Good Times: Greek food, festivals and more | Lifestyle

THIS WEEKEND, THIS WEEK

Attend the Fall Greek Festival

Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church will host a Fall Greek Festival Art & Vendor Expo from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 15 and 16 and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 17 at the church, 4705 W. Gulf-to-Lake Highway in Lecanto.

Enjoy Greek specialty dinners, gyros, Greek pastries, a live Greek band and dancers, art, merchandise and vendors.

Admission is $2 and parking is free. For more information, visit stmichaelgoc.org/festival.html.

Enjoy a look at old Florida cards

Take a short drive and view some lovely historic postcards at the Sunshine Post Card Club’s fall postcard and ephemera show and sale in Tampa. The event, one of three for 2021, will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct.

16, at the Country Inn and Suites, 4750 N. Dale Mabry Highway.

Admission is $3 for adults, and children younger than 12 are admitted for free. Free coffee and pastries are served.

An annual club membership to the Sunshine Post Card Club, which includes a newsletter and free admission to all shows, is $10 for singles and $15 for a family.

For more information, call Leah Schnall at 941-753-8794 or email [email protected].

Lakeside Family Festival set

Footprints On My Heart is holding its third annual Lakeside Family Festival from noon to 6 p.m. Oct. 16 at Lake

Hernando.

Kids can enjoy the bounce house and the obstacle course with a special appearance by Batman of Springhill. Adults

can shop at unique vendors and enter to win great prizes in raffle baskets.

Come hungry and enjoy hot dogs, hamburgers, boiled peanuts and cotton candy.

This is a fundraising event for Footprints On My Heart, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit which supports families who suffer from a miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal or infant loss.

For more information, visit tinyurl.com/278w7zrw.

Elks to host arts and craft festival

The Ladies of the West Citrus Elks will host their annual arts and craft festival from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday,

Oct. 16, at the Elks Lodge, 7890 W. Grover Cleveland Blvd. in Homosassa.

The Elks’ event will highlighting local artists and arts vendors for the festival. Everyone is welcome.

For information or an application, call 352-586-8886.

Register for ‘Hero’s Walk for Life’

The Pregnancy and Family Life Center will have their Hero’s Walk for Life at 9 a.m. Oct. 16 at Liberty Park, 268 N. Apopka Ave. in Inverness. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.

Participants are encouraged to wear their favorite hero costume. For more information or to register online, visit pflcenter.com.

Veterans picnic at VFW Post 10087

VFW District 7 will have a picnic with food, music and games for adults and children at noon Oct. 16 at VFW Post 10087, 2170 W. Vet Lane in Beverly Hills.

All veterans and their families are invited. There will be a veteran’s administration representative and members of state congressional and senate representatives to answer questions.

Orchid Society to have 2021 auction

The Nature Coast Orchid Society (NCOS) will have their 2021 auction at noon Oct. 16 at the VFW Post 8691, 18940 Drayton St. in Spring Hill. A preview begins at 11:30 a.m.

Award-winning hybrid and species orchid varieties and supplies from professional growers will be available for

bid. NCOS will also have orchids available for bid.

Cash or checks are accepted.

For more information, contact Gertie Messenger at [email protected] or 352-895-4035.

Faith O’Brien opens concert series

Faith O’Brien will present a solo piano concert Sunday, Oct. 17, at the Dunnellon Presbyterian Church located at 20641 Chestnut St, Dunnellon. This will be the opening event of their 2021-2022 season.

The concert will begin at 3 p.m. and will include classical, popular and sacred selections.

The concert is free, and all are welcome.

MOPH to have mobile education exhibit

The Military Order of the Purple Heart Aaron A. Weaver Chapter 776 will host a mobile education exhibit from Wreaths Across America at 9 a.m. Oct. 18 at Liberty Park, 268 N. Apopka Ave. in Inverness.

The mission of Wreaths Across America is to remember the fallen, honor those who serve, teach children the value of freedom and bring together active-duty service members, veterans and civilians.

Community members will also have the opportunity to purchase a wreath for $15 to be placed on a grave at Florida National Cemetery on Dec. 18. To request a specific gravesite, bring the full name of the veteran, the site and grave number.

At Liberty Park, guests will be able to talk to local veterans groups and sign up to vote in the next election.

For additional information, call Sandy Cross at [email protected].

Get inspired at Fire Up Citrus!

Watch the excitement and spark your own imagination at Fire Up Citrus! as presenters ignite the evening with thoughts of the future of Citrus County from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 19 at the Valerie Theatre, 207 Courthouse Square in Inverness.

Tickets are $10 for this limited seating event where attendees will get to watch neighbors and friends present their inspired ideas on how to push the community to the next level. This high-energy, fast-paced event keeps presenters to a firm 5 minutes flat with their creativity and passion taking center stage

Many ideas have blossomed from past Fire Up Citrus events, including the Citrus Construction Academy, Veterans Village and JAM.

To purchase a ticket, visit tinyurl.com/4tjxy5vm.

Learn to create a Florida-friendly landscape

Citrus County Utilities Florida-Friendly Landscaping Program is offering a free virtual gardening workshop, “Creating a Florida-Friendly Landscape,” from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 19.

“Plan before you plant” is an important concept when developing sustainable garden ideas. Basic principles of landscape design include site evaluation, selection and placement of the right plant and establishment practices for newly installed sustainable gardens.

