This year was the 50th anniversary of the Bloomin' Arts Festival. The shows name comes from the…read morecolorful azaIeas blooming throughout town. There are flowers that top all of the street signs adding to the blooming theme. I always wanted to explore Bartow and the festival gave me the perfect reason to finally come to town to check historic Bartow out. The festival is held the first weekend of March every year. Main Street is shut down and tents are set up along the street. The Bloomin' Arts Festival is staged by the Bartow Art Guild and run by volunteers. The show is juried and they offer awards totaling $12,000. It attracts artists from all over the country. Surrounding the festival is free attractions including an antique car show, Bloomin' Bike Ride, flower show, a quilt show at the free history museum located in the historic courthouse, student art show, kids art/face painting tent, Sunday afternoon Free Concert, and food trucks. Parking is free. It was drizzling while I visited the show but a little rain couldn't ruin the fun. The DJ had a sense of humor as he played every song you could think of that mentioned rain in it's lyrics. I enjoyed browsing the many tents filled with paintings, glass, sculpture, jewelry, leather, mixed media, photography,  wood, ceramics, fiber, and fine crafts. I also visited the museum and enjoyed shopping at the many cute and unique shops, many of which were offering specials sales to coincide with the show. There are so many great places to eat in addition to the food trucks. A tip I learned from visiting the festival is that they set up port a potties on the street but you can use the nearby and much more pleasant restrooms at the history museum. I loved my visit to this festival and Bartow has some beautiful architecture. I adore Old Florida towns. If you missed the art festival they stage an annual sidewalk chalk festival in October.

Lake Placid is known as the Caladium Capital of the World. Ninety-eight percent of the world's…read morecaladium bulbs are grown in Lake Placid. Although native to South America, caladiums are popular house plants that are easily propagated from tubers, or bulbs. Ninety-eight percent of the world's tubers are grown in Lake Placid on fourteen caladium farms. To celebrate the importance of caladiums to the Lake Placid economy, an annual festival is held late July. This year was the 34th annual Caladium Festival. I always wanted to attend so I am happy I made it happen this year. It was worth the drive to take part in this charming celebration. The festival is held over three days, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. A car show is held in nearby Devane Park on Saturday. The main events of the Caladium Festival take place in Stuart Park. There is plenty of free parking in a field next to the park. In Stuart Park you will find artisan tents, food, live entertainment, and of course caladiums for sale along with other kinds of plants. Do not miss the Elk tent for their popular strawberry shortcake ice cream dessert. For only $6 it benefits their children's charity. The Masonic Lodge sells fried catfish and the Knights of Columbus make pulled pork. There are other tents and trucks selling every kind of food you can imagine not to mention all of the nearby cafe's, restaurants, and coffee and ice cream shops which will also have food and drinks for sale. A highlight of the festival is shopping for caladiums at the numerous tents in Stuart Park. Before this festival I really never gave much thought to caladiums but I was impressed with how pretty they are and how many different shades of pink and red they came in. They make attractive and hardy house plants and ground cover for the garden. Other items I saw for sale included tropical wine, local honey, clothes, accessories, jewelry, and art. Almost of all of the area businesses were also selling caladium themed merchandise. The festival also has a floral arrangement competition sponsored by The Lake Placid Garden Club, a Caladium Festival art competition, and the Tiny and Little Miss Caladium Festival Pageant. For $18 you can purchase a bus ticket from the Women's Club and take an hour long tour of the caladium farms. Throughout the festival there is live entertainment on the stage in Stuart Park. It was really hot throughout the day and Advent Health was on hand with free cold water, cooling towels and backpacks, and a cooling off misting area. Other stops I made during the festival which I really enjoyed were to the Lake Placid Historical Society and Museum where I took in a little town history and enjoyed a complimentary cold water and to the Caladium Arts and Crafts Cooperative where I shopped local artisans. Of course I couldn't help but admire all of the murals in the downtown that gave Lake Placid its other nickname, Town of Murals. If you are thinking about attending this festival, do it! The folks of Lake Placid are some of the friendliest you will meet in Florida.

