Florida State Fair 2014

The theme for this year's Florida State Fair is "1st Place for Fun" and the fair runs from February 6th through February 17th. This 110th Florida State Fair is the first state fair of the year in the country.  The old favorites are back - learn about Florida history in "Cracker Country", watch the livestock shows and horse shows, and get new craft ideas at the Arts and Crafts Showcase. In addition, there are many free special attractions and daily shows, including:

• Florida Cattlemen’s Exhibit
• Florida's Learning Garden
• Concerts and Entertainment
• Mounted Police Training and Demo
• NockAir FMX Flying Motorcycle Extreme Show

By clicking on a particular day in the events calendar, you can see a list of fair events for that day.  Although some concert events require an additional charge for tickets, there are over 110 free things to do at the fair. The gates open at 9 am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and at 10 am the rest of the week. The admission cost is lower for Seniors on "Senior Days" (see below).

Senior Days

February 10th-13th

55+ Gate Admission $9.00

Advance Tickets $7.00

You can get directions to the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa here. 

Upcoming Snowbird Extravaganza

The Snowbird Extravaganza is a mature lifestyles event with hundreds of exhibits, keynote speakers, and live entertainment. The event is free, but the parking is $7.00. It will be held:

 Tues, January 28th and Wed, January 29th
9:00 am to 4:30 pm 
The Lakeland Center
701 W. Lime St
Lakeland, FL 33815

For more information, click here or call 1-800-265-3200.

Lifestyles After 50 Fun Fest

The Lifestyles After 50 Fun Fest will be held on Thursday, January 23rd at the Florida State Fairgrounds from 10:00am - 3:00pm. Admission is free, but parking is $3.00. The event will feature:

• Free Health Screenings
• Live Music
• Sports Center
• Free coffee and goodies
• Free bingo and giveaways

            Florida State Fairgrounds           
             Martin Luther King entrance 
             Tampa, FL 33771
             813-653-1988 or 1-888-670-0040

For more information, you can click here for the event flier. You can click here for directions or call 813-621-7821.

Bright Stars Senior Talent Show

Bright House Networks and Lifestyles after 50 are sponsoring a Senior Talent Show in Pasco County. This talent show raises money for Senior charities in the Tampa Bay area. Participants must be at least 55 years of age and the acts must be solo or duo - no group acts. The auditions will be held:
          January 24 at 3:00pm
          Care Elfers Center
          4136 Barker Dr
          New Port Richey , Fl 34652

Ten acts will be chosen to perform at the Senior Talent Show 2014, which will be held:
          February 15th - 3:00pm
          Center For The Arts
          River Ridge High School
          11646 Town Center Road
          New Port Richey, FL 34652

For more information, please call: Vicki Chansler at 727-326-1255 or 727-847-1290. You can also read more here.

Recent Caregiving Books

Do you care for an elderly relative or friend? Do you need information to help you with your caregiving? Pasco County Public Library System has the following recently published books for caregivers: 

                            Caregiver's Handbook

                         An Unintended Journey

                        Dr Ruth's Guide for Alzheimers

                         Life's Little Emergencies

                         No One Has to Die Alone

                     The Caregiving Wife's Handbook

                            The Good Caregiver

                     Loving Someone Who Has Dementia

                    Healing Your Grieving Heart

Caregiver Resources

The holidays can be stressful for caregivers. The Caregiver Action Network is a non profit organization. Its mission is to provide "education, peer support, and resources to family caregivers across the country free of charge."  The Caregiver Action Network offers the following recommendations for helping caregivers:

• Offer a few hours of respite time to allow a caregiver to rest.
• Send a card of appreciation or a bouquet of flowers to brighten up a family caregiver’s day.
• Help a family caregiver decorate their home for the holidays or offer to address envelopes for their holiday cards.
• Help a family caregiver find information and resources on the internet or to locate a local support group.

 Remember, you can contact the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas's Senior Helpline (1-800-963-5337) to find local resources for respite care. This helpline is available for residents of Florida. In addition, you can find a large list of online caregiving resources from the federal government here. 

Some of the CARES Senior Enrichment Centers in Pasco County offer adult day services, which can provide a break for caregivers. You can learn more by clicking here.

There are two hospices available in Pasco County and both host caregiver support  and bereavement groups:

Gulfside Regional Hospice - click here for meeting information.

HPH Hospice - click here for meeting information.

Upcoming Library Programs

Would you like to learn to knit or attend a senior social or movie? These are just a few of the upcoming Pasco library programs. The Friends of the Library sponsors our programs.  Here are some of the upcoming library programs for Older Adults in Pasco County:

Thurs, Dec 12th at 10:00am
    LOL Social Seniors
    Land O'Lakes Library
Join our group of Social Seniors for coffee, cake, and conversation. Get involved at the library by offering programming suggestions. Or, take this time to meet new friends, discuss common interests, and engage in recreational activities. Occasional workshops on topics of interest may be scheduled. This is a brand new club for seniors, and we need your input!
Land O'Lakes Library
2818 Collier Parkway
Land O'Lakes, FL 34639
(813) 929-1214 

Thurs, Dec 12th and Dec 19th at 6:00pm
     Knitting Club
     New River Library
Learn basic knitting techniques. Please bring a pair of size 8 knitting needles and a ball of #4 yarn. This club is sponsored by the Friends of the Library.
New River Library
34043 State Road 54, Zephyrhills, FL 33543
(813) 788-6375

Thurs, Dec 19th at 10:00am
    Senior Games
    Land O'Lakes Library
Join us for fun and games at the library. Meet new people while playing cards, board games, or challenging video games.
Land O'Lakes Library
2818 Collier Parkway
Land O'Lakes, FL 34639
(813) 929-1214 

Friday, Dec 20th at 2:00pm
   Senior Movie Matinee 
   Hugh Embry Library

Seniors, enjoy the latest releases of great films, along with light refreshments, thanks to our generous Friends of Hugh Embry Library!You can call 352-567-3576 for the movie title.

Hugh Embry Library
14215 Fourth Street, Dade City, FL 33523 
(352) 567-3576

Sat, Dec 28th at 11:00am
     Sit-n-Knit            
     South Holiday Library
Join our knitting club for ALL AGES! No experience necessary. Supplies are provided for in-house use or bring your own project.
South Holiday Library
4649 Mile Stretch Drive 
Holiday, FL 34690 
(727) 834-3331

Also, many branches offer book discussions.