April 2016

Email: editor@plantcityguide.com (813) 610-7336

Sun ‘N’ Fun Airshow Kicks off in Lakeland

The 42nd

annual Sun ’n' Fun

International Fly-In and Expo opens

April 5 at Lakeland’s Linder Airport,

and the show promises something for

every aviation enthusiast up until it

closes on Sunday evening. According

to show organizers, there are more than

500 exhibitors booked this year and the

number of aircraft coming in for the

event is estimated at 10,000, ranging

from ultralights to light corporate jets.

One of the largest and longest running

events of its kind, the fly-in and

expo features workshops, forums,

displays, car shows, live entertainment,

and of course, an airshow daily.

Gates open daily at 8:00 a.m. with

workshops and forums for all ages

beginning at 8:30 a.m. Spectacular

airshows begin daily at 2:30 p.m.

Tuesday – Thursday and 1:30 p.m.

Friday – Sunday, weather permitting.

Attendees will enjoy exhibitors, a Kids

Zone play area, tours, displays, a wide

variety of food vendors, car shows,

evening entertainment, and much more.

A twilight airshow is scheduled for

8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 6. The

evening airshow on Saturday, April 9 at

8:00 p.m. will include fireworks.

General admission rates for daily

tickets are $37/adult and $15/youth

(ages 11-17.) Children 10 and under are

free. Weekly admission passes are

$150/adult and $60/youth. Parking is

cash only at $10/day or $40/week.

Florida residents with photo ID can

come back free on Sunday, April 10,

with each admission ticket purchased

on Saturday, April 9.

Honoring Our Armed Forces is the

theme for the week and each day will

be dedicated to a specific branch of the

military. Active military personnel with

appropriate ID will receive free

admission Tuesday ‒ Thursday and

discounted admission Friday – Sunday

at the gate. Retired military with

appropriate ID will receive discounted

admission Tuesday – Sunday at the

gate. Details and directions are

available on www.sun-n-fun.org.

Plant City Dining & Entertainment Guide

April 2016 ~ Page 2 ~

Just a Thought… By: Christine Wynne-Andrade Editor

It may be hard to imagine that before

1970, a factory could spew black

clouds of toxic into the air or dump

tons of toxic waste into a nearby

stream, and that was perfectly legal.

They could not be taken to court to stop

it.

How was that possible? Because there

was no EPA, no Clean Air Act, no

Clean Water Act. There were no legal

or regulatory mechanisms to protect

our environment.

Cities across the country hold various

events and festivities in honor of Earth

Day. In Plant City, you will find Earth

Day Fest and Garden Rhythms on Sunday, April 17, 2016, 4:30-7:00

p.m. There will be live music, garden

strolls & tours, dinner and a drum

circle. Plant City Commons

Community Garden – 2001 E. Cherry

St. on the campus of HCC.

This is a community paper and we are

happy to print your stories,

announcements, opinions and letters to

the editor. Different opinions and

interests is what make a community

unique and interesting. Contact me at

editor@plantcityguide.com.

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Plant City Dining & Entertainment Guide

April 2016 ~ Page 3 ~

Spotlight on Entertainment

The Rainmaker

“The Rainmaker,” written by N.

Richard Nash, is a warm play about

self-esteem, beauty and love, all

symbolized by a drought and the

promise of rain.

At Plant City Entertainment, the

presentation of this play is endearing

and sweet, driving home most, if not

all, of the things the script has to say.

During the 1930s at the time of a

paralyzing drought in the West we

discover a girl whose father and two

brothers are worried as much about her

potential future as an old maid as they

are about their dying cattle. For the

truth is, she is indeed a plain girl. The

brothers try every possible scheme to

marry her off, but without success. Nor

is there any sign of relief from the dry

heat, when suddenly from out of

nowhere appears a picaresque, sweet-

talking man with quite the sales pitch.

