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Pigz in Z'Hills BBQ & Blues Fest

Pigz in Z’Hills to celebrate its 10th year

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The largest event in Zephyrhills is gearing up for its 10th anniversary — with a few more fixins’.

The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce’s annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest is set for Jan. 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Zephyrhills Community Venue, 5200 Airport Road, Zephyrhills.

Admission is free, but parking is $10.

The annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Festival returns on Jan. 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There also will be a special Friday night event, to celebrate the festival’s 10th anniversary. (File)

To kick off its 10th year, festivities have been added for a special Friday celebration on Jan. 17 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. It will include a steak cookoff and kid’s grilling competition sanctioned by the Steak Cookoff Association, as well as a second-day cornhole tournament, “People’s Choice” dessert contest, and a local band showcase featuring Hired Gun, The Groovediggers, Time Travelers, and Jase Randall Band.

“We just wanted Friday night to be a local celebration where people could come relax and have a good time,” said Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce Executor Director Melonie Monson, who’s organizing Pigz in Z’Hills.

As usual, Saturday’s main event is the Florida BBQ Association-approved barbecue competition, with 60 competition teams, both professional and backyard, vying for top honors and trophies in four standard categories: chicken, pork, brisket and ribs. Professional teams have the added incentive of potentially winning $10,000 in prize money.

While attendees munch on barbecue, live blues music will be going all day long, with a lineup headlined by Sean Chambers, along with the Chris Walker Band, Chuck Riley’s All-Star Band, and Sauce Boss.

There will be plenty of other entertainment on hand, too.

A business expo also will be featured, and there’s the return of a two-team, double-elimination cornhole tournament with a chance to win a cash prize and a trophy.

Car enthusiasts are welcome to participate in the car show, or to simply check out the motorcycles and vehicles on display.

Visitors also can get a free tour of the Zephyrhills Military History Museum, and take a look at refurbished wartime planes and other unique memorabilia.

The barbecue festival is the largest event in Zephyrhills. Last year’s drew a record crowd of 13,500.

Youths can get in on the fun in the Kidz Zone, which will have face painting, arts and crafts, and games.

Last year’s festival marked its largest showing ever — with over 13,500 attendees. The figure represents how far the event has come in a decade, when it drew about 2,500 patrons in its first year back in 2011.

Monson feels the event’s success lies in the community involvement and the 200-plus volunteers who come together to help out, to ensure everyone has a good time.

The event also serves as a large fundraiser for scholarships, youth leadership programs and children’s charities.

The chamber director put it like this: “When people come, they have a positive experience, so they’re telling others. We have a real strong motto that we want everyone to be happy. We want everybody to feel like, ‘This is exactly what our town represents.’”

Over the years, Pigz in Z’Hills has distinguished itself to be a qualifier for three prestigious championship contests:  Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational in Lynchburg, Tennessee, long considered the Super Bowl of barbecue contests; American Royal World Series of BBQ in Kansas City, the world’s largest and oldest barbecue contest; and, the Sonny’s Smokin’ Showdown Invitational in Orlando.

Many of the competitive teams coming to Zephyrhills are professionals who travel to barbecue events all over the United States.

Zephyrhills resident and business owner Randy Light, of Puroclean Cooking Team, outlined what all it takes to ensure a strong showing in the barbecue contest, during a recent Zephyrhills Chamber breakfast meeting.

He explained cooking teams begin prepping at least a week before the contest, deciding which types and cuts of meats to purchase, and testing out different sauces and seasonings.

Light noted the chicken category takes the longest to prep, compared to other meats, as there’s a lengthy process of trimming, weighing, brining, injecting and so on.

“Chicken’s one of the hardest things to do,” he said. “You don’t just take it out and grill it.”

Light added a lot of thought also goes into which types of barbecue sauce to use for each judge that will appeal to the competition’s 75 judges. Because some judges might prefer hot sauce, while other prefer sweet, he said his team tries to find a “happy medium sauce.”

Light acknowledged the entire process takes much time and effort, and he enjoys every bit of the experience.

“We have a lot of fun cooking for the community. It’s awesome,” Light said.

For more information, visit ZephyrhillsChamber.org, call (813) 782-1913, or visit the Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Facebook Page.

Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Festival
Where: Zephyrhills Community Venue, 5200 Airport Road, Zephyrhills
When: Jan. 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: Free admission; $10 for parking
Details: Guests can enjoy smoked barbecued foods right off the grill, listen to blues bands, play cornhole, and check out car and aviation shows.
Info: Call (813) 782-1913, or visit ZephyrhillsChamber.org.

Published January 15, 2020

New digs for Pigz in Z’Hills this year

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Buoyed by new festival grounds, the seventh annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest is aiming to become its most successful.

The shindig, now a well-attended staple in Zephyrhills, is set for Jan. 21 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, 39450 South Ave.

