Super cool exhibit that we all enjoyed. Lots to see and lots to do. We all had a great time and…read morethrilled to have experienced it.

I have seen a few shows at this little gem of a performing arts venue! The venue is great, the…read morestaff is friendly. It's great to see live performing arts.

Some family friends invited me to go with them this year and I had been meaning to check it out. It…read morewas a fun way to spend a Saturday morning in December looking at crafts from some local vendors and checking out the historical features of the property. Several vendors featured the same or similar items but nonetheless you can find something unique to gift or for yourself. Loved the sugarcane stand and the multiple food options. I heard there was a beer stand in the past but I did not see one this year. It's definitely a cute couple hour thing to do and check out Christmas crafts! The signs going to the Fort were very confusing and stated "road closed, residents only" but is definitely the way to go to park and attend the event. Just an FYI.

My daughter attends University of Central Florida and I have often passed through Christmas, Fl. on…read moremy way to visit her. Although I thought the name was cute I didn't know much about the town. I saw that that there was a Christmas festival at the fort so I jumped on the chance to pay a visit. This Christmas celebration has been a tradition since 1979 and is held the first weekend in December. Cracker refers to the sound the whips made when Florida cowboys were herding cattle in the 1800's. The town and fort is called Christmas because it was the day the US Army arrived in Central Florida in 1837. Since this was my first time here I wasn't sure what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. Parking and admission are both free. The festival is held on the grounds of the recreated Fort Christmas. The original fort was built in 1837 during the Seminole Indian War. In addition there are 8 pioneer homes, a school house, lunch room, sugar cane mill, and historical farm equipment. As a lover of history I was in heaven touring so many historical buildings and they were all decorated for the holidays with the kind of decorations that would have been common for the time period. A highlight of the festival was all of the pioneer demonstrations. I got to see lace weaving, music performances, broom making, quilting, spinning, black smiths, and wood carvers. You could also visit a recreation of a military camp. After touring the houses it was time for lunch. It was so hard to choose because they were so many booths of delicious food. Some of the regional choices included BBQ, alligator, swamp cabbage, and boiled peanuts. For dessert their was a variety of baked goods. I saw a lot of people carrying around the giant bags of kettle corn. We finally settled on steak and rice. It was huge and only $7! I have never been to a festival in South Florida that had food under $12. I couldn't leave without doing a little shopping. There were so many wonderful craft vendors. I ended up purchasing a necklace with two dog shaped glass pendants representing my dogs and a UCF sign for my daughter. It was a great place to get a jump on your holiday shopping. My first visit to Christmas was amazing. I was surprised at how large the festival was but it had an old Florida feel. The festival also managed to combine three of my loves, history, food, and shopping. I hope to make this festival an annual tradition.

The Festival of Fantasy Parade has the best floats ever! They're not only colorful, but there are…read moredancing performances by Disney characters on each float. It's the best opportunity to see your favorite Disney characters up close. Just take your seat along the curb in front of Cinderella Castle (the best view) along Main Street, or hang out further away on a bench in the shade on Main Street. It all depends on how close you want to get to the characters. This specific parade started in 2014. I originally thought it was the parade of my childhood. The one that I remember getting a nose kiss by one of the chipmunks as a teenager while standing by the curb. Was it Chip or Dale? I have no idea. It was cool how they all interacted with everyone on the street. I didn't see as much of that. It was mostly waving, blowing kisses, and singing. Yep, I was thinking of a totally different parade without the fancy floats. However, this one is way better. The floats actually perform. Peter Pan's galleon ship shoots cannons. Not real ones. Don't be silly. The Tangled boat was so cool with it's moving oars, and tools that swing up high with Flynn Rider onboard. But, the coolest float of all was the Maleficent dragon that's breathing fire throughout the route of the parade. Beauty and the Beast, as well as Mickey & Minnie provided some cute moments. Get to your parade location by 2:45 pm so that you get a good spot. The parade starts at 3 pm at Frontierland. It moves past Liberty Square, Cinderella Castle, and then on to Main Street. Everyone on Main Street will be the last to see it. It takes time for it to get there, but just be patient. Oh, and definitely be sure you have sunscreen because you'll be frying like an egg in a skillet (unless it's overcast). Most people aren't used to the intense afternoon sun in Florida. If you burn easily, you need to be protected. Other than that, enjoy the parade. It's absolutely magical!