Claiming to be a “rainmaker,” the man

promises to bring rain, for $100. It’s a

silly idea, but the rainmaker is so

refreshing and persistent that the family

finally consents, banging on big brass

drums to rattle the sky. Meanwhile the

rainmaker also turns his magic on the

girl, and persuades her that she has a

very real beauty of her own. She

believes it, just as her father believes

the fellow can actually bring rain. Rain

does come…, and so does love.

The show features Darryl Parish, April

Smith Golombek, Brendan Jacoby,

Terry Abbott, Jeffrey Sirmons, Jim

Fortinberry, and Keith

Director: Kelley Gustafson

Cast members will bring the story to

life at 8:00 p.m. on May 13, 14, 20 and

21 and at a 2:00 p.m. matinee on May

15 and 22. Doors open at 7:00 P.M. for

evening performances and at 1:00 P.M

for Sunday Matinee.

Tickets are $16 for adults, $14 for

students and senior citizens and $12 for

members or group advance sales.

Reservations are recommended and can

be purchased in advance online at

PCEShows.com or by calling Frances

Hardee at 813-754-4929. Tickets are

generally available at the door as well.

The Plant City Entertainment

Community Theater is located at 101

North Thomas Street.

"The Guide---100 Percent

Plant City Owned"

Plant City Dining & Entertainment Guide

April 2016 ~ Page 4 ~

Spotlight on Entertainment

The Little Mermaid

The Village Players Valrico presents

“The Little Mermaid…the Disney

Musical Live on Stage” this month.

Set under and above the high seas,

“The Little Mermaid” tells the story of

Ariel, an adventurous young mermaid

who’s got a thing for disobeying the

rules and following her heart. Ariel’s

fascination with the human world often

leads her to the sea surface, a zone

that’s designated as “off-limits” by her

father Triton, the sea king. One day

while sneaking to the surface, Ariel

witnesses a shipwreck and rescues

Prince Eric, with whom she become

instantly smitten. Furious at Triton’s

inability to understand her love for the

prince, Ariel runs away and strikes a

deal with Ursula, Triton’s evil witch of

a sister, to experience the life she

dreams of on land.

The opening night dinner theater for

this show is on Friday, April 1. This

serves as a fundraiser for the ongoing

renovations and maintenance of the

James McCabe Theater. Built in 1915,

The James McCabe Theater is the only

remaining commercial structure from

Valrico's own small land boom at the

turn of the century.

For the low cost of $25, guests will be

treated to dinner sponsored by Chick-

fil-A of Westfield Mall & Lake

Brandon Village and a ticket to the

show. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. for the

dinner theater.

Director Vinnie Natale said, “I wanted

everyone, including my three-year-old

son, to experience this fun family

friendly play. No part is too big or too

small for any of the actors.

Cast members will bring the story to

life at 8:00 p.m. on April 2, 8, 9, 15 and

16, and at a 3:00 p.m. matinee on April

3 and 10. Doors open at 7:30 P.M. for

evening performances and at 2:30 P.M

for Sunday Matinees.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for

students and senior citizens and $12 for

groups of ten or more. Reservations are

recommended and can be purchased in

advance online at

www.thevillageplayersvalrico.com or

by calling 813-480-3147. Tickets are

available at the door as well.

The James McCabe Theater is located

at 506 5th Street in Valrico.

Plant City Dining & Entertainment Guide

April 2016 ~ Page 5 ~

Plant City Dining & Entertainment Guide

April 2016 ~ Page 6 ~

Busch Gardens Food & Wine Festival

The Busch Gardens Food & Wine

Festival returns this spring with wild

flavors and concerts for every taste.

The popular Busch Gardens Food &

Wine Festival returns with a lineup of

concerts from musical legends,

sensational new culinary selections –

including duck tacos, lobster ravioli,

truffle fries and almond coconut truffles

– and an expanded selection of more

than 120 wines, craft brews and cocktails

from around the world.

The chart-topping artists will take the

stage on weekends throughout March

and April with the headlining act starting

at 6 p.m. The artist lineup includes:

March 5: TBD

March 6: Huey Lewis & The News

March 12: Goo Goo Dolls

March 13: O.A.R.

