🌱 Florida Bike Month + Plant Clipping Exchange + Celebrity Chef Talk

Hello, everybody! I'm back in your inbox this morning to walk you through everything you need to know about what's happening in Dunedin these days. Today you'll read about:

• Road closures downtown today and tomorrow.
• An upcoming Florida Bike Month celebration event.
• How to expand your garden at the Girl Gang Clipping Exchange.

But first, today's weather: Mostly sunny and windy. High: 81 Low: 70.

🏡 Are you looking for a new and effective way to advertise your real estate business? If you've maxed out your lead generation with Zillow and Google, we have a fresh solution for you. Our exclusive sponsorship offers a unique opportunity to reach potential clients and stand out in the market. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top 3 stories in Dunedin today:

1. In celebration of Florida Bike Month, the City of Dunedin is collaborating with FDOT, Forward Pinellas, Pinellas County, CUTR, Eli's BBQ, and Kafe Racer to bring everyone a special event on March 24 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The fun and educational celebration will take place next to Eli’s Bar-B-Que, right off the trail. Attendees will enjoy delicious food and cool merch while learning bike safety from local experts. The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office will also be giving away children's helmets while supplies last. (City of Dunedin via Facebook)
2. Interested in expanding your home garden? Bring a fresh plant clipping or rooted propagation to trade at the Girl Gang Clipping Exchange event on March 24 between noon and 2 p.m. at The Jungle in Dunedin. All levels of expertise are welcome! If you don't have anything to trade, you can still enjoy this free event and learn from experts. Plants will also be available for sale, so it's the perfect opportunity to add to your collection! (Evergreen Plant Experience via Facebook)
3. The Dunedin Public Library is hosting an Author Talk with Celebrity Chef Jernard A. Wells on March 21 at 4 p.m. Wells is the host of "New Soul Kitchen" and "New Soul Kitchen Remix" on CLEO TV and has appeared on many shows on Food Network and the Cooking Channel. He has worked with a handful of celebrities, including Tyler Perry, NBA Allstar Brandon Ingram, Lady Antebellum, and radio personality Tom Joyner. Register for this event to hear Wells talk about his newest cookbook "Southern Inspired: More Than 100 Delicious Dishes from My American Table to Yours." (Dunedin Library)

Dunedin Patch Pic of the Day:

Thank you, Linda Wood, for sharing this photo of beautiful flowers blooming along the Dunedin Causeway!

Don't forget to take some photos for us while you're out and about in Dunedin this weekend! If you'd like to share any with the community, submit them to Dunedin@Patch.com for consideration! Please confirm in the email that you own the rights to the photo and that Patch has permission to republish it.

Today in Dunedin:

• The Mom Walk Collective at Lavita Bakery (9:15 a.m.)
• St. Patrick’s Day Celebration in Downtown Dunedin (11 a.m.)
• Hop-on, Hop-off Brew Crawl around Pinellas County (3 p.m.)
• Live music at Mangos and Marley (5 p.m.)
• Live Music with Rockin' Rob at Sandbar Grill (6 p.m.)
• SoulFish St. Patrick’s Day Concert at the Dunedin VFW Post 2550 (6 p.m.)

Inspired by Dunedin:

Check out this beautiful watercolor painting of our city's downtown marina, titled "Dunedin Marina Impressions," by local artist Debbie Lewis! You may recognize her name as Debbie was kind enough to gift me a painting of my precious pup Chelsea who passed away in December. Click here for a closer look at this painting of the marina!

If you've created something inspired by Dunedin that you'd like to share in this section, send it to me with a brief description at Dunedin@Patch.com! Just like with the Photo of the Day, please confirm in your email that you own the rights to the content and that Patch has permission to republish it.

From my notebook:

• Expect road closures downtown today in preparation for Flanagan's St. Patrick's Day festival. Roads will be closed along Main Street and several side streets from 6 a.m. on March 17 to 6 a.m. on March 18. See a map of all road closures here. (City of Dunedin via Facebook)
• Congratulations to the Dunedin Public Library for being selected as a 2022 recipient of the AARP Community Challenge Grant. Dunedin was selected out of more than 3,200 applications and is the only winning recipient in Pinellas County. (City of Dunedin via Facebook)
• Don't forget, due to Saint Patrick's Day festivities, there will be no Downtown Market this weekend! (Dunedin Downtown Market)
• Meet Bailey, a 33-pound bundle of love! At 8 years old, Bailey loves to cuddle and is a total couch potato. According to shelter volunteers, she loves to be near her human and "greets everyone with her sweet smile and little wiggles!" Meet Bailey and all of her furry friends waiting to be adopted at the Pinellas County Animal Services in Largo. Adoption fees are being waived through March 18! (Pinellas County Animal Services via Facebook)
• Even though students are on break, Pinellas County Schools created the Spring Break Challenge. Kids can work on a series of activities based on their grade level designed to exercise their minds while they're out of school. (Pinellas County Schools via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Tarot Card Readings & Home or Office Cleansings —
• Add your business here

Featured events:

• Amazing Estate Sale in Palm Harbor/Ridgemoor (March 18)
• Spring Equinox Sound Celebration (March 20)
• CNCN Education Forum (March 20)
• Taxes in Retirement Seminar at Palm Harbor Library (March 21)
• Jazz at the Ballroom Presents "Accentuate the Positive" (April 16)
• Add your event

That's it for today. See you all tomorrow for another update!