WATCH THE FESTIVAL OF FANTASY PARADE FROM FRONTIERLAND…read more Instead of dealing with the crowds on Main Street, we watched the Festival of Fantasy Parade from Frontierland (where the parade begins). The light crowd day (it was a Mickey Christmas party day) coupled with watching the parade from the less popular Frontierland area may be why we easily found a curbside spot. We watched a young park guest experience a Disney Magical Moment during the parade - Alice walked up to the young girl, offered her an imaginary cup of tea and pretended to nibble on her gingerbread Minnie ears :o). Sometimes we see parade characters interact with park guests in the smaller Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade parade - it was an unexpected treat to see this happen during the Fantasy parade. Hopefully it was a tech malfunction that will be fixed - the steampunk Maleficent dragon was not spewing flames during the parade.

I was one of the lucky ones who was able to buy the Rocky Horror Picture Show ticket before it sold…read moreout. I went on a Saturday evening and was greeted by the staff, who scanned my ticket and welcomed me in. The entrance had a bar area, where soda, water, and alcoholic drinks were available. Beyond the lobby was a small art gallery where you can buy paintings for a reasonable price. The bathroom was in a different place, but not too far away and clean. Once we were ushered into the theater, it was an old school with regular stadium seats and a small projector for the movie. We were warned that it would be hot inside because of AC issues, and they were not kidding. Many audience members had fans to cool off. There was a preshow explaining the movie, the rules, and how to participate during the movie. The MC, Michael from the Rich Weirdos, and their cast members, will recreate some scenes and interact with the audience during the movie. I must say they did an awesome job, even at the hot theater. The right props were used at the best time, and they interacted with the audience so well. The audience engaged with the movie so well, heckling/riffing almost each line and scene. Foul language was encouraged for the show, and many audience members used them at the appropriate times. The staff were very good in keeping a liberal participation, and the audience was awesome in following the small rules. While the movie was a bit difficult to understand as it was a low budget, the Rich Weirdos and the audience are what made this show awesome. Even though I was nervous about the not so family friendly atmosphere, it was still fun and I wasn't pressured to do anything uncomfortable. After the movie was over, there was a post show costume contest at the end. The staff at Fringe ArtSpace were welcoming and friendly. They helped everyone out, and lots of posters as messages explaining what to expect and reminders that this wasn't family friendly movie/show. The Rich Weirdos did an amazing performance with the props and interactions. My only suggestion is to please offer water in advance before the show as I was sweating a bit inside. For 22 dollars after taxes and fees, this was such a great deal. Not to mention that the Bluwave restaurant downstairs offered a free seadragon vodka drink for all ticket holders as well. I am definitely looking forward to attending another fun show with Fringe ArtSpace and The Rich Weirdos in the near future.

Volunteering for the closing weekend of Middletown - an amazing show directed by David Lee. The…read morelocation is halfway through their inaugural season. Come see shows in this amazing space. There are four different shows happening through April 30! https://orlandofringe.org/artspace/

I've been going to this Powwow for a very long time and it is by far one of my favorite ones to…read moreattend. The powwow lasts from Friday to Sunday so we make a weekend of it, me and my Mom. It's held waaaay in the back by the lake on the Central Florida Fairgrounds. The fairgrounds itself is fairly easy to spot on West Colonial Drive as you'll see a row of trees out front and they have a Flea Market. Sometimes they'll have several events going on there. For those who don't know, a Powwow is a Native American gathering that consists of singing, dancing, visiting with old friends and making new ones. The powwow is open to all and can be used as a learning experience to those who aren't familiar with Native American ways. The powwow was great this year. This year there was a Polynesian Revue, with Hawaiian, Tahitian, and Maori dancing. Other entertainment included flute playing, an elder speaking about the legends from his nation, and hoop dancing. I believe that the main attraction was the dancing. There were Native American people from all over the U.S. there to dance. The spectators were also able to join in as well. There were many craft vendors selling their items, from silver jewelry, beadwork, blankets, leather, etc. They didn't have as many food vendors as they used to so the lines were kinda long. Newcomers should definitely try frybread, which is a flat dough that is deep-fried in oil and is usually topped with honey or powdered sugar. It's good. I'll definitely be back next year.

America Gardens Theatre is a nifty little outdoor music venue at Epcot that's used for various free…read moreconcerts throughout the year. It's located in the American Adventure Pavilion in World Showcase. The open air theater combines shady landscaping with live entertainment, making it a perfect place to relax and enjoy some music or a show (when the fickle Florida weather is cooperating, that is). I love seeing concerts here because you can't beat the price! The theater has plenty of communal bench seating that gives a great view from almost anywhere (watch out for those trees that block part of the stage). There's ADA seating in the back, although the views aren't as great back there. What really makes it shine is the variety and overall quality of the shows. During the EPCOT festivals, like the annual Flower & Garden, Festival of the Arts, or Food & Wine Festival, the theater hosts a lineup of great musical acts. I've seen so many bands and famous Broadway performers here over the years, from Hanson and Boyz II Men to the Pointer Sisters and New Found Glory. The sound quality is really good, the lighting is top notch, the performers are talented, and the shows are family-friendly while still appealing to adults. You can often find yourself dancing along or just chilling while soaking in the atmosphere. All music lovers will agree: you can't beat a free concert! Because it's outdoors it can get a little hot in the summer, and seating is first-come, first-served so arriving early is a good idea if you want a front row spot for the more popular acts. The venue is not covered so you will get wet in the rain and may burn in the midday sun, and watch out for birds that rest in the trees above or you may get pooped on (this has happened to me more than once). All in all, this is a pretty cool live music venue in a theme park!