March 19: George Thorogood & The

Destroyers

March 20: MercyMe

March 26: Chino Y Nacho

March 27: Third Eye Blind

April 2: The Commodores

April 3: Andy Grammer

April 9: Chris Young

April 10: The All-American Rejects

April 16: Meat Loaf

April 17: Lynyrd Skynyrd

April 23: Gente de Zona

April 24: Jordin Sparks

“We are excited for the second year of

our acclaimed Food & Wine Festival.

Our guests gave last year’s event rave

reviews and this year promises to be

even better, with one of the best

concert lineups of 2016,” said Jim

Dean, President of Busch Gardens

Tampa Bay.

The Busch Gardens Food & Wine

Festival takes place starting Saturday,

March 5 and runs through Sunday,

April 24. The event is included with

any Pass, Fun Card or daily admission

to the park. Food and beverage is not

included with park admission and is

available for an extra fee.

New culinary stations this year are

Artisan Eats which introduces

sophisticated flavors crafted to treat

guests’ appetites, including truffle

fries, shrimp & grits and pan-fried

bread pudding with Nutella-

mascarpone drizzle and Garden Gate

Café joins the Festival this year with

pheasant sausage flatbread topped

with filet de pomodoro and tuna poke.

Guests must be 21 years of age or

older to consume alcoholic beverages.

For more information, visit

buschgardens.com.

Plant City Dining & Entertainment Guide

April 2016 ~ Page 7 ~

Lighthouse Clipper Coupon Book Comes

to Plant City

A new coupon book has recently

arrived in Plant City. The

Lighthouse Clipper Coupon Book offers

business owners in East Pasco and East

Hillsborough counties the opportunity

to have their ad in over 20,000 books

placed in over 300 local

businesses every 5 weeks, for about a

penny per potential customer. Perhaps

the best part is that they do not require

contracts.

People seem to like advertising in the

Lighthouse Clipper Coupon Book, as

indicated by an over 80% renewal rate

each month. Why? Because the book

works. Here are just a few reasons why

business owners choose The

Lighthouse Coupon Clipper:

No contracts

Professional Graphic Design at

no additional cost

Renewal discounts

Online digital version linked to

your website

Diversified Marketing

Coupons are really another

form of marketing; in

themselves they are not money-

spinners. Concentrate on using

them to build awareness of your

business among new markets

and to new customers. From

here you can hope to up-sell

and generate repeat customers.

When a small business opens, it has to

work hard to gain the attention of

consumers. And as is often the case,

small businesses have equally small

advertising budgets. The owners

know they need to advertise, but

they’re not sure how or where to find

the extra money.

The Lighthouse Clipper Coupon Book

exists so every small business can

have the opportunity to get their name

out there. They offer businesses an

easy and affordable way to promote

themselves.

Owner Ed Cottrell recently told the

Guide, “To every entrepreneur who’s

going out on a limb to bring a dream

to life, we’ve got you covered. To

anyone with a dream of one day

opening a small business of your own,

we say “Go for it!” “We believe in

small businesses. We are a small

business. It is the small businesses

that give the city that local feel.

They’re the heart and soul of the

community.”

To learn more about the Lighthouse

Clipper Coupon Book, visit www.

lighthouseclippercoupon.com or call

(863) 602-7320.

Plant City Dining & Entertainment Guide

April 2016 ~ Page 8 ~

Plant City Dining & Entertainment Guide

April 2016 ~ Page 9 ~

The Beauty of University of South Florida’s

Botanical Gardens

By: Jennifer Jordan

If you’re a gardening enthusiast, admirer

of nature, or are obsessed with

volunteering, the University of South

Florida’s Botanical Gardens is a gem

that you or anyone can enjoy! Located

on USF’s Tampa campus, it is home to

over 3,000 plants, animals, and natural

habitats, and attracts about 35,000

visitors annually. Plant festivals and

other events attract enthusiasts from

around the state to shop for rare and

unusual plants. The Botanical Gardens

was established in 1969, and has been

growing ever since! Pharmacy and

environmental science students study the

plants and are researching in medical

botany, hoping to find new treatments

for various diseases. If you love

volunteering, the gardens allow you to

volunteer to propagate for the Plant

Shop, or you can volunteer in their front

office or at the many events they hold.

