Clearwater Sea-Blues 5 Things to Know Before You Go

1- Parking!

There is plenty of parking in Downtown Clearwater for all attendees! Here is a map of available lots, which are all FREE, there will also be parking signs throughout the Downtown area to help you find the garages!

Important:The Harborview lot is for parking passes and ADA accessibility ONLY (both are first come, first serve). The 500-600 Block on Cleveland Street will be blocked off on Saturday only for our Farmer’s market from 7am-5pm.

Beat the traffic and come early to enjoy the market!

 

2- Reminder! 

·     Low profile chairs for general admission are acceptable.

·     It is incredibly important to stay hydrated on this eventful weekend! One sealed water per person will be accepted at entry.

·     No outside food is allowed

 

3- CASH 

Make sure to bring some extra cash to have on hand to enjoy the treats, drinks, and merchandise that our vendors will be providing!

ATMS will be on sight if needed.

 

4- Food Paradise! 

There will be many vendors offering delightful meals and treats.

Don’t miss out on trying the best seafood Clearwater has to offer!

 

5- Relax and Enjoy!

Don’t forget to bring a friend and enjoy yourself! This will be an eventful weekend in Downtown Clearwater.

 

Don’t miss out on:

-Friday’s evening Blues Walk and Blast Friday in Downtown Clearwater featuring a performance by The Romantics!

-Grand opening of the Clearwater Farmer’s Market on Saturday morning @10am

-Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival!

Downtown Clearwater Farmers Market Grand Opening on Cleveland Street

Date: 02/22/2018 11:45 AM

The Clearwater Farmers Market is set to open on Saturday, February 24th in its brand new location in the heart of Downtown Clearwater in the 500-600 blocks of Cleveland Street.   The Clearwater Farmers Market is a weekly, year round market held every Saturday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., rain or shine. 

All kinds of wonderful things will be offered at the market!  In addition to farm fresh produce, you will find artisan body care products,   interesting wearables and accessories, pet treats and goodies and of course, a variety of delicious specialty foods and beverages.

Dana Brown of the Market Management says, “We are excited about combining the market vendors and local merchants of the Cleveland Street District to provide a unique community gathering experience.”  

Kris Koch, city of Clearwater’s Parks and Recreation Department planning and project manager, echoes that sentiment saying, “The city of Clearwater is excited for the launch of the Clearwater Farmers Market in our scenic downtown.  A grand opening on February 24th alongside our incredibly successful Sea-Blues Festival is going to be a great thing for our residents, visitors and merchants.”

In addition to all of the delightful offerings along the street, Station Square Park, 612 Cleveland St., will host music along with mimosas, Bloody Marys, beer and wine. 

Interested vendors can apply online at clearwaterfarmersmarket.net.

 

 

Beachgoers can Park and Ride for Free to Clearwater Beach through April 29

Post Date:02/21/2018 2:21 PM

Beachgoers can Park and Ride for Free to Clearwater Beach through April 29

The city of Clearwater and the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority are offering free parking and rides to the beach from now until April 29.

The promotion, which started Feb. 19, runs through Sunday, April 29. The service will pick-up at two designated parking lots in downtown Clearwater every fifteen minutes and drop-off riders at PSTA’s new Clearwater Beach Transit Center just east of the roundabout. Riders who board at either the Harborview Center parking lot at 300 Cleveland St. or at the City Hall parking lot at 112 S. Osceola Ave. will receive a free PSTA Day Pass good for unlimited usage on any route in their system for the remainder of that day.

“The city of Clearwater is pleased to partner with PSTA to help alleviate some traffic congestion to Clearwater Beach,” said Clearwater Mayor George Cretekos. “This Park & Ride promotion will give beachgoers and employees an alternative mode of transportation which will be beneficial because parking, while plentiful, is limited during the spring.”

This is the second year PSTA and the city have partnered to provide enhanced public transportation services as an alternative to driving and parking on the beach.

