This week in Odessa and Tarpon Springs packs a lot into one weekend. On Saturday, November 14, kids can dig into dinosaur science at Dinos & Dragons at the Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center in Odessa, while the 2nd Saturday Market sets up with local vendors in Tarpon Springs. That evening, the Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve lead a Night Hike at the Preserve, and on Sunday afternoon, November 15, Flip Flop Opera brings arias inspired by classic books to the Tarpon Springs Cultural Center. Between November 12 and November 20, here are four picks for curious kids, market lovers, couples and anyone who wants a new way to spend a weekend close to home.
Dinos & Dragons
Why It Stands Out
Saturday, November 14, from 10:30 in the morning until noon, the Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center at 12118 Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa hosts Dinos & Dragons in its Theatre. Billed as "Great Discoveries Begin with MAPS," the program sets up interactive stations where children explore dinosaur eggs, teeth, tendons and bones, and learn what dragons have to do with dinosaurs.
Best For
Children ages six to twelve, families with a young dinosaur fan at home, and Starkey Ranch parents looking for a hands-on Saturday morning at the library.
Timing and Planning
Tickets are ten dollars per child, plus tax and fees, and parents get in free with a paid child. Tickets are sold through MAPS at mapsmuseum.org, and the program is limited to fifty children. Each child with a paid ticket goes home with a dragon toy. For questions, call the branch at 727-815-7126.
2nd Saturday Market
Why It Stands Out
Saturday, November 14, the Tarpon Springs Merchants Association holds its 2nd Saturday Market in the Mother Meres Parking Lot in Tarpon Springs. The host invites everyone to come out and shop with local vendors, with booths selling vegetables, plants, jewelry, baked goods and art.
Best For
Neighbors who like to start the weekend with a slow browse, home cooks looking for fresh produce, and anyone hunting for a handmade gift ahead of the holidays.
Timing and Planning
The Merchants Association page does not list a time. The city's Explore Tarpon Springs calendar lists the market from nine in the morning until two in the afternoon. No price or street address is listed. The market runs on second Saturdays, skips June through August, and returns December 12.
Night Hike at the Preserve
Why It Stands Out
Saturday, November 14, from six until eight in the evening, Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve volunteers lead a night hike at Brooker Creek Preserve, 3940 Keystone Road in Tarpon Springs. The walk covers about one mile along the Education Center Trail and lasts about an hour and a half, a rare chance to see the preserve after dark.
Best For
Couples who want a date night that is a little different, families with older kids who love the outdoors, and anyone who has only visited Brooker Creek during the day.
Timing and Planning
Reservations are required, and each hike is limited to twenty people. The Friends ask for a three dollar donation per person. The hike is for adults and families only, and children must be with their parents. Closed-toe shoes are required, and pets are not allowed. To register, search for "Guided Hikes at Brooker Creek" on the Pinellas County registration site, explore.pinellas.gov, then scroll to Night Hikes. For questions, email [email protected].
Flip Flop Opera - From Page To Stage
Why It Stands Out
Sunday, November 15, at two in the afternoon, Tarpon Arts presents New Century Opera at the Cultural Center, 101 South Pinellas Avenue in Tarpon Springs. The program explores how great works of literature inspired some of opera's most beloved masterpieces, with New Century Opera singers performing arias from operas based on classic stories and novels. Artistic Director Constantine Grame shares commentary on where each work began on the page.
Best For
Couples looking for a relaxed Sunday afternoon outing, book lovers, and anyone who has been curious about opera but wants a friendly introduction.
Timing and Planning
Tickets are twenty dollars, or seventeen dollars for members, sold online through Tarpon Arts or by calling the box office at 727-942-5605. No end time is listed. Tarpon Arts says parking is free at the Cultural Center, with street parking in front of and behind the building and a municipal lot one block north at the corner of Tarpon and Pinellas Avenues.
Event Q&A
Which event is best for families?
Dinos & Dragons on Saturday morning, November 14, is made for kids ages six to twelve, and parents get in free with a paid child.
Which event feels most on-brand for a date night?
The Night Hike at the Preserve on Saturday, November 14. It starts at six in the evening, it costs a small three dollar donation, and walking a trail after dark together makes for a date you will remember.
Which event is worth planning ahead for?
Both Saturday picks with limits. The Night Hike is capped at twenty people and needs a reservation, and Dinos & Dragons is limited to fifty children with tickets sold through MAPS.
Which event gives the best sense of local community?
The 2nd Saturday Market. It brings Tarpon Springs vendors together in one spot each month, with produce, plants, baked goods and handmade art from local sellers.
What else is happening in Odessa and Tarpon Springs?
Brooker Creek Preserve hosts a Bat Walk on Friday, November 13, from 5:30 until 6:15 in the evening, led by Bat Conservation International Bat Ambassador Dr. Merrie Beth Neely. It is cancelled if there is steady rain, and the preserve asks visitors to register for its programs. On Sunday, November 15, at two in the afternoon, the Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve present Vignettes of Nature in the preserve auditorium, with nature-inspired music for cello and piano by Theresa Villani and Kevin Johnson. The suggested donation is ten dollars, or five dollars for Friends members. In Odessa, the Starkey Ranch library hosts Writers Workshop: Publishing & Loglines with author Gayle Brown on Thursday, November 19, from six until seven in the evening. No manuscript is needed, and no price is listed.
What is coming right after the window?
Brooker Creek Preserve has a family-friendly Connect to Nature Guided Hike on Saturday, November 21, from nine until ten in the morning, a three-quarter-mile loop led by a preserve volunteer. On Sunday, November 22, from one until two in the afternoon, the preserve hosts Botanical "Tea Time" with Sara, focused on pine trees, with tea provided.
