🗞️ Pasco Weekender – October 9 – 12, 2025

Hey Pasco friends!
It finally feels like fall in Florida — cooler mornings, bright afternoons, and pumpkins everywhere you look. This weekend brings a brand-new Target opening, a few Halloween hotspots, and plenty of reasons to get outside. Let’s see what’s happening across our sunny corner of the Gulf Coast!

🎉 Events Roundup (Oct 9 – 12)

🤝 West Pasco Entrepreneur Roundtable
📍 SMARTstart West Pasco Entrepreneur Center, New Port Richey
🗓 Thursday Oct 9 | ⏰ 3 PM – 4 PM
Meet local business owners, share ideas, and get inspiration for your next project.
👉 smartstartpasco.com/events

🎯 Grand Opening – Target Wesley Chapel
📍 Oakley Boulevard at The Grove
🗓 Sunday Oct 12 | ⏰ Doors open 10 AM
Pasco’s newest Target includes groceries, a full CVS pharmacy, and a Starbucks café. Expect giveaways and weekend-only specials.
👉 news.tampabay.com/business/2025/10/04/wesley-chapel-target-grand-opening-pasco-retail-shopping

🌟 Spotlight Story – Wesley Chapel Welcomes Target!

After months of anticipation, the red bullseye finally lands in Pasco! The new 148,000-square-foot Target opens this Sunday inside The Grove at Wesley Chapel, bringing 170 local jobs and a fresh dose of convenience.

Inside, shoppers will find a grocery market, bakery, and Starbucks along with upgraded self-checkout lanes and wider aisles for carts and strollers.

Local leaders say the opening signals how quickly Wesley Chapel is growing as one of Florida’s busiest family communities. Stop by on opening day, snap a selfie with the giant red cart, and tag it #PascoWeekender — we may feature your photo next issue!
👉 Business Observer article

🧭 Local Tips & Guides – Halloween Weekend Prep

🎃 1. Dade City Farms Fall Festival
Weekends 10 AM – 5 PM | Hayrides, petting zoo, and a giant pumpkin patch.
👉 dadecityfarms.com

🎃 2. Raprager Family Farms Fall Festival (Odessa)
Open Fridays–Sundays | Huge pumpkins, bounce pillows, apple cider slushies.
👉 rapragerfamilyfarms.com

🎃 3. Community Church Pumpkin Patches
Many local churches open their lots mid-October for affordable pumpkins and photo ops. Check neighborhood Facebook pages for one near you.

💡 Tip: Keep your pumpkins indoors until carving week so they last longer in Florida’s warmth.

🏗️ New Developments & Neighborhood Spotlight

Is a Chipotle Coming to U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes?

You’ve heard the rumor — and there appears to be some support for it. Plans have been approved for a freestanding Chipotle at the intersection of Land O’ Lakes Blvd (US-41) and Causeway Blvd.

Though the announcement is coming from community posts and local planning groups, it seems the site plan is moving forward. Keep an eye on that location — if it happens, it gives Land O’ Lakes another popular food option in a busy commercial corridor.

🎃 Fun Section

Pasco Trivia:
What tiny orange fruit has its own January festival in Dade City?
👉 Answer: The kumquat — Pasco’s smallest celebrity fruit!

Reader Challenge:
Show off your Halloween spirit! Send us a photo of your decorated porch or carved pumpkins and we’ll feature our favorites in next week’s issue. 🎃 📸

💌 Closing

Thanks for reading this week’s Pasco Weekender. Share it with a neighbor who loves local events and help our community newsletter grow.

Next week: early Trunk-or-Treat events, best coffee shops for a cool morning, and a hidden park spotlight.

Stay sunny, stay kind, and enjoy your weekend in Pasco! 🌞