Green Community Calendar weekend events: Green Halloween, climate action rally, green expo and more

By Katie Machol Simon on Thu, Oct 22, 2009 at 11:47 am

Ellenton Farmers Market- Saturdays; 8 am - 1 pm. Ellenton Farmers’ Market will be the largest year-round market in florida that specializes in "green" natural, organic and environmentally friendly products that makes for a healthier lifestyle and a better environment. Located just North of the Prime Outlet Mall in Ellenton, Florida (exit 224, Old Exit 43, off I - 75).

18th Anniversary Celebration at Treehouse Yoga Center- Saturday, October 24, 8:30 am-4:30 pm. In celebration of the 18 years of yoga at TreeHouse Yoga Center there will be free classes and clinics offered all day including: On the Wall, Intermediate Flow, Yoga Basics, Hot yoga, Intro to Mysore Ashtanga, Beginning Yoga, Breathing 101 and Intro to Flow. Surrounded by oaks and overlooking the Hillsborough River, TreeHouse Yoga Center has provided a tranquil setting for practice, meditation and reflection since 1991.

For more information, call (813) 932-5456 or visit www.treehouseyoga.com. 8509 N. 29th St., Tampa.

St. Pete Saturday Morning Market- Every Saturday; 9 am to 2 pm. Downtown St. Petersburg in the Al Lang Stadium parking lot / 1st Ave. S and 1st St. Open October 3 through May 29.

Guided Hike at Weedon Island Preserve- Every Saturday; 9-11 am. Guided hikes through coastal mangrove and upland ecosystems of the Preserve are held on most Saturdays of the month. Join us to learn about the coastal environment and the early residents of Weedon Island Preserve. Be sure to bring water and a snack for this 2-hour hike. A hat and closed-toe shoes are also recommended. Reserve your space by 2 pm on the Friday prior to the tour of choice. This event is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required. Recommended ages: 6 and up. Weedon Island Preserve- 1800 Weedon Drive N.E. St. Petersburg, FL 33702. (727) 453-6500.

Guided Hike at Brooker Creek Preserve- Every Saturday; 9-11 am. Take a walk through time each Saturday morning on a guided hike along the Education Center Trail. Join us for this 0.75 mile walk as we look at how the land has changed over time and discuss the ecological footprints left by those changes. Sturdy closed-toe shoes are a must, and water and a hat are recommended. Pre-registration is required by 12:00 noon on the Friday before the hike. Admission: Free. All ages welcome - children younger than 6 may find this hike challenging. 3940 Keystone Rd. Tarpon Springs, FL 34688. (727) 453-6800.

Tampa Joins International Day of Action to Take a Stand for a Safe Climate Future- Saturday, October 24; 10 am. On October 24, people from Tampa will join Greenpeace to hear the importance of acting now for the climate and gather together to take a stand for the climate and a clean energy future as part of the largest global day of climate action ever. The event is one of more than 3,000 events in over 150 countries to call on President Obama and other world leaders to secure a fair, ambitious and binding global deal in Copenhagen this December at the UN Climate Change Conference. Greenpeace is calling on President Obama to lead the world toward a solution to the climate crisis that is based on the latest science, not the demands of oil and coal companies and their backers in Congress. Rally and march along Bayshore for Climate Leaders, Not Politicians. Local residents will join Greenpeace for the largest ever international day of climate action to urge President Obama and other world leaders to take fast and effective action on global warming. 324 Bayshore Blvd, Tampa. For more information: www.350.org/tampa350

Homeowner's Green Living Expo & Science Fair- Saturday, October 24; 10 am. The Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the US Green Building Council will sponsor a Green Living Expo and Sustainable Science Fair Saturday, October 24th from 10 am to 3 pm. There will be several educational sessions planned, some of which include: Tax Credits and Incentives; Greening the Interior of your home including interior design products and cleaning products and Greening the Exterior of your home including lawn care and landscaping. The Green Living Expo is a FREE event wherein individuals and homeowners have an opportunity to learn how to save money while doing our part to be more environmentally conscious. For more information, email Deborah Eldridge at [email protected]. Science Center Of Pinellas County- 7701 22nd Avenue N., Saint Petersburg.

Selecting Florida-Friendly Plants for Your Landscape- Saturday, October 24; 10-11 am. Selecting the right plants for your yard will be much easier after attending this class that introduces Florida-Friendly plants. Dale Armstrong, an educator from the University of Florida IFAS Extension in Pinellas County, uses photographs as he discusses how to research and choose Florida-Friendly ground covers, shrubs, and trees. Join us to get started on the path to selecting plants that are appropriate for your landscape and your needs. Pre-registration is required. Admission: Free. Best for adults. 3940 Keystone Rd. Tarpon Springs, FL 34688. (727) 453-6800.

Ocean Fest- Saturday, October 24; 10 am-4:30 pm. Over 50 vendors, live entertainment, food and beverages, Trashy Fashion Show, Yacht Tour, live animals from the Florida Aquarium, educational vignettes & scavenger hunt through Riverwalk, Children’s Treasure Hunt, “Don’t Litter” Poster Contest (open to K-12th grade students in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, & Manatee counties), Found Object Sculptures, Awards Ceremony @ 4:00pm (prizes for all the children), and more. Cotanchobee Park, 601 Channelside Drive, Tampa, FL 33602.