“We’ve had great success with this promotion in the past, and many of our residents and international visitors have come to rely on the convenience of this Park & Ride service during Spring Break,” said PSTA Chief Executive Officer Brad Miller. “The amount of community support that we have received from the City of Clearwater has been invaluable to the success of this promotion.”

Beachgoers can Park and Ride for Free to Clearwater Beach through April 29

Post Date:02/21/2018 2:21 PM

Beachgoers can Park and Ride for Free to Clearwater Beach through April 29

The city of Clearwater and the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority are offering free parking and rides to the beach from now until April 29.

The promotion, which started Feb. 19, runs through Sunday, April 29. The service will pick-up at two designated parking lots in downtown Clearwater every fifteen minutes and drop-off riders at PSTA’s new Clearwater Beach Transit Center just east of the roundabout. Riders who board at either the Harborview Center parking lot at 300 Cleveland St. or at the City Hall parking lot at 112 S. Osceola Ave. will receive a free PSTA Day Pass good for unlimited usage on any route in their system for the remainder of that day.

“The city of Clearwater is pleased to partner with PSTA to help alleviate some traffic congestion to Clearwater Beach,” said Clearwater Mayor George Cretekos. “This Park & Ride promotion will give beachgoers and employees an alternative mode of transportation which will be beneficial because parking, while plentiful, is limited during the spring.”

This is the second year PSTA and the city have partnered to provide enhanced public transportation services as an alternative to driving and parking on the beach.

“We’ve had great success with this promotion in the past, and many of our residents and international visitors have come to rely on the convenience of this Park & Ride service during Spring Break,” said PSTA Chief Executive Officer Brad Miller. “The amount of community support that we have received from the City of Clearwater has been invaluable to the success of this promotion.”

Clearwater Gearing Up For Busy Weekend Full of Family-Friendly Events

Post Date:02/20/2018 1:33 PM

CLEARWATER, Fla. – Downtown Clearwater will be the go to destination in Tampa Bay this weekend, Feb. 23-25 with a variety of events for the whole family to enjoy.

Blast Friday: The Romantics | Cleveland Street District | Feb. 23

The action-packed weekend begins on Friday, Feb. 23 with Ruth Eckerd Hall’s Blast Friday featuring the Romantics. Visitors to this free festival will find food trucks and vendors serving a variety of food, beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages to enjoy while listening to some old time classic rock by The Romantics. Get more information or purchase VIP seats near the stage by visiting RuthEckerdHall.com.

Clearwater Blues Walk | Cleveland Street District | Feb. 23

To add to the excitement of Blast Friday, and to get the excitement building for the Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival, the Clearwater Blues Walk will also be jamming out on Friday, Feb. 23. Visitors will be treated to performances by RJ Howson, Easy Street Band, Ellie Lee and Blues Fury at different locations along Cleveland Street. Local businesses will also be getting in on the excitement by offering special deals during the event.

Downtown Clearwater Farmers Market | Cleveland Street | Feb. 24

The Clearwater Farmers Market will have a grand opening celebration on Saturday, Feb. 24 at its brand new location in the heart of downtown Clearwater along the 500 and 600 blocks of Cleveland Street. The market will offer a variety of goodies. In addition to farm fresh produce, visitors will find artisan body care products, interesting wearables and accessories, pet treats and a variety of specialty foods and beverages. The market will be held every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., rain or shine.

Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival Presented by Visit St. Pete/Clearwater | Coachman Park | Feb. 24-25

The Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival is becoming one of the city’s most anticipated and beloved events each year offering up top-rated blues artists with a side of mouth watering seafood. The lineup for the 2018 Sea-Blues Festival at Coachman Park Feb. 24-25 includes the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, ZZ Ward, Toronzo Cannon, Ana Popovic and more.  This year’s festival is shaping up to be the most popular one yet, so those planning to attend may want to consider purchasing a reserved seating ticket. Find more information and tickets by visiting Sea-Blues.com.