Admission is free, but parking is $10.

Presented by The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, Pigz in Z’Hills features both professional and amateur barbecue competitions, all sanctioned by the Florida BBQ Association. This year, about 50 teams are expected to compete.

The barbecue contest has a total cash purse of $8,000. Winners will be declared in four standard categories: chicken, pork, brisket and ribs.

Don Carlon, of Dan’s Dogs in New Port Richey, mixed barbecue sauce, veggies and sausages on a grill at last year’s Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Festival. Approximately 50 teams are slated to participate in the event on Jan. 21. (File)

The contest also serves as a qualifier for four prestigious barbecue championship contests: The Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational in Lynchburg, Tennessee; the American Royal World Series of BBQ in Kansas City, Missouri; the Sonny’s Smokin’ Showdown Invitational in Sanford; and, the World Food Championships in Orange Beach, Alabama.

Besides the sweet smell of barbecue wafting through the air, festival-goers can also enjoy a wide lineup of musical acts.

This year’s slate of performers includes: The Betty Fox Band, JP Soars & The Red Hots, The Chuck Riley Band, and Mama’s Batch. Live music is scheduled from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Those with other interests can enjoy children’s activities, a car show, an aviation showcase, access to a military history museum and a business expo.

A key moment at the event is expected at 12:15 p.m. That’s when the National Anthem will be rendered while local skydiver David Strobel jumps in bearing the American flag.

Unlike the prior barbecue festivals, this year’s edition is set in a roomier venue with permanent staging.

Since 2013, the tract of land the chamber had been using at the airport was about 2.5 acres. The new venue spans 14 acres.

Amenities include a 20-by-40 stage, and 50 spaces equipped with water and electric.

The expanded area, too, comfortably accommodates up to 15,000 guests at a time, and will provide easy access and parking along South Avenue.

All of the venue space will be used, officials say.

“It’s going to be huge compared to what we’ve had in the past, and it’s going to be more family friendly,” said Melonie Monson, executive director for The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

Ultimately, the new venue is expected to help the one-day fest run smoother by creating an improved layout for musicians, vendors and attendees.

Additionally, the new venue helps reduce expenses, including the annual costs to rent a stage and generators, which organizers say have totaled nearly $10,000 in the past.

“Having a permanent venue will allow our event to grow as we see fit, along with helping make planning and set up much easier on the barbecue committee and staff,” Monson said.

Since its inception in 2010, Pigz in Z’Hills has proven to be a financial boon for the community.

Chamber officials say the event has created an economic impact of more than $1.5 million for Zephyrhills.

Of the nearly 30,000 total attendees the past six years, officials estimate that more than half have come from outside the region and state.

Last year’s event, though, saw a sizable decrease in turnout from the prior year.

There were about 7,000 showgoers in 2016, down from nearly 10,000 in 2015.

Still, the chamber reached its revenue goals, and was able to donate $15,000 back to the Zephyrhills community; several local youth and education programs were beneficiaries.

Going forward, the chamber director expects the event to run even more efficiently once organizers determine the most ideal layout for the new festival grounds.

“Obviously, this year, everything’s new. You never know what you’re going to get and you see that something might need to be changed…because of this new venue and the layout,” Monson explained.

“After this year, it’s going to be a lot easier,” she said.

Organizers suggest bringing lawn chairs because of limited seating. No coolers or pets are allowed.

For more information, visit ZephyrhillsChamber.org, or call (813) 782-1913.

Seventh annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues
When: Jan. 21, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, 39450 South Ave., Zephyrhills
How much: Admission is free; parking is $10
What: Barbecue teams compete for prizes, blues bands perform, and event-goers can purchase barbecued foods, and check out monster trucks, aircraft displays, other attractions and activities.

Published January 18, 2017

New event venue site completed in Zephyrhills

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Less than five months after breaking ground, the new community venue site at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport is complete.

The unnamed venue, at 5200 Airport Road, will officially be unveiled at the seventh annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest on Jan. 21.

Less than five months after breaking ground in August, the new community venue site at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport is complete. Among its key features are a 20-by-40 permanent staging area, and 50 vendor spaces equipped with water and electricity. 
(Courtesy of The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce)

The 14-acre site is situated north of the Zephyrhills’ City Yard, stretching to Airport Road, and backing up the southern boundary of the Lincoln Heights subdivision.

Among the venue’s key features are a 20-by-40 permanent staging area, and 50 vendor spaces that are equipped with water and electricity.

Additionally, the location is able to accommodate up to 15,000 guests at a time, and provide easier access and parking along South Avenue.

Initially spearheaded by Melonie Monson, executive director for The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, the community venue was a collaborative effort among the City of Zephyrhills, the chamber, and several other businesses and organizations.

The Zephyrhills City Council approved the project in March. Construction began in mid-August.

