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Announcements: Cedar Key Chamber of Commerce Gets New Board
November 30th, 2012

Announcements: MOSAIC ARTIST CHOSEN FOR 2013 CEDAR KEY ART FESTIVAL DESIGN
November 30th, 2012

Conservation: Fish of the Week - Southern Stingray
November 29th, 2012

Arts and Entertainment: Cedar Key Arts Center - Holiday Mini Projects Party
November 29th, 2012

Arts and Entertainment: Florida`s Eden and Bev Ringenberg at the Arts Center Opening December 1
November 28th, 2012

Announcements: Cedar Key Public Library Kids` Christmas Party
November 28th, 2012

School News: Shark Reports -11/28/12
November 28th, 2012

Columns: A FLORIDA CRACKER TALE - "Plantation at Fort Lauderdale and the Brahman Bull"
November 27th, 2012

Columns: Those Way-out Roundabouts
November 27th, 2012

Arts and Entertainment: Suwannee Valley Players - Open Auditions: "Little Shop of Horrors"
November 27th, 2012

City News: CITY COMMISSION VOTES TO ADOPT FEMA ORDINANCE
November 26th, 2012

Letters to the Editor: Recent "Conservation" letters/column`s to the Cedar Key News
November 26th, 2012

Law Enforcement News: Levy County Arrest Report 11/26/2012
November 26th, 2012

Announcements: CEDAR KEY BOOK BUNCH NEWS
November 25th, 2012

Announcements: Cedar Key Woman`s Club Fall Festival
November 24th, 2012

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Hidden Coast Paddling Festival Comes to Cedar Key October 2013

Hidden Coast Paddling Festival Comes to Cedar Key October 2013

by Carol McQueen, Executive Director, Levy County Visitors’ Bureau

The Hidden Coast Paddling Festival has become a celebrated event along our Gulf communities and Cedar Key is in line to host the fourth annual festival October 4-6. After the community of Suwannee made a smashing success of the 2012 Hidden Coast Paddling Festival with a theme of `Celebrate Wildlife in the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge` everyone wants in. The proof was in the initial planning meeting.


Willing partners filled the meeting room at the FWC Senator George Kirkpatrick Marine Lab - from government agencies and local businesses, to people with a passion for paddling and outdoor enthusiasts -- your neighbors. Each and every one hopes to entice eager paddlers to the culturally and environmentally-rich paddling venue of historic Cedar Key and the Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge.


Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Liz Sparks, Recreation Planner, facilitated the meeting. Armed with her Wildlife-focused Festival Planning Toolkit, which lists all necessary steps in planning, among others: logistics, promotions, sponsors, tour guides, vendors, entertainment, and most important, volunteers, the festival began to take on form.

Focusing on wildlife as last year`s festival did can help increase sustainable tourism as gleaned from the 2012 SCORP (State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan) which reveals that wildlife viewing is the second most popular outdoor activity for visitors to Florida (visiting the beach is number one). Wildlife viewing is a major component of tourism revenue and brings an estimated 3 billion dollars annually to Florida`s economy. The vast public lands along the Big Bend coast sustain abundant species of wildlife and holding a wildlife-focused festival is a responsible way to entice visitors and benefit local communities.


To continue the success of the annual festival the group of volunteer partners are looking for more individuals like themselves who want to bring fame, friendly folks, and a flotilla of kayaks to the Old-Florida-flavored fishing village in October.


Do you have expertise, interest, or experience that might add to the success of the 2013 Hidden Coast Paddling Festival? A few hours of your time a month until the festival comes to town would help immensely.

The next planning meeting is February 27th from 9:00 until noon at the FWC Marine Lab 11350 SW 153 Court, Cedar Key. If you`re able to help the community effort in any way, call Pam at 352/493-0238, x223.

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