Manatee Celebration Day - January 16th

The City of Tarpon Springs presents the First Annual Manatee Celebration Day on January 16 from 10 am to 4 pm. A full day of activities will take place in the Heritage Museum and surrounding Craig Park, the winter home of a large number of manatees in Spring Bayou. Admission is free to all events.

Well-known muralist Christopher Still will talk about painting his famous mural of manatees, "The Spring of Life;" the original of which hangs in the Florida State House Chambers and the large Giclee reproduction hangs at the Heritage Museum in Tarpon Springs. (11 AM)

Save the Manatee Club Volunteer, Sadia Ahmed, will give a talk on manatee conservation and adoption. (12 Noon)

Children's Storytime "All About Manatees" - 1 to 1:30 pm in the Heritage Museum (Courtesy of Tarpon Springs Library)

"Manatee Biology and Natural History" a talk by Brandon Bassett, Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute Marine Mammalogist (2 pm) will feature slides, manatee skeletons and lots of interesting information about Florida's favorite marine mammal.

Artist April Davis will answer questions about her techniques when painting "Spring Bayou," which was the 2009 featured art for the Tarpon Springs Fine Arts Festival and features the manatees. Her prints will be on sale all day.
April is donating a print for a free opportunity drawing.

Film "Endangered Mermaids" (58 mins.) will be shown in the Heritage Museum at 10 am and 3 pm.

Manatee Gift Shop will be open all day in the Heritage Museum featuring stuffed animals, puzzles, books and jewelry.

In Craig Park, right outside the museum, a large painting wall will be set up for all young people to paint their favorite manatee. Outlines of manatees, paint, smocks and brushes provided (Sponsored by Sweetbay Supermarket). Sweetbay Tarpon Springs will display the finished mural at their local store. In addition, there will be giveaways of brochures, pamphlets, bookmarks crayons and coloring books (Courtesy of Sweetbay Supermarket).

Other activities include a visit by Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement, kayak demonstration, and more. Don't forget to visit the Tarpon Springs manatees in Spring Bayou: see these huge gentle creatures in their winter habitat of Spring Bayou.

For more information contact event organizer Gen Haley 727-937-0686