The scent of steamed and boiled seafood filled the air. Eli’s Barbecue added its own smoky note. Children laughed and played. Music drifted across Pioneer Park.
Under a clear sky, a cool breeze kept everyone comfortable as the City of Dunedin came together on a warm June evening to celebrate Juneteenth—a day of recognition, restoration, and celebration.
Juneteenth: A Celebration of Culture
Juneteenth: A Celebration of Culture
Juneteenth: A Celebration of Culture, City of Dunedin
The Gathering
Presented by Dunedin Parks & Recreation, the event was free and open to all. Craft vendors lined the grass. Food vendors served up local favorites. Families spread out on blankets and folding chairs. Friends greeted friends they had not seen since last year’s celebration.
The evening was just like any other in Dunedin—except that it was not. It was a day set apart. A day to remember. A day to lift every voice.
The Entertainers and Vendors
The event featured a rich array of local talent and small businesses:
Faith & Community: Mt. Olive AME Church, St. John Primitive Baptist Church
Food & Drinks: Eli’s BBQ, Jazzi’s Seafood, Treats by Jocelyn, LLC, N’fuzio Bliss Bites, Love Froyo, Sweet Ice in Paradise
Activities & Artisans: Orlando 40+ Double Dutch Club, Wrapt by Rosie, Kar Xpressions, Black Jack Enterprise, LLC, X Stream Eventing, Jennifer Alexander
Special performances included the St. John Primitive Mass Choir, the Mt. Olive AME Mass Choir, Thee Poetic Prophet, and Crystal Latrece.
The Harmony of Liberty
The most moving moment of the evening came from this year’s speaker: Javante Scott, a young and gifted minister from St. John Primitive Baptist Church.
Speaker Javante Scott of Primitive Baptist Church, Clearwater FL
Scott is a native of Clearwater, Florida, a graduate of Clearwater High School and St. Petersburg College, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Policy and Administration. He has a passion for ministry, leadership, and community engagement.
He titled his address: “The Harmony of Liberty.”
“Freedom is not just for you,” Scott said. “Freedom is also for your neighbor. It requires us to be selfishly selfless.”
He spoke about perspective—how it has divided Americans, and how, until we shift our perspective, we will never be able to unite in the fight to harmonize liberty.
He reminded the crowd to be humble. “A humble person values the needs of others alongside their own. If you value your freedom, you will value the freedom of others.”
Then he said something that hung in the air: “Freedom is fragile.”
“If the creator gave you the right to choose, how is it that some human being ought to be able to take away your right to choose? You and I do not get to determine the private lives of others.”
Truth matters.
The History We Must Not Forget
Scott then walked the crowd through the history of Juneteenth, noting that while President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation was enacted on January 1, 1863, Texas authorities and slave owners deliberately suppressed the news. Enslaved people there were kept in bondage until June 19, 1865, when federal troops arrived in Galveston to finally enforce their freedom.
That turning point is what we celebrate as Juneteenth.
But Scott added a harder truth: “The freeing of slaves was to win the Civil War. Truth matters. If we are not careful to preserve the truth, we will find ourselves not just believing a lie, but living a lie.“
He urged the crowd: Don’t forget the truth.
He recapped dark chapters in American history—Selma, communities burned to the ground, crimes committed against African American communities. He repeated the refrain:
“Don’t forget the truth. It is our responsibility.”
He pointed to voting rights: “If your vote did not matter, they would not try so hard to take it from you.“
And he reminded everyone that we are all immigrants. “You and I have a responsibility. If you cannot be free, then I cannot be free. If I cannot be free, then you cannot be free. If we cannot be free, then who is free?“
Lift Every Voice and Sing
Scott’s address was framed by the words of James Weldon Johnson, written nearly a century ago:
“Lift every voice and sing,
Till earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty.“
On this night, in Pioneer Park, those harmonies echoed.
A Personal Note
I stood at the edge of the crowd, notebook in hand, camera around my neck. Children ran past me, jump-roping, learning to Double Dutch from the ladies of the Orlando 40+ Double Dutch Club. Families shared plates of barbecue. The music swelled. The sun set behind the trees.
