On The Town: March 2015
28 special events to check out in the month of March.
CENTRAL FLORIDA FAIR
Through Mar. 8 Rides, games, livestock and culinary contests make for a traditional family favorite event. 4603 W. Colonial Drive, Orlando. centralfloridafair.com
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS MARDI GRAS
Through Apr. 18 On select nights The Big Easy comes to Central Florida, with Cajun and Creole cuisine, street performers, lively music, and beads by the handful. Included with annual pass or Universal Studios admission. universalorlando.com
GASPARILLA FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS
Feb. 28-Mar. 1 Hundreds of artists working in various media, from pottery and fiber to photography and glass, are on hand for this annual outdoor fine arts and crafts show. Saturday 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Tampa. gasparillaarts.com
EPCOT’S INTERNATIONAL FLOWER & GARDEN FESTIVAL
Mar. 4-May 17 Educational designer programs, themed gardens, topiary displays, and live concerts usher in spring. New this year are Anna and Elsa of “Frozen” topiaries in a garden scene from the movie. epcotinspring.com
SMILE MILE RUN
Mar. 7 A one-mile children’s race open to all elementary school-age students between the ages of 5 and 11. Orlando Fashion Square, 3201 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando. trackshack.com
DISNEY LIVE! PRESENTS MICKEY’S MAGIC SHOW
Illusionist Zach Williams joins Mickey and friends for a spectacular show of levitations and transformations.
Mar. 6 King Center for the Performing Arts, 3865 N. Wickham Road, Melbourne. 3 and 6 p.m. kingcenter.com
Mar. 8 CFE Arena, 12777 Gemini Blvd., Orlando. 1 and 4 p.m. 800-745-3000. cfearena.com
THORNTON PARK 2ND THURSDAY ART AND WINE WALK
Mar. 12 Artists display works for sale along the streets and inside local businesses. Free, but a $10 wristband (available at Olde Town Brokers) gets you a free pour of wine at various locations. 6:30-9:30 p.m. Summerlin Avenue and Washington Street. thorntonparkdistrict.com
MIGHTY ST. PATRICK’S FESTIVAL
Mar. 13-17 Irish food, dancing, beer, music and a wee bit o’ leprechaun luck makes for a great green celebration. Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant, Downtown Disney, 16340 E. Lake Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista. 407-938-0300. raglanroad.com
ZIMMERMAN KISER SUTCLIFFE WINTER PARK ROAD RACE
Mar. 14 Grand finale of the Track Shack Running Series offers several race lengths for every age and ability. 251 S. Park Ave., Winter Park. trackshack.com
TASTE OF MOUNT DORA BOOTS & DENIM PARTY
Mar. 14 Dining, dancing, gaming and country/ western attire. 6-11 p.m. Sunset Park at 4th and Alexander, Mount Dora. 352-383-2165. mountdora.com
LEU GARDENS SPRING PLANT SALE
Mar. 14-15 Shop the largest selection of quality plants in Central Florida, with experts on hand to help you choose the right plants for your landscape or garden. Plants include bamboo, bromeliads, butterfly plants, citrus, ferns, fruit trees, gingers, herbs and more. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Harry P. Leu Gardens, 1920 N. Forest Ave., Orlando. leugardens.org
FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL
Mar. 14-15 Car show, arts and crafts, the Raise the Roof 5K, and of course, all the sweet juicy strawberries you can eat. Wickham Park Pavilion, 3865 N. Wickham Road, Melbourne. 321-728-4009. brevardhabitat.com
3RD THURSDAY GALLERY HOP & ART WALK
Mar. 19 Visitors converge on the core of Orlando’s Downtown Arts District to celebrate art. 6 p.m. City Arts Factory, 29 S. Orange Ave., Orlando. orlandoslice.com
HANNIBAL SQUARE WINE TASTING
Mar. 19 The Winter Park Chamber of Commerce and the Hannibal Square Merchants Association kick off the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival with live music and wine samplings. 5-7:30 p.m. Hannibal Square, West New England Avenue between Virginia and Pennsylvania avenues. 407-644-8281. winterpark.org
WINTER PARK INSTITUTE
Rollins College, Tiedtke Concert Hall, 1000 Holt Ave., Winter Park. 407-691-1995. winterparkinstitute.org
Mar. 19 An Evening with Eric Spiegel, president and CEO of Siemens USA. 7 p.m.
Mar. 26 Roger McGuinn: How Folk Music Got Me to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame. 7 p.m. McGuinn, leader of the 1960s group The Byrds, combined folk and rock music to great acclaim.
Mar. 27 The McGuinn Legacy: Questions and Answers. 11 a.m.
WINE & SEAFOOD FESTIVAL
Mar. 20-22 Enjoy wine, seafood, live music, winery tours and more. Friday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Lakeridge Winery and Vineyards, 19239 U.S. 27 North, Clermont. lakeridgewinery.com
WINTER PARK SIDEWALK ART FESTIVAL
Mar. 20-22 Thousands of people come out for one of the biggest and best art festivals in the Southeast. It is a competitive juried show, but many emerging artists are also invited. Central Park along Park Avenue between New England and Garfield avenues, Winter Park. wpsaf.org
COLOR VIBE 5K
Mar. 21 Get blasted with color while you run, and finish off the day with more color and a dance party. Riverfront Park, East Fairview Avenue and North Beach Street, Daytona Beach. thecolorvibe.com
RAM NATIONAL CIRCUIT FINALS RODEO
Mar. 25-28 Cowboys and cowgirls compete for more than one million dollars in cash and prizes during four days of events. Silver Spurs Arena, 18875 Silver Spurs Lane, Kissimmee. ohpark.com
PIG BASH AND FLORIDA HERITAGE BARBEQUE CLASSIC
Mar. 26-28 Meet over 100 award-winning smoking masters and eat the best BBQ in the world, including pork, brisket, gator and other exotic treats. Enjoy live music and other interactive entertainment. Osceola Heritage Park, 18875 Silver Spurs Lane, Kissimmee. ohpark.com
SANFORD ART WALK
Mar. 27 Explore galleries and art spaces in and around First Street between Magnolia and Sanford avenues. Discover this river town’s culture and nightlife, food and art. 6-9 p.m. sanfordartwalk.com, sanfordwelcomecenter.com
FESTIVAL OF INDIA
Mar. 28 Immerse yourself in the culture of India, from music and food to dance and games.11 a.m.-6 p.m. Hindu Society of Central Florida Community Hall and Grounds, 1994 Lake Drive, Casselberry. hindutempleorlando.org
UPTOWN ART EXPO
Mar. 28-29 You will find juried arts and crafts, chalk street painting, food, drink and live music. Saturday 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m-5 p.m. Cranes Roost Park, 274 Cranes Roost Blvd., Altamonte Springs. uptownartexpo.com
MOUNT DORA SPRING SHOW
Mar. 28-29 Downtown streets come alive with nearly 300 antiques and collectibles dealers, crafters and artists displaying their treasures for show and sale. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. mountdoraspringshow.com
SAILBOAT REGATTA
Mar. 28-29 This event takes place the same weekend as the Mount Dora Spring Show, with all-day sailboat competitions on Lake Dora. 351 W. Fourth Ave., Mount Dora. mountdorayachtclub.com
THE GOLDEN DRAGONS
Mar. 31 More than 25 centuries of experience are reflected in this Chinese acrobatic show. 7 p.m. King Center for the Performing Arts, 3865 N. Wickham Road, Melbourne. 321-242-2219. kingcenter.com
