The Laker/Lutz News

Kumquat Festival

It’s Kumquat Festival time again, in Dade City

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Maybe you’ve never heard of a kumquat.

Or, perhaps you have —  but have never tasted one.

It’s possible, too, that you’ve never visited Dade City — the county seat of Pasco County, with a stately historic courthouse in its town square and quaint shops lining its downtown streets.

An event coming up on Jan. 29 — the 25th annual Kumquat Festival — could change all that.

The festival, which is the flagship event for The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, offers a chance for the East Pasco community to share its old-fashioned Southern charm, while also showing off its fair city.

(File)

The festival celebrates the kumquat — a fruit grown in nearby St. Joe, which is known as the Kumquat Festival of the World.

Those wanting to know more about the tiny, tart fruit — sometimes called the ‘little gold gem of the citrus family’ — can visit the “Kumquat Growers” at the Wells Fargo parking lot. Besides increasing their knowledge about kumquats, they can purchase some to take home, too.

“They’ll be lots of food and beverage opportunities, including those that are in our brick-and-mortar restaurants,” said John Moors, executive director of the Dade City Chamber.

“There will be entertainment around town in different locations, provided by the restaurants and bars, and so on,” he added.

Moors also noted that downtown is entirely wet-zoned, meaning people can enjoy alcoholic beverages while strolling through the district.

They’ll be able to “have a glass of wine or a kumquat beer, and enjoy the arts and the crafts, and the whole experience,” Moors said.

Parking will be available in public and private lots, throughout downtown, he said.

He also expects plenty of kumquats and kumquat products available for purchase.

The annual event is a testimony to Dade City’s community spirit, Moors said.

“The community pulls together to make this happen. It’s just an absolute, wonderful 25 years of community support. We couldn’t do it without all of the volunteers,” he added.

When one festival ends, planning for the next one begins.

Last year, the event took place in March because of concerns about the pandemic.

But it turned out that the weather was a bit too warm, plus there was a caterpillar invasion, so this year the festival is being held at its normal time, in January.

“What we have done over the past couple of years, because of the (COVID-19) conditions that we now face, is that we have reduced somewhat, the size of the festival,” Moors said.

The idea is to ensure that everybody is comfortable and as safe as possible, he said.

At one point, there were more than 400 vendors; this year, it’s between 275 and 300.

“The upside of that, though, is that we have really focused on quality vendors,” Moors said, mentioning vendors offer unique items, as well as high-caliber arts and crafts.

The Kumquat Festival is designed to appeal to people of all ages.

There’s a Kid’s Corral for the youngsters. There are plenty of options for those who enjoy shopping — either at the temporary vendors, or the downtown shops.

Festival-goers who are hungry can choose from local restaurants, or from an array of food trucks.

Quilt enthusiasts can check out a show near the fountain at the historic courthouse, and there’s also a car and truck show in the parking lot of the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Courthouse.

And, there will be a farmer’s market, too.

Organizers encourage those visiting to stay well-hydrated and to take a break, if they’re feeling tired.

Several picnic tables will be set up, so people can relax. Portable toilets and hand-sanitizing stations also will be situated throughout the festival area.

While many vendors take credit cards, there are many that do not. The festival’s Live Event Map indicates the location of available ATMs.

While the chamber coordinates the event, “our volunteers take off and run the whole thing,” Moors said.

“The first group that morning shows up about 4:30, to get the vendors placed,” he said. “And then there’s people (volunteers) all day long.”

25th Annual Kumquat Festival
When: Jan 29, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Downtown Dade City
Cost: Free admission; parking available in public and private lots in downtown
Details: Visitors can enjoy a slice of kumquat pie, drink a glass of kumquat beer and take home some kumquats or a variety of goodies celebrating the tiny orange-colored fruit.
Info: DadeCityChamber.org, or contact The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce at 352-567-3769 or

Directions to Dade City

  • From Interstate 75, go east on State Road 52 toward downtown Dade City
  • From U.S. Highway 301, go north or south on U.S. 301 and follow toward downtown Dade City

On Festival Day, Jan. 29, there will be an information booth at the intersection of Seventh Street and Meridian Avenue. Also, sponsors and vendors can be found on the Live Event Map, at KumquatFestival.org. It also lists food and restroom locations.

