LARGO — The Bluffs Business Association will host an all-day America’s 250th Birthday Celebration at VFW Post 10094 on Saturday, July 4, featuring three live bands, a barbecue, raffles and games.
The family-friendly event is the reason the business association scaled back its on-site role in Belleair Bluffs’ annual Fourth of July picnic this year. Rather than staff the City Park gathering, BBA leaders decided to channel their energy into a larger celebration honoring the country and its military veterans.
“We discussed it as a board and decided we were looking for something bigger to do this year,” said BBA President Larry Bell, speaking in early June from his company’s office on Indian Rocks Road in Largo. “And this event just made sense.”
Bell, who has been talking with VFW officials about the celebration for more than six months, said the music lineup includes his own band, the Surfin’ Raccoons, and “The Voice” star Alex Whalen. Local charities are signed on as partners, among them Steve Chamberland’s 50 Legs foundation.
“Everyone involved thought this would be a great way to celebrate America and honor our veterans,” he said.
Lexi Farina, the post’s events coordinator, said the VFW is thrilled to host the gathering, which begins at 11 a.m. Inside, guests will find music bingo and other games; outside, live music and a barbecue, with meals for $5.
“This is big. It’s huge,” Farina said. “Their support means everything to our organization. To do something like this in the community, that’s open to the public — it’s terrific.”
The shift away from the Belleair Bluffs picnic caught some city officials off guard, the group said, even though the BBA had told the city it would still donate $500 and supply a judge for the dessert contest. Co-founder Kimberly Bender said she emailed the city in April offering to help and heard back from Mayor Chris Arbutine, the BBA’s liaison, that officials “would manage” it.
Bell noted that Arbutine holds a nonvoting role with the association and that his business, the Silver Queen, is a main-stage sponsor of the celebration.
“So, they were not blindsided at all by this,” BBA Treasurer Stacy Myers said.
Bell said hosting the VFW event fits the BBA’s mission to support businesses across the region while growing its membership and partnerships. The group has expanded from 30 members to 60 and now numbers a couple hundred, he said, adding that “Bluffs” in its name “doesn’t mean any one municipality owns it. It’s about the region.” He pointed to new ties with the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce and the Belleair Rotary.
“We’ve gotten bigger and more influential, and we can have more impact on more businesses in the area,” Bell said. “So when we have an opportunity to do something like this Fourth of July event, it’s our obligation to our members to take advantage of it.”
For more information, visit the Bluffs Business Association at bbastrong.com.