Monson said area citizens will be “shocked” by the new venue’s digs and amenities.

“I really feel excited about it,” the chamber director said. “I am more than thrilled with how this has come together. I just can’t imagine how you would do this is if you didn’t have the community rallying behind you.”

Monson added she was “overwhelmed” by the assistance of various local businesses, which provided funding, fixtures and labor.

Those donations were aplenty.

Florida Hospital Zephyrhills gave $30,000 to build the permanent, covered staging area.

Melonie Monson

Others businesses — Martin Electric, Sunstate Aluminum, and Bahr’s Propane and Gas — contributed electrical, plumbing and technical guidance on the site.

Supplies and other offerings were also provided by Sonny’s BBQ, E-Z Clean Car Wash, Ferguson Water Works and All Florida Home Manufactured Services.

“We’ve just had a number of people that have stepped up in the community that just said, ‘Sure, we’ll help you,’” Monson explained. “All of these people did this out of the kindness of their heart, and because they love our community.”

Though the chamber inspired the idea for the permanent venue, the site is owned and operated by the City of Zephyrhills, which invested more than $42,000 into the project.

Shane LcBlanc, the city’s public works director, played an instrumental role in completion of the venue’s site work.

Along with a handful of public works staff, LeBlanc built a fencing enclosure. He also installed roads to facilitate event parking, and filled in dirt holes throughout the 14-acre site.

LeBlanc said the undertaking was “a bit of a time crunch,” mainly since the site work coincided with the conclusion of the city’s 2016 fiscal year on Sept. 30.

“We had to work in the budget money to get the fence put in,” LeBlanc said. “It was a little tight timeline, but we’ve got it ready, and I think it’ll be all set for Jan. 21.”

Meanwhile, the Zephyrhills chamber is making some last-minute preparations in advance of Pigz in Z’Hills.

Monson said her staff is currently putting together event signage, and ensuring each of the nearly 50 registered barbecue cook teams are confirmed for the festival.

“We’re working nonstop on this,” Monson said of Pigz in Z’Hills. “We are working with all of our volunteers and all of our different team leaders to make sure everything’s put together the way it needs to be.”

Bob Hartwig, a former Zephyrhills Fire Chief, is now in charge of logistics for the popular barbecue festival. That role previously was handled by Daryl Pennington.

Monson calls Hartwig her “right-hand man.”

She added: “I can’t tell you how much he’s done already. There’s no way we could do this without somebody like him.”

Hartwig’s lengthy experience in public safety, she said, is an added bonus for managing the one-day shindig.

“There’s so much that no one even understands that needs to go into something like this,” Monson explained. “With his experience as a former fire chief, he knows that. He can look at a layout and say, ‘This is good, or this isn’t, and we can work together and figure out the best way.”

Besides Pigz in Z’Hills, the new venue likely will house a variety of events and fundraisers, organized by nonprofits.

Several organizations have expressed interest in using the event site, including the Rotary Club of Zephyrhills, Thomas Promise Foundation, Ride for Hospice and Paulie Palooza.

It’s believed that nonprofits will pay the city a fee to cover the cost of maintenance, performed by the city. Moreover, events may be limited to daytime festivals in order to prevent stage noise from disrupting nearby residential areas.
Steve Spina, Zephyrhills’ city manager, said the new venue is a “positive thing.”

But, Spina noted that managing the site will be a “learning experience.”

“We have to determine how to utilize it,” Spina said, “because every festival is going to take a lot of maintenance.”

The maintenance, in large part, will fall on the shoulders of the public works department.

LeBlanc said maintaining the site is not dissimilar to keeping up the city’s parks.

“We’ll be providing all the maintenance as far as mowing, trimming, herbiciding–that type of stuff,” LeBlanc explained. “We’ll monitor the electric and water, too.”

Published January 11, 2017

 

Name sought for new Zephyrhills venue

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A new community venue in Zephyrhills needs a name.

The City of Zephyrhills and The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce are conducting a contest to name the venue, which is located at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport.

The venue’s moniker will be announced at the eighth annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest on Jan. 21. Naming winners will receive free parking to the BBQ fest, as well as other prizes.
(Courtesy of The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce)

The venue, at 5200 Airport Road, is the site for the eighth annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest on Jan. 21.

Ideally the venue’s name will reflect the purpose, location and history of the site. The name also should not imply that the venue’s sole purpose is for the annual barbecue and blues event.

Submissions will be accepted through Jan. 6. Double entendres, that is, words with double meanings, will not be considered.

The venue’s name will be selected by a city of Zephyrhills committee, and will be announced during the Pigz in Z’Hills event.

Winners of the contest will receive a free parking pass to the BBQ fest, plus gifts and prizes.

Melonie Monson, the chamber’s executive director, said her office has already received “quite a few” submissions from locals.