To register, visit ccufflprogram.eventbrite.com. For more information, call Steven Davis at 352-527-5708.

Business After Hours set for gallery

Rainbow Springs Art in Dunnellon and the Dunnellon Chamber & Business Association team up at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 20 when they offer a “Business After Hours” open house at the art gallery.

So far, a dozen gallery artists have said they will set up tables to display their work at the event, which is to offer local business owners a chance to showcase their businesses and to socialize with each other. The gallery welcomes the public to attend the event.

Appetizers and a beverage will be served.

The gallery is at 20804 W. Pennsylvania Ave. Business hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Call 352-445-8507 or visit the website at www.rainbowspringsart.com.

Audition for ‘The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge’

The Valerie Players’ Director Sue Davidson will hold auditions for “The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge” at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 18, and Wednesday, Oct. 20, at the Valerie Theatre in Inverness.

The cast calls for eight or nine men and seven or eight women. Rehearsals will be two or three nights a week in

November, with show dates Dec. 10-12.

For more information, email Valerie Players at [email protected].

Stroll downtown Inverness

If you’re ready to get out and enjoy the nice cool mornings in Inverness, now is the time. Enjoy a guided walking

tour of historic downtown Inverness at 9 a.m. Oct. 20, beginning at the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum, 1 Courthouse Square.

Hear stories of early and present day Inverness as your guide shows you a small town rich with history. Experience

the beautiful lakes, parks and quaint, walkable downtown and its historic buildings.

The cost is $5 per adult and $2 per child with a preferred limit of 15 participants. All proceeds benefit the exhibition, programs and operations of the Inverness Cultural Heritage Council at the museum.

For more information or reservations, call 352-341-6428 or visit cccourthouse.org/product/inverness-walks.

Have a girls night out at Diva Night

This year’s Diva Night will be at 5 p.m. Oct. 21 at the Plantation on Crystal River, 9301 W. Fort Island Trail in

Crystal River.

The night will be filled with jewelry, cocktails and music for a good cause. For more information, call 352-563-6363.

Explore Weeki Wachee’s history

As a part of the Coffee and Conversation Speaker Series, author Lu Vickers will share her research on a topic of local significance, “Weeki Wachee Springs: City of Mermaids” at 7 p.m. Oct. 21 at the museum, 1 Courthouse Square in Inverness. A virtual live stream will be available for viewers at home.

This program will cover the history of Weeki Wachee Springs through vintage photographs of the mermaids, from

their earliest days performing silent ballets to the heyday when ABC built them a million-dollar theater. When

Newt Perry sank a theater into the edge of the spring in 1947, he had no idea his mermaids would become world-famous Florida icons.

All programs are free and light refreshments will be served. To sign up, visit ccccourthouse.org. Call 352-341-6428 for more information.

Have a laugh at Cooter Comedy Night

The Valerie Theatre welcomes Cooter Comedy Night at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 22, 207 Courthouse Square in Inverness.

The comedy show is hosted by local comedian Richard Spires and features Paul Jensen, JJ Curry and Carmen Vallone.

Tickets are on sale for $15 at tinyurl.com/3yyrah5x.

Citrus Blessings to host Halloween Ball

Citrus County Blessings will host their sixth annual Halloween Ball from 6 to 10 p.m. Oct. 22 at the Depot, 218a N.

Apopka Ave. in Inverness.

The theme this year is “Zombies!” Party-goers are encouraged to dress up, however, it isn’t required.

There will be a bar with drink tickets available for purchase, several food trucks, a live band and DJ. Throughout

the evening, there will be many games and opportunities to donate to Blessings.

Admission is $35. Parking is available around The Depot and park, as well as the government building down the

block.

For information, contact Christina Reed at christina@ citruscountyblessings.org or 352-341-7707.

Black Diamond to host car show

The Black Diamond Invitational Car Show to benefit local charities will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, at the Black Diamond Ranch Country Club, 3125 W. Black Diamond Circle in Lecanto. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and awards will be presented at 3 p.m.

The event is being sponsored by the Central Citrus Rotary Club.

Registration begins now and participants can enter their antique, contemporary and classic cars up until Oct. 16. Prizes include trophies and cash awards.

Food vendors include Mel’s Island Cuisine, Lynn’s Ice Cream and Monsta Lobsta. Entertainment from the Big Band era will be available all day.

Net proceeds go to county charities such as youth support programs, scholarships and more. The show is limited to qualified, approved and pre-registered entries. There will be no day-of-show registration.

For information and to register a vehicle, visit blackdiamondinvitationalcarshow.com, call Roger Carlson at 352-464-0324 or email [email protected].

Learn painting from Curtis Arnett

One of the youngest of the painters known as the Florida Highwaymen, famous for scenes of Florida landscapes, is coming to the Crystal River Mall on Saturday, Oct. 23, to demonstrate his techniques.

Curtis Arnett will teach a class from noon to 5 p.m. at Paint the Town Citrus.

The Florida Highwaymen are self-taught Black artists who, historically, often used nontraditional materials in their work and sold paintings out of their cars as they traveled. The five-hour class costs $110 per person, and includes all materials for creating a painting as well as food, soft drinks, and wine.

Each participant will complete a 12- by 16-inch painting under Arnett’s guidance.

For more information or to RSVP, call 352-601-1344 or visit paintthetowncitrus.com.