The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Lutz since 1964 and Pasco since 1981.
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Soul Circus Cowboys

Heritage Stage is becoming a community gathering place

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Long before Heritage Stage existed, Sandy Graves envisioned a place where the community would gather, to watch performances and spend time together.

The stage was completed this fall and Graves’ vision has begun to take shape.

Recently, the stage was the centerpiece for an event to honor area veterans.

Live musical entertainment always plays a big role in the annual ‘Traditions on the Green’ event. This year, for the first time, the entertainers will have a stage for their performances at the event, set for Dec. 2, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. (File)

Shortly after that, entertainers used it for performances during Land O’ Lakes SwampFest.

Next, the Land O’ Lakes High School Band, the Pine View Middle School Band, the Pine View Middle School Dance Team and the Lake Myrtle Elementary School Choir will provide a holiday concert during Traditions on the Green.

The free event, being held at the recently renamed Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., also will feature a visit from Santa, a tree lighting and a raffle on gift baskets, to raise money for the schools.

“We’ll have cookies and warm apple cider, until it runs out,” Graves said.

The event is set for Dec. 2, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Spectators are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets and snacks, to the evening of performances presented by the Heritage Park Foundation and the Wesley Noon Rotary Land O’ Lakes Satellite club.

Another event is planned for the afternoon of Dec. 10, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The event will include a food truck, a bounce house, a visit from Santa and, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., the Florida Orchestra Brass Quintet will perform “Holiday Pops” on the Heritage Park Stage.

Again, spectators are advised to bring a blanket or lawn chair, to sit back and enjoy some music presented by Heritage Park, Classical Preparatory School and several other sponsors.

Another event — the Land O’ Lakes Arts & Crafts & Seafood Festival, featuring The Battle of the Bands — is planned at the venue on Dec. 16 and Dec. 17, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Featured bands will be Priest, Rat Salad and Soul Circus Cowboys. And, there will be food, shopping and kids’ activities, as well.

The event is family and pet friendly, and proceeds will benefit Pasco County Animal Services.

Graves is delighted to see the stage being put to good use.  “We’re so excited,” she said.

Traditions on The Green
Where: The recently renamed Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
When: Dec. 2, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Cost: Admission is free
Details: The even features performances by local schools and a visit from Santa. Bring a lawn chair or blanket.

Published November 22, 2017

Land O’ Lakes festival offers music, car show, food

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Things didn’t go exactly as planned.

The permanent stage event organizers had hoped to use remains under construction.

Soul Circus Cowboys were the headline act at the second annual Land O’ Lakes Music Festival.
(Courtesy of Suzanne Beauchaine)

There were also some pre-event traffic snarls. And, electrical problems threw off the schedule, precluding Stonegrey, the first musical act, from being able to perform.

Those at the festival had the chance to hear performances by The Higgins Brothers, Shalyah Fearing, City Groove and Soul Circus Cowboys.

The event was presented by the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, as a way to give back to the community.

David Gainer, the event chairman and president-elect for the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, was disappointed things didn’t go as smoothly as planned.

“With all the pre-planning and walk-through the day before, we somehow still had a couple of issues. It was disappointing not to have Stonegrey open the show.  We sincerely apologize to them and, more importantly, their fan base who came out to see them,” he said.

Overall, though, those attending the second annual Land O’ Lakes Music Festival seemed to be having a good time.

Gloria Dale and Rosie Heim were working a booth to try to drum up support for Heim, who is campaigning to become the new Honorary Mayor of Land O’ Lakes. Dale is the deputy honorary mayor a title she’s been given for life.
(B.C. Manion)

People were checking out the vintage Cadillac and old-school Nova, the Teslas, and the other vehicles that owners were showing off at the Al and Ida Silver Memorial Car Show.

Event-goers also were grabbing a bite to eat, including barbecued meals served by Hungry Harry’s Family Bar-B-Que, hot dogs from D&R Specialty Dogs, and food and drink from other vendors.