“Everybody’s got a different idea,” she said. “It’s quite fun to see the different ones that are coming in.”

The $60,000 venue is owned and operated by the City of Zephyrhills. The city contributed $30,000 to its construction, while Florida Hospital Zephyrhills donated $30,000 to build a permanent stage.

The venue helps cut down on variable expenses, including the annual costs to rent a stage and generators, which officials say can total nearly $10,000.

A permanent site had been desired for some time.

Over a year ago, the chamber proposed the concept for a local festival grounds after the organization determined a larger site was needed to house Pigz in Z’Hills.

Melonie Monson, executive director of The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.
(File Photo)

The tract of land the chamber had been using for the festival was about 2.5 acres.

The new 14-acre site includes a 20-by-40 stage, and 50 vendor spaces equipped with water and electricity. There also is additional space for freestanding vendors, business expos and children’s activities

The setting, moreover, will be able to accommodate up to 15,000 guests at a time, and will provide easy access and parking along South Avenue.

Officials say the permanent venue will ultimately help the Pigz in Z’Hills run more smoothly, and will create an enhanced layout for musicians, vendors and attendees.

That means an expanded Kids Zone, which may feature as many as 15 vendors, making the event “more family friendly.”

“It’s going to be huge compared to what we’ve had in the past,” Monson said.

The barbecue festival’s car show will be larger, too. Monson said there will be as many as 200 automobiles on display, to the delight of vehicle enthusiasts.

“The car show itself is going to be amazing,” Monson said. “We’ve only had about 50 in the car show in the past.”

Elsewhere, Monson anticipates about 50 barbecue cook teams; 60 business expo vendors; 20 aviation expo vendors; and 15 concession vendors.

The chamber director, meanwhile, is finalizing the “best possible layout” for the shindig, which she hopes will draw anywhere from 7,000 to 10, 000 attendees.

Much of the preparation has already been done, considering the staging area is already complete, and water and electricity access has been installed.

“Everything is 90 percent ready,” Monson said. “We’re starting to lay out all the vendors and the cook teams…”

She added: “After this year, it’s going to be a lot easier.”

Once Pigz in Z’Hills wraps up, the chamber will look to bring a balloon festival to the completed venue site.

“That’s high on our priority,” Monson said.

Besides the chamber, several organizations have expressed interest in using the event site, including the Rotary Club of Zephyrhills, Thomas Promise Foundation, Ride for Hospice, and Paulie Palooza.

Once in operation, nonprofit organizations wanting to use the venue will pay a fee to cover the cost of site maintenance and staffing, which will be performed by the city.

Events are expected to be limited to daytime festivals in order to prevent stage noise in the residential area behind the venue, although the stage will be designed to direct music toward the airport.

The venue also paves the way for the return of the Celtic Festival and Highland Games to Zephyrhills; the festival’s immense popularity forced it to vacate its venue at Zephyr Park in 2011.

For more information, contact the Zephyrhills chamber at (813) 782-1913.

Published December 28, 2016

Attendance down for Pigz in Z’ Hills event

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The sixth annual Pigz in Z’ Hills BBQ and Blues Festival, drew a crowd of roughly 7,000.

That’s down about 3,000 from the previous year.

But, proceeds for the Jan. 16 event still met the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce’s projected revenue goals.

Attendance was down for the sixth annual Pigz in Z’ Hills BBQ and Blues Festival, but the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce still met its projected revenue goals for the event. (File Photos)
Attendance was down for the sixth annual Pigz in Z’ Hills BBQ and Blues Festival, but the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce still met its projected revenue goals for the event.
(File Photos)

One possible explanation for the reduced attendance could have been its simultaneous timing with The Tampa RV SuperShow at the Florida State Fairgrounds.

The RV SuperShow, held from Jan. 13 to Jan. 17, drew more than 62,000 visitors, according to its website.

Droves of people flocked to the RV SuperShow the same day as Pigz in Z’ Hills because of the especially pleasant weather on Jan. 16.

“We had some early morning rains on Friday (Jan. 15) and Sunday (Jan.17) that kept some people away, but on Saturday (Jan.16), you could barely get into the building with the vendor booths from the time the gate opened until the end of the show,” Florida RV Trade Association Marketing Director Dave Kelly said in a report published by The Jacksonville-Times Union.

Pigz in Z’ Hills will face the same competition next year, as it is slated for Jan. 21, while the Tampa RV SuperShow is scheduled Jan. 18 to Jan. 22.

While Pigz in Z’ Hills’ turnout may have been down, Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce president Tim Linville was pleased with the shindig.

“Overall, the event went great,” Linville said. “We had lots of vendors — the same number of vendors that we had last year — and the music was good. The attendees seemed to be happy.”

The chamber reached its revenue goals, and plans to donate $15,000 back to the Zephyrhills community.