Juneteenth is a celebration. But it is also a reminder. A reminder that freedom is not automatic. It must be remembered, protected, and passed down.
Dunedin showed up. Dunedin listened. And Dunedin left with a charge: Don’t forget the truth.
Juneteenth: A Celebration of Culture at Pioneer Park Dunedin FL
A late-season cold front swept through, leaving behind a cool, breezy evening—the kind Florida offers just often enough to remind you why you put up with the rest of the year. I parked my car, walked toward downtown Tarpon Springs, and joined the crowd gathering for First Friday.
The locals were already there. Kids and teenagers, free from school for the summer, ran ahead of their parents. Families unfolded lawn chairs along the curb. Friends greeted friends they had not seen since last month’s event. The atmosphere was family-friendly, unhurried, and deeply welcoming.
And as the sun dipped below the historic buildings, I found myself thinking about trains.
A Tale of Two Depots
The Tarpon Springs Historic Depot Museum sits in a structure that once served as the city’s active railroad hub. So does the Dunedin History Museum. Both were vital stops on the same historic rail line—a route that carried people, goods, and dreams up and down the Gulf Coast for decades.
Today, that rail bed is the Pinellas Trail. Cyclists and walkers now move along the same path where locomotives once steamed. The depots still stand, preserved beautifully as museums, acting as reminders of a time when these towns were connected by more than just geography.
Standing outside the Tarpon Springs Museum, past the vibrant energy of the inflatable bounce house, I felt that connection clearly. Dunedin and Tarpon Springs are true siblings—different in personality, but cut from the exact same coastal cloth.
Captured from a historic early-1900s vantage point, the old depot museum hosts a new generation.
The Charm of the Downtown
The event brings the streets to life. Vendors line the sidewalks, local musicians play from temporary stages, and shops stay open late, their doorways spilling warm light onto the brick streets.
What catches the eye most is the architecture. The buildings here are authentically historic, featuring pressed tin ceilings, brick facades, and intricate details that reward a slow walk and an upward glance. For anyone who appreciates historic preservation, Tarpon Springs is a quiet treasure.
Community connection: A diverse, multi-generational crowd fills the street during the First Friday market.
The crowds were present but never overwhelming. You could move easily, hear the person next to you speak, and actually browse the merchandise without being jostled.
Sunsets and patios: Diners enjoy an evening out along the transformed historic rail bed.
That is a different, rare kind of charm.
A Personal Note
I love Dunedin. It is my home. But I also love Tarpon Springs—for its history, its unhurried pace, and its rich cultural landscape.
Events like First Friday are fundamentally about community, drawing together neighbors from across our shared Suntropolitan coastline. If you have never experienced it, make the trip. Bring friends, wander the historic streets, and stand outside the old depot to imagine the locomotives that once connected us all.
This is just a brief glimpse into the deep history of Tarpon Springs. In upcoming issues, I will be shining a spotlight on the city’s rich Greek cultural heritage and traditions. Stay tuned, and subscribe today to get an exclusive first look at our next featured articles.
What Makes a Deliciously Perfect Pain au Chocolat?
Is it the flakiness? Is it the rich, buttery, almost savory tang of the croissant itself? Or is it the semisweet chocolate hidden in the middle, waiting to be discovered?
Pain au chocolat paired with La Amalia 1888 locally roasted drip coffee at The Crumb Factory, Dunedin FL.
This is what my taste buds were trying to decode when I bit into my first chocolate croissant at The Crumb Factory. The answer, I decided, is yes to all of the above.
But the pastry was only the beginning.
The Arrival
Walking up to the storefront at 1689 Main Street, I was charmed before I even opened the door. Parked right outside, impossible to miss, sat a bright yellow, three-wheeled vintage Piaggio Ape50 with The Crumb Factory logo painted on its side. It was so charming—and so perfectly suited to the experience that awaited—that it gave me the immediate sense I was about to step into a European bakery, rather than a strip mall café.
The Crumb Factory – Dunedin, FL
The Crumb Factory Storefront – Dunedin, FL
The Crumb Factory – Piaggio Ape50
Out front, bistro-style tables offer outdoor seating. The kind of place where you can sit back, relax, and appreciate a Florida afternoon with an espresso and a friend.
