Displaying items by tag: Clearwater

I had been anticipating Clearwater Fashion Week from the event’s first press release. As soon as I read the words “designer clothes at sample sale prices,” I knew it was going to be a good event, but what it evolved into was beyond my expectations. When I stepped inside Station Square’s first floor retail space, it was like walking into an industrial-chic, converted warehouse boutique in SoHo, New York.

Opening night on Wednesday, Sept 2nd, brought out the “who’s who” in Clearwater, and then some. City Councilman George Cretekos was there, shopping with his wife, and Mayor Hibbard was on the scene early as well. Paul Wilson of Wilson Media & Advertising and the Sunscreen Film Festival hosted the night’s fashion show, and TV star Jason Dohring (Veronica Mars, Moonlight) stopped by to lend his support to friend and fashion show producer Sarah Clouden. Clouden, who has eight years experience producing fashion shows and even her own line of lingerie in Europe, directed the runway shows for the week.

On August 13th, the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce and the City of Clearwater helped the United States Coast Guard celebrate their 219th birthday. The festivities were held at Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, the largest and busiest Coast Guard air station in the country.

The Clearwater Jazz Holiday has a thirty year reputation for bringing some of the best names in jazz music to Clearwater, Florida. This year is no different. The four day festival, which is completely free thanks to donations and volunteers, will take place in Coachman Park October 15th through 18th.

Al Jarreau will headline on the opening night, which is a Thursday. Jarreau is a seven time Grammy Award winner who holds the distinction of being the only vocalist to win in three separate categories: jazz, pop and R&B. Jarreau is known for his “innovative musical expressions”.  He has performed with Miles Davis and has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his musical accomplishments. 

Spend your Friday night with one of People Magazine’s 50 most beautiful people, Chris Botti! The jazz trumpeter will be headlining the second night of the festival. Rising above the “Muzak” label he was branded with early on in his career, Botti has proven himself to be a versatile musician, excelling in both jazz and pop. He is one of the world’s top selling instrumental artists, and has performed with Sting, Josh Groban, Steven Tyler, Yo-Yo Ma and John Mayer to name a few.

Last night was the first night of Clearwater Fashion week and it was fabulous! I have been excited about this event since I first got the press release, but the opening night was beyond my expectations. What’s not to love about it? Designer clothes for sample sale prices, good food catered by the Belleair Country Club, and a runway fashion show featuring Gioffre, Roberto Cavalli, Whitley Kros and Craig Taylor!

The event was full of “who’s who” in Clearwater, and then some! Actor Jason Dohring stopped by, as well as Paul Wilson and designer Craig Taylor, who was instrumental in making this fantastic event possible. I even had to brush past the mayor to get my hands on my 45% off Rebecca Minkoff handbag! A percentage of the sales benefitted Ruth Eckerd Hall, so really it was a donation…

On Friday, August 21st, Man’s best friend met America’s Pastime at Bark at the Ball Park. Dog owners brought their pets of all breeds and sizes to Bright House Field for a Clearwater Threshers game.

 The event is put on by the Humane Society of Pinellas annually during the minor league season. “Ultimately these types of events are Fundraisers,” says Twila Cole, the special events coordinator for the Humane Society of Pinellas. “We raise money through selling Sponsorship, Vendor spaces, tickets for Raffle Baskets that are made with donations and for some events we also sell shirts.

The first of three large-scale sculptures was installed on Cleveland Street on August 27th. The piece is titled “Going Green” by Jack Howard Potter of Long Island City, NY and is on display east of the Cleveland Street and Garden Avenue intersection.

The sculptures are part of the Sculpture 360: Season II year-long exhibit of public art. The sculpture program provides new works every year in Downtown Clearwater and is funded through a partnership with the Downtown Development Board. The program brings high-quality public art work to enhance the aesthetics of the area for residents and visitors can enjoy.

The night was almost dark black with the moon about to rise over the horizon.  A small boy with a large bat came out of the shadows of the dugout and approached home plate.  The lights on the field were bright and blinded him a little, but he adjusted as he stepped into the batters box.  Two outs, two men on base and his team was down in the game by one run.

This autumn, the Cleveland Street District in Downtown Clearwater will be alive with events and concerts. Many events are free, and all of them are fun. Check out the schedule below to see what is happening.

The 1st Annual Clearwater Super Boat National Championship will be held on Clearwater Beach October 2nd – 4th.

Former Clearwater Mayor Brian Aungst, who is also the Race Chairman, is excited about the event coming to town “I think it’ll be a great event for the area,” he says. “It’s a family event, it’s a fun event.” He is looking forward to the races becoming an annual event, as well as getting to show off both the completed Beach Walk project on South Clearwater Beach, and the beautiful Gulf of Mexico view to incoming visitors. “It’s a great time to bring people here,” he says.

Clearwater Police Chief Sid Klein announced his retirement at the conclusion of his monthly staff meeting on August 13th. He gave his official six-month notice; setting Jan. 29, 2010 as his last day.

Chief Klein began his career with the Clearwater Police Department on Jan. 5, 1981. During his command, Chief Klein has recruited, trained and retained top caliber people in the law enforcement profession. He has also established an international reputation for CPD as a professional and progressive police agency.