Tickets $15; reserve online at donate.ncf.edu/events or call 941-487-4888

Shakespeare said "beauty lies in the eye of the beholder." Certainly, beauty is an important ingredient in Dr. Stephen Leatherman's rating of beaches, but the most important criteria are clean sand, clean water and beach safety. Attendees will learn about the 50 criteria Leatherman (aka Dr. Beach) uses to rate beaches, using applied coastal science for public outreach. Leatherman's work rewards good beach management and encourages other beach communities to maintain or improve their overall quality, especially environmental quality. Leatherman's book, Field Guide to the Water's Edge, from National Geographic, will be available for purchase. 

Hear the insights and stories of Florida's past from descendants of the peoples whose material record is studied in archaeology. Brian Zepeda of the Seminole Tribe of Florida is a traditional teacher of all Seminole arts such as woodcarving, sewing, silverwork, leather work, storytelling, songs, hunting and history. He currently serves on the Seminole Tribe of Florida Tribal Council. He served for six years on the Florida Governors Council on Indian Affairs and as manager at the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum for seven years. As director of cultural outreach and then as director of Florida Seminole Tourism, Zepeda has spoken at international conferences on balancing the need to protect Seminole culture while also sharing aspects of it with the public.