Inside the Shop
Once I entered, I was greeted by a friendly staff behind a counter dominated by a beautiful display case of pastries—each one looking like it had been arranged for a still-life painting.
The decor is a modern take on the bakery shop, with illustrations of adorable cartoons: an animated oven smiling from the wall, a cheerful coffee cup, and baked goods with eyes. Through this playful design, the personality of owner Pablo Mardones shines through as humorous and modern, yet still deeply appreciative of old-world traditions.
Full wall mural of whimsical characters by local artist Alexandra Jacqueline at The Crumb Factory, Dunedin FL.
Wall mural at The Crumb Factory, Dunedin FL. by local artist Alexandra Jacqueline
A whimsical mural of a bagpipe-playing teapot by local artist Alexandra Jacqueline
A playful mural of a coffee pot waving ‘hello’ by local artist Alexandra Jacqueline at The Crumb Factory, Dunedin FL.
Off to the left, there is a section with several tables and chairs, ready for a group meeting or a company seminar. Running along that wall is a sheet of glass, exposing the bakery workspace—the kitchen where the staff prepares daily delights. You can watch them work. You can see the flour dust the air. It is a reminder that what you are about to eat was made by hand, just a few feet away, by people who started their day long before you woke up.
The Chocolate Croissant
But back to the pastry.
Pain au chocolat is a simple thing. Flour, butter, chocolate, patience. But simplicity is the hardest thing to master.
The Crumb Factory’s version arrives golden, blistered, fragrant. You can hear the layers crack when you bite into it. The butter is there—not greasy, but nutty, almost cheesy in its fermented richness. The semisweet chocolate is high quality and never cloying. It has been placed with such care that every bite delivers the perfect balance of pastry and chocolate.
I closed my eyes. It was that good.
Who Is Pablo Mardones?
Pablo began his culinary journey far from the world of pastry, starting at Chipotle restaurants. Joining the team at age 22, he started as a line cook, learning the fundamentals of kitchen management and fresh food prep. Over time, his work ethic propelled him into business management, eventually rising to the role of district supervisor overseeing 10 to 14 locations.
The Crumb Factory – Bakers kitchen, Dunedin FL.
Through that intense corporate experience, he learned firsthand how to utilize locally sourced ingredients and maintain strict consistency at scale. However, he always harbored an ambition to own his own restaurant. He searched for the right niche—something sustainable that he could build and root deeply within a community. He did not want to chase passing food trends; he wanted to provide timeless quality.
Finding His Calling
Pablo soon noticed a distinct gap in the local market: true, family-owned artisan bakeries were rare. Recognizing his sign, he combined his management expertise with a dedication to high-quality ingredients, stepping up to the challenge of mastering old-world baking. After months of intensive research and recipe perfection, The Crumb Factory was born.
The Menu and the Team
Today, the menu reflects the inclusivity of his staff. Pablo ensures his team has the opportunity to express their own culinary creativity by regularly adding their own creations to the pastry case. The bakery is entirely a shared vision.
In fact, prior baking experience is not a requirement to join the kitchen. Pablo and his team intentionally welcome and train new staff members from scratch, passing down traditional baking techniques and actively mentoring the next generation of local bakers.
What Makes the Bread Special
When asked what makes his artisan bread so unique, Pablo’s answer is simple: fermentation.
His dough ferments for at least 18 hours before it ever hits the oven. This extended timeline allows the flavors to develop a deep, complex profile. Because his loaves are not mass-produced, this long natural fermentation process also allows the gluten to break down organically. The result is a natural, healthy bread that is significantly easier on the digestive system than commercial, store-bought alternatives.
The Mediterranean Baguette and a fresh berry-topped danish served with an Iced Matcha Latte at The Crumb Factory, Dunedin FL.
To maintain this standard, the bakery prioritizes freshness over volume, aiming to sell out of their stock daily rather than ever serving a day-old loaf. This fresh bread serves as the foundation for their popular breakfast and lunch sandwiches, which sit alongside an array of catering options for local events.
Pablo and his wife, Katie, chose Dunedin for their second storefront because they fell in love with the close-knit community. They opened their doors here in January 2026, and if my recent taste test is any indication, they are destined to become a neighborhood staple.