Various charities and local youth civic groups—such as the Pasco County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse, the YMCA of East Pasco, the Zephyrhills High School Interact Club and the Zephyrhills Army JROTC— will be beneficiaries.

Donations will be presented at the chamber’s “Pay it Forward” dinner on Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Alice Hall Community Center.

The next Pigz in Z’Hills festival is slated for Jan. 21, 2017. The chamber hopes to find a permanent event location near the Zephyrhills Municipal airport that can provide water, electricity and permanent staging.
The next Pigz in Z’Hills festival is slated for Jan. 21, 2017. The chamber hopes to find a permanent event location near the Zephyrhills Municipal airport that can provide water, electricity and permanent staging.

Linville was concerned that the chamber wouldn’t be able to do the same donations as it did last year, but it expects to be able to.

One reason the chamber met its revenue goals amid spotty attendance was because organizers have learned to better manage expenses from year to year, Linville said.

For example, if an event banner is bought one year, it can be used in subsequent years, Linville added.

In an effort to further reduce expenses and improve efficiency, the chamber hopes to lock down a permanent venue location on another piece of land at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport.

Ideally, the new location will feature water, electricity and permanent staging, allowing for additional events in Zephyrhills.

“We have a lot of variable expenses that you can eliminate, if you have a fixed venue,” Linville explained. “Instead of having to set up a stage for one day, it can be set up permanently.”

It also will be good for other organizations that want to put on events, because they won’t have to rent a stage or rent generators, he said.

“It’s a lot more efficient that way,” he said.

Linville said the new venue could be up to 20 acres, which is significantly larger than the three acres that are currently used for the Pigz in Z’ Hills festival.

“A new venue…will give us a new and improved layout, which will help with music and vendors, and also the attendees,” he said. “It can be better organized.”

A larger venue may also pave the way for the return of the Celtic Festival and Highland Games to Zephyrhills. The festival’s immense popularity forced it to vacate its venue at Zephyr Park in 2011, with the hopes of finding a more accommodating location.

Published February 17, 2016

Chamber exec leaves her mark

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Vonnie Mikkelsen is wrapping up her work this week at the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce to take on a similar role for the chamber of commerce in Springfield, Oregon.

Making the decision to leave her current post was no easy choice, Mikkelsen said.

“This was not just a job to me. It was really a commitment. It’s where my heart was. It’s where I grew at the same time that I saw people around me and the community and the organization, itself, grow,” said Mikkelsen, who lives in Land O’ Lakes.

Vonnie Mikkelsen is leaving her post as the executive director of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce this week. She’s excited about moving to Oregon, where she’ll lead the chamber of commerce in Springfield and will live closer to her family. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Vonnie Mikkelsen is leaving her post as the executive director of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce this week. She’s excited about moving to Oregon, where she’ll lead the chamber of commerce in Springfield and will live closer to her family.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Mikkelsen took the leadership role at the Zephyrhills chamber on Dec. 14, 2009. She was selected from a field of 44 candidates.

Since accepting that role, she’s been involved in numerous initiatives.

She helped organize the collection of items for the time capsule created to celebrate the city’s 100th anniversary.

She was involved in the push to change the hours for when liquor could be served on Sundays.

She was involved in the effort to persuade the state roads department to use a pair of one-ways running through Zephyrhills, instead of turning Gall Boulevard (US 301) into a three-lane, one-way road.

She led efforts to launch a new annual festival, the Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest, an event that attracts thousands and raises money for the chamber and community groups.

She drummed up support to create the Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition.

And, she helped persuade the powers-that-be that finding money to create a four-lane stretch of State Road 56 — from Meadow Pointe Boulevard in Wiregrass Ranch to U.S. 301 — would be an investment in the region, not just a project for Zephyrhills.

While the money has not yet been found for the State Road 56 project, work is under way to see if it’s possible to get a loan from the state’s infrastructure bank to make it happen.

Mikkelsen is proud of what has been accomplished during her tenure, but she’s the first to say these achievements were a result of people working together to make them happen.

“I never would have guessed all of the things that we were able to accomplish – even at my highest expectation. We, together, have exceeded those. That’s incredibly rewarding,” Mikkelsen said.

Shortly after she assumed her role as the executive director of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, Vonnie Mikkelsen had a chance to meet people throughout the community by working on a time capsule project to mark the city’s 100th birthday. (Courtesy of Vonnie Mikkelsen)
Shortly after she assumed her role as the executive director of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, Vonnie Mikkelsen had a chance to meet people throughout the community by working on a time capsule project to mark the city’s 100th birthday.
(Courtesy of Vonnie Mikkelsen)

She’s been amazed by the willingness of individuals and organizations in Zephyrhills to give their time, talent and resources.

Mikkelsen thinks a chamber of commerce is in a unique position to pull people together.

