The recent approval of the Dorman Road development may not have been the outcome every resident hoped for, but the process showed something important: community involvement matters.

Residents showed up, spoke out and remained engaged throughout the process. While the development ultimately received approval, community concerns helped shape conversations surrounding the project and contributed to changes intended to lessen its impact. That is a win worth recognizing, even when the final decision does not satisfy everyone.

Now, our attention should turn toward November.

As local elections approach, residents have an opportunity to learn more about the people seeking to represent our community. Take the time to research candidates, attend forums, read beyond campaign advertisements and, especially, understand where candidates stand on housing, development, transportation and infrastructure in eastern Hillsborough County.

Then make the choice you believe best represents the future you want for our community.

National elections understandably receive enormous attention, but many of the decisions we feel most directly in our daily lives happen much closer to home. Decisions about development, roads, growth and the character of our neighborhoods are often made by local elected officials.

If we want a voice in what Bloomingdale, Lithia and the surrounding communities look like five, 10 or 20 years from now, local elections are one of our most direct opportunities to use it.

Voting matters. Staying informed matters. And showing up for our community matters.

This November, do all three.

Gulfport will celebrate the end of summer with one of its signature community events as the annual GeckoFest returns Saturday, Sept. 5, bringing art, music, food and entertainment to the city’s downtown waterfront district.

The free outdoor festival is scheduled from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. along Beach Boulevard in Gulfport. Visitors can browse art and vendors, listen to live music and watch street performers throughout the day. Food and drinks will also be available during the event. 

GeckoFest has become a Labor Day weekend tradition for the small waterfront community, highlighting the arts, local businesses and eclectic atmosphere for which Gulfport is known. The festival is expected to feature more than 200 vendors in addition to children’s activities and entertainment. 

The event is family-friendly and pet-friendly, and both admission and parking are free. Activities will center around Beach Boulevard, with visitors also within walking distance of Gulfport’s shops, galleries, restaurants and waterfront.

GeckoFest will take place Saturday, Sept. 5, from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. at 3101 Beach Blvd. S. in Gulfport. For more information, visit their website here: https://www.visitstpeteclearwater.com/event/gulfport-geckofest/42076 

Following a sold-out show in July, the Tampa Bay Rodeo & Family Festival will return to the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds for two nights of rodeo competition and family activities over Labor Day weekend.

The event will take place Friday, Sept. 4, and Saturday, Sept. 5, at the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds, 215 Sydney Washer Road in Dover. The fall event marks the first time the Tampa Bay Rodeo has held a Labor Day weekend show. 

Both evenings will feature a full rodeo competition, with cowboys and cowgirls competing in events including bull riding, bronco riding, barrel racing and calf roping. The rodeo follows the organization’s July event, which sold out, prompting organizers to add the Labor Day weekend dates. 

Before the rodeo begins, guests can attend the Family Festival, featuring food, live music and activities including a mechanical bull, axe throwing, a giant inflatable slide and military vehicle displays. The event will also recognize members of the U.S. military and veterans as part of the country’s 250th anniversary celebration. 

Gates open at 4:30 p.m., live music begins at 5:45 p.m. and the rodeo starts at 7:30 p.m. General admission tickets start at $25, and children ages 3 and older require a ticket. The event will take place rain or shine. 

For tickets, event information and additional details, visit Tampa Bay Rodeo.

The Bloomingdale community will mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks with the unveiling and dedication of a new permanent memorial on Friday, Sept. 11.

The Bloomingdale Special District will host the dedication ceremony at 9 a.m. at the corner of Culbreath Road and Nature’s Way Boulevard. Residents, families and community leaders are invited to attend the ceremony and commemorate the lives lost and those who responded in the aftermath of the attacks.

Plans for the memorial began more than six years ago, with ideas from Bloomingdale High School digital design students helping inspire the project. The completed memorial features replicas of the World Trade Center towers and a search-and-rescue dog on a pentagon-shaped base. The towers, canine and base are crafted from black granite. 

In addition to the monument, the site includes benches, a flagpole, pavers and lighting, creating a permanent space where residents can gather and reflect. 

The dedication and unveiling will begin at 9 a.m. Sept. 11 at Culbreath Road and Nature’s Way Boulevard and is open to the community.