You can even have your wedding at the

gardens!

The Botanical Gardens are open to the

public; Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm,

Saturday from 9am-4pm, and Sunday

from 12pm-4pm. Admission is $5 for

adults, $3 for children ages 6-13, and $4

for seniors (60+). Admission is free to

children under 6 and USF students get in

for $1 with a valid student I.D. You can

go check out the plants and habitats, or

visit them during one of the many

festivals they hold at the gardens every

year.

In fact, the Botanical Gardens is holding

their 27th annual Spring Plant Festival on

April 9th and 10

th, where growers

share their tips and advice, and

workshops on beekeeping and organic

vegetable gardening are held. Plants

such as bamboo, orchids, butterfly

plants, and ferns will be sold at the

festival, and parking is free.

Admission for the Spring Festival is

$5.

With about 16 acres of gardens home

to rare and unusual plants, USF

Botanical Gardens is the perfect spot

to take gardeners and families, and

with a myriad of beautiful and unique

plants, animals, and habitats, the

Botanical Gardens is a place where

your senses will never be bored. For

further details pertaining to USF’S

Botanical Gardens, you can contact

them at (813) 974- 2329 or visit their

website at gardens.usf.edu.

Plant City Dining & Entertainment Guide

April 2016 ~ Page 10 ~

Local High School Student Shines as a Film Maker

A 17-year-old junior from

Bloomingdale Senior High School

could be the next Steven Spielberg.

Derrick Bell Perez is a local actor,

director, producer and writer,

whose newest film “Rosalina”, is

premiering at the AMC Theater in

Brandon this summer. The feature

length film is a thriller about a boy’s

road to recovery after nearly being

killed by escaped psych ward patient

Rosalina Williams. As lead character

Michael, his twin brother Matthew, and

their parents Cassandra and Daniel

Price begin their road to recovery, they

experience some strange and

unexplainable occurrences. When

Michael begins isolating himself from

everyone, his brother, parents and

therapist begin to worry about his

wellbeing and his chances of ever

getting better. The more Michael

isolates himself from his family, the

more and more he begins acting like

Rosalina.

“My first project was the summer

before 6th grade, it was a Fantastic Four

Fan Film,” Derrick told the Guide. “I

gathered friends from around the

neighborhood and we made the film

and submitted it to the Tampa Bay Heat

Homeschool Film Festival.”

In 8th grade, Derrick attended the

Progress Village Middle Magnet

School for the Arts. There he made

another fan film and was able to host a

mini premier at Bell Shoals Baptist

Church. At the premier, Derrick and the

other actors greeted the audience and

talked about making the movie. Then

they made their way to the back of the

room and watched the movie and

watched the audience’s reaction. “We

laughed and had a blast. It was at that

moment where I realized I've never felt

so content,” says Derrick.

The following year, Derrick moved to

Bloomingdale High, where he started

the school’s first film club. “The

founding of that club allowed me to

form a full cast and crew and together

we made the short film ‘1313 Dead

End Lane,’ which premiered at our

local AMC Theaters here in Brandon,”

explains Derrick. “In my sophomore

year I made my first feature length

project, an action film that involved

spies trying to take down a terrorist

from unleashing a weapon that causes

mass destruction, which was called

Plant City Dining & Entertainment Guide

April 2016 ~ Page 11 ~

‘The Star Team.’ The private premier

of ‘The Star Team’ raised $450, which

Derrick used to purchase his first

DSLR camera.

Derrick has teamed up with his mentor

and partner Ryan Brison for his next

film, ‘Queena,’ which focuses on the

Bloomingdale Library attack several

years ago. Audiences will be shown an

extraordinary tale of a mother and her

amazing unconditional love for her

daughter who has experienced such

tragedy but continues to push for an

amazing recovery. In the beginning the

audience will know her as the

Bloomingdale Library attack victim,

but will leave the theater knowing her

as the Bloomingdale Library attack

survivor.