“It’s (the chamber is) your business community, it’s your nonprofit organizations, it’s your faith-based organizations, your community support organizations, your schools, your government agencies. It’s a cross-section and there’s no other organization in the community like that,” Mikkelsen said.

Recognizing how people can help is important, Mikkelsen said.

“If you know the resources that are in an organization like that (the chamber), the possibilities are endless,” she said.

Having a pulse on stakeholders’ interests is essential, Mikkelsen added.

“It’s not my chamber of commerce. It’s not even the board’s chamber of commerce. It’s first and foremost, the members’, and then the community at large,” she said.

Mikkelsen said she hadn’t been at the job long before she had a chance to tap into the broad spectrum of Zephyrhills’ stakeholders.

That happened when she was working with a team to create a time capsule for the city’s 100th birthday, she said.

The capsule contains artifacts of the daily life of groups and organizations that make up the fabric of Zephyrhills.

When Mikkelsen agreed to take a leadership role on that task, she was determined to excel.

That’s her mantra.

“I don’t promise anything I’m not going to deliver on, and usually deliver beyond expectations,” she said.

When Mikkelsen joined the Zephyrhills chamber she was coming out of a period of personal transition, she said.

She’d left a position with The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, a few years before because it wasn’t the right fit for her.

Then, she went back to school to get a certificate in nonprofit management from the University of South Florida.

At the same time, she was doing volunteer work.

She served as a certified guardian ad litem, acting as an advocate for children under state protection, who had been abused, neglected or abandoned.

She also volunteered hundreds of hours at the Pasco County Animal Shelter.

She said a staff member there described her as “the best used-dog salesperson in the world” because she concentrated on getting dogs socialized and ready for adoption.

Her efforts there earned her a Citizen of the Year award from the Florida Veterinary Medical Association.

When Mikkelsen arrived in Zephyrhills, she didn’t know much about the community beyond the research she’d done to help her land the job.

She got busy trying to understand the community’s strengths and opportunities, as well as its weaknesses and threats.

“You’ve got to know where they are. You’ve got to know where you are and what you need.

“Once you’ve identified your weaknesses and your threats. Once you’ve identified them and are clear about them,” she said, “that’s the starting point.

“Instead of wallowing in your disadvantages, just know them. “Then, you focus everything else on the solution,” Mikkelsen said.

Part of finding those solutions involves building partnerships and considering different points of view, she added.

Building those relationships takes time and follow-through, Mikkelsen added. “It’s not just sending an email.”

It also takes a willingness to do the research to establish credibility, and to create trust, over time through your actions, she added.

It’s important to respect people’s time and to be sure that meetings are meaningful, Mikkelsen said.

“You’re calling on volunteers. Time is money. I appreciate that. I value that. I get it. Ultimately, I don’t want to waste their time. I don’t want to waste my time. More importantly, I want them to keep coming back, and keep engaged and keep moving forward, because we need them,” she said.

Finding common ground and collaborating is an effective way to tackle issues, Mikkelsen said.

“If you’re always looking at others as a competitor and a threat, then you’re definitely not leading. It’s the biggest drag on success,” she said.

She’s fluent in Japanese. She spent 16 years in Japan and worked with Time Warner and Turner Broadcasting in Tokyo to develop programming for Cartoon Network Japan.

Factoids about Vonnie Mikkelsen
She’s fluent in Japanese. She spent 16 years in Japan and worked with Time Warner and Turner Broadcasting in Tokyo to develop programming for Cartoon Network Japan.

The ringtone on her cell is “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”

She received the Florida Veterinary Medical Association’s Citizen of the Year award in 2009 for her volunteer work with Pasco County Animal Services.

Published July 1, 2015

Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce pays it forward

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The scent of barbecue and the sounds of bands belting out the blues aren’t the only sweet things to come out of the fifth annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ and Blues Fest at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport.

There’s also the money that the event generates.

Children rode the ‘rails’ at the Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ and Blues Fest on Jan. 17. The event was sponsored by the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, which has donated $15,000 to local youth and civic groups. (File Photo)
Children rode the ‘rails’ at the Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ and Blues Fest on Jan. 17. The event was sponsored by the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, which has donated $15,000 to local youth and civic groups.
(File Photo)

This year, the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce handed out more than $15,000 in donations to eight civic clubs and youth groups, thanks to money raised through the event. The donations ranged from $750 to $1,500.

The chamber also announced new scholarships of $1,000 each for performing arts and culinary arts that will be presented to two graduating Zephyrhills High School students in May.

“We are fortunate to have a community that embraces volunteer service and grateful for the enthusiasm by businesses and community organizations that support this event,” said Vonnie Mikkelsen, the chamber’s executive director.

Groups that received the money are excited about what it can do.