Published January 26, 2022

East Pasco chambers pause merger discussions, for now

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After several months of discussions regarding a potential merger between chambers of commerce in Dade City and Zephyrhills, those talks have been put on pause — for now.

“The conversation has definitely taken a back seat,” according to John Moors, executive director of the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce. “I can’t say that it’s shut down for good, that we don’t know, but the task force has stopped meeting currently.”

The boards for both chambers approved the formation of a task force last year to look into the logistics and possible benefits of merging the two organizations.

The task force involved about 20 stakeholders — 10 from each respective organization — representing hospitals, banks, and other small businesses and groups.

(File)

Randy Stovall, provost emeritus for Pasco-Hernando State College, chaired the task force. He’s been active with both chambers for years.

The group met about a dozen times, from October 2020 through April 2021, with groups split into a budget committee, a membership committee and a mission committee.

Its three main objectives were membership, community advocacy and economic development.

The task force generated enough progress to reach a consensus on a proposed name for a merged chamber: Greater East Pasco Chamber Alliance.

But news that the merger talks have paused was announced in the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce’s August newsletter.

The newsletter indicated the Dade City chamber’s financial outlook exceeded expectations amid the COVID-19 pandemic, so merging its organization with the Zephyrhills chamber wasn’t quite as pressing as originally once thought.

Melonie Monson, the CEO of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, said the task force, on the whole, had “put together very great reasons why a merger would be the right direction to go, and really had fleshed out the greatest perspectives from this and what advantage it would be for both communities.”

But she said various hurdles surfaced when trying to flesh out the finer details of a merger concept, she said.

Monson said “the biggest problem” resulted from both chambers being content with their own current leadership, and not wanting either her or Moors to step down or take a less prominent role within a merged organization.

(File)

Monson put it like this: “We just felt like, until one of us is ready to retire, then this would be on pause. Doesn’t mean that (a merger) wasn’t the right thing to do, it’s that neither one was ready to say goodbye.”

Another sticking point, she said, came with determining locations of where a combined chamber’s main office and secondary office should be situated — Zephyrhills, Dade City, or vice versa — and how to best leverage economy of scale.

“We felt strongly there needed to be a presence in both communities of the chamber,” Monson said.

Task force supports merger concept
The task force overall found a merged chamber “made sense” and could yield several benefits, Monson said.

Specifically, it suggested that a larger, combined chamber “would have a stronger voice and advocacy on the county and state level, and members would gain more of a value by expanding the geographic reach of the chamber,” Monson said.

It also suggested that merging the Dade City and Zephyrhills groups would better help navigate booming commercial and residential development in Central and East Pasco.

With that, Monson said the task force observed a merger “would really help us in the risk of losing our territory to other entities, and making a stand of, ‘This is East Pasco.’”

These were likewise important factors for leadership within the Dade City chamber, too.

Moors detailed how the East Pasco area historically has been known as a more rural area, with less focus on business development and manufacturing.

This may not be the case for much longer, with rampant growth on the community’s doorstep.

“For the most part, there hasn’t been a lot of activity of companies moving into this particular area, but we do see that this may well change as the population increases and the density increases and the demographics change,” he said.

As East Pasco continues to grow, Moors emphasized the importance of being “in front of that wave of growth, rather than trying to catch up.”

Pandemic spurred initial merger discussions
Both chamber leaders have casually discussed the possibility of combining their respective organizations for a few years now, but more serious talks didn’t begin until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020.

Ramping up those conversations was important for the Dade City chamber to prepare an action plan in a worst-case scenario, given the uncertainty around the effects of the coronavirus on the area’s business and economic climate, Moors explained.

“With everything shut down, we just didn’t really know what anything was going to look like, we didn’t know what was going to happen with our membership, we didn’t know whether we were going to be able to have a Kumquat Festival, whether we were going to have any events, because at that point, everything was literally locked down. In fact, the chamber was closed for a period of time last year,” said Moors.

Since then, however, Moors said the Dade City chamber has experienced an upbeat financial outlook, with membership reportedly up 15% year-on-year, combined with a successful enough scaled-down Kumquat Festival.

Put another way, negative revenue impacts caused by COVID-19 never materialized for the chamber, Moors said. “So, the need to merge was not as urgent as we had feared,” he added.

Monson said the pandemic provided “a great opportunity” to form a task force to discuss the merits of a proposed merger, and garner various perspectives.

