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Doug Hutchinson

Swamp Fest enjoys nice weather, good crowds

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It wasn’t just fun and games at the 11th annual Swamp Fest in Land O’ Lakes.

There was music, food, rides and entertainment, too.

Jamie Farrell, of Port Richey, drove over to Land O’ Lakes to attend Swamp Fest and enjoy the festivities. Here, Jamie’s 2-year-old son, Mason, surfs down the slide atop of his dad, as his sister, Sarah Shipman, 12, follows close behind on the burlap mat. Mom, Christina Shipman, waited at the finish line. (Fred Bellet)

“It was incredible weather. We had good crowds,” said Doug Hutchinson, festival coordinator.

“Friday night and Saturday night were incredibly busy, and Sunday was very busy,” he said.

The crowds were so large, the main parking area was filled at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, and overflow used the parking at Sanders Memorial Elementary STEAM Magnet School.

At times, people who wanted to park had to wait for others to leave the festival, Hutchinson said.

“That’s a great problem to have,” he added.

The event raises money for area schools, nonprofits and community organizations, and is hosted by the Land O’ Lakes High School Booster Club.

On the morning of Nov. 2, before Swamp Fest festivities began, there was a special event to honor Vietnam Veterans.

Sandy Graves organized the event, which Hutchinson said, was “incredibly well-attended.”

Land O’ Lakes High School senior and Art Club member, Heather Li, 17, painted her own face before painting the faces of children at the Swamp Fest.

After it was over, he said Graves told him: “You know what, we’ve got to do this again next year.”

“I said, ‘I’m all for it. It went great.’”

The booster club’s proceeds go for such things as new weights in the weight room, a new sign for the high school off U.S. 41 and other items that are not part of the regular school budget, Hutchinson said.

“The coaches always fill our ears with what we could spend it on, as you can imagine.”

Hutchinson was thrilled with the outcome for this year’s event.

“It wound up being one of the best Swamp Fests that we’ve had, so we’re pretty excited about it,” he said.

Published November 13, 2019

Three-year-old Willow Roundtree giggles as Land O’ Lakes High School Art Club member Cade DeMoree’s brush causes a tickle when she began painting the little girl’s face. Willow’s mom, Julianna Roundtree, steadies Willow’s head. Mom and daughter are visiting grandma, Natalie Gomillion, of Land O’ Lakes.
Seven-year-old Midori Galven, of Land O’ Lakes, tries hooking a fish as a blue water fountain stirs up the water. Midori hooked a shark and won a prize, as her grandfather, Jerry Gordie of Land O’ Lakes, looked on.
There were plenty of choices for food at this year’s Swamp Fest.

Swamp Fest returns with new rides, family fun

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The idea of bringing a community together to have fun, while raising money, is nothing new.

Swamp Fest, an annual event, has been doing that for 11 years, in Land O’ Lakes.

Eight-year-old Dalilah Pyles, of South Tampa, tests her skills at climbing the rope ladder during last year’s Swamp Fest at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park. (File)

Festivities begin with a preview evening on Oct. 31. The festival runs through Nov. 3.

The event raises money for area schools, nonprofits and community, as well as benefiting businesses. It is hosted by the Land O’ Lakes High School Booster Club, and it is held at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

The booster club’s proceeds go for such things as new weights in weight room, a new sign for the high school off U.S. 41 and other items that are not part of the regular school budget, but benefit all of the school’s athletes, said Doug Hutchinson, Swamp Fest coordinator and former booster club president.

Highlights of the event include 24 rides, food, games and entertainment. There also will be a salute to veterans on Nov. 2 at 10 a.m.

This year, Hutchison said, the carnival operator will be bringing a few new rides.

It’s all smiles aboard the Magic Dragon at last year’s Swamp Fest. The Land O’ Lakes High School Athletic Booster Club hosts the event, which benefits area schools, nonprofit groups and area businesses.

“We’re going to get a bigger Ferris wheel. We’re going to get what’s called a Mega Drop; it’s a ride you go up in and they drop you rapidly,” Hutchinson said.

Festival-goers also are in for a treat when it comes to the entertainment, Hutchinson added.

“On Friday night, we’ve got a group called The Big Bong Theory,” he said. The band played last year and were well-received.

“They play a nice mix of music,” Hutchinson said.

