Night In The Tropics Celebration Returns To New Port Richey

A Night In the Tropics, a street festival featuring live music, food and arts and crafts, returns to New Port Richey on August 19.

Doug Ferris, promoter of the event and board member of , is excited.

“When we filled out our permits to stage this event, we estimated 1,500 people would attend," he said. "I wouldn’t be surprised if more people than that showed up.”

Greater New Port Richey Main Street is a nonprofit that focuses on economic development, promotion and historic preservation. It is partly funded by a subsity of city money. it receives funding through sponsorships, membership dues and event food and drink sales.

Passions flared late last year when two council members voted in favor of doing away with the Main Street program's city subsidy of Community Redevelopment Agency funds. Councilwoman Judy DeBella Thomas resigned from her job as executive director of Greater New Port Richey Main Street to cast the deciding vote in favor of saving the injection of taxpayer money.

The city’s current contract with Main Street allocates a $30,000 subsidy to the organization this fiscal year, a 25 percent reduction from the previous allotment of $40,000. The contract calls for a further $5,000 cut starting in fiscal year 2012, and does not guarantee subsidies in the future.

The program currently has the board and a part-time administrator. In addition to the subidy,

There was some discussion among Main Street board members that Night in the Tropics might not take place this year. The central issue was alcohol sales.

“The city will only issue an organization three alcohol permits per year.” said Steve Schurdell, first vice president of the program. “Without the beer sales, we could not make any money. The decision had to be made whether the GNPRMS would use this event as one of their events where beer was sold."

Ferris said: "A few of us got together to talk about holding the event without beer sales, and rumors started to spread."

Schurdell explained that the Main Street Boards regular meeting
schedule fluctuates a bit, and because of that accurate information does not get out to the business community in a timely manner.  

"We were confused," says Michelle Filippou, owner of . "We were hearing all sorts of rumors.”

Filippou is a staunch supporter of the Main Street program and was happy to hear that the Night In The Tropics was going on as planned.

When the full board met later, they decide to proceed with the event without getting an alcohol permit.

“We felt that even if we did not make money, the residual benefit of bringing people into downtown was worth it,” Schurdell said.

This year, the location of the event will change for the first time. Over the last ten years, Night in the Tropics has taken place on Main Street. This year, the city asked that the venue be changed due to traffic, safety and crowd control issues.

“They asked us to use Grand Boulevard instead, and we were happy to comply.” said Ferris.

Night in the Tropics will run from 5 p.m.-11p.m. The city will close traffic on Grand Blvd from Circle Street to Montana Street from noon on the day of the event to 2 a.m. the next day. This will provide extra time for the setup and breakdown of stages, lights, and vendors.

The festivities will include a Jimmy Buffett Tribute stage show, Steel Band musicians, a vintage car show, arts and crafts venders; various children’s bounce outs, and an assortment of street food.

If you would like further information on Night in the Tropics or information about the GNPRMS organization, you can call Debbie Pentivolpi at (727) 842-8066 or visit their website at

http://www.nprmainstreet.com/