Fall Festival 'A Big Deal'

By STEPHEN HAMMILL, The Tampa Tribune
http://northwest2.tbo.com/content/2007/oct/06/nw-fall-festival-a-big-deal/
Published: October 6, 2007

KEYSTONE - Residents are gearing up for their first Family Fun Day, to be held Oct. 20.

The day of live music, food and kid-friendly activities takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Keystone Recreation Center, 17928 Gunn Highway.

The Keystone Civic Association is organizing the event and hopes to make it an annual affair.

'We're committed to calling all organizations in the area and getting them involved - civic, patrol, faith-based,' association President Tom Aderhold said.

More than a dozen local organizations are committed, including the Friends of the Austin Davis Library, Keystone Community Church, the Odessa/Citrus Park Historical Society, American Legion Post 147 and the Hillsborough County Firefighters Union.

Members of the 57-year-old Fern Garden Club will sell baked goods and plants throughout the day. The Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department will provide a snow-cone machine.

'All the food groups are going to be there: hot dogs, corn on the cob and sloppy Joes,' said Barbara Dowling of the association.

Teachers from the recreation center will provide free lessons in karate, jousting, art, calligraphy and yoga. There will be face painting, a hay ride and a classic car show.

'The kids will be able to make scarecrows for Halloween,' Aderhold said. 'I'm excited about that one.'

Local handyman Harry Gurr will display some of his antique farming equipment, including a working corn grinder and jump-rope maker.

'It's a great old craft the kids can easily pick up, and it gets them pretty active,' he said.

Aderhold said the association chose fall to avoid Gasparilla in winter and 'because it's just too doggone hot in the summertime.'

At a meeting of the association Thursday he committed to visit every business in the greater Keystone area to post festival fliers.

'This is a big deal for us,' he said.

For information, call (813) 264-3819 or visit www. keystonecivic.org.

Reporter Stephen Hammill can be reached at (813) 865-1523 or at shammill@tampatrib.com.