“On Saturday, we’ve got Stonegrey. Everybody loves Stonegrey. We weren’t able to get them last year because they had booked up before. This year, I called early, early, early,” Hutchinson said.

Other acts scheduled during the festival include performances by Show on the Road, Nicole’s Dance Academy, Suncoast Dance Academy, Karl and Dimarco Dance, Beyond Chaotic, and Pine View Dance & Cheer.

Pre-sale tickets for Swamp Fest, at a discounted price, are available now.

For details on the entertainment schedule and other information about the festival, visit LOLswampfest.com.

Rick Bartz, left, of Land O’ Lakes, and Mary Law, took advantage of food available for purchase at last year’s event.

11th annual Swamp Fest
When: Oct. 31, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Nov. 1, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Nov. 2, noon to 11 p.m., and Nov. 3, noon to 6 p.m.
Where: Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
Cost: Pre-sale tickets are on sale now at these locations in Land O’ Lakes: Land O’ Lakes High School, 20325 Gator Lane (in the commons area during lunch); Sanders Elementary School, 5126 School Road; Pine View Middle School, 5334 Parkway Blvd.; and Sugar & Spice Daycare, 3508 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. Tickets also can be purchased online, or on site. Tickets purchased online will be available at a will call booth.
Details: Swamp Fest features rides, games, food and live entertainment.
Info: Visit LOLswampfest.com to get entertainment lineup and other details.

Published October 30, 2019

Land O’ Lakes SwampFest looks to take center stage

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When the dumpster arrives at Land O’ Lakes Community Park, that’s a sure sign that the carnival equipment to set up the Midway is soon to follow, according to Doug Hutchinson, coordinator for the Land O’ Lakes SwampFest.

SwampFest 2017 will feature a few new twists, according to Hutchinson, the longtime coordinator of the community fair.

First off, the event will be using Heritage Stage, the newly opened stage at Land O’ Lakes Community Park.

The Midway at Land O’ Lakes SwampFest will feature rides of all types, for children and adults, alike. (File)

“We’re pretty excited about that,” Hutchinson said, noting the ones who seem most delighted about the stage are the dance groups that will be performing on it.

“When I told them that we were going to be on the stage, not under a tent, they were all excited,” he said. “It’s so good for the community.”

The entertainment lineup for this year’s event includes Nunes at Night, on Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. and 3-Dom Band, on Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. On Nov. 12, there’s a larger slate of entertainers, with Nicole’s Dance Center at noon; Show on the Road at 1 p.m.; Beyond Chaotic at 2 p.m., and Suncoast Dance at 3 p.m.

The event also is adding some food trucks this year, in addition to the foods that can be purchased on the Midway, Hutchinson said. Otherwise, the rides and the food on the Midway will be similar to those at the event last year.

There are also plans for a beer garden, Hutchinson said, but added that he was awaiting official approval.

Armbands for unlimited rides will be sold in advance for $15 and at the Midway for $25, Hutchinson said. Parking is free on Nov. 9, the preview night, and $5 on other days of the festival.

The event is getting more popular every year, Hutchinson said, noting it tends to attract between 500 and 750 people on Friday night and Sunday, and about 2,000 on Saturday.

On Saturdays, families generally come during the day, with a younger crowd at night, he said.

SwampFest started out as a community carnival, then evolved into the Flapjack Festival, which eventually moved to Dade City and then died.

This event is smaller than Flapjack was and that’s what organizers want it to be, Hutchinson said. “We want it to be more of a community fair.”

Proceeds from SwampFest benefit the venues that help sell the tickets and Land O’ Lakes High School’s athletic booster club, where they benefit the whole school.

“We don’t want to build something for one team and use all of the money for that,” Hutchinson said. “It’s better to use that money for items that benefit everyone.”

For instance, for a few years in a row, SwampFest proceeds were used to purchase equipment for the weight room, he said.

That benefits all students, not just athletes, he said. “They have a weightlifting class.”

Event proceeds also paid for the high school’s sign, which is out near Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, also known as U.S. 41.

“It takes some really dedicated people to pull this thing off,” Hutchinson said, noting there’s about eight or 10, who really do a lot of the work.

“It takes months to put it together,” he said, and then, at the event, there are scores of volunteers who help with parking, garbage collection and other chores.