But she emphasized the Zephyrhills chamber didn’t need to enter the merger talks strictly out of concern regarding financial sustainability.

She said she was confident in her organization’s membership base and other efforts, even during the pandemic.

“You know, we’re a strong chamber no matter what, and we knew we were going to be,” she said. “We did not forecast the gloom and doom.”

Rather, joining forces with the Dade City chamber on a merger task force was more to vet the various benefits and outcomes of such an exercise, Monson acknowledged.

Merger talks likely not done
Monson said the merger concept — and its varied findings — will likely be revisited once she or Moors leave their current leadership posts, whenever that happens.  She said the work of the task force could be revisited, once she or Moors moves on.

“I believe that we could come up with great ideas of location, I think that would be something that we would get worked out pretty easily, but the biggest thing was we were going to pause it until one or the other was ready to retire, or move on to another venture in life,” Monson said.

If a merger eventually occurs, it would be the third merger of its type among Pasco County chambers.

The North Tampa Bay Chamber is the result of combining chambers that previously represented Wesley Chapel, New Tampa, Trinity and Odessa.

The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce resulted from a merger between the West Pasco and Central Pasco chambers.

Published August 11, 2021

Dade City approves contract for destination marketing campaign

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The City of Dade City is poised to launch a destination marketing campaign — with the aim of attracting more tourists, as well as engaging area residents.

To that end, Dade City Commissioners on June 22 unanimously approved a $14,200 contract with The Creative Stable Inc., a Dade City-based advertising, marketing, media and public relations firm operated by Jennifer Frazier. Frazier is the agency’s creative director, senior copywriter and general manager.

The scope of work entails the creation of a photo library ($2,500), the development of an advertising campaign ($3,200), the design of a destination website called DiscoverDadeCity.com ($1,000) and a video and short television spots campaign refresh ($7,500) — in collaboration with other Tampa Bay area multimedia companies.

Jennifer Frazier, creative director, senior copywriter and general manager of The Creative Stable Inc. (Courtesy of The Creative Stable Inc.)

In its proposal, Creative Stable listed its objective is for the municipality “to attract more foot traffic from surrounding areas to the downtown core of Dade City by visually portraying it as a unique, rewarding, memorable, and fun destination, thus increasing sales for area businesses.”

The proposal also outlines some of the city’s unique selling propositions. Those include Dade City’s small-town character; its historic buildings, including some Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles; its specialty retail, restaurants, brewery and events center; its public parks; its biking/hiking/walking trails; its cultural offerings, including the Dade City Center for the Arts and the Dade City Symphony; and, a new Visitor’s Center in the works and a splash zone being planned.

A photo library creation will encompass four days of on-site shooting by Rick Tauceda of Tampa-based Rick’s visual, to give the city hundreds of usable shots, be it streetscapes, historic churches, Kumquat Festival event action, local restaurants, pedestrians walking downtown, children playing at Price Park, cyclists and runners on Hardy Trail, and so on.

Meanwhile, a video refresh will be shot and produced by Tampa-based Diamond View Studios, updating a 2016 video library focusing on new footage and more experiential imagery “to avoid logos and storefronts as much as possible to give it a longer shelf life.” The group also will replace footage no longer relevant in the live, work, play, shop and dine spots, for 30-second high-definition television and social media spots.

In its advertising campaign for the city, Creative Stable will create “a cohesive series of community ads to develop wider market awareness for the downtown core.”

These would include:

  • An outdoor board
  • Print and digital ad series of five ads (live, work, play, shop and dine)
  • Social media campaign promoting 30-second spots and an invitation to visit
  • Event poster format
  • Event digital ad format
  • Event print ad

Meanwhile, the design of a “link-centric” destination website for Dade City would have pages to include, “Shop, Dine, Live, Work, and Play” in keeping with the themes of the marketing campaign. For instance, the “Play” webpage on the site would feature the Hardy Trail and city parks, along with other recreational opportunities such as TreeHoppers Aerial Adventure Park, and Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club.

The marketing plan also provides an option for ongoing support with a retainer fee, which can be modified to fit the city’s needs. The company recommended a monthly retainer of $1,500 (approximately 20 hours per month) to keep marketing consistent for the city over time, to provide event posters, print and digital ads, website updates and so on.

