How can you not love a weekend that takes us from a Blueberry Festival to Cinco de Mayo and finishes with a trip to Hyde Park Village for the monthly Fresh Market? It’s Ann Kelly, and of course, you’ll want to take the whole family to Hyde Park Sunday for the Fresh Market. Take a stroll around the fountain, see what over 70 vendors have to offer and take home some of the freshest and finest from the Bay area. You know I’m a huge fan of Sophie’s Belgium Waffles! The Hyde Park Fresh Market is open the first Sunday of each month from 10 am to 3 pm and is the official sponsor of Kelly’s Kitchen. 

   Saturday, May 5^th – Cinco de Mayo and lots and lots of parties all over Tampa Bay; in Dunedin they celebrate their 20^th annual Street Festival and Dance Party and invite you to come dressed as your favorite Latin character! The party gets underway at 4 pm in front of Casa Tina Gourmet Mexican and Vegetarian on Main St, just about my favorite Mexican restaurant in the Bay. The kids will love the parade complete with 20-foot tall puppets. It’s free! You can also check in at the Pier beginning at noon at Jonny Reno’s, and this party includes donkey excursions, a tequila shack and runs through midnight in downtown St Pete. 

   Now, about those blueberries! The Florida Blueberry Festival runs Friday through Sunday in downtown Brooksville. A juicy blueberry stomping contest, more than 150 vendors and seven stages throughout the downtown area, along with a blueberry pancake breakfast to begin the day are just of the highlights. Don’t forget to check out the blueberry pie bake off. It’s also free, but of course parking is not. Get complete details at floridablueberryfestival.org, and have a stack for me! 

   And finally, the University of South Florida in downtown St Pete will have their first Food Truck Rally this Saturday from 4-8 pm in Parking Lot 2, at Second and Sixth Avenue South, courtesy of Tasting Tampa. Eveyone is welcome to check out the offering from 13 food trucks.   Enjoy another great weekend in Tampa Bay, and check back in with us for one of the great Kentucky traditions as the 138^th running of the Kentucky Derby is also this weekend, and we’ll talk with one of the first female Master Bourbon Tasters. Now, that’s a sweet gig! 

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM KELLY’S KITCHEN 

Weekends don't count unless you spend them doing something completely pointless.  ~Bill Watterson