. Tickets are $35. For a reservation, call Judy Hanks at (727) 595-7233 or e-mail jlhanks65@gmail.com.
CLEARWATER — The Clearwater Garden Club, 405 Seminole St., has scheduled these events:
• Potluck luncheon, 9:45 a.m. Friday. Club president Alice Jarvis will talk about garden clubs. Bring a side dish to share.
• Trip to Honeymoon or Caladesi Island, 9:45 a.m. Saturday.
• “A Time to Bloom” annual plant sale, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 22. To donate plants, call chairwoman Laura Daniel at (727) 415-1965.
CLEARWATER — The World Circle Language Club will meet at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday at the Clearwater Country Club, 525 N. Betty Lane. For more information, call (727) 787-3344.
The Clearwater Audubon Society is offering these excursions:
• 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve, 130 77th St. E., 
Terra Ceia. Meet at Party City in Tri City Plaza at U.S. 19 and East Bay Drive. Call Lynn Sumerson at (727) 596-8822.
• March 21-22, Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park in Okeechobee. Reservations are required. Call Dale Goebel at (727) 723-4635.
• March 22, Audubon Explorers. Call Lynn Sumerson at (727) 596-8822 for time and location.
• 7:15 a.m. March 29, Oakland Nature Preserve. Meet at Party City. Call Mike McDonald at (727) 409-0459.
Monthly meetings are on the first Monday of the month, October through May, at Moccasin Lake Nature Park, 2750 Park Trail Lane, Clearwater. Mix-n-mingles starts at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting is at 7. Join the chapter for $15. An application is available at www.clearwateraudubon.com/news/php.
The club offers education on growing and preserving herbs for culinary, medicinal and decorative purposes. The first meeting is free. Dues are $25 per year.
CLEARWATER — The Clearwater Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution meets on the third Wednesday each month from September to May. The 11:30 a.m. luncheon is held at the Dunedin Golf Club, 1050 Palm Blvd. For more information, visit www.sar.og.
• 10:30 a.m. March 25, a ballet for youngsters ages 3-7 who are enchanted by princes and princesses, elves, fairies and enchanted forests. They're invited to come in costume. Michelle Pinto leads this event with music, stories, creative dance and classical ballet movements. Pre-registration is required. Call (727) 562-4970 or visit myclearwater.com/cpl.
• 2 p.m. March 29, “Super Heroics” for kindergarteners through fifth-graders. Attendees are encouraged to dress as their favorite superheroes. They'll face a series of adventure challenges to help them gain strength and inspiration to battle for truth and justice.
CLEARWATER — The Clearwater Garden Club's plant sale is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 22 at 405 Seminole St. Plant donations will be accepted the week of the sale. For details, call chairwoman Laura Daniel at (727) 415-1965.
CLEARWATER — The Clearwater Historical Society is open on the first and third Thursdays of each month from 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., and every Saturday from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. located at 1380 South Martin Luther King Avenue.
The two-story, cracker-style wood house (circa 1896) is the birthplace of Mary and Kathleen Plumb; granddaughters of Jennie Reynolds Plumb, Clearwater's first paid public school teacher for whom Plumb Elementary School is named.
The museum showcases a variety of antiques and vintage items including uniforms and photos of the Clearwater Bombers, the 10-time Men's World Fast-Pitch Softball Champions. Many historical documents, early photographic collections, a collection of Clearwater High School yearbooks and period furniture are also on display.
Admission is $7 per person; children under the age of 12 are free. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to charities in the area.
Call for tickets: (727) 535-2728 or (813) 837-3335. Tickets will be available at the door on the day of the event.
Downtown market is open
DUNEDIN — Sponsored by the City of Dunedin and Tampa Bay Markets, the market will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Friday and Saturday through May.
The market is located in the John R. Lawrence Pioneer Park and will feature approximately 40 vendors with an emphasis on local goods, gourmet take-home foods, ready to eat lunch bites, organic produce, plants, hand crafts, jewelry, artwork and live music.
Library to offer Wednesday morning programs
INDIAN ROCKS BEACH — Demystify the Medicare maze through the program “ABC's of Medicare” is the topic at the library at 1507 Bay Palm Blvd. at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the Children's Reading Room.
Following the races, all participants will enjoy a post-race meal, refreshments, drinks, award ceremony and live entertainment by local band 3 Pint Harmony. The free 6 p.m. concert also is open to the general public.
Sign up for the race before Saturday for a discounted free. Download a registration form at LargoSports.com or register online at Active.com. For more information, call (727) 587-6740, Ext. 5016 or e-mail athletics@largo.com.
The show/rally is part of the 2014 Special Event Series, which benefits the museum's community outreach and veterans programs, and Operation: Education, which allows underprivileged students from Title I schools to visit the museum for free.
