Good Morning, Villages. It’s a new week, and today we celebrate National Cocktail Day 🍸️ . There are plenty of all day happy hours to celebrate here in the Villages! Kind of bad timing given that it’s Monday, but what the heck, we’re retired.

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In today’s Villages Pulse:

• ✇ Villages Says No More Drones!

• 🎉 Big Street Party

• 🎸 Events and Music Listings

Let’s dive in.

— Kevin Rogers, Publisher

Top Story

Villages Threatens Drone Operators Filming Construction Sites

The Villages has issued cease-and-desist letters to drone pilots, ordering them to stop flying over construction sites and to remove existing videos from their social media accounts. The directive, sent by attorney William Giltinan of Carlton Fields, representing The Villages’ holding company, warns of potential costly legal battles for non-compliance. The move has sparked frustration among drone enthusiasts, who argue their flights are legal and aimed at documenting community development. The Villages claims the flights infringe on privacy and safety concerns at active construction zones. The drone pilots claim the Villages is now starting a feature in their Villages Daily Sun newspaper which features drone shots of construction, and doesn’t want the competition. Pilots are required to sign the letter, agreeing to halt flights and remove footage. The controversy highlights tensions between hobbyists and property management as drone use grows in popularity. At least one drone operator, Don Wiley hit back on social media, saying he won’t back down, and won’t remove any drone videos.

Dining Deals of the Day

Monday

Orange Blossom Hills Country Club | Fiesta Monday | Fajitas: Chicken $16.95, Shrimp $18.95 , Steak $19.95 | Margaritas $6

Tuesday

Havana Country Club | Smoked Beef Brisket, BBQ Ribs and Pulled Pork Shoulder with sides | $27.99

Wednesday

Cane Garden Country Club | Lobster and Shrimp Fettucine | $22.99

Street Party Alert (and fundraiser)

If you are looking for a fun time, for a good cause, come join the Flamingo Fun-Raiser street party this Saturday, March 29!

Homes Of The Villages

Instead of writing about one of the many Villages within the Villages, I thought it would be nice to dream. Today we present the highest priced home currently listed for sale, according to Zillow.

Here’s a photo of the home, listed at $2.3 Million.

Check out this very large 4-bed, 2.5-bath house —over 5,000 sq. ft. with a huge 4-car garage! It’s right on a golf course near Lake Sumter Landing, with killer views of the fairway, water, and an eagle preserve out back. The lanai’s all glassed-in, perfect for chilling and soaking in the scenery. Inside, you’ve got super high ceilings—some hit 14 feet—tile floors, and a sweet setup with sliding doors from the living room to the lanai for parties. There’s 11 closets (one’s cedar), cool glass shelves with lights, and two chandeliers. And there’s space for a pool in case you want to spend another $100,000 or so! Taxes last year? $8,959.77. It’s a big home, in a nice spot, but definitely needs some updates throughout. The address is 1721 Sunset Ridge Drive. You can check out the listing on Zillow here.

What’s Happenin’

🂡 🂡 Shirley’s Seniors No Limit Hold’em Tournament (50+) | Oxford Downs | Mon March 24 | 11:15 AM start

🥕 Lady Lake Farmers and Crafts Market | Rolling Acres Sports Complex | Tue March 25 | 9am - 2pm | Details

🕺🏻 Square Dance Lessons - Beginners | Warfield Auditorium Wildwood | Tue March 25 | 6:30pm | More Info + Registration

🀞 Jukebox Bingo | Old Mill Playhouse | Wed March 26 | 6:30pm - 8:30pm | Tickets + Info

🎦 Free Movie for Seniors: Queen of the Ring | Old Mill Playhouse | Mon March 24 | 2pm | Details

🎤 The Donna and Dunning "Better Than Vegas" Dinner Show | Evans Prairie Restaurant | Thurs March 27 | Ticket required + meal | More Info

🍷 Portuguese Wine Dinner | Brownwood Hotel & Spa | Fri March 28 | 5:30 PM | Tickets Required | Details

🎻 Villages Philharmonic Orchestra | Sharon Morse | 2025/2026 Renewals without changes go on sale Wed March 26 | Details and tickets

Credence Revived | Savannah Center | May 23 and 24 shows: Tickets on sale this week | Tickets and details

🎸 Shoot To Thrill (AC/DC Tribute) | Savannah Center | May 30 Show | Tickets on Sale Wed March 26 @ 10am | Details and Tickets

🍸️ Sip & Dip Pool Party | Brownwood Hotel & Spa | Sat March 29 | 11am - 3pm | Chef Grill Station ( all you can eat) , and Two Drink Tickets. Cash Bar also available | Music by DJ Magic | More Info + Tickets

🏌️‍♂️ Villages Golf Festival | April 3, 4 | 8am - 5pm | At all championship courses + Sarasota

Villages Civic News & Updates

Amberwood Executive Golf Couse Grand Re-opening March 31 | Ribbon Cutting 9:30am, Tee times begin 10am | Tee Times Open Tue March 25

Saddlebrook Executive Golf Course reopens | Mon April 7

Closures

Savannah Rec Indoor and Outdoor Facilities and Sports Pool | Tues March 25

Weather

A pleasant first half of the week with temps warming up to mid 80’s with low humidity and cool morning temps.

Monday

80 🌡️ 60| ⛅️ | 0% | 🌬️ SW 5 - 10 mph

Tuesday

83 🌡️ 58 | ⛅️ | 0% | 🌬️ NW 5

Wednesday

85 🌡️ 57 | ☀️ | 0% | 🌬️ Light winds

Live Music Lowdown

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thanks!

Thanks for reading Villages Pulse today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who likes street parties.

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