Free Vegetarian Indian Cooking Class- Saturday, October 24; 11 am. The menu will consist of: Saag, caramelized onions, Mango Kulfi for dessert, and more. Nature's Food Patch- 1225 Cleveland St, Clearwater. 727-443-6703; http://www.naturesfoodpatch.com/

Pumpkin Patch Decorating at Whole Foods- Saturday, October 24; 3-3:30 pm. Come to our pumpkin patch decorating class for children ages 5-12. Each child will be given a pumpkin and all the art supplies necessary to create a beautiful pumpkin that can be left at the store and entered into a contest to win "best of the patch " and a $25.00 gift certificate on Saturday October 31st. Event is limited to 25 children. Registration is required at [email protected] or at store exit lobby. Whole Foods Market Tampa- 1548 North Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa. 813.874.9435.

Trick or Treat Event at Whole Foods- Saturday, October 24; 3:30-4:30 pm. Bring your trick or treaters to this fun and engaging event. Children, ages 1-12 can trick or treat their way through the store stopping in at each department to receive a treat from one of our team member characters. This event is limited to 50 children and requires registration at [email protected] or at store exit lobby. Whole Foods Market Tampa- 1548 North Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa. 813.874.9435.

Sweetwater Farm's showing of Fresh- Saturday, October 24; 7 pm. FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are reinventing our food system. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision of our food and our planet’s future. FRESH addresses an ethos that has been sweeping the nation and is a call to action America has been waiting for.FRESH recaptures our sense of agency and makes us believe that our individual actions in fact do matter. Throughout the film we encounter the most inspiring people, ideas, and initiatives around the US. And thus, FRESH showcases real people first and foremost, connecting audiences not with facts and figures or apocalyptic policy analysis, but with personal stories of change.There will be a discussion and Q&A led by Rick Martinez after the movie and organic popcorn and drinks will be available. $5 for adults and children 6 and up. Sweetwater Organic Community Farm- 6942 W. Comanche Ave., Tampa. Contact : [email protected] or (813) 887-4066.

Rock the River Concert- Sunday, October 25; 11 am-3 pm. The ultimate pre-concert party, environmentally-friendly companies/ food & beverage vendors, music & entertainment. Cotanchobee Park, 601 Channelside Drive, Tampa, FL.

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Looking for something green-related to do this weekend? Look no further than our own Green Community Calendar.

Dunedin Green Market- Every Friday; 8 am- 1 pm. The Dunedin Green Market is located in Pioneer Park at the cross streets of Douglas Avenue and Main Street in Downtown Dunedin and runs every Friday.

Dialogue on Climate Change and Coastal Conservation- Friday, October 23; 9 am-12 pm. On October 23rd, participate and be part of a lively discussion on climate change adaptation strategies and ways to maintain our coasts as places where people and wildlife can thrive. The Dialogue on Climate Change and Coastal Conservation will explore what we must do to prepare for the challenges of a changing coastline. The Dialogue will build on and increase cooperation for protecting natural resources and the economy in response to the effects of global warming. Free event. Seating is limited so please reserve your seats now. Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park, 950 Lake Carillon Drive, St. Petersburg, FL 33716.

Tampa Downtown Market- Fridays October-May; 10 am-2 pm. The vision of the Tampa Downtown Market is to provide local residents and businesses of the community with the freshest, highest quality, most nutritious, and most reasonably priced food & gourmet products. The mission of the Tampa Downtown Market is to serve as a community-gathering place where local farmers, producers, and artisans can offer fresh agricultural and related products to generate a sense of local pride and further the economic development of Downtown Tampa. With a strong focus on sustainability, the Tampa Downtown Market intends to provide a vehicle to educate the community on the importance of good health as we create more business opportunities and residential benefits. Located in Lykes Gaslight Square- Tampa St. & Kennedy Blvd., Downtown Tampa.

2009 Audubon Assembly- Friday and Saturday, October 23-24. Come and enjoy two days of Audubon fellowship. Connect with nature and birds on expert-led and self-guided field trips. Celebrate Audubon chapter milestones, too: St. Petersburg Audubon turns 100 and Clearwater Audubon is 50 this year. Deepen your knowledge at exciting learning sessions. And share your stories of how climate change is affecting your life and the places you care about. See the full Assembly schedule. Register here. Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park, 950 Lake Carillon Drive, St. Petersburg, FL 33716.

Green Halloween- Friday, October 23; 3:30-6:30 pm. Who says Halloween has to be unhealthy? And who says healthy can’t be fun? Green Halloween® is about making Halloween happy and healthy and about creating community traditions we can all be proud of. Divine Events will host Tampa’s inaugural Green Halloween on Friday, October 23, from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Hyde Park Village. Event activities include a pumpkin patch cake walk, bobbing for organic apples, make your own Halloween bag out of old TBPM magazines, "best green costume" contest, and much more! National Sponsors Cascadian Farms, Glee Gum, Larabar & Surf Sweets will be providing healthy snacks for kids. Divine Events will also be collecting used children’s Halloween costumes, in good condition, to donate to The Alpha House of Tampa for use by less fortunate children. Local sponsors include Lowry Park Zoo, Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine, Seedlings, My Green Home, and Nicole Geller Photography. To read all about Green Halloween® and find fun events near you, visit GreenHalloween.org/Tampa. You can learn how to get involved locally, sign up for the super nifty newsletter, and share DIY costume ideas, recipes, and more on the new discussion board. There’s even a trick-or-treat bag design contest for kids! For more information visit www.greenhalloween.org/tampa or contact Barbara Keskiner at [email protected] or 727.403.5868.