Florida Sand Music Ranch barely has time to mow the campground before its second bluegrass weekend of the month sets up. That’s just one of seven real things on the calendar across Hernando County before Thanksgiving week is out — a festival, a comedy night, a craft fair, a train show, a 40-year-old florist’s open house, Small Business Saturday downtown, and one creamery that’s still finishing construction.
Florida Winter Music Festival — Nov. 11-15, Florida Sand Music Ranch
The ranch at 85 Myers Rd. just wrapped hosting Cornucopia Music Fest last month (that one’s covered here) — now it turns right back around for a five-day winter edition, run by the same Foggy Longbritches organization that books the ranch’s festival calendar. The organizer’s own site hadn’t posted a lineup as of this writing, so if the specific bands matter to you, check foggylongbritches.com before driving out. Good to know: 85 Myers Rd., Brooksville, Nov. 11 (6pm) through Nov. 15 (10pm); call 386-385-3500 for camping and ticket details.
Elks 3rd Annual Craft & Vendor Show — Nov. 14, Brooksville Elks Lodge #2582
Third year running means this one’s past the point of being a trial balloon. The Elks Lodge already runs a second annual Holiday Music Bingo night later this fall (also worth knowing about) — the craft show is a separate, daytime event. Good to know: Brooksville Elks Lodge #2582, 9am-2pm.
Spring Hill Comedy Night: Carmen Ciricillo — Nov. 14, Stage West Playhouse
Ciricillo’s own credit line, straight off Stage West’s comedy series page, is Dry Bar Comedy and “Open Bar” — not a household name, but Stage West’s comedy series has already brought in acts with real TV credits this year (an HBO and ABC-credited comic played the same stage in August). Doors at 6pm, show at 7pm, tickets $20. Good to know: Stage West Playhouse, 8390 Forest Oaks Blvd., Spring Hill; $20 at the door or in advance.
Sherwood Florist’s Annual Christmas Open House — Nov. 21, Spring Hill
Forty years on Northcliffe Boulevard is long enough that this open house predates most of the strip malls around it. Good to know: 11060 Northcliffe Blvd., Spring Hill, 6am-2pm per the county tourism calendar — that’s an early start, worth confirming with the shop directly if you’re planning around it.
Regal Railways Model Train Show & Sale — Nov. 21, Hernando County Fairgrounds
Model-train shows live or die on vendor turnout, and this one’s organizers are promising more than 70 tables — a real number, not a vague “lots of vendors” claim. Good to know: Hernando County Fairgrounds, 9am-2pm.
Small Business Saturday — Nov. 28, Downtown Brooksville
This lands at the corner of South Brooksville Avenue and Liberty Street — the same stretch of downtown that just picked up a new storefront when Under the Olive Tree opened by the water tower last month, and a block or two from where the Downtown Street Market’s Friendsgiving edition sets up. Worth making a morning of all three if you’re downtown that weekend. Good to know: Downtown Brooksville (S. Brooksville Ave. & Liberty St.), 10am-2pm.
Rochetti Creamery — coming soon, Spring Hill Drive
No opening date yet — Rochetti’s own Instagram was still posting construction updates (ladders, signage going up) as of late October, not a countdown. It’s taking a spot at 14315 Spring Hill Dr., in the same small retail stretch near Anderson Snow Road as Tidal Brewing Company and Habana Prime. One honest caveat: “coming soon” has meant anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months for other spots in that same plaza, so treat this as a name to watch, not a weekend plan. Follow @rochetticreamery on Instagram for the actual date.