EcoFest Could Bring Out Your Wild Nature

Here's a press release e-mailed from Marcia Biggs on Pasco's upcoming EcoFest :  

West Pasco County will be going wild the weekend of Nov. 18-20 when the Pasco EcoFest takes over 10 county and state parks for a weekend of outdoor exploration and adventure. You are invited to come explore the beauty of Pasco County and take part in one of the many exciting events planned.  

Enjoy guided nature hikes and kayaking, biking, birding, eco-cruises and educational programs.  More than 70 activities will be offered throughout the weekend, from free to nominal charges, including Saturday evening bonfires, a drumming circle and star-gazing.

Pasco EcoFest kicks off with an Opening Reception from 6 to 9:30 pm on Friday, Nov. 18, at Homewood Suites,  11115 US Hwy 19 N.;  in Port Richey.  Special guests will be Pasco County legend Jay B. Starkey  and Ken Greene, who competed in Season 13 of  TV's "The Amazing Race."  Award-winning Florida folk singer Mike Jurgensen will perform; a $5 donation is requested and includes hors d’oeurves. 

A Nature and Wildlife Art Show sponsored by the West Pasco Art Guild will include more than 50 artists displaying a variety of mediums including paintings, jewelry, wearable art, eco-art, photography and sculptures.  Also exhibiting will be the Calusa Wood Carvers, the Chasco Camera Club, Suncoast Model Ship Builders and ColorFair’s outdoor hand-painted furniture.  The show opens at the Friday reception and continues through Sunday at Homewood Suites.

A two-day Geocache Challenge, a giant treasure hunt that takes participants all over West Pasco County, will feature 48 geo-cache locations and prizes for top winners.  A Geocaching Challenge Passport can be picked up at the Friday reception or anytime throughout the weekend at the Homewood Suites, any of the major venue park locations and at select AT&T stores.

Other weekend events include a children’s fishing rodeo at Anclote Gulf Park, nature photography contest at Werner Boyce State Park, birding ecotours to Anclote Key, sunset kayaking, horseback riding and a bike ride at Starkey Park, and demonstrations of paddleboarding and wind-kites. Wildlife photographer Reinier Munguia, founder of Wildstock Photography, will conduct several nature photography workshops on Saturday including a photo field trip. 

Wildlife programs will be held Saturday and Sunday at the Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park Education Center in Port Richey. Saturday programs feature live eagles and ospreys from the Audubon Birds of Prey Center in Maitland; Sunday programs include birds of prey from the Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, Big Cat Rescue and a program on Florida panthers and black bears by Defenders of Wildlife. An evening bonfire and star-gazing with the St. Pete Astronomy Club will be held Saturday.

Click here for more information.

www.PascoEcoFest.com

Note: If you can spare a half day on Saturday or Sunday, volunteers are needed to help greet the public and sign up participants at all the parks. We also need help building bird houses at a children's craft table.  Please email pascoecofest@gmail.com if you can help.

If you have a business you would like to promote, please contact Pam Marron at  pmarron@tampabay.rr.com or (727) 375-8936.