The teachers and principals at

Bloomingdale High are continually are

continually surprised with Derrick’s

work ethic and the amount of effort and

passion he puts into every project. He

is known for taking a dollar and

making it look like a thousand dollars

when it comes to filmmaking. He has a

natural talent and will go far.

Donations to his ongoing film projects

are always welcome. If anyone is

interested in becoming a sponsor,

Derrick has a special sponsorship

program, where each donor who

donates $20 will get their name in the

credits. If someone donates $50 or

more their name will appear in the

credits and they will receive two tickets

to an upcoming event. Lastly for

anyone who donates $100 or more,

they will receive all of the above, plus a

poster signed by the cast and a copy of

the film ‘ROSALINA’ the day of the

premier.

For more information about Derrick’s

upcoming projects, visit

www.youtube.com/user/dbperez54. To

reach Derrick, call (813)304-7984 or

email derrickbellperez@aol.com.

Plant City Dining & Entertainment Guide

April 2016 ~ Page 12 ~

Making Cents

Creative Ways to Slice Your Next

Restaurant Check

Americans are now spending more

money eating out than they spend on

groceries. It was the first time that has

happened since the U.S. Department of

Commerce started collecting such data.

The price of a restaurant meal has

jumped 3 percent compared with a year

ago. But that doesn’t mean you have to

give up the occasional meal out. These

tips can help you cut the cost of eating

out by more than half.

1. Buy a discount gift certificate

You might not hear about them as

much because their novelty has worn

off, but websites like Restaurants.com

are still around. They sell discounted

restaurant gift certificates that can

drastically cut the cost of dining out.

Buy the gift certificates online, and

then print them out at home. Or, simply

display them on your mobile device.

Discount websites like Groupon and

LivingSocial also sell similar dining

deals.

2. Join AAA or AARP

AAA membership benefits include

discounts at some restaurants. By

eating at those restaurants, you can also

earn AAA dollars, which help pay for

your membership renewal. AARP

member benefits include discounts at

certain national restaurant chains and

on Restaurant.com certificates. Our

own Outback Steakhouse offers a 15%

AARP discount.

3. Join email lists

Many eateries - from sit-down

restaurants to fast-food joints and ice-

cream chains - have an email list they

use to notify subscribers of deals. Look

for a sign-up option on the websites of

your favorite restaurants and other

restaurants you would like to try.

During Nascar season, Outback

Steakhouse offers a free Bloomin

Onion every Monday if their driver

finishes in the top ten.

4. Use social media to get discounts

Some eateries share discounts via

social media networks like Facebook

and Twitter. Other places offer

discounts or freebies to customers who

“check in” via location-based social

media networks such as Foursquare

(which calls them check-in specials)

and Yelp (which calls them check-in

offers).

5. Take advantage of your birthday

Some restaurants with email lists ask

for your birthday upon sign-up and

send you a freebie to celebrate each

year. Others toss in a freebie like

dessert if you ask. For examples, check

out “25 Birthday Freebies Worth the

Trip.” Our local Applebees and Moe’s

offer free birthday goodies.

6. Dine during off-hours

Pick a restaurant with lunch or early

bird specials. Some restaurants also

offer specials on certain weekdays.

Plant City Dining & Entertainment Guide

April 2016 ~ Page 13 ~

Locally, Fred’s Market offers an Early

Bird Special MarketTable TM

where you

will receive your beverage FREE with

the purchase of a MarketTableTM

each

Monday thru Friday, from 2:00 p.m.

until 5:00 p.m.

7. Don’t walk in starving

Yes, hunger is what brings us to

restaurants. But just as you’re liable to

spend more on groceries when you go

to the supermarket on an empty

stomach, you’re likely to order too

much if you walk into a restaurant

famished.

