TARPON SPRINGS - The city of Tarpon Springs announces the opening of the Center for Gulf Coast Folklife with its inaugural exhibit: Haitian Folklife in Florida on Feb. 17.
An opening reception is scheduled on Friday, Feb. 17, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., admission is free and the public is welcome. The exhibit runs through May 20 in the Folklife Gallery in the Tarpon Springs Cultural Center, 101 South Pinellas Ave.
There has long been a Haitian presence in the U.S. During the colonial era and the Haitian Revolution, many fled to New Orleans and Charleston to escape violence. After independence, Haiti suffered a succession of oppressive dictatorships that impelled many of its people to seek better conditions elsewhere. From the 1950s to 1980s, hundreds of thousands Haitians fled to Florida--especially Miami--and other parts of the United States.
In Florida, Haitians have reconstructed parts of their social structure in order to negotiate the difficult transition between their past and their present. Haitian Americans express and reinforce their identity through a wide array of everyday activities and special events. Haitian Folklife in Florida explores aspects of Haitian history and traditional culture that are reflected through domestic and decorative arts, music, dance, Carnival, and religion.
The city of Tarpon Springs’ Center for Gulf Coast Folklife focuses on local, Gulf Coast region, and Florida folklife through exhibits, festivals, performances, workshops, and other programming founded in ethnographic research. Its mission is to identify, document, present, and preserve our unique traditional culture. The Folklife Gallery offers both original and traveling exhibitions that interpret state and regional folk culture. The Center is curated by Dr. Tina Bucuvalas, Curator of Arts and Historical Resources for the City of Tarpon Springs; she is the former State Folklorist and Director of the State of Florida Folklife Program.
Call 942-5605 for more information. The Center for Gulf Coast Folklife is funded in part with a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts’ Folk & Traditional Arts Program.
INDIAN ROCKS BEACH - The Beach Art Center’s Student/Faculty Exhibition 2012 showcases the works of the Center’s instructors and their students. The show will be on exhibit from Friday, Feb. 17 to Friday, March 23.
An, opening reception and awards Ceremony is on Friday, Feb. 17, 6 to 8 p.m.
Students who are currently enrolled in a class at the Center or have been in the past year are eligible to enter. The reception and exhibit are admission free.
DUNEDIN - The Dunedin Fine Art Center’s Gladys Douglas School of the Arts is currently registering for Winter classes.
Instruction is available for children, teens and adults, with discounted tuition rates for Art Center Members. A limited amount of adult scholarships are available.
Daytime, evening and weekend classes as well as one day to week-long workshops in a variety of media are available.
Register now for the Winter II Session, Feb. 20 through April 1, and Spring Workshop Week, April 2-8.
Please visit www.dfac.org or call 727.298.DFAC to register or visit the Dunedin Fine Art Center at 1143 Michigan Blvd., Dunedin.
ST. PETERSBURG - The Florida Holocaust Museum will host the annual fundraiser, To Life, Thursday, Feb. 23, 6:30 p.m., at the Progress Energy Center for the Arts, Mahaffey Theater, 400 First St. S., St. Petersburg.
The 2012 event will mark the museum’s 20th anniversary of service and dedication to the mission of honoring the memory of millions of innocent men, women and children who suffered or died in the Holocaust.
During the event, the 2012 Loebenberg Humanitarian Award will be presented to and accepted by Professor Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States Congressional Gold Medal and the 1986 Nobel Laureate Prize for Peace.
Also included are cocktails, dinner-by-the-bite, desserts and coffee. A silent auction offering luxury travel packages, dining opportunities, selected pieces of artwork, and a chance opportunity drawing for an upscale cruise will be offered.
LARGO - Say goodbye to the Armed Forces Military Museum and hello to the Armed Forces History Museum.
At a press conference Feb. 8, the museum’s founder and president, John Piazza, Sr., announced the name change and said that the museum will broaden its focus to include the ecological and social as well as military factors that influenced our history.
“We believe it is very important to broaden our scope and not just concentrate on the military aspects of our history,” said Piazza, who opened the 50,000 square-foot museum at 2050 34th Way N. in 2006, after operating it out of a trailer for a decade.
Caddy's on the Beach - 9000 West Gulf Blvd. Treasure Island Jack MacKey Band, 1-6 p.m.; Lori Cherry Band, 7-11 p.m. Call 727-360-4993 or visit www.caddysotb.com.
Cuso's Club & Cantina - 2405 Gulf Blvd., Indian Rocks Beach Mardi Gras Party with Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers from New Orleans, 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Call 727-596-5633.
Dave's Aqua Lounge - 10820 Gandy Blvd., St. Petersburg Rebecka Pulley, 9 to 11 p.m. Call 576-1091 or visit www.davesongandy.info.
Dunedin Brewery - 937 Douglas Ave., Dunedin The Funky Seeds, 9 p.m. Call 727-736-0606 or visit dunedinbrewery.com.
Gators on the Pass - 12754 Kingfish Drive, Treasure Island Steve Marcus, 1-5 p.m.; Boats & Hos, 5-9 p.m.; Latraia Savage and The Allstars, 9:30 p.m. to close. Call 727-367-8951 or visit gatorscafe.com.
Jannus Live - 16 Second St. N., St. Petersburg Yonder Mountain String Band. Call 896-1244 or visit www.jannuslive.com.
JolliMon's Grille - 941 Huntley Ave., Dunedin DUNEDIN - Between Bluffs, 7:30 to 11 p.m. Visit www.jollimonsgrill.com.
Mako's on the Rocks - 14450 Walsingham Road, Largo Seet Spot, 10 p.m. Call 727-595-MAKO (6256) or .visit makosontherocks.com.
The Brown Boxer - 483 Mandalay Ave., Clearwater Beach Roctopus, 10:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Pelican Walk Shopping Center, Call 727-441-6000 or visit www.thebrownboxer.com.
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