Land O’ Lakes SwampFest
Where: Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
When: Nov. 9, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Nov. 10, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Nov. 11, noon to 11 p.m.; and Nov. 12, noon to 6 p.m.
Cost: Parking free on Nov. 9; $5 on Nov. 10 through Nov. 12. Armbands for unlimited rides are available for $25 each at the Midway; $15 each, in advance. They are available on the SwampFest website and at Land O’ Lakes High School, Sanders Elementary School, Pine View Middle School, Sugar and Spice Learning Center, and at the Village Lakes Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, Wilderness Lakes Beef ‘O’ Brady’s and Sunlake Beef O’ Brady’s.
Details: Rides, games, food, live entertainment.
Info: LOLSwampFest.com

Published November 8, 2017

SwampFest gearing up for community-based fair

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SwampFest, hosted by the Land O’ Lakes High School Athletic Booster Club, gives kids and adults a chance to have fun — but also helps raise money to benefit the high school and other local organizations.

This year, the event will feature a new carnival company, said Doug Hutchinson, SwampFest coordinator.

SwampFest will feature 24 rides, a magic act, bands, a DJ, other entertainers, food and carnival games. It’s a local event that offers fun for people of all ages, said Doug Hutchinson, SwampFest coordinator. (File Photo)
SwampFest will feature 24 rides, a magic act, bands, a DJ, other entertainers, food and carnival games. It’s a local event that offers fun for people of all ages, said Doug Hutchinson, SwampFest coordinator.
(File Photos)

“It’s going to be Arnold Amusements. They’re a family oriented, family owned, carnival company. Right now, they’re doing the Hillsborough County Fair down in Brandon,” Hutchinson said.

“Last year, we had a little disappointment because the operator that brought the rides, brought just the rides. We didn’t really have a full complement of games … where it makes it more like a fair,” Hutchinson said.

Arnold Amusements will bring a full Midway, with games, rides and amusements.

The event will last four nights, from Nov. 3 through Nov. 6. Highlights include 24 rides, a magic act, and performances by Stonegrey, Vincent Randazzo, Nunes at Night, DJ Carlos, Nicole’s Dance Center, Show on the Road Tampa and Suncoast Dance.

Hutchinson said the organizers talked to teenagers to find out what they’d like, and they suggested a DJ because they want to dance, Hutchinson said.

The event will be at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

SwampFest is an offshoot from Flapjack Festival, a popular Land O’ Lakes event that shifted to Dade City, and then was suspended.

After the Flapjack Festival moved, a group got together to organize SwampFest, said Hutchinson, who was the coordinator for the Flapjack Festival in Land O’ Lakes.

Tickets for Midway rides will be sold individually, or event-goers can purchase armbands for unlimited rides.
Tickets for Midway rides will be sold individually, or event-goers can purchase armbands for unlimited rides.

“We started having it the same weekend as Flapjack used to be. It’s not as big. Our goal is to try to make it more of a community-based fair,” he said.

The event raises money for the Land O’ Lakes High School Booster club, but it also raises money for other groups who sell pre-sale tickets.

Pre-sale armband tickets for unlimited rides are $15 each. On-site armband ride tickets are $25.

Locations selling the pre-sale tickets are: Land O’ Lakes High School cheerleaders, Sunlake High School (guidance office), Sanders Elementary School, Pine View Middle School, Sugar and Spice Daycare and Beef O’ Brady’s at Village Lakes, Wilderness Lakes and Sunlake.

The event has free admission, and generally attracts between 2,000 and 3,000 people, Hutchinson said.

This will be the second year that the event will be at the upgraded Land O’ Lakes Community Center Park.

Hutchinson can’t wait until the park gets its stage, which will be in time for next year’s SwampFest.

“It’s not easy getting some of the entertainment to come out there and play under a tent,” he said. With the stage, it will be easier to persuade musicians to come out to play.

The event was initially held at Land O’ Lakes High, but the community park offers a greater degree of visibility, creating a better opportunity to attract people who are traveling past the event, he said.

Proceeds from SwampFest are used by the booster club to benefit students at Land O’ Lakes High.

“For the first five years, we put pretty much all of our money that we made off of SwampFest into upgrading the weight room,” Hutchinson said.

The boosters also paid for the school’s blue and gold marquee sign.

“That’s a nice sign, and it was definitely overdue,” he said, estimating its cost at about $12,000.

The event is now in its seventh year, having skipped one year because of construction at the park.

It’s the kind of event that brings people together, Hutchinson said.

