With Memorial Day now behind us, summer has un-officially arrived! That means that all of the summertime events that are held along the Nature Coast are right around the corner.

In addition to all of the events and activities going on in the Villages of Citrus Hills, there are also a number of great summer events scheduled throughout Citrus and neighboring counties this summer.

Here are a few that you won’t want to miss:

June 

If you are an avid boater, or plan to be one this summer, you will want to attend the free Florida BOAT SMART course that is being held at Gulf to Lake Marine and Trailer on Saturday, June 7. Captain Tony Boline will be leading an interactive two-hour class from 10:00 am to noon.

After completing your BOAT SMART course, you can put your knowledge to work right away, because Saturday, June 7 and Sunday, June 8 are License-Free Fishing Days for all Florida saltwater locations. The following weekend, on Saturday, June 14 and Sunday, June 20, are License-Free Fishing Days for all Florida freshwater locations. These weekends are a great opportunity for novice anglers to try fishing without committing to purchasing a regular license.

The Chiefland Watermelon Festival will take place on Saturday, June 7. In addition to all of the watermelon you could possibly consume, the festival features a watermelon parade, auction, weighing-contest, and the Watermelon Queen contest. The festival draws spectators from all around the area and Chiefland is only about an hour away from the Villages of Citrus Hills.

Homosassa Wildlife Park will host their first Wildlife Ranger Camp of the summer starting on Monday, June 16. This program will introduce children to wildlife located in the park as well as provide general nature education. There will also be an overnight stay on Friday, June 20 with a graduation ceremony on Saturday, June 21. If scheduling conflicts force you to miss the Wildlife Ranger Camp in June, there will be another camp starting on Monday, July 14.

The weekend starting Friday, June 20 will be a busy weekend in Inverness. On Friday night, there will be a Friday Night Thunder car show featuring classic, antique, and sports cars. Then, on Saturday, there will be a country music concert featuring the Jamie Davis Band.

July and August

One of the biggest events of the summer is the start of Scalloping Season on July 1. From the beginning of July until nearly the end of September, many Citrus County residents take advantage of the access we have to outstanding scallops. If you are interested in scalloping, there are plenty of tour guides that will be happy to take you out with them.

Kings Bay Park in Crystal River is the place to be this year for the Fourth of July. The park will be filled with vendors, games, and live music. There will also be a spectacular fireworks display over Kings Bay.

On July 6 and again on August 3, the Cedar Key Light Station will be open to the public. Located on Seahorse Key (about an hour away from the Villages of Citrus Hills), these are two of just a few limited openings to the public held each year. Because the lighthouse and surrounding areas are used by the University of Florida as a marine laboratory and classroom, the lighthouse is not normally open to the public.

About two hours north of Citrus Hills you’ll find Horseshoe Beach and that’s where the 2nd Annual Florida Cracker Seafood Festival will take place on August This event will feature plenty of fresh seafood, live music, crafts and much more.

As you can see, there is no shortage of summertime events and activities scheduled near the Villages of Citrus Hills and surrounding areas, and there’s almost certainly an activity for just about anyone to get excited about!