I initially visited The Crumb Factory just to evaluate a chocolate croissant. I left feeling like I had discovered a community anchor that truly belongs on Main Street.
If you crave authentic, European-style fresh bread that treats your body right, do yourself a favor and drop by. Tucked into the Weathersfield Commons plaza, it is just a scenic bike ride up Virginia Street and through the oak trees of Achieva Way.
Achieva Way in Dunedin, FL.
Go. Order the Pain au chocolat. Sit outside. Enjoy the yellow vintage Piaggio Ape50 and welcome Pablo and Katie to the neighborhood.
If you drive down Carnation Drive today, you will see construction fencing, heavy equipment, and a cleared lot where homes once stood.
The Flats on Main Street—a 78-unit affordable housing project—has broken ground.
I drove by on a recent afternoon to document the progress. What I found was a site in motion. But to understand what is happening now, you have to look back at what was there before.
What the Public Records Show
Public records confirm the properties assembled for this project:
1419, 1421, 1422, 1440, 1445Carnation Drive and 1150 Friendly Lane
The owner of record is MGC Main Street Holdings, LLC . The applicant is The Flats on Main Street, LLC.
The city’s role was not to buy the land but to rezone it and approve the development agreement after a series of public hearings in the spring of 2025.
What Was There Before
Google Maps still shows what once stood on this land.
A yellow house at 1473 Carnation Drive. Small single-family homes at 1421, 1440, and 1445. Neighborhood streets. Lawns. Trees.
Those images are now historical documents.
The properties were assembled—individual parcels combined into a single 3.34-acre development site. This is a common practice for large projects, but for neighbors and longtime residents, it represents a visible change to the character of the area.
What Is Coming
Detail
Information
Project name
The Flats on Main Street
Size
78 apartments on 3.34 acres
Buildings
Two 3-story, 43-foot-tall garden-style apartment buildings
Unit mix
42 one-bedroom, 36 two-bedroom
Amenities
Clubhouse building, surface parking, common green spaces
Zoning
Multifamily Residential (MF-12.5)
Land
Use Residential Medium (RM)
Funding
$30 million in state tax credits, $10 million in housing vouchers, $610,000 from the city
All units will feature the same high-end finishes—granite countertops, energy-efficient appliances—regardless of the tenant’s income level.
The development is designed for households earning between 30% and 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) . Twenty-four of the units (30% of the total) will be supported by Project-Based Section 8 Vouchers from the Pinellas County Housing Authority.
What It Looks Like Today
I stood at the edge of the construction site and took photographs.
The homes are gone. The lots are cleared. Heavy equipment moves earth where families once lived. It is noisy. It is dusty. It is progress—of a kind.
For some residents, this project represents long-overdue investment in affordable housing. For others, it represents the erasure of a quiet, familiar neighborhood.
Both things can be true.
A Contested Approval
The path to this moment was not smooth.
Neighbors fought the project at public hearings, arguing that three-story buildings would tower over their single-family homes, that the single access road could not handle the additional traffic, and that stormwater management was a legitimate concern.
City officials and the developer maintained that the project meets code, that stormwater infrastructure would be enhanced, and that the need for housing simply outweighs the objections.
The public hearings were held on April 9, May 8, and June 5, 2025 . The project was approved.
Now, the hard hats have arrived.
What Happens Next
Construction is underway. The goal is to deliver 78 units of affordable housing to a city that desperately needs them.
During the 2026 State of the City address, officials highlighted The Flats on Main Street as a priority project for the year—part of a larger vision for a “Connected Community.”
Mayor Moe Freaney put it this way:
“A Connected Community doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because of the organizations, the nonprofits, the local businesses, the civic partners, the volunteers, and the everyday residents who make Dunedin delightfully different.“
A Personal Note
I drove down Carnation Drive expecting to see construction. What I found was something else: a record of change.
The Google Maps images from a few years ago show a yellow house, small homes, neighborhood streets. My photographs from last week show dirt, fencing, and the bones of something new.
Both are true. Both are Dunedin.
I will keep driving by. I will keep taking photos. And I will keep asking what we gain—and what we lose—as our town grows.
