With the intention of highlighting the West Floridian ecosystem and its culture, the Pasco EcoFest isn't just for outdoorsy types. Instead, the festival offers something for nature lovers, art lovers and a wide range of other interests. Featuring outdoors activities for all ages, including kayaking and nature rides, along with cultural activities like a fine arts show and drum circle, the organizers of the EcoFest work to make visitors to the festival aware of the interconnectedness of the region in which they live.
Basics
- Created in 2011 by two graduates of the University of South Florida's Environmental Sciences and Policy program, the festival is held for three days in early November and organized by community volunteers. The festival is held at eight parks along Florida's Nature Coast, with the majority of activities taking place at Sims Park and Starkey Park. With the intention of pleasing a wide range of interests, the festival also offers activities at the recreation and aquatic Center, the library and the James E. Grey Preserve.
Tours
- The festival offers several guided tours. If you're interested in plants native to Florida, you can take a guided nature walk through Starkey Park, where you'll learn about Florida plants and medicinal herbs. The festival also offers garden and home tours, as well as interactive exhibits and lectures about native birds. You can also take your own tour of 10 local parks by participating in geocaching contests. In geocaching, you'll use a GPS device to find 48 containers hidden by festival organizers throughout the festival sites.
Activities
- The EcoFest offers plenty of opportunities to explore the Florida ecosystem. If you love the water, you can kayak through inland and coastal bodies of water, paddle board or wade through swamps. You can also take a riverboat cruise, ride a horse or board an airboat flight. In between your outdoors adventures, you can pick up lunch or dinner at the festival's food truck rally.
Art and Entertainment
- For dance and music lovers, the festival offers belly and hoop dancing workshops, along with live music performed by local musicians. The festival also sets up a fine arts show with a focus on art depicting wildlife and birds, along with a vintage Volkswagen show where you can swap car parts with other old-fashioned car aficionados. When the sun goes down, the festival offers nighttime activities like stargazing, bonfires with s'mores, storytelling and drum circles.
