Hernando County events, week of June 26

Today

Hernando County Fairgrounds Weekend Flea Market: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hernando County Fairgrounds, 6436 Broad St., Brooksville. (352) 397-3351.

Monday

Hernando Hills Hi-Lites Open House: Light refreshments and beverages will be served. Observers welcome, as well as those who would like to sing along with the chorus. This is a women's a cappella chorus that sings contemporary and traditional songs in four-part harmony, under the direction of Jeannine Zack. 7 to 9 p.m. Fellowship Community Church, 11250 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill. (352) 686-4122.

Tuesday

Florida Library Youth Program presents 'Tales From the Sea': Children ages 5 to 12 are invited to listen to stories about the sea and visit with a special guest — a Weeki Wachee mermaid. Cameras welcome. 10:15 a.m. West Hernando/S.T. Foggia Branch Library, 6335 Blackbird Ave., Spring Hill. (352) 540-6391.

'The Facilitative IEP Process and Conflict Resolution for Parents' ESE Workshop: Hernando County Exceptional Student Education and the Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System will present this program for parents of ESE students with individual education plans. 7 to 8:30 p.m. This is a free workshop. Nature Coast Technical High School, 4057 California St., Brooksville. RSVP to Janeen Defilippo at (352) 797-7022, ext. 407.

Wednesday

Master Gardeners' Weekly Plant Sale: Plants for shade and sun are available, including flowering plants, ground covers, shrubs and trees. Funds raised benefit the Hernando County Master Gardener Program. 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Prices vary. Master Gardener Nursery, 19490 Oliver St., Brooksville. (352) 754-4433.

Florida Library Youth Program presents Make and Take Craft: Children ages 5 to 12 are invited to stop by the library to make a special craft. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. East Hernando Branch Library, 6457 Windmere Road, Ridge Manor West. (352) 540-6391.

LifeSouth hosts 4th of July Early Kickoff: There will be music, hot dogs, hamburgers, beans, coleslaw and ice cream floats for all visitors. Muscle cars from noon to 1:30 p.m., antique cars from 2 to 3:30 p.m., and a DJ entertaining from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Blood donations are greatly needed. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. LifeSouth Community Blood Center, 12395 Cortez Blvd., Spring Hill. (352) 596-2002.

The Supreme Getaway: Galveston Cruises 2011

Galveston’s ideal location on the Gulf of Mexico makes it a perfect launching point for superb cruises. There are currently two cruise ships that regularly leave from the coastal city: Carnival Ecstasy and Carnival Conquest. Carnival Triumph, Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas, Carnival Magic, Disney Magic, and Crown Princess from Princess Cruises all have definite plans to make trips in the near future, some as soon as this fall. Galveston cruises 2011 will surely show you an incredibly relaxing time.

Carnival Ecstasy is the smaller of the two ships that call Galveston home. With a capacity of just over 2,000 guests, Ecstasy is a great option for travelers who will not want to feel lost in the crowd while on vacation. Though both ships feature a myriad of activities for kids, the Ecstasy is geared slightly more toward adults. A cruise on this ship includes an adult-only social center where the parents can relax hassle-free, the Crystal Palace Casino that offers everything from poker to roulette, and the Neon Piano Bar, which exhibits live entertainment nightly.

Ecstasy’s counterpart, Conquest, submits a nine-hole miniature golf course, a mammoth auditorium called the Toulouse-Lutrec Lounge for performances, both formal and casual dining, and a three-story water slide. The more kid-friendly of the two cruise vessels, Conquest even holds a large open arcade equipped with the latest video games and virtual entertainment.

Both ships have designated zones for kids of specific ages. They offer Camp Carnival for children two to eleven, Circle C for twelve to fourteen, and Club O2 for teenagers fifteen to seventeen, so parents can breathe easy and hang loose knowing that their kids are in very good and watchful hands.

After July 9, 2011, the next ships leaving from Galveston are not scheduled to depart until October, so hurry and book now; summer rates start at under $1000 per person, and with so many great and diverse cruise opportunities before you, you are guaranteed to have an unbelievably exhilarating adventure with Galveston cruises 2011 .

Insiders' Guide to the Pocono Mountains, 4th

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