By Michele Miller
What’s What New Port Richey
Published June 28, 2024
It’s hot, humid and rainy at times as we slide into the summer rhythm where schedules are upturned to make way for family vacation, summer day camps, swim lessons or maybe tending to a bucket list item that keeps you local.
For seniors such as me, free time can be a curse or a serendipitous benefit that can nudge you to follow a notion to get out and about. That’s something to feel good about especially when you know that a good part of the local population is making a different daily trek you don’t miss.
Being on a fixed income can limit options – or not.
Recently we ponied up and pooled our money with others and rented a pontoon boat so after 30 + years of living here we could finally cross “A visit to Anclote Key” off our bucket list. While we were at it we ventured over to Durney Key and the famous, historical stilt houses that have been photographed countless times but are a marvel to see up close.
Other time is spent on morning hikes at local parks or simply whiling a few hours under a shaded covering reading a book as waves roll up on the beach and you can give yourself a pinch because somewhere out there, someone is daydreaming about this very moment.
PHOTO | MICHELE MILLER
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Find events by the week
ONGOING
July 1-6
July 7-13
July 14-20
July 21-31
Community Markets
Stepping Out on the Town & Local Library Calendars
Local Parks – From the Archives
*OTB – Over the (Pasco) Border
ONGOING
Pasco County Parks & Rec Blazin’ Hot Summer Challenge through August 31 | $15.44 | Fees help support programs to purchase equipment, hire staff, etc.
Complete 75 miles of biking, hiking swimming or paddling and get yourself a special patch.
Pasco Parks & Rec Summer Adventure Camps, weekdays at various locations
Pasco Parks and Recs End of Summer Summer Adventure camps run through the summer months. Activities include Arts n’ Crafts, Snorkeling, Beachcombing, Kayaking, Nature Camp and more. For information and to register on the Pasco County Rec page, click here.
July 1-6
Fourth of July Celebration, 4 p.m. Thursday, July 4 at Generations Church in New Port Richey
Food trucks, fireworks, Trinity Farmers Market, bands and more. For the last few years, the Commons at Trinity has hosted a free fireworks display created by Mohawk Pyro Productions that has grown bigger in both show size and attendance each year.
Boom on the Bayou, Friday, 6 p.m. July 5 at Waterfront Park in Port Richey
Music, Food Trucks, Vendors and best of all FIREWORKS which will start at 9 p.m. Bring blankets & Lawn Chairs. NO alcoholic beverages, coolers or backpacks.
OTB | 4th of July Fireworks, July 4 at Fred Howard Park in Tarpon Springs | Free parking after 6 p.m.
Pasco Audubon Morning Nature Walk, 7:30 a.m. Saturday, July 6 at Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park in New Port Richey | Free
Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the Education Center for this guided 1 – 4 mile walk.
Free Train Rides, 4-9 p.m. Saturday, July 6 at The Concourse Railroad in Hudson
July 7 -14
The Fungus Among Us: Grow Your Own Mushrooms, 2-3 p.m. Wednesday, July 10 at the Centennial Park Library in Holiday
Grow your own organic Oyster Mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms normally grow on fallen trees in a forest, but you can grow them right out of a box. Attendees will receive a mushroom grow kit and sample dishes made using oyster mushrooms.
* OTB | Sunset Beach Concert Series featuring Chillyfish, 7-9 p.m. Thursday, July 11 at Sunset Beach in Tarpon Springs | Free
Concerts are held the first Thursday of each month through November. Free shuttle from and to Tarpon Springs High. No pets or alcohol.
Virtual Outdoor Adventure Series-Outdoor Cooking with Beth Dooley, 3:30 p.m. Friday, July 12 at the Centennial Park Library in Holiday
Join James Beard award-winning cookbook author, Beth Dooley, as she guides viewers through getting outside and cooking a delicious meal out in the fresh air. This in-library screening is provided courtesy of Wilderness Inquiry. Light refreshments will be provided.