Saturday's event will feature cars from the 1920s to 1990. Guests may vote on their favorites, and prizes will be awarded.
Tickets at $15 may be purchased at www.armedforcesmuseum.com, by calling (727) 539-8371 or at the facility. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.
LARGO — “Claddagh,” a music, dance and multimedia spectacular, will be presented at 2 and 7 p.m. Monday at the Largo Cultural Center, 105 Central Park Drive.
The show combines the fire and exuberance of “Barrage” and “Stomp” with an underlying romantic storyline reminiscent of “The Fantasticks,” “West Side Story” and “Grease.”
Tickets are $24.50 to $34.50 in advance and $5 more at the door. Special rates are available for groups of 10 or more. Visit LargoArts.com or call (727) 587-6793.
John Denver tribute returns to Largo Cultural Center
Curry, whose voice was heard on the CBS TV movie “Take Me Home: The John Denver Story,” has performed Denver's music in shows throughout the country. He'll perform such hits as “Rocky Mountain High,” “Sunshine On My Shoulders,” “Calypso” and “Annie's Song.”
Tickets are $24.50 to $34.50 in advance and $5 more at the door. Discounts are available to groups of 10 or more. Visit LargoArts.com or call (727) 587-6793.
LARGO — The Largo Senior Advisory Board is hosting its annual “Something Old, Something New” garage sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 22 at the Largo Community Center, 400 Alternate Keene Road.
More than 30 vendors will sell old and new items in the air-conditioned ballroom. For information, call (727) 518-3131 or go to LargoCommunityCenter.com.
• March 23 — The Annual Florida Suncoast Barbershop Chorus Show is at 2:30 p.m. following a 2 p.m. dinner at the Largo Community Center. Tickets for the show and meal are available for $14 by March 19. Show tickets only are $10 at the door. For details, visit LargoCommunityCenter.com or call (727) 518-3131.
• March 24-28 — Young people ages 12-18 can improve their musical theater skills during a Project Broadway workshop at the Largo Cultural Center. The theme is “Celebrate Broadway, A Musical Revue” and features songs, dances and scenes from classic Broadway shows. The mornings will focus on singing and auditioning skills, while the afternoons will concentrate on dancing and acting. At the end of the week, a fully staged showcase performance will be held. No previous acting experience is needed Cost is $125 for residents and $150 for nonresidents. Need-based scholarships are available. Visit LargoArts.com or call (727) 587-6751.
• March 28 — The author of “Eddie Trunk's Essential Hard Rock & Heavy Metal Vol. 2” will appear at a book signing from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Largo Cultural Center. Trunk then will emcee the Jake E. Lee's Red Dragon Cartel show at 8 p.m. The book signing is open to show ticket holders. Trunk is a 30-year music industry veteran who hosts “Eddie Trunk Live,” a weekly music, talk and interview show on SiriusXM satellite radio Channel 39. He's also the host and co-producer of “That Metal Show,” the longest running program in the history of VH1 Classic. In 2010, he released “Eddie Trunk's Essential Hard Rock & Heavy Metal,” followed by volume two last year. For tickets to Jake E. Lee's Red Dragon Cartel show, call (727) 587-6793 or visit LargoArts.com.
LARGO — Team registrations are being taken through March 28 for the men's three-on-three basketball tournament at 9 a.m. April 5 at Highland Recreation Complex, 400 Highland Ave. N.E.
Cost is $80 per team, plus $10 per person for a three-point shootout and dunk contest. For more information, visit HighlandRecreation.com or call (727) 518-3016.
LARGO — Three programs at Highland Recreation Complex are packed with physical activity, education about healthy habits, and participation that reinforces and applies the fundamentals of team sports.
Go Girl Sports at 5:45 p.m. Wednesdays introduces girls ages 6-10 to sports in a social setting through skill instruction and other activities. Sports include basketball, volleyball, tennis and soccer.
Basketball Basics for ages 6-8 is offered from 8:45 to 9:30 a.m. Saturdays. The class stresses dribbling, passing, shooting, defense and team play. Drills, skills, and informal mini-scrimmages are played, with instruction as needed.
In Youth Track and Field, children ages 5-18 will run against friends and rivals from other local cities. The program at 6 p.m. Wednesdays includes three practices at Largo High School and one meet per month at an off-site location. All participants will get an official team shirt and ribbons for their events.
LARGO — The city is offering the Juanita Johnson and Rotary Club of Largo Scholarships in addition to the Out of School Time Scholarships (funded by Coordinated Child Care of Pinellas) for children 9 and older.
Scholarship applications are available now. Completed forms and supporting documentation may be turned in to Highland Recreation Complex or Southwest Recreation Complex. For more information, visit LargoCamps.com or call (727) 518-3016 or (727) 518-3125.
