FOSSILFEST 3/8 & 9--FLORIDA 10,000 B.C.

FOSSILFEST 2008, FLORIDA 10,000 B.C.
The Ice Age returns!

When: March 8th and 9th 2008
Saturday- 9AM until 6PM
Sunday- 9AM until 4PM.
Admission - $5.00 for adults, children 12 and under are free.
Where: Florida State Fairgrounds, Special Events Center
More info: www.tampabayfossilclub.com

TAMPA, FLORIDA, February 1, 2008 - Before everything we know, prehistoric people hunted mammoths, built large pyramid mounds along our coast, and lived in fear of the saber cat, lion, and bear. On March 8th and 9th, 2008 the Florida State Fairgrounds Special Events Center will go back in time to a different land, when the Tampa Bay Fossil Club presents, Florida, 10,000 B.C.!

FossilFest is Florida's largest prehistoric show where the public can view countless fossils found right here in Florida, as well as artifacts from Florida's prehistoric people. FossilFest features educational activities for both children and adults designed to teach the public about Florida's exciting prehistoric past when saber-toothed cats, giant wolves, sharks the size of school buses, and cavemen ruled Florida's peninsula. Gems, minerals and fossil shells, will also be on display. Vendors will be on hand to sell and trade fossils found both here in Florida, and from all over the world.

"Our goal is to teach Floridians about the animals and prehistoric people that were here long before us," says club president Michael Searle. "These mammoths and lions and camels and rhinos lived right here where we live today. Their fossil remains are everywhere in Florida."

On both Saturday and Sunday there will be presentations on Florida's Ice Age fossils and prehistoric people. There will also be seminars where FossilFest attendees can learn how to legally hunt for Florida fossils, identify what they find, and learn preservation techniques for these antiquities.

One of the highlights of FossilFest is the children's "Fossil Mine." Kids will have the opportunity to dig through a sand pit to recover authentic fossils donated by Tampa Bay Fossil Club members. It doesn't end there, club members then accompany the children to the "learning table" where they will have their fossils explained, identified and bagged for the ride home. That's right, the kids will get to keep everything they find!

"It's a wonderful "hands-on" learning experience for the children," says Tampa Bay Fossil Club Director and Hillsborough County school teacher, Patrick McGirk. "You just can't believe how excited these kids get over fossils. They don't even realize they're learning!"

There will be free door prizes, silent auctions, and raffle prizes throughout the weekend.

"So many people these days are hooked on the Discovery Channel and the History Channel and the Learning Channel. Well, that's what we're all about," says Dr. Bob Sinibaldi, a former president of the Tampa Bay Fossil Club and Pinellas County school teacher. "FossilFest will appeal to anyone who frequents the Discovery Channel, loves science and nature, or has an interest in history and outdoor adventure."

The Tampa Bay Fossil Club is a family oriented organization focusing on paleontology, archaeology, and the natural sciences. Meetings are held monthly at the University of South Florida's Tampa campus and features prominent speakers from many areas of science. The Tampa Bay Fossil Club awards two annual scholarships to University of South Florida students working in the field of paleontology and geology. The 21 year old club hosts numerous field trips, gatherings, and adventures throughout the year.

FossilFest hours are from 9AM until 6PM on Saturday, and 9AM until 4PM on Sunday. Admission is $5.00 for adults, children 12 and under are free. The Ice Age returns!

Where: Florida State Fairgrounds, Special Events Center
When: March 8^th and 9^th 2008
Time: Saturday 9AM-6PM, Sunday 9AM - 4PM