And, the mood was generally upbeat, as people strolled up and down vendor aisles, checking out displays and picking up freebies at the March 11 event at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center and Park.

“This is a great day,” said Phyllis Bross, who was working at the AARP Land O’ Lakes Chapter’s booth to raise awareness about the organization. “People seem happy, and I see children with balloons. Everyone loves the food.”

Rosie Heim was at the festival trying to garner support for her bid to be the next Land O’ Lakes Honorary Mayor. She wants to win the race so she can make more people aware of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, a volunteer organization involved in countless community causes and events.

Heim was there with her sidekick, Gloria Dale, who has been named the deputy honorary mayor of Land O’ Lakes for life.

The two ladies were selling “I love Land O’ Lakes” buttons and chances for prizes, to help raise money for Heim’s campaign.

Shalyah Fearing, a performer whose familiar to fans of the television program ‘The Voice,’ performed at the second annual Land O’ Lakes Music Festival on March 11.

Tim Clayton Sr., and his son, Tim Clayton Jr., were there working the Knight Pest Control booth. The presence of a life-size replica of a knight in shining armor helped draw attention to their booth.

“We go to all of the chamber events,” said Tim Clayton Sr., whose company is a member of Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, and has offices in Pasco, Hernando and Pinellas counties.

He was particularly pleased that the event featured a car show, in addition to the music and vendors.

“There are a couple of Teslas over there,” he said. “They’re beautiful cars.”

There were scores of other businesses and organizations with booths at the event.

Lowe’s Home Improvement had a booth and so did Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. Seal Swim School was there, and so was Connerton. The Laker/Lutz News had a booth, too.

Organizers estimate attendance at about 1,000. Admission was free, except for reserved seating at the concert. Parking was $10.

Gainer said the experience “was definitely a learning process for us (event organizers), but it will help us with the planning of our future events.

“Overall, we believe it was a success, and we can continue to build from this. We understand that it takes time to grow an event such as this, and we intend to see it become a signature event that the Land O’ Lakes community can look forward to annually,” he said.

Published March 15, 2017

Revving up for a good time in Land O’ Lakes

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Live music, interesting cars, corn dogs and kids’ activities — those are just a few of the offerings expected at the second annual Land O’ Lakes Music Festival set for March 11.

Stonegrey, which just released its second album, ‘Voice of Reason,’ is among the musical acts on tap for the second annual Land O’ Lakes Music Festival.
(Courtesy of Suzanne Beauchaine)

The festival, presented by the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, is being held at a new venue this year.

David Gainer, event chairman and president-elect of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce thinks the new location — at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center and Park — will benefit the event because of its high visibility off Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

The festival was moved because organizers believed that a new stage, that’s now under construction, would be completed.

“We thought the stage would be ready this year, but you know how construction goes. It was delayed,” Gainer said. “Ultimately, once the new stage there is completed, that is going to be our new home.”

So, instead of using the new stage, musicians will perform on the park’s football field, Gainer said.

Soul Circus Cowboys will bring their modern rockin’ country sound to the headline act of the second annual Land O’ Lakes Music Festival, set for March 11.

Festival-goers can bring their own lawn chairs and blankets, or can purchase reserved seating, which is $15 in advance, or $20 at the gate.

The event kicks off with the Al and Ida Silver Memorial Car Show, which is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Prizes will be awarded for the top 30 cars.

“We’re expecting to have 40 to 60 cars there, of all kinds, not just classic,” Gainer said.

Meanwhile, the music festival will be on the football field, where people will be able to bring lawn chairs and blankets, to listen to the bands.

The music will begin around 12:30 p.m., with entertainment running through the event’s conclusion, around 8 p.m.

This year’s musical lineup includes:

  • Tim Serdynski
  • The Higgins Brothers
  • City Groove
  • Stonegrey

Shalyah Fearing, a singer from Hudson who will be familiar to fans of the television show, “The Voice,” is expected to perform around 3 p.m., Gainer said.