Lake Placid, Florida is the caladium capital of the world, and every year they have a festival to…read morecelebrate. This year, 2021, was the festival's 30th year, and my first time attending. The festival ran from 9 am - 4 pm on Friday and Saturday, and 10 am - 3 pm on Sunday. In addition to the Arts and Crafts Show and Plant Show which ran all three days, they also had a Car & Bike show on Saturday. You were encouraged to buy bus tickets at the show to tour the nearby caladium farms, but we did not do this. Parking was easy because we arrived early. The first thing we did was go the closest tent to buy caladiums. I bought a flat of 10 different caladium plants for $24, which is dirt cheap. I was thrilled that there was also cactus vendor, and ended up buying a few succulents, also at outstanding prices. I went home with a new bromeliad too - I can't say no when it comes to cool plants. The festival was much larger than I expected it to be, with a nice assortment of craft vendors selling a variety of products. When the heat became too much, we went inside a nearby building to vote on our favorite piece of caladium art, and caladium plant display. I love that the church was handing out ice water, and there was a water truck you could refill your water bottle at. There were plenty of food vendors, and the fresh fruit mix vendor was perfect for this steamy day. Make sure you wear plenty of sunscreen if you go; while there were a few shade tents set up to eat at, and listen to the live assortment of musical acts, it was broiling outside. A great time was had by all, and we will definitely be back next year.

I have wanted to go to this yard sale event along the Scenic Highway for a few years now but it is…read morequite a distance from where I live. It required the commitment of leaving my house at 5 AM to make it to the first stop closest to me, Frostproof by 8 AM. This was the year I finally made it. The sale is always held the first Saturday in November and attracts thousands of people. It takes place from 8Am to 3 PM. The sale is sponsored by Ridge Scenic Highway Corridor, Corridor Management Entity, City of Lake Wales, Frostproof Chamber of Commerce, Lake Wales Woman's Club, Lake of the Hills Community Club, Town of Lake Hamilton, Dundee Methodist Church, and the City of Frostproof. These civic, religious, and non profit groups have been working together since 2007 to promote tourism along the Lake Wales Ridge. While you shop at the sale you can also dine at local restaurants and shop at businesses. While I pretty much stuck to the sale it was hard not to get sidetracked by some of the places I have always wanted to visit. I got to see a few on this trip in addition to reaching each of the official sale stops. The sale runs along the Lake Wales Ridge and extends 38.7 miles from its intersection with US 27 S of Frostproof to where it intersects with US 17/92 in Haines City. There are five official locations for the sale. These are downtown Frostproof, Lake Wales at the Woman's Club, Lake of the Hills at the Community Clubhouse, Dundee at the Methodist Church, and Lake Hamilton at the Town Hall grounds. In between the official stops are many other unofficial sales. It would be impossible to stop at every sale in one day. Along the route are a number of cultural and historical sites along with lakes, natural areas, citrus groves, and unique Florida attractions. This was the final stop in Haines City and my first time in the city. Early pioneers planted citrus groves and the town is still associated with citrus today. By the time I made it here the sale was wrapping up at town hall. It was a long day but I am glad got to experience the Scenic Ridge and see so many uniquely Florida places for the first time.

So sad I drove up here Sunday all the way from Ft Lauderdale to find out they were closed. All it…read moresays on the sign was we will be back no time no date I felt so sad. I used to go up there all the time when I lived in the area, very disappointed.

Super quaint and secluded winery in Lake Placid Florida. The staff was very friendly and you can do…read morefour tastings for $1. The wines are mostly sweeter but they did have one that was semi dry that was very good (footstomper). Great central Florida detour to check out.

What a great time! This annual event, sponsored by Crisco, is reminiscent of a small town's fair…read more Friendly people abound here, and Pie Pride oozes from every single booth. There are markets, bakeries, and restaurants galore here, all keen to have you taste either their take on a traditional, or point you with special glee towards their own creations. The weather cooperated, the band was great, people struck up conversations with strangers, and everyone got a little sun. I'm awfully glad that Yelp made this a Yelp Event. I didn't see any other Yelpistas, but then again, my eyes were looking at all that deliciousness..... So, come tomorrow- or next year. And, keep you eyes on the pies!!!

