Events in Orlando
From January through to December, Orlando hosts a series of events to keep you entertained.
Sport
The whole country gets ready for college basketball in January, and in Orlando, things reach fever pitch this time of year.
The Silver Spurs Rodeo in February brings together the best of professional rodeo riders, while the Orlando Health
and Fitness Show in May showcases the latest in sport, weight control, nutrition and dance and martial arts with
experts to help and advise those want to change their lives. Not quite a conventional sport, the Celebrity Mascot
Games sees mascots representing teams in the national basketball, hockey and footballs leagues compete for top honours.
College football gets going in September, along with the staging of the OUC Downtown Orlando Triathlon, the Alcon/Heart
of Florida United Way Golf Classic and the Miracle Mile 15km run. National Basketball Association (NBA) action gets
underway in November - cheer on the Orlando Magics!
Ethnic and international parties
The Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities showcases the best of African-American performance art,
music and poetry. Head down to Pleasuretown for a purely Irish St. Patrick's Day celebration in March. The Isle of
Pines South Beach Park hosts the Rajuncajun Crawfish Festival in April, a tribute to Cajun heritage featuring a host
of performers, the best Cajun cuisine you can imagine and music to keep you moving into the night. The Mexican Fiesta
in September pays homage to Mexican culture and the Mexican Independence Day. The Polish Fest in October celebrates
everything Polish, and the Viva Osceola Festival showcases Orlando's Latin culture.
Food
For the gourmands, the year is packed with a variety of festivals and shows. The Marshmallow Drop in April is
something the kids would enjoy: a helicopter drops thousands of marshmallows over an open field, and the kids have
to hunt for them and then exchange them for sweets and chocolates. In August, the College Park Rotary Barbeque is
something no meat-lover should miss out on. September's Fall Harvest Festival is all about the goodness of organic food.
The big one on the food fanatic's calendar is the International Food and Wine Festival scheduled for October. Here visitors
can sample the best of international cuisine and wine, and also talk directly with some of the best chefs in the world. October
also hosts the Veg Fest, which gives visitors the opportunity to try excellent vegetarian cuisine and experience a little
of what it takes to live a meat-free existence. Taste of Celebration in November invites people to taste and enjoy various
types of food, both local dishes and outlandish ones.
Arts
Artists everywhere can get the year off to an excellent start at the Bach Festival scheduled for February.
Get down to the Rollins College campus for an evening paying tribute to one of the greatest composers in music
history. Also in February, the Mount Dora Arts Festival is a huge exhibition of artists, entertainers, stalls
and various performers. The Kissimmee Bluegrass Festival in March focuses on blue grass and gospel music and has
a number of stalls through which shoppers can browse. March also hosts the Florida Film Festival, sandwiched
between the famous Sundance and Cannes film festivals. Make your way to the Enzian Theatre to catch a glimpse
of the best in world cinema. The Winter Park Sidewalk Arts Festival, also in March and on the go for almost 50
years now, is a popular event showcasing the work of hundreds of artists. April hosts the JazzKissimmee Festival
in Lake Park and the Romantic Times Booklovers' Convention in the Wyndham Orlando Resort. May sees the arrival
of the Orlando International Fringe Festival and the Port Orange Arts and Crafts Show. The New Smyrma Beach Jazz
Festival in September takes place on Flagler Avenue and November's Festival of the Masters is an open-air
arts fest happening in Downtown Disney.