“The year that we didn’t have it, everybody was complaining because that’s kind of their annual alumni get-together,” he said.

For more information about SwampFest, visit LOLSwampFest.com.

SwampFest
What: A community festival featuring games, rides, entertainment and food
Where: Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
When: Nov. 3 through Nov. 6 (See LOLSwampFest.com for more details)
How much: Free admission; pre-sale unlimited ride armbands, $15; on-site unlimited ride armbands, $25.

Published November 2, 2016

 

Swamp Fest returns, and so does the fun

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This weekend’s Swamp Fest has actually been two years in the making.

But the organizers weren’t behind schedule.

The event had to skip a year because of renovations underway at Land O’ Lakes Community Park, 5401 Land O’ Lanes Blvd.

Since 2009, Swamp Fest has been a local event, with games, rides and family-oriented fun. And according to organizer Doug Hutchinson, it will always stay that way. File photo
Since 2009, Swamp Fest has been a local event, with games, rides and family-oriented fun. And according to organizer Doug Hutchinson, it will always stay that way.
File photo

That $2.4 million project is now complete and the park is ready for Swamp Fest again, which will be held Oct. 30 through Nov.1.

This year, the festival will be held on new and improved grounds, and the event promises to deliver the kind of fun that has drawn thousands each year since it started in 2009.

“I think it’s just a nicer layout that they’re going to have,” explained Mike Walcott, recreation supervisor for Pasco County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources. “The access to the facility is much improved.”

The disabled parking area is away from the dirt and grass, and a short walk from the parking lot to the Swamp Fest entrance means a paved area for vendors and less time walking through uneven areas.

Organizer and co-founder Doug Hutchinson is thrilled to bring Swamp Fest back.

“The improvements that they’ve made are fantastic. The park is beautiful,” Hutchinson said. “We’re really excited. We just missed it so much last year.”

They’ll make up for lost time with a full weekend of activities and entertainment. That itinerary includes several music acts with different styles, including Christian rock, classic rock and folk music. Dancers will be on display Sunday, and vendors representing a variety of businesses and groups will be open all weekend.

The midway also makes a return, with rides up and running throughout the event.

While the fun to be had would alone make the event worthwhile, there’s more to it.

A lot more.

The event actually is a fundraiser for various groups and organizations.

The Land O’ Lakes High School Athletic Booster Club hosts Swamp Fest, but funds are distributed across several local schools and clubs.

Various clubs help by selling unlimited-ride arm bands in advance, assist with parking and participate in other activities.

More than $20,000 went back to community organizations as a result of 2013’s Swamp Fest, according to Hutchinson.

So, it isn’t just a good event to attend, Hutchinson said. It’s also an event that does good for the community.

“We’re trying to make Swamp Fest more of a community fair-type event where all kinds of non-profit groups can come in,” he said.

In addition to Land O’ Lakes High School, other participants include Sunlake High School, Pineview Middle School, Denham Oaks Elementary School, Connerton Elementary School and Sanders Memorial Elementary School.

Tickets for Midway rides will be sold individually, or event-goers can purchase armbands for unlimited rides. For more information, visit LoLSwampFest.com. File photo
Tickets for Midway rides will be sold individually, or event-goers can purchase armbands for unlimited rides. For more information, visit LoLSwampFest.com.
File photo

This year the event will feature two contests that are expected to be popular.

Since the festival includes Halloween, a Halloween contest will be held on Oct. 31.

And, the Mr. and Mrs. Swamp Fest pageant, which includes a wide range of ages, will make a return as well.

The event’s website contains the quote “Always in Land O’ Lakes,” and it’s not there for decoration.

As coordinator for the Flapjack Festival years back, Hutchinson saw that event get moved to Dade City and then fade away when it left the community.

He pledges that won’t ever happen with Swamp Fest.

It’s supported by the area and will remain in the area.

“You can’t have a community event if you don’t have it in the community,” Hutchinson said. “It’s got to be Land O’ Lakes, or nothing.”

And Walcott agrees.

“It’s not a state fair or a county fair. It’s a Land O’ Lakes event. It’s for this community,” he said. “Obviously, we get people from all over the county that come to it. But it’s just nice to have something that you can kind of lay claim to, that this is yours.”

Swamp Fest is open Oct. 30 from 4 p.m. until 11 p.m., Oct. 31, from noon until 11 p.m. and Nov. 1 from noon until 6 p.m.