One of the best events we have each year is the Great American Pie Festival over at Celebration! I…read morehave gone to this even for the past 4 years in a row and it always is worth the drive. This year, I was lucky enough to get free entry into the never ending pie buffet from our friends at Yelp! Thanks Colleen for the pie! Since parking can be a nightmare even without events at Celebration, we always park by a friends house over by the high school and walk over. It only takes about 10 min to walk over and besides, it is a nice walk back to the car to walk off some of the pie we just inhaled. We arrived on Saturday around 1 pm and found the crowds this year to be a bit lighter than in the past. After checking in with the info booth and getting our wrist bands, we enjoyed checking out all the vendors and seeing if their was any arts and crafts we might want. There is a large booth that sells t-shirts, cookbooks and of course pies! This year, there were also a larger amount of food vendors selling the normal fair type foods. We did not indulge since we were saving room for pie. They also had a zip line contraption that looked like fun. We made our way over to the pie buffet entry. You must have a wrist band or you cant get in! The pie police are watching you. Once inside, we armed ourselves with plastic forks ( I suggest bringing your own metal one if you like) and then started to check out all the booths. There seemed to be less vendors than in the past. Publix and Winn Dixie were there as well as Kroger's and the Village inn. All make great pies but the ones I enjoy most are from some of the more independent pie companies that make unusual combinations of flavors. Bakers Square, Bonerts, Legendary Baking, and Wicks pies are these types of vendors. Yet this year, they only seemed to have a few flavors to try while in the past, they might have 10 or more types. My favorite of all time was a chocolate coated frozen cheesecake on a stick.... but alas, it was not there this year. Sniff Sniff... All in all, it was still a great feast! I will say that most people can eat about 5 or 6 slices before they are done but one friend of mine ate 10 slices! Oink! Some people like to eat one slice at a time while others stop at each booth, grab the ones they want, and then find a place to spread them all out and eat them one by one. After our pig out, we continued to check out many of the other booths that circle the stage. Crisco is the main sponsor but there are also booths for Duncan Hines, Smuckers, and Dunkin Donuts. Duncan was having a bit of a scavenger hunt with their new stir in flavors of frosting. You had to collect all 12 of the flavors and then visit their booth to be in a drawing for prizes. I collected them all, got my ticket for the hourly drawing but never got back to see if I won... oh well... There was also the appearance of Poppin Fresh! and Pie man! Always popular and sometimes a line to get a photo with them. The main stage had an assortment of entertainment including comedian Kirk Marsh, singer Dean Daniels and guest chefs David Sloan and Brian Ehrenholm. If you want something fun to do and love pie, I do recommend checking out the pie festival. The normal entry for adults is $10 and if you eat enough pie, it pays for itself. Our best tip would be go in... eat pie... walk around and enjoy the booths and sights... then go back again for more pie! (Then take a really long walk back to your car!) Enjoy!

This is a large arts and crafts fair being held at the Indian River County Fairgrounds January…read more15-16, Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sun 10 am to 4 pm. The event is outside underneath cover. Admission and parking are both free. Dogs are welcome and the event is wheelchair accessible. The expo features 150 vendors selling food, wood, glass, plants, pottery, art, jewelry, accessories, clothing, and home goods. There were a variety of interesting and affordable things to look at. My favorites were the licorice and fudge, local honey, fruit salsa, sea glass wind chimes, and the copper bird baths. I love anything tropical themed with mermaids and flamingoes. In addition to the shopping there was also several food trucks, adult beverages, and live music. Next door to the Craft Expo, the Home Show was held in the David W. Fleetwood Exposition Center. It was also free admission. Parking was easy and plentiful and the weather was beautiful. Both events are going on tomorrow so come out and enjoy.

I look forward to the Strawberry Festival in Plant city every year now !…read more The fair runs from Late February into the second week of March every year and offers discounted tickets at local Publix stores. It goes back to late 1930 when local members of the newly organized Plant City Lions club has the idea of an event to celebrate the bountiful harvest of strawberries and boy am I glad they did ! There is strawberry everything at this fair - from popcorn to strawberry shortcakes , ice cream , donuts and even fresh picked strawberries for purchase to take home ! There are a ton of rides, food vendors , Local vendors and live animals for all ages to enjoy! I loved the pig races and eating all the delicious fairy food . I really wanted a pair of red cowboy boots ( yes they have retail vendors on site ) but left without them darn it . Parking is not so fun as there is no designated lot so you have to find a lot to park in and ranges from $10-30. This was my 3rd time coming and I will definitely come back with the family and friends to enjoy fun moments .

I'm glad we went to get the Strawberry Fest (the shortcake was DELICOUS) you had me a shortcakes!…read more The livestock was small and hard to locate. The midway was HUGE! The crowd was WALMART ON STEROIDS! The parking was ok...we got lucky on a spot. Vendor area was like a Flea market. I can't say we will every go back but we survived. See u Soon!

Love it! It was genuinely a lot of fun and the food was delicious! They said, I hope they forgo…read morethe pig bucks next year. Just let me pay in cash.

