All posts filed under: Arts

Four actors performing in period costumes on the Francis Wilson Playhouse stage under dramatic lighting. In the center, Lucy stands dressed in a white gown with a visibly pained, ill expression. To the audience's left, Jonathan and Dr. Seward are engaged in a tense conversation, while on the audience's right, Dr. Van Helsing stands alone, intently reading through a handwritten notebook.

Dracula: On Stage at Francis Wilson Playhouse

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It was opening night—October 23, 2026. A crystal-clear, cool, beautiful autumn evening with a near-full moon rising overhead. Cars pulled up to drop off guests at the door of the Francis Wilson Playhouse, located just north of Downtown Clearwater, for a special staging of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Celebrating its 97th season just in time for spooky season, the playhouse presented a striking rendition of Dracula, adapted by Drew DeCaro and Tracy Lange. Tonight’s cast: Actor Role Christopher Rogers Dracula William Letmon Prof. Van Helsing Logan Scourtes Dr. Seward Chloe Adair Lucy Ethan White Jonathan Harker Pamela Torres Renfield Martin J. McAuliffe Butterworth Jessica Ramsdell Miss Wells The Lobby Stepping into the lobby, I was instantly greeted by a cozy, living-room atmosphere—a fireplace lit with candlelight and a beautifully lit chandelier overhead. While the building is historic, it is meticulously maintained. You can immediately feel the deep love and dedication shared by the cast, crew, staff, and local supporters. Community. That is what stuck out. As I walked into the auditorium, the faint, comforting scent of …

A wide shot of the wearable ART 20 Platinum fashion runway at the Dunedin Fine Art Center, illuminated by vibrant stage lighting with guests seated along the runway.

wearable Art 20: A Platinum Celebration of Fashion, Art, and Community

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It was fashion night out in Dunedin. On Saturday, August 22, 2026, art enthusiasts, local residents and traveling guests gathered at the Dunedin Fine Art Center to celebrate a monumental milestone: the 20th Anniversary of wearable Art. I began my evening mingling with the kindest and most sparkle-dressed guests you could imagine. Everyone was dressed to impress. I photographed families supporting their loved ones, dedicated attendees who drove from as far as Miami, and new locals establishing roots. While backgrounds varied, everyone shared a singular purpose: supporting the visual arts. The Emcee: David Warner The runway showcase kicked off with emcee David Warner, a familiar and beloved fixture within the Tampa Bay arts community. During his 14-year tenure as editor-in-chief of Creative Loafing, Warner closely observed and oversaw coverage of wearable Art from its very inception. This month, he was delighted to get the chance to “gawk, marvel, and kvell” all over again in his latest feature story celebrating this grand Platinum Anniversary. Warner did an excellent job keeping the crowd informed and entertained. A …

A lively street-level view along Dodecanese Boulevard during the festival, showing several vendors under pop-up tents selling products on the street. Crowds of shoppers walk from tent to tent, while other pedestrians stroll along the sidewalk passing local storefronts.

Hippie Fest 2026: Groovy Vibes and Greek Heritage at the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks

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Greek Town hosted Hippie Fest—and it was a beautiful collision of cultures. On Saturday, August 15, 2026, the strip along the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks was loaded with vendors, food, music, and festival-goers who traveled from far and wide to experience a beautiful evening in this historic fishing village. Everywhere I looked, it was a photo opportunity. The sponge docks are a fishing village with a Greek heritage that dates back to the early 1900s. The rich history here allows us locals to immerse ourselves in the traditions of Greek settlers—and on this night, those traditions shared the stage with bell-bottoms and tie-dye. What We Saw On a typical Saturday night, you might catch belly dancers swaying to the rhythm of Greek music at Mama’s Greek Cuisine restaurant, or browse storefronts filled with locally harvested fresh sponges, sweet treats, and Greek cultural merchandise. This evening, however, the local flavor expanded to include rock and roll, blues, funk, soul, and R&B. The Hippie Fest also brought a classic Volkswagen car show, with groovy camper buses and …

From Rogue Art to Local Legend: The Story of Dunedin’s Oranges

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It was 2009. The economy had nose-dived, and foreclosures dominated the news. Across the country, people were losing their homes, their jobs, and their sense of certainty. But in Dunedin, something else began to appear on the walls. Oranges. No one knew who painted them. No one knew why. Merchants woke up to beautifully rendered citrus on their roll-down gates. Homeowners discovered oranges beside their front doors. Most residents loved stumbling across them, and guessing the culprit’s identity became a running community joke. The phenomenon grew so popular that some merchants even posted notes on their walls reading, “Hey, paint orange here!“ The mystery deepened when a downtown restaurant’s surveillance camera caught two figures in the act at 5:30 A.M. The tape was turned over to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department. Once authorities began asking questions, the culprits came forward and confessed. Steven Spathelf, a local muralist, and Marsha Goins were the artists behind the “Orange Graffiti.” No charges were filed. When asked why they did it, their response was simple: they wanted to champion …

Cinco de Mayo in Dunedin: A Night of Folklore, Family, and Farewell to Festival Season

