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Good Morning!

Hope you had a great Valentine’s weekend. There was a lot going on around town, and while Sunday’s storm wasn’t too bad, it did knock our power out for about an hour. Hopefully you made it through without any issues.

This week the Pasco County Fair is in full swing over in Dade City, with plenty to see, do, and eat. I included a few helpful links since there’s so much happening. On top of that, there are more local markets than we’ve seen in one weekend in a while, and if you’re up for a coastal trip, the Crab & Shrimp Festival in Hudson is another fun option.

Now that the weather’s settled back down, let’s make it a great week.

-Mike

Access local events three different ways:

In this edition of the North Tampa Buzz:

⚡ Lightning players visit kids at AdventHealth Tampa
🐕 Pasco Fire Rescue launches first search & rescue K9 team
🏗️ Major Trinity retail project plans filed (BJ’s, Home Depot & more)
🎡 Pasco County Fair returns for a full week of rides, shows & food

…and more!

Feel free to follow us on Instagram for more local updates.

About three-quarters of readers said they’d like to see some mention of events happening at the larger Tampa venues. Starting Friday, we’ll begin including a small section near the end of the newsletter and use it to get a feel for which types of Tampa events you’d like to see most.

Lightning Surprise Visit Brightens Hospital Day

This was one of those moments that really meant something for local families going through a tough time. Tampa Bay Lightning players Ryan McDonagh and Jonas Johansson, along with mascot ThunderBug, spent time visiting young patients at AdventHealth Tampa, the hospital right by MOSI in the USF area.

They handed out stuffed bears, signed autographs, took photos, and chatted with kids and their families throughout the visit. Parents shared that the experience brought smiles, helped take their minds off what they were facing, and created memories they won’t forget.

The visit is part of the team’s ongoing partnership with AdventHealth and their effort to stay involved in the community. For the kids, it was a chance to meet their heroes in person. For families, it was a bright moment during a stressful time.

Pasco’s First Search And Rescue K9

Here’s something pretty cool happening locally. Pasco County Fire Rescue has added its first-ever search and rescue K9 team, pairing Inspector Justin Walker with a certified live-find dog named Flynn. Here’s the post from the heroes.

The two are actively training together to prepare for real deployments, including disaster response and missing person searches. Fire officials say this new team strengthens the county’s ability to handle complex rescue situations and adds another layer of support for the community.

Big Retail Plans Filed For Trinity

This comes from a well-known local development group that closely tracks official permits and county filings, and this one looks like real movement. New construction plans were just submitted for a large project near SR-54 and Little Road in Trinity, including a BJ’s Wholesale Club with a fuel station and a Home Depot with a garden center.

The site is expected to become a new shopping center called “The Marketplace at Trinity.” Long-term plans also show space for an Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, another restaurant, retail buildings, and a bank, though those additional projects haven’t formally submitted construction plans yet.

Traffic improvements are part of the proposal too, including a future traffic light at SR-54 and Cattle Ranch Way that would serve as the main entrance. Another nearby light at Mitchell Ranch Road and SR-54 is expected to begin construction soon, separate from this project but connected to the area.

This is the first time specific businesses have submitted official development plans for the site, which signals the project may finally be moving forward after years of different concepts and early ideas floating around.

A Huge Thank You to our wonderful local partners!

$50M Move Keeps Rays Talks Alive

While this update comes from Florida Politics, it centers on Hillsborough College and the Rays discussions here locally. The Florida Senate included a $50 million funding request for improvements at the Dale Mabry campus, a location tied to ongoing talks about a possible new ballpark and mixed-use redevelopment.

The House left the request out of its budget plan, so it now heads into negotiations before anything is finalized. If approved, the funding would support campus upgrades like academic facilities, workforce training space, and infrastructure, with a construction timeline that lines up with the Rays’ previously discussed 2029 target.

New Aircraft Hangar Opens At TPA

If you’ve noticed more activity around the airport lately, this helps explain part of it. Sheltair Aviation just opened a new maintenance, repair, and overhaul hangar at Tampa International Airport, adding more than 50,000 square feet of space on the north side of the runway.

The facility can handle large private and business aircraft, including Boeing Business Jets, and includes office space, staging areas, and fueling support. Airport leaders say the expansion reflects growing demand for general aviation services and marks the ninth hangar complex now operating at TPA.

Sheltair mainly works with private and corporate aviation, not commercial airline flights. They provide services like aircraft maintenance, fueling, and hangar space for business jets and charter planes, so this expansion points to continued growth in that side of the airport. This probably matters more to you than me… but if you happen to have an extra seat to fill, I’m very available.

Pasco County Animal Services Presents: Mak

Mak (A000245) is the poster boy for “gentle giant” and is looking for his forever snuggles. Mak is a 5-year old Anatolian Shepherd who came to PCAS after becoming an escape artist. If we’re being honest, we cannot believe that this absolute gem of a dog hasn’t been snatched up yet. He’s a big goofball and a volunteer favorite. Mak also gets along with other dogs and is a star in doggie playgroup. Meet Mak today!

Pasco County Animal Services
19640 Dogpatch Lane
Land O Lakes, FL 34638
Tues - Thurs 12-5:30pm
Fri - Sat 12-6:30pm
(813) 929-1212
MyPasco.net/PAS

I hope this answers the question, “What is there to do around town without having to drive down to Tampa?”

Instead of listing every single event here, I’m going to start highlighting/featuring a few things each day to keep this section easy to scan. So these are just some standouts.

If you’re looking for everything happening around town, the full Community Calendar is still the best place to go. Or, you can find the full list here.

Pasco County Fair Week Kicks Off
Pasco County Fairgrounds, Dade City
Feb. 16–22, Hours & Tickets
Map
Event Schedule

The Pasco County Fair is back for the week and it’s basically the biggest “something for everyone” event going on right now. Gates open starting at 3–4 PM on weekdays, earlier on the weekend, with rides, live entertainment, exhibits, food vendors, and family activities running throughout each day.

Expect a full midway with rides, concerts included with admission, animal exhibits, talent shows, rodeo events, demonstrations, and special attractions like comedy acts and petting zoos. It runs all week at the fairgrounds in Dade City, with free parking and daily schedules that change depending on the day, so it’s worth checking before you go.

11th Annual SunWest Crab & Shrimp Festival
SunWest Park, Hudson
Saturday, Feb 21 (11 AM–8 PM) & Sunday, Feb 22 (11 AM–6 PM)
Tickets

If you’re looking for a laid-back weekend by the water with plenty going on, this one checks all the boxes. The SunWest Crab & Shrimp Festival brings live bands, 15+ seafood vendors, crab races, games, and tournaments right onto the beach, all while supporting local charities that have raised over $80,000 through the event. Admission includes entertainment all weekend (food and drinks sold separately), kids under 18 get in free, and parking at the park is $5 with a free lot just south of the entrance if you don’t mind a short walk.

We’ll be on Instagram with updates wherever we end up. Feel free to slide into our DM’s.

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