We went on Saturday at 1 pm. Most of the good stuff was…read moregone/sold out... Go Friday if you want the best they got... This is not a national barbecue competitive event. This is a food truck style event. Do not expect national style competitive barbecue... This is mom and pop style family barbecue. That being said, it was good clean fun. Perfect for the family. Friendly staff and guests... Friendly family style food. Budweiser is the only beer so take note. If you live close, this event is ok... There are some rides and a live band area. It was only 5 bucks to get in..,

When it comes to free festivals, this one is the best kept secret in Florida. Located in the heart…read moreof true Florida, Clewiston is every bit of American farm culture as anywhere in the US. The town welcomes you in and you feel true American spirit without any political sabotage. Family friendly, while still delivering that turn it up country party vibe. Not easy to pull of btw. Opening nite show with Don Felder of the Eagles with a big firework finale was enough to call it a successful event. Saturday car show was a trip down memory lane. Tons of agriculture and farming equipment and history on display. The Saturday concert list was full of talent and good vibes. Food booths for miles and plenty of retailers offering all sorts of relevant products. Then Jake Owen closed the festival with his signature crowd focused show. Free??? I almost don't want to post this so we can keep it a secret! If you want real Florida, country, American shenanigans, check it out. Hats off to Big Sugar for making it all happen.

Every year at end of the sugar cane harvest season, Clewiston, known as "America's Sweetest Town,"…read morecelebrates the harvest with its Clewiston Sugar Festival center in the city's Civic Park located on Highway 27 right next to its historic Clewiston Inn. It's at this event that everyone gets a close-up look at what sugar cane farming is all about with large outdoor stage entertainment, bands, singers, vendors, foods, and "Sugarland Express" tours where you are not only offered the opportunity to see, view and learn the latest in sugar farming techniques but to also chop and chew on some of the world's best sugar cane. The Sugar Festival I attended was Clewiston's 30th such event, which locals commonly refer to their "Raising Cane" party. It's based upon their original such event by United States Sugar company back it the 1930's held when the grinding mill "went down" after the last carload of the year's harvested sugar was grinded out. The festival also celebrates Clewiston's surroundings like Lake Okeechobee as well as its neighboring partners such as the Seminole Nation. Though it's a large event gathering and played up rather big by the local Clewiston Chamber of Commerce, being fun, educational and entertaining, not really all that much as far as festivals go. This may be due in part as Clewiston really isn't all that much of a city with so many of the local farm workers being of migrant farm labor from Mexico, Jamaica and Barbados, living in migrant farm housing and the sugar industry itself generally owing its prosperity to various federally set sugar price supports, USDA regulated sugar allotments and tariff rate quotas. Indeed, if you are foodie and looking to try new or authentic foreign tastes in foods, I found those of Mexico to be your best bet though there are many local South Florida vendor offerings such as gator burgers, etc.

What's not to like about Night of a Million Lights?! This event is held at Give Kids the World…read morewhich is a story book type resort dedicated to providing children with critical illnesses and their families A weeklong vacation experience. As for the event, Night of a Million Lights, it is a holiday event work all the houses are adorned with Christmas lights and music going on all around. For 2021, as you arrive to the property you are directed to parking on the other side of Route 192. From there you will be driven by boss over to the event. It's about a 10 minute bus ride, maybe a little less if less traffic and you don't hit the light, from the parking to the event drop off. Your ticket is scan before you get on the bus so once you come off, can you simply start enjoying the run. This year they have plenty of vendors throughout the property selling food, snacks, merchandise. It's a great event for a great cause, and plenty of opportunities for holiday photos

This was a great experience! I went on opening night (not intentionally, just worked with our…read moreplans) with my mother, aunt and cousin (GNO). We wanted to do something extra Christmas-y while my aunt and cousin were in town visiting and this fit the bill! We didn't fully know what to expect regarding the showcase, but it rocked! Plus, your supporting a good cause. The light displays were elaborate and so cool, I thought the sponsored houses were neat, and the train ride had a fantastic story and information with it. We didn't eat anything there or get souvenirs, but it looks well organized from that perspective with options. We were there from ~8pm-10pm and it was a perfect amount of time. It was low key and relaxed, but so exciting! I'd recommend this as a cute date night for couples or a family outing for young children. If you liked and miss Disney's Osbourne Lights at Hollywood Studios, you're going to love Night of a Million Lights!