These events will all be taking place downtown Clearwater, but Clearwater Beach will still be hosting popular events like Sunsets at Pier 60. Visitors can stay parked downtown and take the Clearwater Ferry or Jolley Trolley to the beach. Visit ClearwaterFerry.com or ClearwaterJolleyTrolley.com. During this time beachgoers can also hitch a ride to the beach as part of Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority’s Park N Ride service. Get more details by visiting PSTA.net/SpringBreak or calling (727) 540-1900.

Clearwater Gearing Up For Busy Weekend Full of Family-Friendly Events

Post Date:02/20/2018 1:33 PM

CLEARWATER, Fla. – Downtown Clearwater will be the go to destination in Tampa Bay this weekend, Feb. 23-25 with a variety of events for the whole family to enjoy.

Blast Friday: The Romantics | Cleveland Street District | Feb. 23

The action-packed weekend begins on Friday, Feb. 23 with Ruth Eckerd Hall’s Blast Friday featuring the Romantics. Visitors to this free festival will find food trucks and vendors serving a variety of food, beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages to enjoy while listening to some old time classic rock by The Romantics. Get more information or purchase VIP seats near the stage by visiting RuthEckerdHall.com.

Clearwater Blues Walk | Cleveland Street District | Feb. 23

To add to the excitement of Blast Friday, and to get the excitement building for the Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival, the Clearwater Blues Walk will also be jamming out on Friday, Feb. 23. Visitors will be treated to performances by RJ Howson, Easy Street Band, Ellie Lee and Blues Fury at different locations along Cleveland Street. Local businesses will also be getting in on the excitement by offering special deals during the event.

Downtown Clearwater Farmers Market | Cleveland Street | Feb. 24

The Clearwater Farmers Market will have a grand opening celebration on Saturday, Feb. 24 at its brand new location in the heart of downtown Clearwater along the 500 and 600 blocks of Cleveland Street. The market will offer a variety of goodies. In addition to farm fresh produce, visitors will find artisan body care products, interesting wearables and accessories, pet treats and a variety of specialty foods and beverages. The market will be held every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., rain or shine.

Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival Presented by Visit St. Pete/Clearwater | Coachman Park | Feb. 24-25

The Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival is becoming one of the city’s most anticipated and beloved events each year offering up top-rated blues artists with a side of mouth watering seafood. The lineup for the 2018 Sea-Blues Festival at Coachman Park Feb. 24-25 includes the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, ZZ Ward, Toronzo Cannon, Ana Popovic and more.  This year’s festival is shaping up to be the most popular one yet, so those planning to attend may want to consider purchasing a reserved seating ticket. Find more information and tickets by visiting Sea-Blues.com.

These events will all be taking place downtown Clearwater, but Clearwater Beach will still be hosting popular events like Sunsets at Pier 60. Visitors can stay parked downtown and take the Clearwater Ferry or Jolley Trolley to the beach. Visit ClearwaterFerry.com or ClearwaterJolleyTrolley.com. During this time beachgoers can also hitch a ride to the beach as part of Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority’s Park N Ride service. Get more details by visiting PSTA.net/SpringBreak or calling (727) 540-1900.

Paint Your Heart Out, Clearwater Seeks Volunteers, Donors and Sponsors

Post Date:02/13/2018 10:36 AM

Paint Your Heart Out, Clearwater is seeking volunteer painters, financial donors and sponsors to help with this year’s event.

On March 24, volunteers will help paint 15 to 20 Clearwater homes. We need professional and amateur painters who can volunteer and get the job done in a day. Afterwards, there will be a celebration in Downtown Clearwater to celebrate the day with food, drinks, prizes and gifts for volunteers.

The organization is also seeking financial donations and sponsors to help continue the work that has benefited the Clearwater community for 25 years.

Paint Your Heart Out, Clearwater once a year paints the homes of disadvantaged homeowners and the elderly in Clearwater.

Help Paint Your Heart Out, Clearwater continue to improve the lives of people who need assistance.

For more information, email PYHOCpaintmyhouse@gmail.com or call (727) 562-4664.