The American gardens theater sits directly across from the American Adventure. Is is a larger part…read morecovered theater which is basically open air. There are normally two entrances that are used. First is the one near the Japan pavillion. This is usually for people who had a dining reservation in order to secure seating. The other is near the Italy pavillion which is for the general public. It is primarily bench seating. The base of the theater is level and then raises up for better viewing. Acoustics are great. The venue is used each year for festival celebrity concerts and during the Christmas season-the candlelight processional. Since the theater is small there is standing room only outside the venue. I'm not sure if they permit this during the Candlelight processional since lines tend to build up fairly early for each of their 3 scheduled daily shows. Even if a show is not performing here it is still worth a look at this beautiful concert hall. Adding the cool breeze off the lagoon also helps keep you comfortable on a hot day.

I've been volunteering for this for over 20 years. This is…read morea great event. Almost 100 vendors of food and drink. Great Entertainment and lots of friendly people.

An excellent event for a good cause…read more I will say that it's a wee-bit awkward on one's conscience to be stuffing yourself to end hunger. However, everyone involved is doing a lot and going a long way for a good cause. I suppose that wealthier folks than myself are more used to that sort of arrangement. This was my 3rd time attending and my wife's 1st. The other two times I'd gone as a relative's +1, but this time we both got to go together. We were both dressed accordingly and many others were as well, but there were a lot of people in jeans or very casual clothing. As Brent pointed out, there are many of Central Florida's movers and shakers at this event. As well as many local culinary stars! Chit-chatting with the Petrakis' isn't something you just regularly do, but you can do it here. My wife was raving to them about the shrimp cup they had and they insisted she have a couple more. We love their locations (still looking to try the Polite Pig in Disney Springs) and they are very sweet people. Come hungry because you will leave stuffed. Come early! We had the full 6pm tickets, so we got a bit of a jump on things. We tried food by: (I'm sure I'll miss a few, but this is looking at the list) 4Rivers, The Coop, Benihana, Cala Bella @ Shingle Creek, Ace Café, Canvas, Capital Grille, Chroma, Cress, Eddie V's, 11 @ Reunion, Florida Nitro, FreshPoint, H&H, Marlow's Tavern, Marriott, Paddlefish, Plancha, Primo, Raglan Road, Ravenous Pig, Savor, Seasons 52, STK, Tommy Bahama, W, and Yak & Yeti Highlights were the shrimp mentioned above, the 4R sample, the Capital tenderloin, and Marlow's pork belly. That last one surprised me because I'm not a Marlow's fan, but that pork belly was GOLD. We tried every single drink station. Some were better than others. Some were much more generous than others. Cooper's Hawk (we are wine club members) won the night for generous pours. They flat gave you a full glass of wine. Everywhere else was a sample. Not Cooper's Hawk. There were full bottles of Acqua Panna and S. Pellegrino waters (still or sparkling respectively) and that was very nice. The hit and longest line of the entire night, food or beverage, was Tito's Handmade Vodka. That place was 100+ people deep for 3+ hours. No joke. It was tasty and everyone we ran into that we knew was holding a Tito's cup. It was packed and they were hustling all night. My personal favorite of the entire night was NOT an adult beverage. I loved Natalie's Orchid Island Juice Company. They had a blood orange juice that was insanely good. Like off the charts delicious. We had beer, we had wine, we had milk, we had root beer, we had hard cider, we had coffee/tea, we had it all. That juice was the best. They have a few events to raise extra money for the charities. They have a silent auction (WAY WAY WAY out of my league $$-wise), a giving tree (you pay $50 to pull down a leaf with a gift card in it which is $25-$300 in value... ours was a wimpy $25 for Subway, but it's for charity!), a wine toss (3 rings for $15 like at a fair, but if your ring lands on a wine bottle, you win that bottle), and wine cellar key. The wine cellar key is insane. It's a raffle of like 150 bottles of wine. If you have the winning key, you get $2,500+ worth of wine bottles. We didn't win that, either. It's a great time and a good cause. If you ever have a chance to come, you SHOULD!