On September 15th, the Harborview Center in Downtown Clearwater played host to the Taste of Clearwater. This annual event provides attendees with the opportunity to sample food from more than fifty restaurants and five beverage providers in the Clearwater area. Samples and tastings were free with the purchase of the $20 admission ticket. An estimated 1,000 people attended the event this year. There was “a variety of dishes from American cuisine to more exotic fare – from hamburgers and spicy wings to sashimi and Thai food,” said Sherri Callahan of the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce. “The goal [of the event] is to bring the community together for food and fun.”
The Clearwater Super Boat National Championships of the Super Boat Racing Series took over the city for the weekend of October 2nd – 4th.
On Friday, Coachman Park was transformed into “Race Village,” hosting the race’s dry pits, and where the public had a chance to meet the drivers and see the boats before the races. On Saturday afternoon, practice runs were held in advance of the races, followed by a concert and fireworks display on Clearwater Beach that evening. The races themselves took place on Sunday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on a 5.3 mile race course beginning off Pier 60, extending north along Clearwater Beach, and looping back. An estimated 20,000 spectators lined the beach, and more than 1,200 boats of all sizes crowded the 2.5 mile stretch alongside the course.