8. Beware of menu mind tricks

Studies show that certain menu

characteristics make customers more

likely to spend more, according

to Mental Floss magazine. Examples

include putting photos next to menu

items, using fancy language and

omitting dollar signs from prices.

9. Rethink your drink

Over the past 30 years, the price of

alcohol in stores has gone down when

adjusted for inflation, while the price of

alcohol at restaurants and bars has gone

up, NPR reports. Save the nightcap for

when you return home.

While many people love soda and sweet

tea, the markups can be up to 90

percent, so consider asking for water

with lemon instead.

10. Eat dessert at home

This is especially smart if you plan to

eat a simple dessert like ice cream. The

carton you bought at the grocery store

can be just as tasty for a fraction of the

price.

Even if you’re in the mood for a slice

of cake, single servings generally can

be found in a grocery store’s bakery

department or frozen-dessert aisle for

less than the cost of a slice at a

restaurant.

11. Gift Cards

Around holidays like Christmas and

Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, many

restaurants offer a $10 free bonus gift

card if you purchase a gift card worth

$50 or more. That is a 20% return on

your dollar. Where else can you earn

an immediate 20% return on your

dollar.

You can also buy gift cards for less

than their face value on websites

devoted to helping people sell

unwanted cards. Examples of these

online marketplaces cited by

Consumer Reports include Cardpool,

GiftCardRescue and

MonsterGiftCard. Just watch out for

deals that are too good to be true.

12. Pay with a rewards credit card

If you eat out often, look into rewards

credit cards that give a greater

percentage of cash back for such

purchases.

If you would like to get your finances

on track or create a plan for a

successful and sound financial future,

contact Christine Wynne at

editor@plantcityguide.com for a

complimentary financial needs

analysis. It is never too late to start

saving for the future. However, if you

do not start, you will be working well

into your seventies like so many

people you see around town.

Plant City Dining & Entertainment Guide

April 2016 ~ Page 14 ~

Plant City Dining & Entertainment Guide

April 2016 ~ Page 15 ~

One Tank

Getaways

Epcot International Flower &

Garden Festival

For a few weeks each year, Epcot is

transformed into a floral wonderland

blooming with hundreds of gorgeous

flowers and topiaries, many of which

are Disney characters. While no one

flower ever takes center stage at the

Flower & Garden Festival, a whirlwind

of Disney character topiaries certainly

does. You will find more than a

hundred throughout the park. Do you

enjoy live music? The Garden Rocks

Concert Series runs Fridays through

Sundays, as well, featuring three half-

hour shows nightly. Thirteen pop bands

with hits spanning the decades will take

the stage each weekend through

Memorial Day at America Gardens

Theatre from March 2 – May 30.

Here’s the lineup (subject to change

without notice):

March 4-6 – The Orchestra starring

former members of ELO

March 11-13 – Starship starring

Mickey Thomas

March 18-20 – Little River Band

March 25-27 – Village People

April 1-3 – Herman’s Hermits

starring Peter Noone

April 8-10 – The Guess Who

April 15-17 – NEW! Blood, Sweat

& Tears featuring Bo Bice

April 22-24 – NEW! Bad

Company, former lead singer

BRIAN HOWE

April 29-May 1 – NEW! Georgia

Satellites

May 6-8 – Gin Blossoms

May 13-15 – NEW! Darlene Love

May 20-22 – Night Ranger

May 27-30 – The Spinners

Performances are at America Gardens

Theatre at 5:30, 6:45, and 8 p.m. every

Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the

Festival and included with park

admission.

Back by popular demand, the festival

will feature garden and backyard living

inspired food and beverage items at 13

Outdoor Kitchens around the World

Showcase promenade. The booths are

similar to those featured at Epcot's

Food & Wine Festival.

Absorb sage advice from world-class

gardening gurus during a series of

complimentary how-to demos at the

Festival Center—plus, celebrate the

great outdoors at themed events.

For more information, visit

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/even

ts-tours/epcot/epcot-international-

flower-and-garden-festival

Plant City Dining & Entertainment Guide

April 2016 ~ Page 16 ~

From the Bleachers

By: Dylan Tice

As most of us know, the anticipated

baseball season is approaching shortly.

