Winter/Spring Event Guide for Clearwater & Tampa Bay

With the New Year come many exciting new and annual events happening throughout the Clearwater, Tampa, and St. Pete areas. With so many things to see and do in the next few months, we here at your new and used car dealership in Clearwater, Dimmitt Chevrolet, thought we could lend a hand by offering our Winter/Spring Event Guide. This handy guide puts some of the top local and regional events happening throughout our extended area from January to March 2016 in one convenient place.

Atlantic Starr performs at the 2015 Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival. Photo Credit: tampablackheritage.org

16th Annual Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival, Jan. 16 - 17
Celebrating Tampa's "heart and soul," this spectacular event features a dazzling array of live entertainment with national recording artists, educational seminars, a golf tournament, food vendors galore, and more. All the fun and excitement happens at Curtis Hixon Park.


17th Annual Clearwater Distance Classic, Jan. 17
This "Halfathon" is one of Florida's most challenging races. With magnificent vistas, the entire course is within a ¼-mile of Clearwater Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The Distance Classic offers several choices of events, including a 50K ultra, a marathon, a 5-mile run, and a 5K walkathon. The event begins and ends at Coachman Park.

MLK National Parade & Battle of the Bands, Jan. 19 & 20
St. Petersburg celebrates the vision, courage, and impact of Dr. Martin Luther King with the nation's longest-running MLK parade. The parade route starts at Tropicana Field and ends at Vinoy Park. A special Battle of the Bands and Drum Line Extravaganza add to the excitement.

Florida State Fair, Feb. 4 - 15
Come out to the Florida State Fairgrounds at 4800 US Highway 301 North in Tampa for the state's largest fair. The event stretches back to 1904 when it was known as the Florida State Mid-Winter Festival. Today, the Florida State Fair attracts more than a half-million people with an unbelievable array of things to see and do.

5th Annual Clearwater Beach "Uncorked" Food & Wine Festival, Feb. 6 & 7
Wine and dine in the splendor of Clearwater Beach. Enjoy the hippest gastronomic event on Florida's west coast with world-class dining, wine tasting, microbrews, and more. Proceeds benefit the University of South Florida's School of Hospitality and Technology.

Photo credit: Bay Area Renaissance Festival Facebook page

38th Annual Bay Area Renaissance Festival, Feb. 16 - Mar. 20
My lords and ladies, kindly visit MOSI for the area's largest Renaissance Festival. Bigger and better than ever, you'll enjoy traveling back in time to the Age of Chivalry with 12 stages, food vendors, performers, costumed characters, armored jousting, and so much more. Open weekends. Huzzah!

24th Annual Dunedin Mardi Gras Celebration, Feb. 20
Dunedin pulls out all the stops to celebrate Mardi Gras with a festive, rollicking party. It's a true family event in Pioneer Park with a Mardi Gras parade featuring more than 50 colorful floats. The event draws thousands of revelers and is sponsored by the Downtown Dunedin Merchants Association.

Florida Strawberry Festival, March 3 -13
This major event in nearby Plant City draws thousands of people with an impressive lineup of headline entertainment, a carnival midway, Sunnybell Kiddie Korral, Neighborhood Village, and more.

Valspar PGA Golf Championship, March 7-14
One of the PGA's premier tour events, the Valspar Championship, brings some of the top names in golf to the legendary Innisbrook Golf Course. Enjoy a variety of special events during the Championship, including a special concert by Rascal Flatts, A Par 4-Miler running event, and more. Last year's 2015 champion Jordan Spieth bested Patrick Reed and Sean O'Hare on the third playoff hole to win the title, on his way to becoming Masters champion and winner of the FedEx Cup. 

IndyCars roar around the street course in St.Petersburg. Photo Credit: Indycar.com

Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, March 11 - 13
Thrill to the roar, raw speed, and skill of IndyCars as they wind their way through a 1.8-mile, 14-turn race course through downtown St. Pete. The Grand Prix is part of the Verizon IndyCar Series. Events and activities include the Bright House Speed Zone, Beer Garden, Drive Autograph Sessions, Interactive Games & Exhibits, and Live Music.

Every Day Is A Special Event At Dimmitt Chevrolet

As your local Chevy dealer near Tampa Bay, Dimmitt Chevrolet is your 2016 savings headquarters. Every day is a special sales event here at our Clearwater Chevy dealership with exceptional savings on our entire lineup of Chevy cars and trucks. If you are looking for a new or used car in Clearwater, Tampa Bay or St. Pete, we have some of the best new Chevy specials and used car deals around. Visit our Clearwater Chevy dealership today, located at 25485 US Highway 19 North, Clearwater, FL 33763; or call us at 888-867-1203.

Sources:
http://www.visitstpeteclearwater.com/event-guide/winter-events-and-festivals
http://www.clearwaterdistanceclassic.com/
http://bayarearenfest.com/
http://clearwaterbeachuncorked.com/home/ http://www.clearwaterflorida.org/visitor/special_events.aspx
http://www.floridastatefair.com/p/about
http://www.dunedinmardigras.com/
http://www.flstrawberryfestival.com/
http://www.gpstpete.com/
http://valsparchampionship.com/schedule-of-events/ 

Photo Credits:
http://tampablackheritage.org/
https://www.facebook.com/bayarearenaissance
http://www.indycar.com/Schedule/2016/IndyCar-Series/St-Petersburg