Mid November in Dunedin is all about easy days outdoors and time with local artists. The Downtown Market sets up at Pioneer Park on Friday, November 13 and again on Friday, November 20. On Sunday, November 15, the Dunedin Fine Art Center opens its doors for its free Annual Open House, and on Thursday, November 19, the center hosts a lunchtime talk with painter Dallas Jackson. On Friday, November 20, the Dunedin History Museum leads a two hour walking tour through downtown. Between November 12 and November 20, here are four picks for enjoying Dunedin.
Downtown Market
Why It Stands Out
Friday, November 13 and Friday, November 20, from nine in the morning until two in the afternoon, the Downtown Market sets up at John R. Lawrence Pioneer Park, 420 Main Street. From November through June the market runs on Fridays and Saturdays right in the heart of downtown. Vendors bring fresh produce, eggs, meats, artisanal cheeses, breads, honey and baked goods, along with soaps, candles, plants, lunch bites and live music. The City of Dunedin lists the market, which is presented by Tampa Bay Markets.
Best For
Neighbors stocking up for the weekend, remote workers looking for a lunch break on Main Street, and visitors who want a feel for downtown on a Friday morning.
Timing and Planning
No price is listed. The city notes that the market may be canceled on certain holidays, weekends or downtown event days. Saturday, November 14 does not appear on the city's list of market dates, so plan on the Fridays this week. The city page does not list parking details, but it links to its Getting Around Dunedin guide.
DFAC Annual Open House
Why It Stands Out
Sunday, November 15, from ten in the morning until two in the afternoon, the Dunedin Fine Art Center at 1143 Michigan Boulevard hosts its free, family friendly Annual Open House. Guests can meet the instructors, tour the studios and learn about classes for all ages in painting, ceramics, photography, jewelry making and digital art. There is a Clay Sale, and the Deck the Halls & Walls Holiday Show fills the galleries with original artwork and more than 1,000 handmade ornaments by local artists. Four more exhibitions are on view, plus a children's exhibition.
Best For
Families looking for a free Sunday outing, anyone who has thought about taking an art class, and early holiday shoppers who love handmade gifts.
Timing and Planning
Admission is free, and no registration is mentioned. The center is also running an art supply donation drive, so check its requested donation list before you go if you would like to bring supplies. Questions go to 727-298-3322.
Coffee & Conversation with Dallas Jackson
Why It Stands Out
Thursday, November 19, from noon until one in the afternoon, the Dunedin Fine Art Center at 1143 Michigan Boulevard hosts a casual talk with Dallas Jackson, a painter and professor based in St. Petersburg. Curatorial Director Danny Olda leads a Q&A about his creative journey. Jackson's work focuses on African American life in the 19th and 20th centuries and the social issues that grow out of that history. After the talk, guests can see his paintings in the exhibition The Tender Weight. The series is sponsored by the center's Sterling Society, and coffee is served.
Best For
Art lovers, retirees and remote workers with a free lunch hour, and anyone who enjoys hearing artists talk about how they work.
Timing and Planning
Admission is five dollars, and DFAC members attend free. The center asks guests to RSVP or buy a ticket online through its event page.
Downtown Dunedin Walking Tour
Why It Stands Out
Friday, November 20, from ten in the morning until noon, the Dunedin History Museum leads a two hour interactive walking tour through downtown Dunedin. The group meets at the museum entrance at 349 Main Street. The museum promises hidden treasures, a little role playing and a tour that is educational, entertaining and enlightening.
Best For
New residents who want to learn the story behind Main Street, visiting family, and anyone who likes to explore a town on foot.
Insider Tip
Buy tickets ahead through the museum's event page. No price is shown on the page, all ticket sales are final, and the tour needs at least six people to sign up. If not enough people sign up, buyers get credit toward the next walk. The museum suggests sunglasses or a hat. The Downtown Market is running at Pioneer Park that same morning, so it is easy to shop for lunch afterward. For questions, call 727-736-1176.
Event Q&A
Which event is best for families?
The DFAC Annual Open House on Sunday, November 15. Admission is free, the galleries include a children's exhibition, and kids can see the studios where classes for all ages take place.
Which event feels most on-brand for a date night?
This is a daytime week in Dunedin. For a couple, the Downtown Dunedin Walking Tour on Friday morning, November 20, followed by a stroll through the Downtown Market and lunch on Main Street, makes an easy date.
Which event is worth planning ahead for?
The Downtown Dunedin Walking Tour, since tickets are bought ahead, sales are final and it needs six people to run. Coffee & Conversation with Dallas Jackson also asks for an RSVP or a ticket.
Which event gives the best sense of local community?
The Downtown Market at Pioneer Park. With local produce, baked goods, lunch bites and live music right on Main Street, it is where neighbors run into each other on a Friday morning.
What else is happening in Dunedin?
The Dunedin History Museum's Freedom in Focus exhibition stays on view through Friday, November 13. At the Dunedin Fine Art Center, the Deck the Halls & Walls Holiday Show runs through December 24, and Creative stART, a show of work from Pinellas County elementary schools, is on view through November 27. Gallery hours are nine until five on weekdays and ten until two on weekends.
What is coming right after the window?
The Dunedin Celtic Festival comes to Highlander Park, 903 Michigan Boulevard, on Saturday, November 21, from eleven in the morning until seven in the evening, with Celtic music, craft vendors and food. It is a ticketed event, and no price is listed on the city page. On Sunday, November 22, at three in the afternoon, the Pinellas Wind Symphony plays its free season premiere at the Dunedin Community Center, 1920 Pinehurst Road. The Downtown Market also returns to Pioneer Park on Saturday, November 21.