In this month’s column we will take a

look and breakdown the Tampa Bay

Rays organization and see what they

are looking like as a team for the

upcoming season. On top of that, I will

also explain and tell you why you

should consider buying Rays “Flex

Passes”.

In 2015, The Tampa Bay Rays

finished the 2015 season 4th in the

American League East division, with a

record of 80-82. The Rays team’s

biggest move this offseason could

have been the acquisition of outfielder

Corey Dickerson. This power hitter

could very well lead the team in home

runs this season. Although many

things didn't go right for this team in

2015, no one could ignore the

emergence of young ace, Chris

Archer. The talented starting pitcher

became a first time all-star last season,

while setting the Rays record for 252

strikeouts in a single season. Although

the Rays roster is younger than the

average team, manager Kevin Cash is

still all in on trying to be a better team.

The Rays have looked solid

throughout the entire offseason and

will look to be one of those “under the

radar” teams.

Lastly, I wanted to go over why you

should buy a Tampa Bay Rays flex

pass. The flex pass gives you 10 games

you can pick to go to whenever you are

available. For $150, you can pick any

10 games you want for the whole

season. You can go to the games

against your old hometown, teams in

the division, teams with players you

like, and so on. You could go with

friends, family, etc. Tell me a better

way to spend a Sunday afternoon than

relaxing in Tropicana Field with some

people you like having a good time. If

you think about it, $150 isn't all that

expensive. That is only $15 a game!

Get yours before they stop selling

them. My friend and I already

purchased ours and were going to the

season opener against the Toronto Blue

Jays.

Good luck to the Tampa Bay Rays this

season.

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Dining & Entertainment Guide

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Plant City Dining & Entertainment Guide

April 2016 ~ Page 17 ~

Social Scene

Rail Fest 2016

April 2 – 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Union Station Depot

102 N. Palmer Street

Strawberry Classic Car Show

April 16 – 4:00 p.m.

Historic Downtown

Relay for Life

April 8 – 6:00 p.m. to April 9 –

12:00 p.m.

Plant City High School

Plant City Local Harvest Farmer’s

Market

Thursdays from 4:00pm -

8:00pm

McCall Park

42nd

Annual SUN ‘n FUN

International Fly-In & Expo

April 5-10, 2016

Linder Airport - Lakeland

Tampa Bay Blueberry Festival

April 29 – May 1, 2016

Keel & Curley Winery

"Showcasing Plant City Area

Dining, Entertainment, Arts,

Music...THE GUIDE"

Salon, Nails and Tanning

Services include Facials, Pedicures, Manicures, Gel Nails, Spray Tan and Waxing

**Call Sloan at 754-6592 for new client specials**

1309 S. Collins Street, Plant City

Plant City Dining & Entertainment Guide

April 2016 ~ Page 18 ~

Library Corner

April 11-15 is National Library Week!

Visit throughout the week for reading-

themed events and activities, random

acts of hospitality (including treats and

beverages), and much more fun! Meet

your local newspaper staff on Monday,

April 11 at 10:00 a.m. during our Open

House with members of The Plant City

Observer and Times.

Orchids 101: Join us for “Orchids 101”

presented by the Master Gardeners of

the Hillsborough County Extension

Services on Monday, April 11, at 6:30

p.m. Don’t forget to bring a plant for

the plant exchange afterwards!

English Classes: On Tuesdays, April 5,

12, 19 and 26 there will be a beginning

English Conversation Corner group

held from 7:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. This

class is in conjunction with the

Hillsborough Literacy Council. For

questions about the class, please call the

Hillsborough Literacy Council at 813-

273-3650.

Computer Classes: are held on

Wednesday April 6, 13, 20 and 27 from

10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Join us for

classes on computer basics and

introductions to other forms of

technology. Pre-registration for classes

is not required. Get ready to learn!

