The area is abound with events for the next few weeks. An updated list is below.

September 19, 2010 - Sand Key Triathlon - Community Sailing Center

September 19-25,2010 -  Backwaters - Dine Out America - Feed Hungry Children Week

October1-3, 2010 - Super Boat Races - Clearwater Beach and Coachman Park

October 14-17 - Clearwater Jazz Holiday - Coachman Park

October 15, 2010 - Stone Crab Season Opens

Follow the links above for more information, schedules and times.

Thanks to the residents of Sand Key and Clearwater Beach for a packed house at Backwaters for the 10th Anniversary Party. The rains held off and the hundreds of people crowded inside and along the deck for a great night enjoying a complimentary Southern Boil. Chef Mark and Chef Damien put on a feast!

It seems everyone must like the negative headlines being broadcast by most national media sources. Sure there is a great possibility that the oil spill COULD get a lot worse than what it is, but that is not the impression potential visitors to Florida are getting. The Gulf is NOT closed to fishing - despite what an ABC reporter stated. No oil has reached a Florida shore, nor are there any possibilities of that happening in the near future.

To reassure people who are watching the beaches we are posting this link to Clearwater Beach and the clean white sands we are enjoying - just click here for the Beach Walk Camera.

To watch the history and daily tracking of the oil slick in Gulf waters near Louisiana, MSNBC has set up a neat link to this animated news site.

While BP has taken responsibility for the damages of the spill itself, the news media should accept responsibility for inaccurate reporting.

The smell of hamburgers, the sound music playing, laughter from people all over the Shoppes of Sand Key - it must be Springfest 2010! The Sand Key Civic Association sponsored the First Annual Springfest for the community of Sand Key. It was the first time in memory that the entire island came together for a big block party. The highlights were the entertainment that included bands, the pirate Captain Jack Sparrow, artists scattered throughout the Shoppes and the great sport of people watching!

The Sand Key Civic Association must be commended for sponsoring the Springfest. Gene Gillespie, Vice President of the SKCA and committee Chairman for the event, rallied a small group of people into action that resulted in this unprecedented community gathering. Congratulations to Gene and we look forward to next year.

The SKCA’s next meeting will be held Wednesday at 7 PM. Agenda items include a report on the Springfest scheduled for April 17, 2010. The committee, chaired by Gene Gillespie, is putting together a great family event with complte community involvement. Food, entertainment and sidewalk sales will highlight the day.

Other matters before the SKCA are Amendment #4 and various committee reports. The meeting is open to the public held at the Sand Key Sailing Center.

Al "Coffee" McDaniels

Saturday, April 17th will have blues in the air as Al “Coffee” McDaniels plays his music at the First Annual Springfest sponsored by the Sand Key Civic Association. Al is well known from his days at the Columbia and other venues around Clearwater and the beaches.

Mark your calendar for a day of fun, food and entertainment as well as some bargains from the Shoppes of Sand Key. Everyone is welcome from noon to 7 PM at the festival to be held at the shoppes of Sand Key.

If you live anywhere along Gulf Blvd. from Sand Key park to the Marina, there will be a special Jolley Trolley continually running in a loop. You can catch the free trolley every 15 minutes or so along the route. Bring the entire family!

Mark your calendars - April 17, 2010 - The SKCA is planning the biggest community “block party” the island has ever seen. There will be a big tent at The Shoppes of Sand Key and starting at noon live entertainment, artists, food and refreshments will keep you busy all afternoon. Stroll the Shoppes for sidewalk sales and food promotions. Meet your neighbors at the festival instead of the elevators!

Parking? Not a problem. The SKCA plans on having a special Jolley Trolley making a constant loop from Sand Key Park down Gulf Blvd. to the Marina and back to the festival. You can catch the trolley from any building and not have to worry about driving all day from noon to 7 PM.

The purpose of the “Springfest” is to support the Shoppes and bring the Sand Key Community together in a fun atmosphere. There will be many more activities to be announced as plans are confirmed - stay tuned.

Volunteers are needed to help with the festival. If you want to be part of the community action email info@SandKeyCivicAssociation.com

Apparently, you can build a 54 room hotel with guests, a restaurant for 175 people and employ dozens of people and need only 54 parking spots on Sand Key. At least that is the approximate impact of the court’s decision to allow the project to move forward after a lengthy court battle.

The City of Clearwater had approved the project, but the residents had sued to make the City stick to existing parking requirements, rather than grant variances to the hotel project. If the project is built as planned, it will be interesting to see where all the traffic and cars will be shuffled to make this work without constant congestion in the area. The Biltmore has said they will have valet parking - but valet to where?

Once again, this is a call for the residents of Sand Key to meet with the City to agree upon future development issues. A plan needs to be developed now, rather than after the fact. Precedent for building limitations was evident in the Beach by Design plan for Clearwater Beach. We may not agree with the results, but there was a general plan to limit certain types of structures, heights and density. There is no plan for Sand Key. Now is the time to reach an agreement - not after plans are approved for another project in the future.

The SKCA Board will meet at the Community Sailing Center at 7 PM on Wednesday, March 3, 2010. The agenda includes discussion of a possible website and newsletter. Other matters for review is the current year’s operating budget and committee protocol in the future.

The committee planning the Sand Key Festival, tentatively planned for April 17th, will also give an update.

The public is welcomed and encouraged at these Board meetings.