And, Soul Circus Cowboys, the headline act, will perform around 7 p.m., Gainer added.

Food will be available for purchase, including barbecue meals, corn dogs, hamburgers, sliders, and funnel cakes. Beverages for sale include beer, wine, water and soft drinks.

There also will be plenty for the kids to do, including games, bounce houses and obstacle courses, Gainer said.

The event gives the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce a chance to provide an event that local residents will enjoy, Gainer said.

“It’s a good thing, all around, for the community,” Gainer said.

Second annual Land O’ Lakes Music Festival
Where: 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
When: March 11, with car show from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; other festival activities, noon to 8 p.m.
Cost: Free general admission; preferred seating, $15 in advance and $20 at the gate; $10 parking. (Tickets are available at EventBrite.com)
Details: Car show, music festival, business and arts & crafts showcase, children’s activities and food.
For information: Visit CentralPascoChamber.com.

Published March 1, 2017

Lacrosse fundraiser rescheduled to March

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The PascoLax Harley Jam, organized by the Pasco County Lacrosse Alliance (PCLA), has been rescheduled.

The event, originally slated for Dec. 3, will take place on March 25, from noon to 6 p.m., at the Concourse Rotary Pavilion, 15325 Alric Pottberg Road in Spring Hill.

The shindig, which organizers intend to hold annually, will feature a rock/country concert and a reverse raffle.

The Pasco County Lacrosse Alliance’s PascoLax Harley Jam has been rescheduled to March 25. The event will take place from noon to 6 p.m. at the Concourse Rotary Pavilion, 15325 Alric Pottberg Road in Spring Hill. (File Photo)
The Pasco County Lacrosse Alliance’s PascoLax Harley Jam has been rescheduled to March 25. The event will take place from noon to 6 p.m. at the Concourse Rotary Pavilion, 15325 Alric Pottberg Road in Spring Hill.
(File Photo)

Concert performers include three Tampa-based bands: Soul Circus Cowboys, Jaded and Phoenix. The grand prize to be raffled off is a choice of either a 2017 Harley-Davidson SuperGlide, or a $20,000 cash prize.

Tickets for the concert/raffle are $100, while concert-only tickets are $10 per person.

Only 2,000 tickets — 1,000 raffle and 1,000 general admissions — will be sold.

Food trucks and other vendors will be present, and 98 Rock will provide a live remote from the concert.

All net proceeds from the benefit will help the PCLA provide funding for several Pasco County high schools to offer boys and girls lacrosse programs.

Sunlake, Mitchell, Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass Ranch high schools will offer club lacrosse programs, for the 2017 season.

Anclote, Land O’ Lakes and Zephyrhills high schools, meanwhile, are expected to form boys and girls lacrosse programs, for the 2018 season.

The PCLA, a nonprofit organization, is also assisting the transition of the programs from a club-level sport to a Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA)-sanctioned sport, beginning with the 2018 spring season.

Eric Handman, fundraising director of the PCLA, said the fundraiser will help subsidize the expenditures to operate each school’s boys and girls lacrosse programs.

“It costs a lot to fund a team,” Handman said, “when you consider refereeing fees, bussing, field use, goals and equipment.”

David Mazursky, president of the PCLA, told The Laker/Lutz News in September that he estimates equipment and operational costs for the lacrosse organization will total about $15,000 per school. Whatever funds aren’t covered through sponsorships will trickle down to players in a “pay-for-play” model.

According to its website, the PCLA is looking to set the registration fee in the same arena as Hillsborough County’s, which decreased from $390 to $320 over the past three years.

“The goal is eventually to get the pay-to-play fee more reasonable,” Handman said.

For more information, visit PascoLaxHarleyJam.com or PascoLax.org.

Published November 23, 2016