The YMCA of East Pasco will spend its donation to send four students and a supervisor to the YMCA’s Blue Ridge leadership program in Black Mountain, North Carolina this summer.

“It’s a huge event,” says AJ Hernandez, the East Pasco YMCA’s program director. “It’s a great opportunity for the kids to network. It’s a great learning experience.”

The students work year-round to collect funds to pay for the trip with car washes, drawings, dinner events and selling snacks at sports events.

The Zephyrhills Museum of Military History, at 39444 South Ave., in Zephyrhills, will be getting some display cases, mannequins and other items to freshen up its look, said Cliff Moffett.

“It’s going to be huge for us,” Moffett said. “We need a lot of stuff to make the museum up-to-date and more modern.”

He thinks the museum visitors will enjoy the acquisitions.

Visitors, he said, “like to see something new.”

The museum is open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

It also hosts some special events. It had an event on Dec. 7 to remember the day that the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, on Dec. 7, 1941. It is planning a similar event on June 6, to honor D-Day in World War II.

About three-dozen members of the Interact Club at Zephyrhills High School plan to pass on their donation to a local charity at the end of the year. The club is the high school extension of the Noon Rotary Club of Zephyrhills.

Last year, the students donated funds to Sunrise Domestic Violence Center, Thomas Promise Foundation, Habitat for Humanity and East Pasco Meals on Wheels. They usually visit and do volunteer service at area charities throughout the year before deciding which charities will receive donations.

“They gain a broader understanding of the needs that are out there,” said Amy Chappell, the club’s advisor. She also serves on the chamber’s board of directors but not on the committee that awards the donations. “Locally, it’s an eye opener to the needs that are right here.”

In addition to local initiatives, club members reach out to global organizations that work on issues such as clean drinking water and human trafficking. But, Chappell said the local volunteer work gives them a unique perspective.

“They see what a difference it can make,” she said.

Other groups and organizations that received donations were the Pasco County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse, Sunshine Swampers 4 x 4 Club Inc., Zephyr Airport Cadet Squadron, Zephyrhills High School Drama Club and Zephyrhills Army JROTC.

Nearly 10,000 people attended the barbecue and blues event.

Published March 11, 2015

Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest draws record crowd

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About 8,000 people attended the fifth annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest, breaking another record for the event founded in 2010 by the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

Besides attracting thousands to enjoy the barbecue and bands, the event on Jan. 17 at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, also lured 51 teams to compete to see who makes the best barbecue. Thirty-nine teams competed at the professional level, and there were 12 backyard barbecue teams, according to a news release issued by the chamber.

With limited room for dancing, Cindy Crismon of Zephyrhills, center, managed to strut her stuff in the crowd while jamming to the music of The Lauren Mitchell Band. This was her first Pigz In Z'Hills BBQ & Blues Fest. She is a winter resident from Lake Orion, Michigan. (Fred Bellet/Photo)
With limited room for dancing, Cindy Crismon of Zephyrhills, center, managed to strut her stuff in the crowd while jamming to the music of The Lauren Mitchell Band. This was her first Pigz In Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest. She is a winter resident from Lake Orion, Michigan.
(Fred Bellet/Photo)

Figures have not been tallied, but organizers estimate the event exceeded last year’s proceeds of $30,000.

The money raised benefits local youth and education programs and community services of the Chamber of Commerce.

A crew of more than 100 volunteers pitched in to make the event a success. Many worked the entire week, some arriving at dawn and staying past sunset, to get things ready for the festival and to take it down and clean up the grounds.

“Beyond even our own optimistic projections, Pigz in Z’Hills belongs to Zephyrhills,” Vonnie Mikkelsen, executive director of the chamber, said in an email.

“I’m thrilled by the positive outcome and so very happy for the volunteers, the participants and the community who came together to make it happen,” she said.

There were thousands who arrived by car, and at least 26 private aircraft took advantage of the airport’s “Fly-in” option.

Besides enjoying barbecued foods of many styles, spectators had the chance to listen to music performed by TC Carr & Bolts of Blue, The Lauren Mitchell Band, Doug Deming & The Jewel Tones and Cold Iron.

The event venue was larger this year, too, to make room for increased demand for kids’ activities, vendors, a classic car show, and aviation and military history displays.

The Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ competition is sanctioned by the Florida BBQ Association and is a qualifier for three prestigious championship contests: the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational in Lynchburg – considered the Superbowl of BBQ contests; American Royal World Series of BBQ in Kansas City – the world’s largest and oldest contest; and the Sonny’s Smokin’ Showdown Invitational – the FBA’s newest contest.

Wink’s Barbecue led by Wink Yelverton of Fort Walton Beach, FL won Grand Champion Professional Division qualifying his team for all three prestigious contests. Peter Golob of Extra Mile BBQ from Loveland, Ohio took Reserve Champion. In the Backyard Division, Bettern Store Bot, Dave Grantham of Bushnell won Grand Champion while Bamboo Warrior, head cook Curley McKenzie of Thonotosassa took Reserve Champion.