Afternoon Book Club: On Tuesday,

April 12, from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.,

we will discuss Bailey White’s Mama

Makes up Her Mind: And Other

Dangers of Southern Living. Share

your thoughts on the book and help

select future titles! Pick up copies of

next month’s club pick at this

discussion.

Evening Book Club: On Tuesday,

April 19, from 7:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

Share your thoughts on Lisa See’s

Dreams of Joy and pick up a copy of

next month’s selection. Copies of the

book will be available to check out

prior to the discussion.

Evening Crochet group: Instructor

Gina Cannon leads the group and

instructs beginners on simple stitches

and projects. Evening Crochet meets

third Monday of every month from

6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Our Knit 1, Purl 2

classes are still suspended as we

continue to restructure the program,

but if you need your crafting fix, stop

by for Evening Crochet on April 18! If

you have any questions about Evening

Crochet or Knit 1 Purl 2, please

contact Susan Miles at (813) 757-9215.

Walking Club: The Bruton Memorial

Library is proud to begin a walking

club! Join us at 8:00 a.m. on April 20

for our first trip around the block. The

walking club meets at the library and

walks around the neighborhood for 30

minutes. The library restrooms will be

available for the walking club to use. If

you have any questions about the

walking club, please contact Susan

Miles at (813) 757-9215.

All programs are free and open to the

public unless otherwise noted.

Plant City Dining & Entertainment Guide

April 2016 ~ Page 19 ~

Library Corner

Infant to Pre-K

Motion Commotion: Tuesdays, April

5th, 12

th, 19

th & 26

th at 10:00 a.m. Move

to the rhythm, dance to the beat! Shake

and shimmy, tap those feet! This 30-

minute program that incorporates

music, literacy, and fitness. For

children ages 18 months to 5 years.

Babytime: Thursdays, April 7th, 14

th,

21st & 28

th at 10:00 a.m. Early literacy

begins at birth. Bond with your baby

through stories, bouncy rhymes and

songs in this 20-minute lapsit program

that introduces early literacy skills and

encourages language development.

For children ages 0 to 18 months.

Storytime: Thursdays, April 7th, 14

th,

21st & 28

th at 11:00 a.m. Stories,

action rhymes, songs and interactive

activities make up this engaging 30-

minute program that highlights early

literacy skills and encourages reading

readiness and social interaction. For

children ages 18 months to 5 years.

Elementary

Family Movie Time: Monday, April

25th at 3:00 p.m. Join us for popcorn

and a movie at the library! Children are

welcome to bring a blanket to lie on.

Fun for the whole family! This movie

is rated G. For more information about

the movie, please call the Bruton

Memorial Library at 813-757-9215 or

visit plantcitygov.com/library

Crafternoon: Monday, April 11th from

3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Get creative and

make crafts to take home.

Family Game Zone: April 4th and 18

th

from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. The whole

family is invited to play board games,

including, Connect Four, Scrabble

Slam, Candyland, and many more!

Board games enhance math and

communication skills as well as

sportsmanship. Spend quality time

with your family! For grades K - 5.

Teens

Teen Game Zone!: April 5th and 12

th

from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.. Come play

Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360 Kinect and

PlayStation at the library on our large

projection screens. Bring your friends

and get in the zone! For grades 6 - 12.

Teen Book Club: Tuesday, April 26th

from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. Join us for our

monthly Teen Book Club. We read and

talk about books selected by teens like

you! On Tuesday, April 26th, at 4:30

PM we will be discussing The

Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

Come join the discussion and help

select future books for the group to

read. Copies of the book are available

at Bruton Memorial Library for check

out. For grades 6 - 12.

Teen “Go” Board Game Club:

Tuesday, April 19th from 4:30 – 5:30

p.m. Come learn and play one of the

oldest games in the world: the ancient

East Asian board game “Go.” A

popular Anime/Manga series called

“Hikaru No Go” has made many very

curious about how to play the game.

Now you can learn and play with your

friends. The rules are simple, the

strategy complex. For grades 6 - 12.

Plant City Dining & Entertainment Guide

April 2016 ~ Page 20 ~