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The streets were unusually light. I arrived an hour early to secure a parking space and claim a front-row spot for photos and notes. Spring training is over. The Blue Jays have headed north. The snowbirds have followed. Cinco de Mayo marks the end of festival season here in Dunedin. The next one does not begin until October. It was a lovely evening—just like any other in our little coastal town. A sea breeze. Clear skies. The kind of night that reminds you why you live here. And then, slowly, the locals began to trickle in. The Crowd Gathers After work. After school. Families arrived with folding chairs and blankets. Friends and neighbors filled Pioneer Park, settling in for a cultural show hosted by the one and only Tina of Casa Tina’s Restaurant. She began by introducing herself. And then she told a story. Tina and Javier’s Story Back in 1984, in Miami, Florida, Tina was a waitress. Her future husband, Javier Avila, was a cook. They met in a restaurant, fell in love, married, …

An adult in a full-body wolf costume stands outdoors at night, holding up a clear cocktail glass. The costume features a full-body fur wolf, a detailed wolf head with pointed ears, and paws. The background is a dark, soft-focus night sky, capturing the 'Wine Bar' sign and atmosphere of the "Carnival of the Wolf" event on May 1st, 2026

From Dunedin Dogs to the Stirling Wolf: A Sister City Story

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We love our four-legged pals in Dunedin. Walk down the Pinellas Trail on any given morning, and you will see them—leashed, trotting beside their owners, tongues out, tails wagging. We have Yappy Hours at The Dunedin Smokehouse. We have dog-friendly 5Ks starting at HOB Brewing Company. We have Valentine’s Day fundraisers at Woof Gang Bakery. In Dunedin, dogs are not just pets; they’re family. So it should come as no surprise that when I learned about the legendary wolf at the heart of our Sister City connection, I paid attention. The Wolf That Saved a City More than 1,200 years ago, in the 9th century, the town of Stirling—then a small settlement under Anglo-Saxon rule—faced an invasion under the cover of darkness. Vikings crept up the crag, preparing to raid while the townspeople slept. But they did not count on the wolves. According to the legend, the invaders disturbed a pack of wolves sleeping near the rocky outcrops. The wolves began to howl—loud enough, fierce enough, to wake the entire town. The defenders roused themselves …

Female competitor in traditional kilt balances a tapered wooden caber, aiming for a perfect vertical flip during the Highland Games.

58th Dunedin Highland Games: Pipes, Power, and Pride

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The weather could not have been more cooperative. Clear skies. Temperatures in the low 70s. A cool breeze that carried the sound of bagpipes across the field. On Saturday April 11, 2026, Dunedin celebrated the 58th annual Highland Games, and if you were there, you already know: this was not just an event. It was a homecoming. Scottish descendants gathered from across the state. Vendors lined the village, clan flags snapping in the breeze. Athletes heaved, tossed, and turned. And the music—that unmistakable, spine-tingling sound of pipes and drums—filled the air from morning until late afternoon. The Opening Ceremony It began with honor. Three flags rose over the field: the American flag, the Canadian flag, and the Scottish flag. The national anthems of all three nations were sung as the crowd stood in silence, watching local ROTC students march and hold the flags tall and proud. Then came the pipe bands. The adult band stepped forward first. The music was lark-like, soaring, and it gave me goosebumps. They played with a pride that felt centuries …

Beth Warmath mural at Cotherman Distilling Co in Dunedin Florida showing a sunset over Caladesi Island with pelicans and a fishing boat.

RUMEDIN: A Caladesi Sunset Hidden Along the Pinellas Trail

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I found it by accident. I had spent the afternoon photographing the St. Patrick’s Day event downtown—the crowds, the kilts, the dogs in green bandanas. By the time the festivities wound down, the public roads were still closed, so I parked farther away than usual and took the Pinellas Trail back to my car. Camera still in hand. The light beginning to soften. Behind Cotherman Distilling Company, tucked along the trail where you might miss it if you were not looking, I found “RUMEDIN.” A sunset mural. Vibrant. Almost glowing. The colors captured the sky at that exact hour—oranges melting into pinks, purples deepening toward blue. It was a painting of Caladesi Island at dusk, but it felt like standing on the island itself. The timing was not lost on me. There I was, carrying a camera after a day of documenting Dunedin, stumbling upon a sunset mural at sunset. The alignment felt almost intentional. The Artist Behind the Wall The mural is the work of Beth Warmath, a full-time mural artist based in Clearwater …

“Age of The Cool People” by Storm Ritter

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There is a 60-foot dream on the side of the Blur Nightclub at 325 Main Street. I came across it on a quiet afternoon. At first, it was just a mural—colorful, large, hard to miss. But the longer I stood there, the more it pulled me in. Figures emerged from the composition. Details revealed themselves. The Earth, the Sun, the Star, and the Moon. Tarot imagery. Astrological symbols. And woven throughout, “The Cool People”—performing what the artist calls “a tale of creative fulfillment.” I felt at peace. I felt like I was standing inside someone’s imagination. The Artist Behind the Wall  The mural is the work of Storm Ritter, a surrealist painter and muralist whose style feels like an old-world storybook filtered through a modern dreamscape. In 2022, she was commissioned to create this piece on the east side of the Blur Nightclub building in downtown Dunedin. The result is “Age of The Cool People”—a surrealist experience designed to be discovered slowly. “Hidden within the large scale composition are multitudes of small details and whimsical …

Day Of The Dead 2018

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Come one come all! The most colorful and beautiful event, Dia De Los Muertos, is here again this Saturday October 20th hosted by Casa Tina’s Mexican Restaurant. The festivities begin at 5pm and with a parade at 9 pm. There will be music, food, and crafts from Mexico for purchase. The event will be located at John R. Lawrence Pioneer Park 420 Main Street Dunedin, FL 34698 and for more information (727) 734-9226. Kid friendly and pet friendly. Hope to see you there!