🌱 Pumpkin-Paw-Looza + New Downtown Theater + Mobile Collection Event

Hi all! It's Kristen, your host of the Dunedin Daily. Let's get this weekend started off right with a quick dive into the most important things happening in town these days, including updates on...

• The upcoming Teen Arts & Crafts night
• Today's Third Annual Pumpkin-Paw-Looza
• A new theater in the works for downtown Dunedin

Today's newsletter is sponsored by Mai Tai Suites

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We all know Dunedin is a great place to visit. And we love it when our friends and family come to town. We just don’t always want them to actually stay in our homes. But how do we get that across without sounding, you know, a little rude…?

Here’s an idea: strongly suggest they stay at the Mai Tai Suites. Owners John and Karen Bickford offer fully furnished 850 square foot 2-bed, 1-bath suites for less than the price of a hotel.

Mai Tai Suites is located off the Dunedin Causeway and is surrounded by St. Joseph's Sound. It’s convenient to Clearwater Beach and Downtown Dunedin. It’s also dog-friendly (with no pet fee), and offers a free guest pass to nearby Honeymoon Island State Park.

Invite all your friends and family to visit Dunedin — and tell them to book their rooms at Mai Tai Suites today.

Now, today's weather:

Sunny and pleasant. High: 80 Low: 63.

📢 I’m looking for business owners and marketers in Dunedin who want to build awareness, connect with customers and increase sales.

I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our Dunedin Daily readers to local businesses they need to know about. If that’s you, then I invite you to learn more and secure your spot now.

Here are the top stories today in Dunedin:

1. Dunedin Pet Supply is hosting its Third Annual Pumpkin-Paw-Looza today, Oct. 22 between noon and 4 p.m. All human and non-human children are encouraged to attend in costume! This ghoulish event will feature free samples for your pets, candy for human children, and special PUP-KIN spiced lattes! Halloween treats and toys will be on sale, and a costume contest will be held with winners across four categories. Anyone who brings a pet donation benefitting Pinellas County Animal Services or a human nonperishable item for donation to Dunedin Cares Food Pantry will receive a pet-themed SWAG BAG! (Dunedin Patch)
2. The Dunedin Public Theater Research Committee is hoping to open a 250-seat professional-level theater to host events like the opera, dance productions, plays, and more. They held a fundraising event on Oct. 6 at the Blur Nightclub and aim to raise $20,000 for a "feasibility study and business plan." The committee hasn't revealed any details about location ideas, but they have said they hope it will be within walking distance of downtown shops and restaurants. While the committee is optimistic, nothing has been approved yet. (Tampa Bay Newspapers)
3. The Department of Solid Waste is hosting a mobile collection event for household chemicals and rechargeable batteries today, Oct, 22 between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Bring all items to the Pinellas County Government Center in Clearwater. Check their website for a list of accepted items and quantity limits. Before the event, make sure to place the items in your trunk. Remain in your car and have your government ID ready to present to staff. (Pinella County Government via Facebook | Pinellas County)

Dunedin Daily Pic of the Day:

Want to see your Dunedin photo here? Submit it 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:

• Arts & Crafts Festival at the Dunedin-Clearwater Elks Lodge (9 a.m.)
• Pop-up Art Show at Veskolini Cafe (9 a.m.)
• Honeymoon Island Fall Fest at Honeymoon Island (10 a.m.)
• 3rd Annual Pumpkin-Paw-Looza at Dunedin Pet Supply (noon)
• Family Halloween Party at Eddie's Bar and Grill (1 p.m.)
• Dunedin Stone Crab Festival in Edgewater Park (3:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Don't forget it's Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, and Pinellas County Animal Services is waiving adoption fees for dogs and cats through the end of the month! If you're looking for a pup you can take just about anywhere, meet Gritt! According to the shelter, Gritt is "full of courage and resolve but quite the goofball." Stop by the shelter today to meet Gritt and all of his furry friends! (Pinellas County Animal Services via Facebook)
• Meet artist Andrew Ellingson who will be showing his work for the first time at the Junior League of Clearwater-Dunedin Art Harvest. "I'm an advocate for the ecosystem through my works. I hope it highlights our fragile ecosystem. Glass too is fragile yet endures through time." Check out his glasswork and tons of other artists on Nov. 5 and Nov. 6 in Highlander Park. (Junior League of Clearwater-Dunedin Art Harvest via Facebook)
• Do you have a creative teen at home between 12 and 18 years old? Tell them about Teen Arts & Crafts night at the Dunedin Public Library! Teen volunteers wheel out the art cart each month for an hour to see what crazy cool crafts they can cook up. The next Teen Arts & Crafts night is Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. (City of Dunedin via Facebook | Dunedin Gov)
• The City of Dunedin shared that Dunedin City Commission candidates for Seat 2 (Stephanie Joines and Robert Walker) and for Seat 4 (Jeff Gow and Jeff Miller) participated in a Q&A session during Friday's Dunedin Council of Organizations session. You can watch the session on YouTube. (City of Dunedin via Facebook | YouTube)
• The Dunedin Give Back Holiday Food Drive has begun! Help them provide holiday meals to those struggling and experiencing food insecurity in our community by reviewing their holiday wish list and making donations when you can. (The Dunedin Give Back via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Tarot Card Readings, One on One and/or Parties or Groups —
• DavisDNA & Family Research, Inc. — (Visit Website)
• Add your business here

Events:

• Taxes in Retirement Seminar (October 24)
• The Apple Truck is coming to Tampa, Oct. 30th (12:30-2:00 PM) (October 30)
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For sale:

• Are you Planning a Halloween Party? Consider having a Tarot Card Reader Available for your Guests! (Details)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Saturday. I'll see you around!