Pigz In Z’Hills BBQ & Blues benefits local youth and education programs and community services of the Chamber of Commerce.

For more information, visit ZephyrhillsChamber.org, call (813) 782-1913, or visit the chamber’s Facebook Page.

Published January 28, 2015

Holy Smoke! Blues, Barbecue in Zephyrhills

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The holidays are associated with great family, great friends and great food. In fact, sometimes the food is the best part: Turkey, ham, stuffing, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and other dishes all make a welcomed appearance.

It’s all great, but something is missing. Where are the ribs? The chicken? The pulled pork? The sweet, tangy sauce that gets on your fingers? The baked beans and corn on the cob? The smoke from the grill that makes your mouth water?

Where’s the barbecue?

There will be plenty of vendors, but people will still line up for their favorites. (File Photo)
There will be plenty of vendors, but people will still line up for their favorites.
(File Photo)

You probably didn’t find it at the holiday dinner table, but you can make up for lost time on Jan. 17. That’s when the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will host the Fifth Annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, 39450 South Ave.

As the name implies, it’s a barbecue-themed event. Vendors offering a variety of meats and platters will be on hand, offering their own take on chicken, pork and other traditional courses. It’s all barbecue, but each one is a little different. The sauces, spices and sides make each one unique and worth trying. Whatever type of barbecue you prefer, you’re likely to find someone serving it hot.

They’re competing for prizes, too. Thousands of dollars’ worth. This is the Florida State Championship sanctioned by the Florida BBQ Association. Did you even know there was a Florida BBQ Association? I didn’t, but I think I want to join it. Maybe they need taste-testers.

Anyway, the competitors are putting their best foot forward (or rib forward, I suppose) to create a variety of great tastes. You might not be an official judge, but you can pick your own winners from the competing vendors.

Now, you might have noticed that there’s more than barbecue happening in the name. It’s a blues fest as well, and music is a big part of the event. Cold Iron, Doug Deming & the Jewel Tones, The Lauren Mitchell Band and TC Carr & Bolts of Blue will all be performing. Just bring a lawn chair (no coolers or pets), find a nice spot and enjoy the show.

Rows of business vendors will be there, too, providing information about different services and offering some giveaways as well. If you’re the kind of person who goes through a lot of pens, I definitely recommend visiting this area. I can say from experience that this is a good way replenish your supply and support some local businesses at the same time. I know you’re not going there for pens, but this is “On the Cheap,” after all.

But wait; there’s more. Aircraft displays, a car and motorcycle show and the WWII Museum of Military History all add to the entertainment. There’s even a special area for children. There’s so much to do, I’m willing to make a pretty bold claim: You could be a vegetarian and still have a good time here. Even without the food there’s hours of fun and music to enjoy.

And, of course, it’s cheap. Admission to Pigs in Z’Hills is free. It costs $10 to park, but if you bring friends or family in one car, it’s a good deal. You do have to pay for food, beer and other drinks, of course. So your appetite might make this cheap event not so cheap. But I can’t advise you to skip the food, because it’s really good. So maybe eat breakfast first, so you can sample the best of the barbecue without eating your way around the airport. And you might be tempted. Like I said, the food is really good.

Pigs in Z’Hills runs from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. For more information, call (813) 782-1913 or visit ZephyrhillsChamber.org.

Schedule of events:
10 a.m. Pigz in Z’Hills opens (free admission, $10 to park)
10:30 a.m. Cold Iron performs
12:15 p.m. Jewel Tones performs
2 p.m. Lauren Mitchell Band performs
3:45 p.m. TC Carr and Bolts of Blue performs
6 p.m. event endsTwo Kidz Zones, concession vendors, business expo and military aircraft displays will be open throughout the day.

Published January 14, 2015

Visit Florida provides financial boost to Pigz in Z’Hills

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The annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest is getting a big financial boost after Visit Florida announced it would provide a $2,500 advertising matching grant to the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

“The purpose of these grants is to help nonprofit entities and local governments stretch their tourism and marketing dollars in an effort to expand cultural, heritage, rural and nature tourism activities in Florida,” said Will Seccombe, president and chief executive of Visit Florida, in a release.

Pigz in Z’Hills is slated for Jan. 17 at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport. Since its inception, it has raised tens of thousands of dollars for local your and education programs, and community services of the chamber. The airport venue offers opportunities for visitors to fly in from anywhere in the state, and event-goers from surrounding counties are attracted to the aviation and history attractions, as well as food and music, the chamber said.

The event was moved to the airport in 2014 to help accommodate growth and expansion, and attracted more than 6,000 people to that year’s event, with some flying in from places like Boca Raton, Jacksonville and Miami