Latest news with #BacktotheBeach:Sand&Kites&CoastalDelights
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Treasure Island's ‘Back to the Beach' festival to welcome visitors after back-to-back hurricanes
The Brief Back to the Beach: Sand & Kites & Coastal Delights festival is this weekend on Treasure Island. The city was forced to cancel its 'Sanding Ovations' festival because of ongoing recovery efforts from Hurricanes Helene and Milton in the fall. This weekend's smaller version of the festival is a sign of hope for the community as it recovers from the devastating storms. TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. - The wind on Thursday was the perfect weather to test kites out before Treasure Island's Back to the Beach: Sand & Kites & Coastal Delights festival this weekend. It comes after Hurricanes Helene and Milton forced the city to cancel the Sanding Ovations and kite festivals in the fall. "It was devastating to not have the event, and we weren't the only event that was canceled," said sculptor Meredith Corson-Doubleday, who runs Sanding Ovations with her husband. "It just physically was impossible to do. Every city vehicle was being used for the recovery process and the cleanup process." What they're saying "It's a smaller version, but it's almost more exciting than Sanding Ovations in November because we've been without it for so long," Corson-Doubleday said about this weekend's festival. "I haven't carved sand in almost two years, and so it feels so good to get back in the sand." READ: Treasure Island working to help small businesses still recovering from hurricanes The storms badly damaged Corson-Doubleday's home, like so many others. "The island has changed overnight. It happened overnight, and it'll never get back to what it was as far as, you know, the structures and the buildings. But we're resilient people, and we are going to get through this," Corson-Doubleday said. Big picture view Corson-Doubleday and event organizers said this weekend's festival welcoming people back represents a light at the end of the tunnel as so many are still rebuilding. "It's a little surreal and kind of weird that we're out here, you know, having fun, but it's a lot of work building, and you can hear in the background, you can hear the workers, all the machines and all the clanging of all the tools and everything back there because we are being put back together," Corson-Doubleday said. "We are building, and they're building. It's almost like this weekend is a turning point." "Come enjoy the sculptors, the vendors, the kites, and to show that we're still here and doing things, trying to get back to a little whatever normal is," Joe Fala, who is in charge of the kite portion of the festival, said. The backstory Reopening favorite spots on Treasure Island, like VIP Mexican Restaurant and Ricky T's, helps restore some normalcy. Caddy's on Sunset Beach also reopened Thursday morning. READ: Treasure Island mayor sends letter to President Donald Trump about FEMA rules They'll operate out of a massive enclosed tent for about a year while waiting for permits to rebuild their restaurant next door. "It has been a tough road and, you know, to see something happening and being able to open, it makes it feel really good," Randy Esponda, CEO of SunPubs Hospitality Group that owns Caddy's, said. Esponda said the structure itself is structurally sound. "We don't have to tear the building down. We're not bulldozing it. We're rebuilding it, refurbishing it, and getting it as open as soon as possible," Esponda said. "It means a lot to a lot of people. A lot of memories were created here, and we're just happy that we're able to restore it to continue making more memories." CLICK HERE:>>>Follow FOX 13 on YouTube Esponda said the storms forced four to five feet of sand into the original Caddys, and sand was in every crevice of the restaurant. "It was astonishing, the amount of damage and surreal to see it in person," Esponda said. "It's just devastating," Stephen Santasieri, General Manager of the Treasure Island location, said. "Even right now, going around and looking at the neighborhoods, they're still not fully back. And it's sad to know that there are people still that are without homes. And it really has brought the community together. But our building also, it's so sad to see, but it just means better things in the future and rebuild and making it great." They'll cook their staples in a food truck beside the tent. "I'm glad that we were able to get this up and running. It's not ideal, but we will be back in our building soon, and for now, it's just perfect," Santasieri said. Santasieri said the timing of Caddy's reopening right before spring break is also perfect. "Tourism is huge for this area. I mean, it's such a beautiful beach and such a nice area, and I'm hoping that the hurricanes didn't scare off the tourists for the season, and so far, it doesn't seem like it has," Santasieri said. READ: Husband of St. Pete Rep. charged with stealing state funds and owing over $100,000 in taxes They're also