Little ghosts and goblins will be dressed in their Halloween best for trick or treating, arts & crafts, a bounce house, face painting…and new this year, a live performance from children's rock musician,

Mr. Richard!  

The Pumpkin Patch also opens at the Fall Festival, so there will be plump pumpkins in all shapes and sizes and festive photo opportunities, too!  All proceeds from pumpkin sales benefit The Humane Society of Tampa Bay.

Ready to put your boogie shoes on?

Richard Peeples plays over 400 shows a year for children and their families. Richard was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, and moved to Corinth, a small town in Mississippi, in sixth grade. He played in rock bands for many years, through high school and past college.

Richard worked at Walt Disney World in Orlando, and also spent two summers as a ranger for the National Park Service in Colorado. For five years, Richard was a storyteller for the Orange County Florida Library.

  With the help of Jimbo Mathus of Squirrel Nut Zippers/Buddy Guy fame, Mr. Richard recorded his first children's album, "Might As Well Sing."

Recognition for "Might As Well Sing":

* Chosen by the New York Post as one of six new kids' "Platters That Matter"

* Parenting magazine chose the album as the "Parenting Pick" for 5-8 year-olds in the May 2005 issue

* In October 2005, "Might As Well Sing" won the Children's Music Web Awards: Best Recording for Children Ages 5-8

* The album also won the Children's Music Web Award for Best Song ("Underwear") for the same age group.

  Richard was also featured in the Kid's Tent at the 36th annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in April 2005, and the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston in 2008.

His second kids' album, "Tummy Talk", was released in September 2006 by 219 Records and was featured in "Cookie" magazine. It yielded the infectious "Bobo Baby Jay", "Cry Baby" and the dance-along favorite, "Loopy Doop".

"Polka Dot Puzzle" appeared in December 2007 and was reviewed (favorably, of course!) in Chattanooga Parent, Zooglobble, Cool Tunes For Kids and School Library Journal. The video clip for "Cheese" won Zooglobble's 2008 Kid VId Tournament over such worthy artists as They Might Be Giants, The Jimmies, and Gustafer Yellowgold.

Richard now appears regularly with The Pound Hounds (Rachel Webb on bass/vocals and Rick Hartig on drums) for full-on rocking for the kids.

http://www.mrrichard.net/