The City of New Port Richey Parks and Recreation Department and the Cultural Affairs Committee are proud to announce they are the recipient of grant funding from the Florida Humanities Council for a weekly February 2019 Speakers Series to be held at the City of New Port Richey Recreation and Aquatic Center at 6630 Van Buren Street. Each Monday evening during the month of February, starting at 6pm, there will be a free lecture on varying topics pertaining to Florida’s vast cultural history. From the foods that are uniquely Florida, to living stories from the state’s most colorful individuals, each evening promises to educate and entertain.
“This program is sponsored by the Florida Humanities Council with funds from the Florida Department State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.”
February 4 Mr. Gary Mormino Florida Foods Palm Room Recreation Center 6:00-7:30pm
February 11 Ms. Caren Neile Florida Love Stories Palm Room Recreation Center 6:00-7:30pm
February 18 Mr. Craig Pitman Oh Florida! Palm Room Recreation Center 6:00-7:30pm
February 25 Betty Jean Steinshauer Old Florida Palm Room Recreation Center 6:00-7:30pm
Gary Mormino is the Frank E. Duckwell Florida Professor of History Emeritus at USF S. Petersburg and a frequent contributor to the Tampa Bay Times. Mr. Mormino teaches a class in food history and is writing a book on Florida foodways.
What are the ten foods that define Florida? Key lime or Sweet potato pie? Was the Cuban sandwich invented in Tampa?
CarenNeile, Ph.D.MFA teaches storytelling studies at Florida Atlantic University and has lectured both national and internationally.
She will be entertaining us right before Valentine’s day with stories of the Great Romances in Florida Lore.
Mr. Craig Pitman, award-winning author and journalist for the Tampa Bay Times, will be sharing How America’s Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country and recounting some of the wilder stories from Florida’s history and culture.
BettyJean Steinshauer is a Fellow in the Florida Studies program at the University of South Florida and the author of The Florida Journeys and will be leading the audience on a journey experiencing Florida through the milieu of three women authors in character and costume: Harriet Beacher Stowe, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and Marjory Stoneman Douglas.
The Parks and Recreation Department is looking forward to partnering with the Florida Humanities Council and presenting to the area citizens a month long series of fascinating programs about Florida’s history, culture and the people who have made Florida the great state it is today!
The Parks and Recreation Department of the City of New Port Richey was created by the City Council 50 years ago with the mission to “Create memorable recreational, parks and aquatic experiences to enhance the quality of life.” In keeping with that mission, the Parks and Recreation Department hosts free family movie nights every month in Sims Park and a series of eight free concerts in Sims Park. Various events within the city parks such as Discover the Preserve celebrating National Kids to Parks Day, a zombie fun run and Scare Trails celebrating Halloween, and an annual children’s art show at the City of New Port Richey Recreation and Aquatic Center are just a few of the department’s annual events.