Bayfest returns for 2010 in Anna Maria. The always popular event will be held October 15th, 5pm to 10pm and 16th, 10am to 10pm at Pine Ave in Anna Maria City, at the north end of Anna Maria Island.
This year’s features include:
In many parts of the country, there are traditional ways to bring seasonal cuttings from the yard to the table, for a festive and local décor. There is no reason to be limited to just flowers. Long after the flowers die, there still are colorful and textural cuttings that can create a far more interesting look than flowers purchased at the store. Autumn leaves, for example, make a great centerpiece in colder climates, as do pine boughs and pine cones.
On Anna Maria Island, we have even more options, year round. We were reminded of this at Christmas dinner, by the way our hostess had added great beauty to the table and other parts of the house with greenery, berries and flowers entirely grown in the yard. Many of the plants she used were familiar, but not things most people would think of for house decoration. Most striking were the gold berries of the variegated schefflera, which formed the centerpiece for our table, along with areca palm leaves laid directly on the table cloth for a beautiful tropical look that still said “Christmas.”
Blooming firecracker plant cuttings in a glass vase of water also added an enchanting and delicate red and green focal point in the living room. Tiny Christmas lights strung on a potted palm were just as appealing as they would have been on a more traditional tree.
Anna Maria in September is usually one of the quietest months of the year, in terms of entertainment and special events. At this time of year much of our entertainment comes from watching the flowers grow, and watching the birds watching the fish.
That’s because, in terms of weather, it is likely to be one of the most active months of the year. It is the peak of hurricane season. It’s still very hot and humid and buggy. It’s likely to be very rainy because the sea breezes from Florida’s east coast and west coast tend to collide along our shoreline at this time of year. The result is turbulence: thunder and lightning. Floridians who want to discourage repeat houseguests have learned to invite them in the month of September. Often, the weather will take care of the rest and those guests will not ever come back.
October is the month in which we finally get some relief from the heat. As the temperatures drop, and the threat of storms lessens, the island starts to come outside to celebrate the joys of life here. One of the first celebrations of the season is Bayfest, on Pine Avenue in Anna Maria. Now in its ninth year, Bayfest will be held this 2009 on the weekend of October 16. On Friday night, the kick-off party will feature live music by Bootleg from 7 to 10, with DJ Mike Sales.
Anna Maria Island is a great place to make friends. There are so many interesting activities to share with others. One of the most satisfying is reading, and the Island Branch Library in Holmes Beach, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, FL 34217, right next to City Hall and the Police, is a wonderful place to do it. As for the friendship that can grow with this otherwise quiet and solitary activity, the volunteer support organization, Friends of the Island Library, is a great place to start.
For a very low membership fee, you can join other book lovers and help out with a range of library activities, from shelving books, to checking books to see that they are in good condition, to calling people whose special orders have arrived. CDs and DVDs need to be cleaned and shelved. Older copies of magazines and newspapers need to be found and discarded. There is plenty to do to help with special events, from setting up to greeting participants.
One of the most rewarding events is the annual book sale. This year $2,500 was raised. It will go toward buying new non-fiction books, a section that constantly needs updating.
There is no better place for a family to enjoy spring break than on Anna Maria Island. Many vacation rental companies can accommodate groups of any size and of any ages. The activities offered by the island also accommodate people of all ages.
March 15 was a peak day for Spring Break, 2009, the dates of which vary a little from school to school, but usually they fall somewhere in the first two thirds of the month. The fact that Anna Maria Island is a perfect place for a family spring break was very obvious on the 15th, when people of all ages gathered to watch a St. Patrick’s Day parade.
Sponsored by the Beach Bistro, the parade started at the corner of Gulf and Marina Drives in central Holmes Beach. It proceeded up Marina Drive and Palm Drive to 81st Street, where it ended. The streets were lined with people of all ages: tiny children, teenagers, young adults, “Boomers,” and the elderly.
Participants in the parade also were of all ages. The Grand Marshall was John Castelli, a World War II veteran who served with Patton in Europe. A contingent of gray-haired people on bicycles from the vacation rental and resort Playa Encantada rode in the parade. Also showing some gray hair were the Privateers on their pirate ship float. Two high school marching bands were very impressive, as was the Dunedin bagpipe band.