Teens ages 13-18 who are auditioning must bring two forms of identification, including one with a photo, to show proof of age. A registration form must be completed in advance. Forms are available at www.LargoArts.com or at the cultural center.
Tickets for the final show are $6.50, plus applicable fees, and can be purchased in advance at the center's box office or the website. For information, contact Jessica Newsome at (727) 587-6740, Ext. 5014 or jnewsome@largo.com; or the box office at (727) 587-6793.
Petty and his band will also pay tribute to those who influenced Williams and those he influenced, such as Jimmie Rodgers, Roy Acuff, Ernest Tubb, the Carter Family, George Jones and Webb Pierce. For more on Petty, visit www.jasonpetty.com.
Tickets are $24.50 to $34.50 in advance and $5 more at the door. Discounts are offered to groups of 10 or more. Buy tickets at LargoArts.com or call (727) 587-6793.
Tickets also are on sale online and by phone for the Zebra concert at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 25. Admission is $24.50 to $39.50.
In 1982, the hard-rock band's self-titled debut album went platinum and was the fastest selling debut album in Atlantic Records history. A total of five music videos aired on MTV and gave the band combined album sales of nearly 2 million worldwide. For details, visit www.thedoor.com.
Classes will be from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Cost is $195 for residents and $225 for non-residents, and all students must have a city recreation card. Books and materials are included.
Open to anyone 15 and older, the 40-hour course teaches the skills necessary to become an American Red Cross certified lifeguard. Students who successfully complete the class will receive certification in lifeguarding, CPR/AED for the professional rescuer and first aid.
The Project Broadway Workshop, geared for teens ages 12-18, will be held from March 24-28 and designed to improve young performers' musical theatre skills. The theme is "Celebrate Broadway, A Musical Revue" that will feature some of the best songs, dances and scenes from classic Broadway shows. The mornings will focus on singing and auditioning skills, while the afternoons will concentrate on dancing and acting techniques. At the end of the week, a fully staged showcase performance will be held where every participant will be featured. This workshop does not require any previous acting experience.
Register today. Cost is $125 for residents and $150 for non-residents. Need-based scholarships are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. To sign up or for more information, visit LargoArts.com or call (727)587-6751.
Bring family information and receive free one-on-one research assistance from a society consultant in the Jenkins Room on the library's first floor. Beginners especially are encouraged to experience the process of tracing their genealogical history. No appointment is necessary.
Tours of the library's Genealogy Center and classes also will be offered. For more information, call Bob Bryan at (727) 595-4521 or e-mail Bbryan84@gmail.com.
PINELLAS PARK — The Military Officers Association meets for lunch on the third Friday of each month. The next luncheon on March 21 starts with social hour at 11 a.m. at Banquet Masters, 8100 Park Blvd.
Former and active duty military officers and their spouses or widows are invited to attend. For reservations, call commander Bill Bolin at (727) 584-1595.
Sign up for the Master Gardener class on “Managing the Pests in Your Vegetable Garden” with Theresa Badurek of UF/IFAS Pinellas County Extension March 20 at 6:30 pm. Badurek will speak about integrated pest management, scouting for pests in your garden, harmful and beneficial insects, and some common weed issues.
Turn the sidewalks in front of the library into achalk art masterpiece on March 21 from 4-6 p.m. The activity is open to all ages and coincides with the city's Chalk Art Festival that will be held March 22-23. Chalk and refreshments will be provided.
Author Ann O' Farrell will speak at 2 p.m. March 23 about Ireland's diverse geography, myths, and legends, its turbulent history, and great legacy of gifted writers from Jonathan Swift to Frank McCourt. A graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, O'Farrell worked as a theater director, drama teacher, and drama therapist before retiring with her husband to Florida. For more information about the author and her work, visit www.annofarrell.net. Copies of her books will be available for sale and signing after the event.
POSH invites those interested in community theater to audition with cold readings from the script. Performances are scheduled for the weekend of June 6-8.
For details, visit http://playersofsafetyharbor.weebly.com/ or contact POSH director Diane Lynne at dilyn@wild4music.com or (727) 239-1340.
SEMINOLE — Blooming and starter orchids will be available Saturday at Orchid Auction 2014 at Seminole United Methodist Church, 5400 Seminole Blvd. Orchid preview is at 9 a.m. and bidding begins at 10.
Orchid Auction 2014 is sponsored by the Florida West Coast Orchid Society, Pinellas County's not for profit, educational club for orchid growers and hobbyists. Materials on how to grow the plants will be available. Refreshments, including coffee and soft drinks, will be served.
An Orchid Friends Sale is from 9 a.m. to noon March 29 at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 10891 102nd Ave. N. Blooming and non-blooming plants, plus supplies, will be sold. Advice on orchid care and culture will be available, too.
