This week splits nicely between Odessa and Tarpon Springs. In Odessa, the Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center has Preschool Storytime on Thursday, November 5, and free Shakespeare In the Courtyard on Saturday afternoon, November 7. A short drive away in Tarpon Springs, the 38th Annual Tarpon Springs Seafood Festival takes over the Sponge Docks on November 7 and 8, and Tarpon Arts hosts a Tarpon Talks program on Weedon Island Preserve on Tuesday, November 10. Between November 5 and November 13, here are four picks that cover little ones, food lovers and the curious.
Preschool Storytime
Why It Stands Out
Thursday, November 5, from 10:15 until eleven in the morning, the Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center at 12118 Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa holds Preschool Storytime in its Heron Room. The program is for children ages three to five with their caregivers, and it mixes reading, singing, movement and other activities meant to build a strong early literacy foundation.
Best For
Parents and grandparents of preschoolers, families new to Starkey Ranch who want to get to know the library, and anyone looking for a calm weekday morning outing with little ones.
Timing and Planning
No registration is listed. The library says tickets are given out on a first-come, first-served basis to children who are present, and space is limited, so arriving a little early helps. No price is listed. For questions, call the branch at 727-815-7126.
The 38th Annual Tarpon Springs Seafood Festival
Why It Stands Out
Saturday, November 7 and Sunday, November 8, the Tarpon Springs Merchants Association hosts its 38th annual seafood festival along the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks, listed on the city calendar at 750 Dodecanese Boulevard. The host lists hours of ten in the morning until five in the evening. Expect seafood and non-seafood food choices, food samples, selected artisans, craftsmen and vendors selling nautical and food-related art, crafts, fishing apparel and kitchen items, and continuous live music all weekend. A chef's competition will determine Tampa Bay's best seafood.
Best For
Families who want a full afternoon out, seafood lovers, and anyone who has not spent a day at the Sponge Docks in a while.
Timing and Planning
No admission price is listed. The host page shows a Purchase Tickets link but no prices. Hours differ between sources: the Merchants Association lists ten until five, while the city's Explore Tarpon Springs calendar shows Saturday from noon until nine at night and Sunday starting at ten in the morning. Check the host page before you head out. No parking details are listed.
Shakespeare In the Courtyard
Why It Stands Out
Saturday, November 7, from 2:30 until four in the afternoon, the Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center presents Shakespeare's Greatest Hits, a program of short scenes from Shakespeare's best-known plays, performed outdoors in the library's courtyard. The library hosts it in partnership with the Friends of the Starkey Ranch TLC and the Wesley Chapel Theatre Group.
Best For
Couples looking for a free Saturday afternoon date, theater fans, and Starkey Ranch neighbors who enjoy the cultural center's programs.
Timing and Planning
The program is free and is listed for adults. No registration is listed, and the page does not say which plays will be performed. Because it is held in the courtyard, it is worth checking the weather that morning.
Tarpon Talks - Weedon Island Preserve
Why It Stands Out
Tuesday, November 10, at two in the afternoon, Tarpon Arts hosts this talk at the Heritage Museum and Tarpon Arts Ticket Office, 100 Beekman Lane in Tarpon Springs. Archaeologist Dr. William Fehring, president of the Friends of Weedon Island, uses a short film and a presentation to explain how Native Americans used Weedon Island Preserve for more than 2,000 years. He also covers recent archaeological findings that may point to even earlier human activity, the preserve's environmental importance and its education programs.
Best For
Local history buffs, anyone with a free weekday afternoon, and anyone curious about the land and water around Tampa Bay.
Timing and Planning
Tickets are ten dollars for general admission and seven dollars for members, sold online through Tarpon Arts. No end time is listed. Tarpon Arts says parking is free at the Heritage Museum, with street parking and a lot behind the building.
Event Q&A
Which event is best for families?
Preschool Storytime on Thursday, November 5, is made for ages three to five. For a full family day, the Tarpon Springs Seafood Festival on November 7 and 8 has food, vendors and live music all weekend.
Which event feels most on-brand for a date night?
Shakespeare In the Courtyard on Saturday, November 7. It is free, it is outdoors, and it wraps up at four, which leaves plenty of time for an early dinner out.
Which event is worth planning ahead for?
The Tarpon Springs Seafood Festival. The listed hours do not match across sources, so check the Merchants Association page before you go. Tarpon Talks also sells tickets ahead online.
Which event gives the best sense of local community?
The Seafood Festival at the Sponge Docks. It is the Merchants Association's 38th year, and it brings local makers, live music and a chef's competition to one of the most recognizable spots in Tarpon Springs.
What else is happening in Odessa and Tarpon Springs?
The City of Tarpon Springs and Keep Pinellas Beautiful host a free Beach Cleanup at Sunset Beach on Saturday, November 7, from nine in the morning until noon. Gloves and trash bags are provided, and volunteers should wear closed-toed shoes and bring a reusable water bottle. The Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art at 600 East Klosterman Road also offers a Saturday 2pm Docent Tour on November 7, from two until three, and no price is listed for it.
What is coming right after the window?
The Tarpon Springs Merchants Association holds its 2nd Saturday Market on Saturday, November 14, in the Mother Meres parking lot, with vendors selling vegetables, plants, jewelry, baked goods and art. No time or price is listed on the host page.
