Any given night on Clearwater Beach, dozens of couples stroll and cuddle as the Earth rotates, daylight wanes and the sun disappears beyond the Gulf of Mexico. The scene is just one of nature's daily displays of vanity. And if you haven't caught a sunset in a while, consider yourself overdue. Go do so.Pier 60, that family-friendly park and fully equipped fishing pier central to Clearwater Beach, hosts mini-festivals for sunset revelers every evening, two hours before sundown until dark.
The three-day Sunsets Beach Fest, taking place April 11-13, combines the pier's regular offerings with special live entertainment, cuisine and exhibits.
Arts and crafts booths pack Artisans Row. Street performers (jugglers, stilt-walkers, fire-eaters and musicians) compete for attention along Buskers Row. Local restaurants and food vendors offer a wide selection of seafood and native Florida cuisine. Carnival rides leer over the sand. And live music stages are set up on the beach south of the pier.
You can have your cheeseburger in paradise and eat it too at a Parrothead Party from 6 to 11 p.m. Fri., April 11. Trinidadian reggae band Creig Camacho and the Mystic Crew play island jams from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. There's a fireworks display over the water at 8:45 p.m. Afterward, The Landsharks Band performs a tribute to Jimmy Buffett from 9 to 11 p.m.
The promoters are calling Saturday's festivities a Spring Break Music Party. There may be more families than college kids on vacation, but oh well. Mandorico — an eight-piece band with a "wall of sound" built from horn, percussion and loud guitar — plays from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. And from 9:30 to 11 p.m., The Turtles, featuring Flo and Eddie, play their hits from the '60s and '70s. A real blast from the past, The Turtles formed in 1964 and landed on the pop charts with their debut single, an arrangement of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe." Signature song: "Happy Together." Hey, maybe Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello will show up.
The theme for Sunday: Mardi Gras Beach Party. OK, so the themes are a bit of a stretch, but the event does include two great blues acts. Catahoula Blue plays down-home Louisiana boogie-woogie from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Fronted by singer/pianist/accordionist Beth McKee, the band puts on a high-energy show. From 7 to 9 p.m., the Funky Blues Messiahs play blues-infused funk. There are also beads. (Beads!)
To get to Pier 60, go west on State Road 60 (Courtney Campbell Causeway and Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard) till it ends at the pier on Clearwater Beach. For a complete schedule, visit www.sunsetsatpier60 .com or call 727-449-1036.
This article appears in Apr 9-15, 2003.