City leaders and merchants of late have expressed a need to attract a younger demographic and more foot traffic to support more contemporary types of businesses, such as bike shops, art galleries and taprooms.

As part of its proposal, Creative Stable garnered anonymous feedback from downtown business owners, who shared a mix of opportunities and concerns for the city’s ability to attract new people and thrive, including:

  • More affordable rent rates compared to Wesley Chapel
  • Too many empty storefronts
  • The need for a concert series at Agnes Lamb Park
  • Targeting day-trippers from Wesley Chapel, Lutz, New Tampa, Trinity
  • Incorporating more crosswalks to make the city more walkable and safer
  • Develop a curated mix of retail to better make the city a destination
  • More events needed to spur foot traffic

Commissioners like Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez expressed enthusiasm with the full-throttled marketing blitz and its desired impacts.

“The time is right for Dade City to really move to that next level,” she said. “We want a very high-quality product.”

The mayor described Frazier as “really talented” and “a tremendous asset” having produced campaigns for Florida League of Cities and First National Bank of Pasco, and many other entities.

The Creative Stable Inc.

Frazier has lived in Dade City since 1985 and raised her family in the area. She recently was inducted into the Tampa Museum of Art and serves on the Gasparilla Arts Festival and Gasparilla Music Festival boards.

Commissioner Scott Black added it’s advantageous that Frazier’s company is nearby on Fort King Road “so we can hold her accountable and we can pull her in more easily anytime there is an event going or a need.”

Meanwhile, Dade City Manager Leslie Porter credited Frazier for recently assisting Dade City pro bono on a newspaper ad campaign where “she was a great help and really helped the city a lot.”

With an influx of growth and development on the horizon, Frazier said it’s an opportune time to begin promoting the city more aggressively.

The East Pasco municipality is poised to see some 14,000 new homes on the books within the next five years, plus a slew of downtown amenities and other unique, adventurous hotspots on the outskirts of town, just outside the city limits.

She put it like this: “I think we’re ready for our close-up now.”

Frazier thanked the commission for being receptive with the forthcoming initiatives, too.

“This has been months, and for a couple of us, years in the making to get to this point to try to create a cohesive marketing program for the City of Dade City, that’s easily repeatable, that’s going to bring in new people to our city, and also ignite those people who are already here, to get back and re-engaged, if they’re not already,” Frazier explained.

Work will begin once a signed contractual agreement is in place, outlining specific deliverables, terms and payment schedules.

As for a timeline for the marketing campaign, Creative Stable plans to complete library and video shoots “as soon as possible to avoid storm season.” From there, an eight-week window is planned “to deliver the videos, spots, advertising campaigns and website.”

Published July 14, 2021

Plenty of ways to get a kumquat fix at this festival

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If you love kumquats, the 24th annual Kumquat Festival in downtown Dade City, was like a little slice of heaven.

Various types of honey are reflected in Matt Smith’s sunglasses, at a booth operated by Brocks Bees, at the kumquat festival. Brocks Bees is based in Brooksville. (Fred Bellet)

Festival-goers could taste kumquat ice cream or kumquat pie.

They could pick up bags of the tiny, orange citrus fruit, sometimes called the “little gold gem of the citrus family.”

Festival-goers could stock up on kumquat marmalade, kumquat jelly, kumquat chutney, kumquat pepper jelly, kumquat marinade or kumquat vinaigrette.

They could get kumquat preserves.

They could buy kumquat barbecue sauce — sweet or spicy, or kumquat salsa, regular or hot.

And, who can forget the kumquat wine?

But, even those who aren’t particularly enamored with kumquats — there were plenty of other ways to enjoy the festival.

There was a quilt show, a car show, lots of vendor booths and a chance to be out and about — during an event that was delayed and scaled-back this year, to reduce potential risks from the  COVID-19 pandemic.