Admission is free and parking is available for a $5 donation.

Midway rides require tickets, which can be purchased individually or as part of an all-you-can-ride package.

Unlimited armbands cost $22 for Oct. 30 and Nov. 1 and $25 on Oct. 31, and can be purchased at the gate.

Pre-sale armbands cost $16, and are available from local businesses and groups.

For a complete list of groups selling armbands and for more information, including pageant applications, visit LoLSwampFest.com.

Published October 28, 2015

Land O’ Lakes resident wants return of Flapjack Festival

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For nearly 30 years, Mark Ballard had a routine when it came to the Land O’ Lakes Flapjack Festival.

“The kids would go to eat the pancakes in the morning, then we would go and spend pretty much all day on the rides,” he said. “Then we could go home and come back again at night.”

The Land O’ Lakes Swamp Fest doesn’t have a parade, but it does have rides, games and entertainment for area residents, as well as providing fundraising opportunities for local organizations. (File Photo)
The Land O’ Lakes Swamp Fest doesn’t have a parade, but it does have rides, games and entertainment for area residents, as well as providing fundraising opportunities for local organizations.
(File Photo)

Ballard lives on what was once the festival’s parade route, and he would take his children — and later his grandchildren — outside with chairs to see it every year.

For more than three decades, even before Ballard moved to Land O’ Lakes, the Flapjack Festival was a community event that included a parade, pageant and rides. Businesses had booths, food trucks served customers, and children played games.

And everyone ate flapjacks.

Over the years it became an annual staple in the community and was a popular destination for area residents. In a way, it was too popular: The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce decided to move the festival from the Land O’ Lakes Community Center on U.S. 41 instead to a place that could accommodate its growth and parking needs. In 2008, the Flapjack Festival flipped over to the Pasco County Fairgrounds in Dade City.

But the public didn’t support the festival at the new location. A year later, it shut down for good. And Ballard still isn’t happy about the move that ended an annual tradition.

“If somebody came down there and took the Gasparilla parade away from Tampa and said they were going to move it to New Orleans, people would say ‘what’s going on there?’“ he said.

The Flapjack Festival was more than a community event. It was a community fundraiser, with local schools and churches benefiting financially.

The year after the festival left Land O’ Lakes, one of the recipients of those funds decided to fill that gap in the schedule. The Land O’ Lakes High School Athletic Booster Club began an event that’s now known as the Land O’ Lakes Swamp Fest, held at the same location and also with rides, games and an opportunity for local organizations to make some money.

But there’s no parade and no flapjack theme. It’s a smaller event as well. But according to coordinator Doug Hutchinson, that’s the way they want it.

“Swamp Fest is more like a community fair, more so than the Flapjack Festival,” he said.

Hutchinson believes that a smaller event can still be a fun destination for residents, but not get so big that it might grow out of its current location. Hutchinson, a member of the booster club for decades, was also a coordinator with the Flapjack Festival during its heyday. And like Ballard and others, he didn’t want to see it moved to Dade City back in 2008.

“In my opinion, you can’t have a community event and not have it in the community,” he said.

But now that it’s gone, Hutchinson feels Swamp Fest maintains a strong area presence like its predecessor.

Ballard believes that others share his desire to see the Flapjack Festival return, even if it means just seeing the name and theme make a comeback. But Hutchinson said they’ve worked to create something the community could embrace, the event is growing, and they never considered adopting the Flapjack Festival name.

“Flapjack was Flapjack. We wanted our own identity and our own little event,” he said.

Ironically, Swamp Fest itself is in jeopardy this year, and the venue is again the issue. Scheduled to begin Oct. 31, that timeframe could coincide with much-needed improvements to the Land O’ Lakes Community Center the county has budgeted and planned.

While the upgrade should be good for Swamp Fest and other area events in the future, Hutchinson isn’t sure if it will go on as planned this year, possibly facing cancellation until the work is completed. His organization should have a clearer picture of the county’s plans next month, he said.

Ballard has attended Swamp Fest, and said many elements of the Flapjack Festival are still there. But it’s not the same to him, and even though it’s been several years and a replacement is in place, the loss of the Flapjack Festival has left a bitter taste in his mouth.

“It just seems like the identity was stolen from the community,” he said.

Published July 23, 2014

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