2nd Annual Florida Gulf Coast Hope Spot Festival Set For Feb. 12

DUNEDIN, FL — The second annual Florida Gulf Coast Hope Spot Festival, hosted by the city of Dunedin and Blue-Green Connections, will take place Feb. 12 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Edgewater Park, 453 Edgewater Drive in Dunedin, the home city of the Hope Spot.

The Hope Spot Festival is a free event open to the public.

The Eat & Drink Local section will feature a full dinner plate of samples from local eateries, dessert and five drink samples from local breweries and bars with a commemorative mug included.

Local establishments donating samples include:

• Cueni Brewing Co.
• HOB Brewing Company
• Stirling Wine
• 7venth Sun Brewery
• The Honu
• Beach Island Brewery
• Casa Tinas
• Living Forward House
• Ohana Cafe
• Corvo Bianco
• Wild Iris
• The Marshmallow Factory
• Huarache Azteca
• Mangos & Marley

The home city of the Florida Gulf Coast Hope Spot, Dunedin is especially near and dear to Mission Blue’s heart. This town is where Dr. Sylvia Earle, founder of Mission Blue, grew up and first fell in love with the ocean.

Earle’s marine conservation nonprofit Mission Blue declared the Florida Gulf Coast a Hope Spot in recognition of the action from research programs, conservation projects and educational programs of the several dozen organizations hard at work along the coast to preserve the area’s ecosystems.

The eco-friendly event will feature ocean exhibitors, live animals, a wearable art contest, games, arts and crafts, a DJ, food, drinks, live music by Jesse Ray Stout on the guitar from 4 to 6 p.m., hands-on activities, eco-friendly vendors and educational experiences.

Tickets are now available for "Eat & Drink Local" with tastes from Dunedin establishments.

See a full list of exhibitors here.