Published April 07, 2021

Barbara Mallory arranges bottles of Kumquat wine available under the tent from Sunrise Rotary Club of Dade City. Mallory, the club’s past president, was among eight club members selling the 750-milliliter bottles. The wine is 20% kumquat and 80% white grape, according to Mallory, selling for $15 per bottle.
Four-year-old Chloe Barner looks approvingly at the handiwork of Melissa Perez, an artist from Spring Hill. The little girl was at the Kumquat Festival with her 8-year-old sister, Khalani Colbert-Belle, and with her grandmother, Andrea Colbert. They live in Dade City.
Eighty-six-year-old Frank Gude is Mr. Kumquat. The St. Joe man has been around kumquat trees since he was a kid and can tell you anything you want to know about the tiny citrus fruit. Citrus greening had an impact on the crop this year, he said. ‘Only 60 bushels made it to the Kumquat Festival this year. That’s roughly 3,000 pounds.’
Brock Smith was 7 years old when he began developing an interest in bees, hives and honey. Now, he sells orange, kumquat and wildflower honey.
Plastic safety sheathing separates the public from the Kumquat Growers’ workers. Joe Gude, left, and Mike Liptak, right, both of Dade City, fill bags of Nagami-type kumquats for festival-goers who want to take some home.

Kumquat Festival set March 27

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The 24th annual Kumquat Festival will take on more of a spring feel, among other twists and turns due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The popular event traditionally held the last Saturday in January is instead set for March 27, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., in downtown Dade City, around the iconic Historic Pasco County Courthouse; the original event date was pushed back due to COVID-19.

The 24th annual Kumquat Festival is set for March 27, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in downtown Dade City. (File)

The Kumquat Festival is organized each year by The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce in coordination with other community stakeholders.

And, it’s all in the name of celebrating, of course, kumquats — a tiny, tart citrus fruit native to Southeast Asia, but grown in Dade City.

The festival features all things kumquat, including such specialties such as kumquat ice cream, kumquat pie and kumquat beer. You might also find some non-edible items such as kumquat lotions, balms and body butters.

As in previous editions of the festival, downtown Dade City will be transformed into an open-air marketplace featuring local businesses, hundreds of specialty vendors and dozens of partner sponsors.

Other happenings throughout the day include:

  • “Kumquat Growers” series to learn about and purchase kumquats
  • Farmer’s Market
  • Kid’s Corral with a variety of activates for children of all ages
  • Quilt challenge
  • Car and truck show

Some of the more interactive live entertainment options have been pared down from prior years, however, out of COVID-19 health and safety precautions. There won’t be shuttle services to remote parking lots, either, because of COVID-19.

Admission is free. Self-parking will be available throughout the city limits and downtown, including private lots, church lots and street parking. Masks will be required by all vendors and attendees.

The festival — which puts Dade City at the regional fore for the day — otherwise epitomizes the locale’s “iconic, old Florida, down home sort of feel,” chamber Executive Director John Moors told The Laker/Lutz Newspaper in a recent interview.

“I think the whole fact that it’s kumquats is kind of a funny thing,” Moors said. “There’s lots of strawberry festivals, blueberry festivals, all sort of other things, but this is the only one we’re aware of that actually features kumquats and a lot of folks aren’t even sure what a kumquat is, so it kind of lends itself to that quirky, kind of fun, sort of entertainment day that you don’t find at the wonderful theme parks that Florida offers.”

Scaled back, but still lots to see and do
The event will showcase around 250 vendor booths — each spaced about 12 feet apart instead of side-by-side as in previous years.

Due to physical distancing requirements, organizers had to cut back on about of a third of vendor booths from prior years.

While forced to scale down overall, organizers felt it important to still put on the family friendly event for the community, Moors said.

“This year, we just really wanted to have an event because there isn’t a lot going on and so many things have been canceled and we just thought, ‘Well, if we can do this safely, let’s just give it our very best shot and try to keep everybody safe,’” Moors said. “It’s going to be different, and maybe not as convenient as it has been in the past, but hopefully we have a successful day and a successful event, and then next year we’ll be back to something a little different, maybe a little more extensive.”

In the way of attendance prognostications, Moors acknowledged he’s “really not sure what to expect,” considering the date change and ongoing pandemic concerns. Simply, “We’re hoping for a good event,” he said, then adding “the safety of our volunteers, attendees, our vendors is at the forefront.”

Moors asked those attending to exercise some patience: “We know it’s going to be a little different and it’s not going to be the same, but come out and enjoy it, have some fun and take a deep breath, and we’ll all get through this together.”

Meanwhile, festival-goers also will have a chance to land a sneak preview of The Block, downtown Dade City’s newest event and entertainment center located at 14313 Seventh St.

