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Street performers compete during Eustis Busker Festival on March 25

3/22/2023

Diverse street performers from all over the world will descend into Eustis for the seventh annual Eustis Busker Festival on Saturday, March 25. The performers, also known as “buskers,” will showcase their diverse talents at designated areas in the city’s historic downtown.

The day-long festival will feature performers such as musicians, dancers, comedians, jugglers, artists, and acrobats. Each busker will perform two, 30-minute acts throughout the day. Judges will rate each act and invite the top performers to the Grand Finale.

The performances at this free, family-friendly festival take place at “busk stops” starting at noon in Ferran Park. The Grand Finale, featuring top performers from each division, will take place at 6:00 p.m. on the park’s bandshell stage. Performers will compete for the $3,000 grand prize.

Spectators at the Eustis Busker Festival are given the opportunity to vote for the People’s Choice Award and its $1,500 prize. To vote, event attendees present a receipt from any Eustis business from the month of March 2023. Those receipts are presented at the City of Eustis information booth in downtown from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Voters will receive one voting ticket per $5 shown on the receipt with a maximum of 20 tickets per receipt. Voters will retain their receipts and the City will stamp each one shown in exchange for voting tickets.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app. Be sure to follow Mount Dora Buzz's Instagram and Facebook page for more local info.

Antique Boat Festival returns to Lake Dora on March 24-26

3/21/2023

On most days, sleepy Lake Dora is far removed from the glamour and nostalgia of old Hollywood. However, once a year her waters transport visitors back to the alluring Brat Pack era.

The downtown Tavares lakefront is gearing up for the 42nd Annual Sunnyland Antique and Classic Boat Festival, the largest classic wood boat show in the country. Hundreds of meticulously restored boats are typically displayed in the water and along one third of a mile of Lake Dora shoreline at Wooton Park during the multi-day event open to the public on March 25 and 26. Saturday is the only full day for the public to view all of the classic boats, while Friday features only activities for the boat club members.

RELATED: Discover the Local Entertainment Calendar for Mount Dora, Tavares and Eustis, Florida.

The waterfront festival is the ideal place for dreamers and boaters to spend their day. In previous years, the Antique and Classic Boat Festival boasted eye candy that ranged from perfectly varnished Gar Wood race boats of the 1930s to intriguing concept boats like the Evinrude Lark, as well as vessels of fantastical design like the 1956 Lone Star Meteor and the 1955 Chris-Craft Cobra.

Another feature of the festival is the Nautical Flea Market, where dozens of vendors peddle everything from old boat parts and lanterns to shiny chrome accessories and wooden oars.

The event’s hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday the show is from 9 a.m. to noon. Admission is $12. Free parking is available at the City of Tavares Parking garage. For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, this month, click here. Discover the area's online entertainment calendar here. Also download the area's free mobile app.

Mount Dora's Spring Festival of Arts & Crafts returns March 18 and 19

3/1/2023

The Central Florida city known for its vibrant festivals won’t disappoint in March. The historic streets of downtown Mount Dora will be awash with visitors again on March 18 and 19 during the annual Spring Festival of Arts and Crafts, the quaint city’s celebration of the arrival of spring.

The free event showcases approximately 250 vendors selling a wide range of handmade creations, plus a variety of food vendors. In addition to the festival, downtown Mount Dora’s many unique stores and diverse restaurants will also be open during the festival to add to the experience. In 2020, Mount Dora’s Spring Festival, the event’s former incarnation, ranked #49 on Sunshine Artists Magazine’s list of Top 200 Contemporary/Classic Craft Festivals in America. The event was originally Mount Dora’s Antique and Collectible Show for several years.

The event’s hours are Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days. Admission is free and pets are discouraged. Arrive early for better public and private parking opportunities or watch for signs for the park-and-ride shuttles to the event.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app. Be sure to follow Mount Dora Buzz's Instagram and Facebook page for more local info.

“Planes, Tunes & BBQ” lands in Tavares on March 10 & 11

3/1/2023

Downtown Tavares will once again be the festive spot for great food and live music when “Planes, Tunes, & BBQ” returns to Wooton Park on March 10 and 11. The family-friendly event features live music, seaplane competitions, BBQ, vendors, a family fun zone, a drone show, and more.

Festivities kick off Friday evening with live music, barbecue, and a variety of food and merchandise vendors. Nashville singer/songwriter, Jess Kellie Adams, will open the show with a concert from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Crossfire Creek Band will headline the night with their one-of-a-kind, unique flair on country music from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

On Saturday, the savory smell of barbecue won’t be the only thing filling the air -- seaplanes will dot the skies to participate in flying competitions of “Seaplane-A-Palooza’” at 11 a.m., including the crowd-favorite “melon bomb drop” contest. Following the plane contests, live music begins with Jess Kellie Adams at 2 p.m., followed by Dallas Tyler and then Nashville singer/songwriter, Maggie Baugh at 7 p.m. A state-of-the-art drone show and fireworks display will follow.

American Idol winner, Chayce Beckham will cap off the night with a concert starting at 8:30 p.m. Chayce was the first to win American Idol with an original song, his semi-autobiographical track “23” shot to the top of numerous viral charts.

Admission is free to the event and concerts. Friday’s activities are from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday’s are from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wooton Park is located at 100 E. Ruby Street in downtown Tavares.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app.  Be sure to follow Mount Dora Buzz's Instagram and Facebook page for more local info.

The 70th Annual Mount Dora Sailing Regatta hits the water on March 25 & 26

3/1/2023

ABOVE: Mount Dora Sailing Regatta (Photo by Ingrid Zagers, Z.ePhotography)

Once again, colorful sails will gracefully litter Lake Dora near the end of March. The 70th Annual Mount Dora Sailing Regatta is expected to draw dozens of boats over the two-day event spanning March 25 and 26.

The Regatta is open to competitors of all ages and all classes of boats, including Optis, Lasers, 420s, Flying Scots, Hunters, Open Bics, Sunfish, Hobies, Wayfarers, and Catalinas. Three courses will be spread across a portion of Lake Dora to take advantage of the wind and provide ample space for competition. The race course for young competitors is closer to Lighthouse Point, while the two courses in the middle of the lake feature boats ranging from twenty-two-foot Catalinas to Hobie Waves.

Regatta activity picks up at the Simpson Cove launch area on March 24 as sailors begin launching their boats and settling up for competition. Weather and wind permitting, the first race typically kicks off Saturday in the early afternoon and the last race usually finishes close to 4 p.m. Typically, three to four races will be sailed that afternoon, depending on the weather. The 4th Avenue docks, Lighthouse Point, and Palm Island Boardwalk provide excellent vantage points for spectators. Sunday's first race usually starts at 9:30 a.m., and no races typically begin after 12 p.m.

The regatta, organized by Mount Dora Yacht Club (MDYC) is the longest running annual event in the city. MDYC, the oldest inland yacht club in Florida, held its first regatta in 1913. At that time the event featured powerboats and was reportedly such an exciting event that local businesses closed so everyone could attend. In 1953, the regatta transitioned to sailboats to alleviate a noise issue.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app. Be sure to follow Mount Dora Buzz's Instagram and Facebook page for more local info.

Arts & Entertainment

Street performers compete during Eustis Busker Festival on March 25

Antique Boat Festival returns to Lake Dora on March 24-26

Mount Dora's Spring Festival of Arts & Crafts returns March 18 and 19

“Planes, Tunes & BBQ” lands in Tavares on March 10 & 11

The 70th Annual Mount Dora Sailing Regatta hits the water on March 25 & 26

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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