Where I come from, Labor Day is the unofficial, but official end of Summer. It's the time of the year where the warm days give way to cool evenings, the days noticeably become shorter, kids go back to school and the little towns around the shore "dry up". In Florida, there is no official end to summer. Summer weather continues right through October. And it's not unusual to be able to wear shorts or go swimming on Thanksgiving or Christmas. I remember the first year I lived here, I went to the beach and/or pool every month of the year. (Jan was a tad chilly, but my sis and I still braved the water!)
However, I will say that this is the start of my favorite time of the year down here. Fall & Winter in Florida are amazing. (One of the many reasons we chose to get married in October). The temperature falls and the humidity dwindles as people start to come out of the air-conditioned cocoons and become alive outdoors again. There are festivals and things to do almost ever weekend...from Sept to May.
The biggest festival being the month-long celebration of Gasparilla. Gasparilla is when Captain Jose Gaspar and his Pirate Krewe invade Tampa and force the Mayor to hand over the key to the city. It starts with the Ultimatium (where the Krewe asks the Mayor to hand over the key, which she denies forcing them to take it by invasion). And it ends nearly a month later with the The Gasparilla March Triumphant: The Return to the Sea, where the key is handed back to the Mayor and the Krewe goes on it's way. The main parade is sort of like Tampa's version of Mardi Gras. It'll be even more special this year because it coincides with the Superbowl being here in Tampa.
Also in the cooler months is the State Fair, tons of outdoor craft and art shows, the Strawberry Festival (and strawberry picking season - woo hoo! FL has THE BEST strawberries), the Tampa Boat Show, and tons more to do. There are also a bunch of outdoor events and things to do with your pets. And being the doggie mommy who enjoys taking the pooches with us....that'll mean more trips to the beach, restaurants and fairs & festivals just for my canine kids.
So on that note...I'm off to enjoy some outdoor activities and am taking my furry children to the park. We'll probably even walk up to dinner tonight.
Hope everyone enjoyed their Labor Day weekend!
Like a waterfall in slow motion, Part One
1 year ago
1 comment:
I'm with ya, Labor Day usually means the end of summer bu we have some great fairs now, spent the weekend at one and plan on posting about it! Thanks for sharing!
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