Boca Ciega Millennium Park, Seminole's scenic 184.6-acre expanse of greenery located right on Boca Ciega Bay, hosts its fourth annual Discovery Day & Nature Festival this Saturday, a family-friendly event focusing on nature and conservation. Attendees enjoy a butterfly tent, games and nature-related crafts for the kids, cast-netting and snake programs, live music by Providence, prize giveaways, a petting zoo, pony rides, a native plant sale, information booths with representatives from several environmentally-conscious nonprofits and the premiere of Wild Life, a public "Art in the Park" display of six quirky, nature-themed sculptural installations by Leslie Fry. A giant pine cone covered in plaster hands, bird-women in trees, cobweb ladders leading to imaginary oak tree communities, and mysterious figures that support leaning trees are integrated into the natural surroundings and scattered along a three-quarter-mile boardwalk trail, the idea being that the works create opportunities for discussion and reflection on the myriad of natural treasures the park has to offer. Sat., March 3, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Wild Life is on display indefinitely), Boca Ciega Millennium Park, 12410 74th Ave. N. (Old Oakhurst Road), Seminole, pinellascounty.org.
This article appears in Feb 28 – Mar 6, 2007.