Pasco County Libraries are teaming up with the Tampa Bay History Center to help the locals learn about this region’s history.
They’re offering a free five-part series on everything from pirates and the early people of Florida, to the Tampa Bay Rays.
“We’ve actually partnered with the history center for a while even before COVID times," said Sean McGarvey, director of Pasco County Libraries. "We have a wonderful program called the Discovery Pass program, where we have different museums and history centers that have given passes to the library. And you can actually check them out and the residents can go to the museum for free that day with the pass.”
McGarvey said Abby Cole, who works at Pasco’s Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center, wanted to promote the pass program.
“And so she contacted the History Center and said, you know, do you have any lectures, could we partner on this, and they were wonderful and their educational contact there, Amanda Hoffman, worked with her to set up these really cool lectures that we're very excited to do,” McGarvey said.
They’re calling it, “Museum+History Series," and you don’t have to live in Pasco County to take part.
“It is open to anybody in the Tampa Bay region who wants to come and learn some really cool things about Tampa history,” McGarvey said.
The series kicks off later this month at Starkey Ranch Library. And the only program that requires registration is on the Cuban sandwich. So there's enough food to go around.
Here's a list of the programs:
· All About Pirates: Tampa History & Legends | Jan. 21 | 2 p.m.
Batten down the hatches for a swashbuckling presentation on pirates, swords and artifacts by the Swordsmanship Museum and Academy.
· Florida’s First People | Feb. 14 | 11 a.m.
Take a walk into the lives of Florida’s Indigenous groups and see how they changed the course of human history. Presented by the Tampa Bay History Center.
· Florida’s Got the Blues | March 20 | 6 p.m.
Hear how well-known blues and jazz artists began their rise to fame in Tampa Bay. Presented by Tampa Bay History Museum.
· Culinary Workshop: Cigar City Cuban Sandwich | April 17 | 5 p.m.
Savor the delicious history, ingredients and techniques of Tampa’s most famous sandwich. You can reserve a spot by calling 727.815.7126 or online at: mypas.co/CubanSandwich
· Rise of the Rays: Devil of a Story | May 18 | 11 a.m.
Watch this home run of a story, “Rise of the Rays,” that led Tampa Bay cheering them on to victory today.
You can get more details on the series here.