Breweries Creating a Buzz Around Pinellas

Microbreweries making a difference in areas throughout county

By SUZETTE PORTER, Tampa Bay Newspapers

As the popularity of beer produced by smaller breweries continues to grow, local communities are benefiting in a number of ways. Pinellas County is no exception.

Florida had 195 craft breweries and was ranked 10th in the nation at the end of 2016, according to the Brewer’s Association. As of 2015, about one-third of the state’s microbreweries were in Tampa Bay and about 20 percent of those were in Pinellas County, according to statistics compiled by Forward Pinellas.

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PSTA and Clearwater Team Up to Improve Beach Transit Options

 

CLEARWATER – PSTA and the city of Clearwater are working together to solve an age-old problem of how best to get people to Clearwater Beach.

Officials from PSTA and the city updated the Forward Pinellas Board Jan. 10 about projects that are part of a cooperative relationship to improve the State Road 60 corridor – the main thoroughfare to Clearwater Beach.

Cassandra Borchers, PSTA’s chief development officer, talked about the spring break seasonal service partnership between the city and PSTA. The service, first offered in 2017, will be available again in 2018.

photo caption: An artist’s rendering shows what PSTA’s new Clearwater Beach Transit Center will look like when it opens in February just in time for spring break

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Second Century Studios Features Photography by Ed Richter

Post Date:01/25/2018 11:55 AM

The work of local photographer Ed Richter will be the next exhibit at Second Century Studios in Downtown Clearwater.

The photography exhibit, entitled Ed Richter Photography – My Point of View, will feature a variety of images, including famous musicians, nature scenes, journalism, fashion and digital art.

Richter’s work will be unveiled at a free reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, January 26 at Second Century Studios, 331 Cleveland St. in Downtown Clearwater. The public is welcome to attend the unveiling of the new exhibit and enjoy light fare and refreshments.

Richter, who lives in Palm Harbor, was the executive photographer for former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, where he photographed numerous public leaders in both a journalistic style and in the studio. He is also known for his digital art and travel photography.

The exhibit will be featured at Second Century Studios in Downtown Clearwater, which has turned into a home to a cool art scene with monthly exhibits celebrating a variety of genres and local artists. This is the fifth exhibit opening at Second Century Studios since the gallery opened in September.

Through a partnership between Bazaar Art and the city of Clearwater’s Community Redevelopment Agency, Second Century Studios has provided an opportunity to showcase local art that celebrates Clearwater and allows the public to interact with the artists. Second Century Studios is also available for corporate and community meetings, special events, paint parties, poetry readings, art classes and more.

Second Century Studios also offers an opportunity for the city of Clearwater to promote the initiatives designed to help create an attractive and engaging Downtown Clearwater for years to come.

The exhibit promotes several downtown initiatives:

Imagine Clearwater, a master plan designed to revitalize the Downtown Clearwater waterfront.

North Marina Master Plan, a design plan to enhance the Seminole Boat Ramp and attract commercial, retail, restaurants and more residential north of Downtown Clearwater.

Cleveland Streetscape Phase 3, a project aimed at enhancing Cleveland Street in Downtown Clearwater into a pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly street.

Mercado/Market District, a concept to create a market area and community gathering place with local vendors, weekend markets, music shows and movie nights all in Clearwater’s Downtown Gateway.

Second Century Studios is regularly open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. It is also open on weekday and weekend evenings during special events in Downtown Clearwater.

Visit BazaarArt.org for future events, exhibits, classes, workshops and public art projects hosted by Bazaar Art. Artists interested in submitting their work or joining the Bazaar Art Co-Op, can contact Jennie Pearl, founder of Bazaar Art, at (727) 944-2974 or bazaarartllc@gmail.com.

To learn more about Second Century Studios, contact Laura Canary, community redevelopment coordinator for the city of Clearwater’s Community Redevelopment Agency, at (727) 562-4024 or laura.canary@myclearwater.com.