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Hey Clearwater, hope your week’s off to a good start!
In today’s wallet-friendly edition: Sugar Sand Festival sculptures, Wiener Dog Derby chaos, and inside a waterfront stunner + lots of fun things to do for free.
Quick money tip: 2025 was gold’s best year since 1979. Silver did even better, climbing nearly 150%. Analysts expect the momentum to continue, making precious metals a smart way to protect your savings. Curious how it works? Check out AHG’s free investor guide.*
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📰 In the news
New signage and timing details: Downtown Clearwater drivers, expect detours as construction tied to the Osceola Parking Garage and The Ballad Hotel brings closures this week, following earlier Pierce Street shutdowns begun March 9 — see dates and detour info.
Cultivating tomorrow’s green experts: The Belleair Garden Club is accepting scholarship applications from Pinellas County high schoolers pursuing horticulture, botany, or related fields. Transcripts and two recommendations required, with winners announced in May — see eligibility and how to apply.
Mom-and-pop expansion ahead: Just up the road from Clearwater, The Hungry Greek plans to open at 1425 Main Street, Unit A in Dunedin, serving scratch-made gyros, bowls, and salads. No opening date announced — read the full story.
Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.*
Paying hundreds of dollars a month for car insurance? Switching providers could save you up to $600 a year, and shopping around is way faster than it used to be – free comparison tools like this one make it easy.*
Highlights this week:
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💎 Local business spotlight
Let the zoomies fly: Enterprise Dog Park serves walking loops, water stations, and wide-open playfields for effortless after-work fetch. Pocket a couple extra poop bags, swap quick neighborly hellos, and let your pup sprint out the wiggles while you decompress.
Beachy dive weirdness: If your week craves grit with character, Mahuffer’s delivers at this scruffy Indian Shores staple. Expect cold drinks, unhinged decor, and a crowd mixing local legends with lovable mischief. It’s the kind of weird that sticks… and turns into stories you’ll be laughing about later.
Treat-yourself timeout: Need a reset that doesn’t involve laundry or screens? At Botanica Day Spa, the vibe is low-key local, and even Tuesdays feel like mini vacations. A soothing break that lets the week unwind, with stress-free moments you can savor without leaving Clearwater.
These aren’t ads or sponsored placements, just some cool nearby spots we think are worth a visit.
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🫶 We got your back
Makeup that actually works: My sister and I were talking the other day about how the makeup we used in our 20s… just doesn’t work now that we’re in our 30s and 40s. Laura Geller’s entire makeup line addresses this shift, with formulas that smooth, brighten, and actually stay put. If you’re in the same boat, *their curated kits are worth a look →
The $1,300 mistake most Americans make every year: According to the National Financial Education Council, poor financial literacy costs the average American over a thousand dollars annually. That’s not investment losses. That’s money lost to bad decisions, missed strategies, and advice from people who may not always put your interests first. There’s a free way to fix that, and it starts with one question. Find out what it is →
$22k in interest (on a $30k balance): That’s what minimum payments cost you over 20 years. You’ll pay back nearly double what you borrowed, and your credit card company is counting on you not doing that math. Debt settlement programs negotiate balances down and get people out of debt in 2-4 years instead of 20. Learn more about how they work →
Why your last diet didn’t work: Sustained weight loss is nearly impossible with diet alone. Your body literally fights back by making you hungrier the moment you start restricting calories. That’s why more doctors are recommending GLP-1s. The best part? Getting them has never been easier. We compared five programs to help you find the right fit. See which ones stood out →
Your homeowners insurance has a blind spot: It covers your house if a tree falls on it. It doesn’t cover your furnace when it quits in January, your AC when it dies in July, or your water heater when it starts leaking on a Tuesday. Those are all classified as “normal wear and tear,” and they’re 100% on you. We looked into solutions that fill that gap. Here’s what we found →
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📆 Free events worth checking out
Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →
All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.
☘ Stick & Ditty @ Reboot Dunedin | Tuesday (3/17) at 7:00 PM – Skip the green beer circus and hit Reboot Dunedin’s patio, where Stick & Ditty christen the new outdoor stage with a St. Patrick’s Day mix of rap, rock, country, and blues. Two of the Bay’s best rappers, big variety. Free, fun, and walkable.
📖 Local Author Extravaganza @ Clearwater Historical Society Museum and Cultural Center | Saturday (3/21) at 10:00 AM – If your nightstand stack needs a local twist, this is it. Chat with local authors, pick up signed books, and leave with a story for your shelf and the tale behind it, all free, with donations to the Historical Society very welcome.
🐶 Pet Day & Wiener Dog Derby @ OCC Road House & Museum | Saturday (3/21) at 11:00 AM – Roll into OCC Road House and Bert’s Barracuda for Pet Day with a Wiener Dog Derby, where dachshunds sprint like caffeinated sausages and the petting zoo wins hearts. Free mechanical bull rides, adoptions, raffles, a pet-friendly patio, and HD pet gear at the CUDA dealership.
🐦 How to Help Birds in Our Urban Environment @ Clearwater Garden Club | Saturday (3/21) at 11:00 AM – Because in Pinellas, the snowbirds are not the only ones migrating. Audubon vet Paul Trunk explains why the county is prime bird real estate, and how yards, windows, and habits can help, at a free talk with birdhouses for sale, including a few fixer-uppers.
🎈 Spring Family Fun Day Open House @ Scientology Information Center | Saturday (3/21) at 3:00 PM – Whether your kids still think bubbles are magic, or you just want an excuse for downtown people-watching, Clearwater’s Spring Family Fun Day is your low-stress win. Drop into the open house for treats, hands-on activities, and the kind of wholesome chaos that photographs well.
🎸 The 80s Rock Show @ OCC Road House | Saturday (3/21) at 8:00 PM – If your inner 1987 needs an excuse to tease the bangs, the 80s arena rock blowout is back at OCC Road House. General admission is free, or spring for a table with koozies and your name, then belt Van Halen, GNR, and Journey.
🎨 Kiwanis Spring Arts & Crafts Show @ Main Street Safety Harbor | Sunday (3/22) at 9:00 AM – Grab your tote and wander Safety Harbor’s Main Street for the Spring Arts & Crafts takeover, featuring hundreds of artists and crafters, and a price tag we can get behind: free. Expect handmade everything, good people-watching, and the kind of browsing that counts as cardio.
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
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📻 Clearwater report
Weather forecast
Today – High: 60°F – Low: 47°F – Precip: 1%
Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. North wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Later: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. North wind 8 to 12 mph.
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Tomorrow – High: 69°F – Low: 52°F – Precip: 0%
Mostly sunny, with a high near 69. North northeast wind 8 to 12 mph. Later: Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. Northeast wind 7 to 10 mph.
This house is wild
This nearly 5,000-square-foot Mark Maconi waterfront stunner sits on the open water side of Island Estates, flaunting Mediterranean styling, fresh paint, a new tile roof, and solar with Enphase backup. Two primary suites enjoy sunrise and sunset balconies. 16-foot sliders open to composite decks, a heated saltwater pool, and a refurbished deep-water dock with 16,000-pound lift.
Take a peek inside →
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