Walk-in tours of the facility will be offered, to let visitors check out the progress so far, with updates on the project’s brewhouse, CrossFit gym, wedding venue and other amenities.

The facility’s entrance corner will have an assortment of tents with a live band, and food and drinks during the Kumquat Festival, too.

While technically separate from the Kumquat Festival, Moors said having coinciding activities at The Block are “a fabulous addition” to festival day.

The Block is a new take on two existing buildings, totaling 21,000 square feet that run together with an outdoor patio with seats, tables and string lights hanging above.

The premises has an extensive history as a car dealership, going back for decades.

The renovated space, conceptualized by local real estate developer Larry Guilford, takes on some influences from the Tampa Heights neighborhood’s popular Armature Works.

The Block will include a wedding and event venue, outside bar, brewery, catering business, space for food trucks, CrossFit gym and more. It is slated to open this spring.

For more information about the Kumquat Festival, visit KumquatFestival.org, or call The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce at 352-567-3769.

24th annual Kumquat Festival
When: March 27, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Historic downtown Dade City, near Meridian Avenue and Seventh Street
Cost: Free admission, free parking
Details: Festival-goers have a chance to get a taste of Old Florida, in a community known for its hospitality and charm. There will be loads of vendors, places to purchase food and drink, activities for kids, and a car and truck show, among other things.

Published March 24, 2021

Don’t forget: This year’s Kumquat Festival is set for March 27

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In the years before COVID-19, both locals and visitors alike could look forward to the end of January for a chance to enjoy the annual Kumquat Festival in downtown Dade City.

But, concerns about keeping people safe have prompted organizers to postpone the 24th annual Kumquat Festival from its traditional last Saturday in January, to a March 27 date, instead.

Whether it’s kumquat marmalade, kumquat salsa or kumquat wine, you will likely be able to find it in downtown Dade City, during the community’s annual Kumquat Festival. (File)

“We felt it prudent to exercise extreme caution and move the date of the festival to ensure the health and safety of our attendees, our vendors, and the hundreds of people it takes to make this annual signature event a success,” John Moors, executive director of The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, said in a news release.

Moors said there will be some other changes to this year’s festival, as well.

For instance, there won’t be shuttle services to remote parking lots, according to the release.

As in previous years, however, historic downtown Dade City will be transformed into an open-air marketplace featuring local businesses, hundreds of specialty vendors and dozens of partner sponsors, the release notes.

The event also will feature the ever-popular Classic Car Show, Moors added.

The festival, which is attended by tens of thousands of visitors, showcases Dade City’s friendly, authentic, Old Florida feel, the chamber executive said.

The March 27 festival will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Published January 20, 2021

Kumquat Festival changes date

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In this unprecedented time of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce and other Dade City officials have decided to move the 24th annual Kumquat Festival to March 27, according to a chamber news release.

The Kumquat Festival is attended by tens of thousands of visitors each year. (Courtesy of The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce)

The festival, typically held the last Saturday in January, will be a spring event this year.

“We felt it prudent to exercise extreme caution and move the date of the festival to ensure the health and safety of our attendees, our vendors, our sponsors, and the hundreds of people it takes to make this annual signature event a success,” John Moors, executive director of the Dade City chamber, said in the release.

The March 27 festival will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., in Dade City, around the iconic Historic Pasco County Courthouse. Admission is free. Shuttles will be provided from two satellite parking areas.

As in previous years, historic Downtown Dade City will be transformed into an open-air marketplace, featuring local businesses, hundreds of specialty vendors, an interactive Kids’ Corral, a car and truck show, dozens of partner sponsors, and the friendly, authentic Old Florida experience that the annual Kumquat Festival has come to represent.

The chamber extends its thanks for past support and continued enthusiasm for the 2021 annual Kumquat Festival.

Published August 05, 2020

Kumquat Festival ushers in a new decade

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It’s time to indulge in a tiny, tart fruit called the kumquat.

After all, the fruit is considered to be the centerpiece of the Kumquat Festival, now celebrating its 23rd year.

This year’s Kumquat Festival will once again offer various kumquat treats, as well as activities for the public. Live entertainment also will amplify music for the masses. (File)

Besides offering fun family activities, the festival showcases downtown Dade City, offering visitors a chance to sample a taste of Old Florida and some Southern hospitality, too.

