October 17, 2026
By Michele Miller
What’s What New Port Richey
The trek to Weeki Wachee Springs in Hernando County has become an annual pilgrimage – one we often make when friends come to town, and we’re keen on showing them the “real natural” Florida. Unlike the Gulf of Mexico, which sometimes turns to a murky, tepid bath with the warmer temps, the spring-fed river in this Florida State Park is a constant 72 to 74 degrees and clear as all get out as long as there’s not a pontoon boat mucking it up.
Refreshing.
With all that’s going on in our world, and for those looking to take care of themselves and loved ones, too, there comes a swelling yearning to connect and commune with nature as a way to get away from it all. The fact that our Florida State Park Annual Pass covers the $13 adult ticket price for two adults (as well as entrance to ALL Florida State Parks) makes it a yearly must-go whether we’re bringing company or not.
Want to get your money’s worth.
I’ve kayaked the Weeki Wachee River several times over the years, back in the days when my back didn’t ache so much, and I didn’t need a hand disembarking the low-water craft; taken a dip in the adjacent Buccaneer Bay when taking your turn down the tall water slide didn’t seem like a treacherous feat that was likely to end badly.
Despite my later-life limitations, the springs still have their allure, and a place for me, too. For the price of admission, you can go on a short guided river cruise where wildlife abounds, and see the world-famous Weeki Wachee Mermaids as they perform their underwater version of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid in a submerged theatre, while turtles and fish swim about.
It might be Florida’s longest-running show, opening as a roadside attraction in 1947, in the years before the big theme parks staked their claim. It’s become a rite-of-passage field trip for students attending local schools. The subject of many a story at the newspaper I used to work for, particularly when the show sent out curtain calls for new mermaids each year. In 2014, some of the mermaids enjoyed a splash of fame, getting the opportunity to shake their “Fins” on a stage with the late Jimmy Buffett during a Tampa concert. You can catch a clip of that online or at the start of each underwater show at the park.
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be a Weeki Wachee Mermaid, you might want to venture to Peace Hall in Sims Park this week (October 21) to meet former mermaid Rita Jane King. She will speak of her experience performing at the park in the 1960s and share some history – more than you’ll get here – on the Florida State Park. The presentation is part of the West Pasco Historical Society’s scheduled offerings, a free event for all who attend, a cool resource for those wanting to know more about local history.
More events to consider…..
Nature is an ongoing theme this week as the West Pasco Art Guild hosts an opening reception on Sunday (October 18) for the local non-profit’s fall exhibit- another free offering for those who want to support and meet visual artists who are preserving the Florida landscape on canvas.
The New Port Richey Library’s Riverside Concert Series continues with a free Friday evening show featuring folk-rock singer Lily Holbrook, who hails from California, now St. Petersburg. She’ll be playing against the backdrop of the Pithlachascotee River in Sims Park and, if it’s a good night weather-wise, the setting sun. Shout-out here to the library’s Adult Events Coordinator, Tori Ladd, for bringing what has turned out to be an eclectic line-up of very talented, original musicians and a time for music lovers to connect at the end of the day, or maybe enjoy a little prelude to a night out on the town.
Pack The Park for Pack A Sack, an annual family festival and fundraising event to fuel a mission to help fight childhood hunger in Pasco County, will take over Sims Park on Saturday, October 24. Over 1,600 children benefit from weekend meals through this altruistic program that helps provide food for students who rely on school meals as a provider of nutrition and sustenance and might otherwise go hungry on weekends and over school breaks.
Central Pasco & Gulf Railroad begins their annual Spooky Train Ride through Crews Lake Wilderness Park in Spring Hill (5:30-10 p.m., October 23, 24, 30, 31). Tickets to ride are $8. Children 12 months and under ride for free.
Pasco County Parks & Rec Outdoor Adventures is also offering a Spooky Night Hike (6:30–7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 24) at Withlacoochee River Park in Dade City. The cost for that is $5.
If gardening is your connection to nature, you might want to check out NPR FarmNet’s monthly Plants & Pints event on Tuesday at Ordinance One or the New Port Richey Garden Club’s Plant Sale in Hudson.
To check out all these events and more, visit the What’s What New Port Richey calendar section.
Get on out there. Enjoy. Take a respite. Hug a tree. Fill the well.
Now onward. M
Michele Miller is the creator, editor, and content creator for the What’s What New Port Richey community website and biweekly newsletter, which has been up and running since June of 2020. Prior to that, she wrote “good news” stories, features, and columns while working as a reporter and photographer for the St. Petersburg Times/Tampa Bay Times. She resides in New Port Richey. Contact her at mmiller@whatswhatnewportrichey.com. To read more of her essays, click here.
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