looking into getting cabanas again while the rebuild happens. "At the end of the day, it was a parking lot in the sand, and we were able to operate a restaurant and a bar out of it. And I just want to thank everyone for all the hard work. (I'm) really looking forward to a great season and a great year," Santasieri said. What's next The Back to the Beach: Sand & Kites & Coastal Delights festival runs Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Pets aren't allowed on the beach, although leashed pets are allowed on the Beach Trail. "This is kind of their Super Bowl over the next couple of months," said Jason Latimer, the Director of Public Relations for Visit St. Pete-Clearwater. Latimer said that with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg last week, Treasure Island's festival this weekend, and many other events across Pinellas County coming up show the area is ready to welcome everyone back. The Source FOX 13's Kailey Tracy collected the information in this story. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Treasure Island officials hope upcoming events will help heal after back-to-back hurricanes
The Brief Treasure Island events canceled due to the hurricanes have been rescheduled for early 2025. The profits will be funneled back into the community. The events include the Sand & Kites & Coastal Delights festival and the county's annual Chili Cook-Off. Community leaders hope the events will mark a return to normalcy for residents as they continue to recover from the storms. TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. - As more and more businesses at the beaches reopen after the hurricanes, those communities are starting to hold events to bring people back to the area. Treasure Island recently announced the Back to the Beach: Sand & Kites & Coastal Delights festival, which will take place on March 8th and 9th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Dig deeper The annual Treasure Island Fire Rescue Chili Cook-Off is also coming up on Feb. 21 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. READ: MacDill airman killed by hit-and-run suspect before I-275 shooting with Tampa police Tickets are $10, and it will be held on the fifth floor of City Hall. Anyone can enter their chili into the competition. Why you should care Money from that event will go to the Treasure Island Fire Association to help the fire department, which, along with the police department, was displaced, and their stations were destroyed by the hurricanes. Officials say that while they hope the events bring some sense of normalcy back, they know many residents' lives are still anything but normal. "I know some people are worried about their homes, especially when they're still not in them, bringing people in, visitors into the island when they can't even access their homes," Beisel said. "But we've got a police department that's been here protecting the island since the storms. They're going to continue to do that. And we want people to know we can do two things at once." READ: Undocumented immigration bill has Florida's governor, agriculture commissioner and legislation at odds Beisel continued, saying, "The first priority is our residents. That is our number one priority, and we are working hard to get them back in their homes, and we're doing everything we can." "Most businesses that can, they're starting to reopen, and that's what we like to see and to help these businesses survive, we need people here in Treasure Island. We know people are still hurting," Beisel said. "We know people are still out of their homes. We know people are still waiting on permits, but we still need to bring people into the island to support some of these businesses, to support our community, and to help get this recovery going quicker and faster." Big picture view As far as permits go, the city starts a new permitting process on Monday. Beisel said you'll walk out with a permit the same day you walk in to apply for one. "When they come in to apply for a permit, they're going to deal with each part of that permit process, whether it's a building official fire, a general contractor, floodplain management," Beisel said. "We're going to get all the information they need that day when they come in, instead of having them fill out the application, then leaving and then finding out there's some missing information, they go home, we have to bring them back in, or we had to contact them and play that back and forth game." Follow FOX 13 on YouTube "That delays the process. We want them to come in, and when they leave City Hall, we want to make sure they have all the information they need, Beisel said. "Hopefully, they'll have that permit in hand." Three more floodplain managers from the state are also helping with the permitting process. Mayor John Doctor also recently wrote a letter to President Donald Trump asking for disaster relief help, citing FEMA's bureaucracy as an obstacle. The Source FOX 13's Kailey Tracy collected the information in this story. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