The free event is set for Jan. 25 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., in downtown Dade City, near the Historic Pasco County Courthouse.

Thousands of people flock to the area every year in an event that gives downtown Dade City merchants a chance to show off their shops and gives entertainers a place to showcase their talents.

It’s also an annual gathering that draws upon the generosity of local volunteers and sponsors.

“This is a marvelous event that is truly a local volunteer-run festival,” said John Moors, executive director of The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce. “I know the hundreds of folks involved are very proud of their community for producing such a quality show every year.”

As always, the kumquat fruit, known as the “little gold gem of the citrus industry,” will be found in all sorts of treats and beverages, including pies, cookies, ice cream, smoothies, marmalade, salsa, beer and wine.

Hundreds of vendors will be there, offering not only kumquat-related foods, but arts and crafts, and other items. Local restaurants will be serving up food, too.

There will be a quilt challenge and a Festival Collector Car Show.

There will be face-painting, and kids will have an activity area, too.

All public parking is free, and there will be free shuttle rides from two satellite parking areas. One is at the Pasco County Fairgrounds, on State Road 52. The other is at next to Jarrett Ford, at 38300 Dick Jarret Way, in Dade City, on the U.S. 301 truck route.

Those wishing to volunteer should call Melody Floyd or Mary Beth Lumbra at (352) 567-3769, or email .

A volunteer orientation dinner also has been scheduled for Jan. 21 at 5:30 p.m., at Hampton Inn Dade City-Zephyrhills, 13215 U.S. 301, Dade City.

For additional information about the Kumquat Festival, call (352) 567-3769, or visit DadeCityChamber.org/Annual-Kumquat-Festivalr.

Kumquat Festival
When: Jan. 25 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Downtown Dade City
Cost: Free admission
Parking: Parking is free. Free shuttles run continuously from two satellite parking areas. One is at the Pasco County Fairgrounds on State Road 52 and the other is located next to Jarrett Ford, at 38300 Dick Jarret Way, in Dade City, on the U.S. 301 truck route. Parking also is available at various locations just outside of festival area, but that fills up fast.
Details: The festival, now in its 23rd year, will feature live entertainment, an array of activities, vendors and all things kumquat.
Info: Call (352) 567-3769, or visit DadeCityChamber.org/Annual-Kumquat-Festivalr.

Published January 15, 2020

Dade City is adding population, new attractions

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As a new decade begins, the City of Dade City plans to resolve its longstanding stormwater issues, enliven its downtown with more shops and entertainment, add new attractions and to increase residential development.

The Dade City Commission also is expected to vote on the issue of allowing medical marijuana dispensaries within the city limits during the first quarter of 2020.

Here is a closer look for what’s in store for 2020, and beyond.

Resolving stormwater issues
Dade City’s downtown streets and sidewalks have been known to be swallowed in at least 6 inches to 7 inches of standing water for days at a time after heavy summer rains.

Much of that should be resolved soon.

Construction is in full swing to fix the downtown flooding and drainage issues — via a $2.3 million stormwater capital improvement project, paid for with a combination of state appropriations, and funding from the Florida Department of Transportation and Dade City.

The project takes underground concrete piping through multiple downtown streets into an existing conveyance system into a reconfigured Irwin Pond, just past U.S. 98 and the CSX railway.

Work has been paused to accommodate the Jan. 25 Kumquat Festival in downtown, but the project completion is expected around mid-year.

Meantime, the city is seeking state appropriations and disaster recovery funding for a another multimillion dollar stormwater project in the Dade Oaks community.

A bike hub/splash park is coming
City staffers recently closed on a $800,000 land purchase that will become the location of a splash park/bike hub to the city’s downtown area — on a 2.23-acre parcel on Church Street, which borders the Hardy Trail and is diagonal from The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce. (The contract sale price totals $1.3 million, as the property owners have agreed to donate the difference toward the park project.)

A preliminary concept plan for the project calls for a multi-use water splash pad, bike-share shelter, amphitheater, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-accessible playground, open space, a concession area and other amenities. The next step will be developing and finalizing a master plan for the project, with input from residents and city officials, then moving onto a final design and engineered site plan.

According to Dade City Manager Leslie Porter, the project will likely be completed in phases over the next several years, starting with the bike hub, which could break ground this year, in partnership with Pasco County’s tourism office.