July 14-20
Master Gardener Seminar: Bananas and More, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Wednesday, July 17 at the Starkey Ranch Library in Odessa
Bananas are some of the most popular fruits in the world. Learn about growing bananas and other tropical fruits in your backyard. The presentation will cover climate zones and growing zones, tropical fruit horticulture, origins, and morphology of the banana plant and how to create the best conditions for bananas in Pasco County.
Virtual Outdoor Adventure Series-A Year in the Life of a Bear, 3:30 p.m. Friday, July 19 at the Centennial Park Library in Holiday
Sometimes there is more to life than eating honey and stealing picnic baskets! Join Spencer Rettler as he discusses a year in the life of a bear including hibernation, raising cubs, finding food and preparing for winter. You will learn how bears navigate through the forest using their sense of smell, what type of berries they like and where they build a den for hibernation. This in-library screen is being provided courtesy of Wilderness Inquiry. Light refreshments will be provided.
Pasco Scallop Fest, Friday & Saturday, July 19-20 at Sunwest Park in Hudson | Free Admission | $5 parking fee
Live Music, Food Trucks and Fireworks on Saturday night.
Friday, July 19
• Two Excited Duo, 5-6:30 p.m.
Caribbean Chillers, 7-10 p.m.
Saturday, July 20
• Tre’ Dicci, 5-7 p.m.
• Bobby Friss Band, 7:30-10 p.m.
Birdwatching with an Expert, 9-10 a.m. Saturday, July 20 at the South Holiday Library in Holiday
Looking to reconnect with nature and learn something about birds in the area? Spend some time watching birds with an ornithologist. Binoculars and a spotting scope provided. Waivers are required for each person attending this program.
July 21-31
Virtual Outdoor Adventure Series-Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, 3:30 p.m. Friday, July 26 at the Centennial Park Library in Holiday
Travel across the Pacific for an adventure in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park on the island of Hawai’i. Learn about the active volcanoes within the park, as well as the geology, history and culture of the island. This in-library screening is being provided courtesy of Wilderness Inquiry. Light refreshments will be provided.
Pasco Scallop Fest, Friday & Saturday, July 26-27 at Sunwest Park in Hudson | Free Admission | $5 parking fee
Live Music, Food Trucks and Fireworks on Saturday night.
Friday, July 26
• Twisted Revolvers, 5-6:30 p.m.
• Greg Billings & The Stay Up Lates, 7-10 p.m.
Saturday, July 27
• 5 pm – 6:30 pm: Bob Hope Band, 5-6:30 p.m.
• Bearded Brothers, 7-10 p.m.
Night…at the Museum, 6-9 p.m. Friday, July 26 at the Pioneer Florida Museum in Dade City | $12 adults, $10 seniors or veterans, $6 students, under 5 free. Free parking.
Ever wonder what happens inside a museum after the lights go out? Come find out as living historians, and demonstrators come to life when night descends on the museum. Also, watch armed combat between a Spanish Conquistador and an English privateer. Sample some foods that constitute Pioneer Culture. Learn how fabric is carded, spun and woven.
Smoke on the Water & Lights in the Sky Nighttime Paddle, 7 p.m. Saturday, July 27 starting at Francis Avenue Park in New Port Richey | Adults only
Join the Cotee River Kayak Club for this nighttime paddle featuring reggae music and disco lights in the tree canopies. Adults only, no pets, standup paddle boards, or inflatable or collapsible kayaks.
Standard red and green safety lights are required, bring a good headlamp with extra batteries, lifejackets and a whistle. Meet at Francis Avenue Park in New Port Richey and launch an hour before sunset.
Community Markets
Tasty Tuesdays Community Market, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. each Tuesday at the New Port Richey Library in downtown New Port Richey
Find locally sourced foods, sustainably grown produce, cottage-industry baked goods and foods, unique, hand-made items and more. Regular items include organic produce, plants, bread, honey, eggs, coffee, skincare, etc. Get to know your growers, ask questions, and learn from their experience.
The market is SNAP shopping friendly, so bring your EBT cards to use up to $40 in SNAP and get an additional $40 in Fresh Access Bucks (FAB).
Local Parks – From the Archives
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