All posts filed under: Lifestyle

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 …

Historic Victoria Drive homes overlooking the Dunedin Intracoastal and Caladesi Island in Florida.

Southern Living Shines a Spotlight on Dunedin

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It is one thing to know your town is special. It is another to see it in print—on a national stage. Southern Living recently published a feature on Dunedin, calling it an “under-the-radar Florida town” and “Florida’s hidden jewel.” The piece paints a picture of a place that feels untouched by the typical Florida tourist crowds—a town where wildlife outnumbers people on nearby islands, where bluegrass floats from breweries, and where the past is painted on the walls. What They Noticed The magazine highlighted several threads that make Dunedin distinct: The Vibe “Colorful storefronts, unspoiled beaches, and a friendly vibe make this under-the-radar beach town worth a stay.“ The Music At Woodwright Brewing Company, the article describes fiddles mingling with mandolins and banjos in a bluegrass style that is “well orchestrated without feeling a bit rehearsed.“ The Trail The 54-mile Pinellas Trail weaves through downtown, offering cyclists and walkers a path lined with breweries, shops, and restaurants. The History Scottish flags. Annual Celtic celebrations. Sun-weathered orange graffiti flanking doorways—a nod to the area’s citrus-growing roots. …

Seafood house on the Dunedin Marina.

Dunedin Seafood Festival 2026: A Day of Food, Music, and Coastal Vibes

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They came for the seafood. They stayed for the day. The Dunedin Seafood Festival returned Saturday, March 7, and if the crowds were any indication, this town was ready for it. The weather delivered perfectly—clear skies, a cool sea breeze, and sunshine that made every hour feel like a postcard. From noon until evening, Edgewater Park was filled with people doing exactly what Dunedin does best: gathering by the water, enjoying good food, and letting the day unfold. What We Saw Local vendors brought out their best—fresh catches, stone crabs, and dishes that had people lining up with napkins ready. Cold beverages flowed alongside the food, keeping everyone comfortable as the sun moved across the marina. Over at the gazebo, Tampa Bay native Aubrey Wollett and her band took the stage. Her music has been described as “a refreshing beach vibe to this country music era with a captivating sound and catchy songs.” Her songs drifted across the grass, mixing with the sound of conversations and the occasional bark from a very happy dog. And …

“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 …

Midtown Parking Garage Gets Chamber Endorsement, City Sets 2027 Construction Target

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A second parking garage is coming to downtown Dunedin. 🚧

The Midtown Parking Garage—planned for Douglas Avenue and Scotland Street—has received formal support from the Chamber of Commerce. Construction is targeted for Spring 2027.

The price tag? $4 million for the land, $10 million to build.

But not everyone is sold. Some residents worry about cost, design, and who the garage is really for.

We took a deep dive into the proposal, the history, and what neighbors are saying.

Full story at the link in bio. 📖☝️

Mardi Gras 2026: Dunedin Showed Up

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Fat Tuesday returned to Dunedin on February 17, and the city showed up exactly the way it should. The weather was perfect—clear skies, cool and dry. Downtown was closed to traffic, opened to pedestrians, and filled with everything that makes this town worth documenting. The parade stepped off just after 7 p.m., led by Dunedin’s finest emergency crews strutting out freshly washed and polished firetrucks. Local businesses rolled through on floats that punched above their weight for a town this size. A percussion band kept the beat. Baton twirlers spun through intersections, followed by flag twirlers. And from the bow of a pirate float, beads flew into an audience that came ready to catch them. Musicians played. Vendors served local bites alongside familiar chain merchants. The scent of street food mixed with the salt air from the coast. Beads. Bands. The aroma of fresh beignets in the air. It was Mardi Gras in Dunedin. The crowd stretched blocks deep. Families. Dogs. Visitors from nearby towns. Locals who have watched this parade for decades. All ages. …

“What’s In a Name”

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“What’s In A Name?” William Shakespeare. In Romeo And Juliet Shakespeare uses this line to convey that the name in which something is called is irrelevant. In 2011 this small town nestled along the coast line of the Florida gulf coast received an expensive lawsuit from Scotland. Yes, you are correct… Scotland the country in the United Kingdom. You see as you may already know Dunedin is an old citrus farming town settled by Scottish immigrants back in the late 1800’s in which our name is taken from Scottish Gaelic Dùn Èideann and our towns traditions are closely related to our sister city in the UK, therefor our Dunedin Golf Club was once named St. Andrews Links. Just like the beautiful and historic and centuries old, Scotland’s St. Andrews Links golf course, we have our own golf club. Scotland wanted to take back that name for their new website but they couldn’t because our little ole town in Florida USA had it taken already. Washington D.C’s Nixon Peabody Esquire, notified our little town that we …