Events venue and retail shops
What was once a vacant car dealership in downtown Dade City will soon be a hub for retail and social entertainment, called The Block.

The development, at 14313 Seventh St., involves converting two existing buildings, totaling 21,000 square feet.

The main plaza will have an area for retail spaces, along with a venue to accommodate events, such as weddings, parties and fundraisers. There also are potential plans for a bridal shop and a brewery there, too.

The second building is being turned into a CrossFit gym.

An outdoor patio and bar will run between the two complexes, complete with seats and tables,  and string lights hanging above.

While inclusive to all, it is geared toward the younger-adult demographic, somewhat inspired by the mixed-use Armature Works facility in Tampa Heights.

Expected to open in phases beginning this year, The Block is the brainchild of local realtor and investor Larry Guilford and Melanie Armstrong, owner of Savory Roots Catering and Events.

Dade City will be home to Florida’s first-ever snow park attraction, called Snowcat Ridge. (Courtesy of Point Summit Inc.)

A snow park in Dade City?
Come November, Dade City will be home to a very unique recreation attraction — the state’s first-ever snow park, called Snowcat Ridge.

The one-of-a-kind snow park will feature a 60-foot-tall and 400-foot-long snow tubing hill, where visitors will be able to ride in single, double, or six-person tubes down the hill; a 10,000-square-foot snow play dome to make snowmen and snow castles; and, an Alpine Village serving food and hot cocoa.

For those wondering, snow will be made with technology that can stay in place for an extended period of time, provided the temperature is under 80 degrees.

The project is being developed by Point Summit Inc., which also manages TreeHoppers Aerial Adventure Park and Scream-a-Geddon Horror Park. It will be located at 27839 Saint Joe Road.

Residential development on the rise
Like neighboring Zephyrhills, Dade City anticipates a surge of new rooftops in the coming decade, as the municipality has roughly 4,000 residential unit entitlements — which means they are actively under construction or review.

This year, the city will see 25 single-family homes come online at Countryside, a development situated behind McDonald’s that sits at U.S. 301, while affordable workforce/affordable housing communities Osprey Pointe (110 multi-family units) and Arbours at Hester Lake (80 multi-family units) are expected to begin leasing in the next few months.

Other residential developments on tap include the following:

  • Highland Trails: 1,110 single-family
  • Wickett: 892 single-family, multi-family, assisted living, townhomes
  • Summitview: 812 single-family, townhomes
  • Philmon: 510 single-family
  • Suwanee Lakeside: 302 single-family
  • Abbey Glenn II: 170 single-family

Vote expected on medical marijuana dispensaries
Dade City has had a series of concurrent moratoriums on medical marijuana treatment centers within its municipal limits dating back to 2016, but that could change in the new year.

City commissioners in September directed city staff to draft an amendment to the city’s land development regulations that would permit medical marijuana dispensaries in the general commercial zoning district. That district generally spans U.S. 301/U.S. 98 south and north of town, but avoids much of the city’s historic downtown main street and central business district.

A drafted ordinance is expected to come before the city’s planning board and the city commission sometime during the first quarter of 2020.

Published January 08, 2020

Dade City announces road closures for stormwater project

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The City of Dade City has announced updated road closures that will take effect after the Kumquat Festival, for when construction resumes on the city’s downtown stormwater capital improvement project.

Following the Jan. 25 festival, Seventh Street will be closed between Church Avenue and Pasco Avenue, for approximately one month to complete construction of the stormwater improvements, and provide a staging area for equipment and materials. Pasco Avenue will remain open to two-way traffic between Seventh Street and Fifth Street until the water main construction, anticipated in March.

While Seventh Street will be closed, the city has secured permission from several private property owners to be able to utilize their existing parking areas for public use.

Customers can utilize the city’s public parking areas on Eighth Street and Pasco Avenue, as well as Bank of America and the former site for San Antonio Credit Union on Church Avenue. Additionally, on-street parking will be available in surrounding blocks.

City officials are encouraging visitors traversing the downtown area to watch for construction crew members, and yield to all the construction signs and workers. Traffic patterns and detours will change in the upcoming weeks as construction continues, city officials say.

The city will be posting regular updates in the upcoming weeks on their website at DadeCityFl.com.

For more information, call (352) 523-5050.

Published January 08, 2020