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MOUNT DORA SCREENS "HONKY TONK FREEWAY" AUGUST 19

7/30/2016

It's not every day that Hollywood comes knocking. For Mount Dora that day came in 1981 when the film "Honky Tonk Freeway" hit theaters and downtown was doused in Milk of Magnesia pink to assume the fictional role of Ticlaw, a small Central Florida town.

The City of Mount Dora will be hosting a free screening of the movie on August 19 at Evans Park at the end of Donnelly Street downtown.

The comedy featured popular stars of that decade including Beau Bridges, Beverly D'Angelo, Terry Garr, and William Devane. The film was a box office bomb and pulled from theaters after the first week. At the time, it was one of the biggest box office flops in history. Its only claim to fame was being nominated for a Golden Razzie for Worst Original Song.

The good news is that due to its limited exposure, Mount Dora is still due its fifteen minutes of fame while locals can tell countless stories of their experiences as extras on the set and watching Bubbles, the elephant, water ski on Lake Dora. Hollywood, the door remains open.

In addition to the movie, there will also be food and drinks available for purchase at the park. The movie starts at dusk and residents should bring their own picnic blankets.

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MOUNT DORA SEAFOOD FESTIVAL OFFERS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

7/29/2016

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Seafood lovers at last year's inaugural Mount Dora Seafood Festival faced a difficult dilemma: How to find room in their stomachs for fresh conch fritters and crab legs when they’d already scarfed down cajun crawfish, paella, shrimp and fresh fish tacos?

Somehow, they found a way.   The festival was an overwhelming success with over 15,000 visitors, according to the organizers.

This year's lakefront festival on August 27-28 is preparing to be significantly bigger than last summer's. In addition to more seafood vendors spread across Evans Park, the free festival will now boast crafters, live music, and pirates—yes, pirates. They'll be found at a Pirate Village and a pirate-themed kids’ zone.   To accommodate the growth, the festival will extend throughout Edgerton Court in addition to waterfront Evans Park.

The free festival entertainment includes: local favorite TNT; a Beach Boys tribute "Surf Party" featuring the Shindigs on Saturday at 5 p.m.; and The Original Wailers headlining at 7 p.m. Steel drums will be played throughout the day.

There will also be a self-guided "Landlubber Tour" on the first day of the festival with stops at seven Mount Dora restaurants offering samples of their seafood dishes and lively libations. The tour will be 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and tickets are $38.

To help meet the challenges of downtown parking, shuttles will be provided at Mount Dora High School and Mount Dora Christian Academy to the festival. Shuttles will run on Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

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EUSTIS TO HOST 2ND BIG "POKEMON GO" EVENT

7/27/2016

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You see them everywhere starring into their cell phones in small groups.

Embracing the Pokémon Go frenzy and the overwhelming success of its first event, the City of Eustis is hosting it's second "Go Eustis" event on August 2nd.

The goal of the game is for players to search for “spots” to catch different Pokémons with varying point values. During the event the city will activiate “lures” at all of the fifteen "stops". A “lure” attracts Pokémon to a Pokéstop for 30 minutes. That in turn attracts players trying to "catch" the various monster characters.

Local restaurants will be hosting Food Alley in Ferran Park during the event to bring some of their offerings closer to participants who want to eat on the go while on their Pokemon hunt.

"We want our downtown businesses and restaurants to benefit from the increased crowds in downtown first and foremost," said Miranda Burrowes, the city's public information officer.

The event starts at 4:30 p.m. at Ferran Park and various other locations downtown and will continue until 8 p.m. Players will fire up their mobile devices to discover all the "spots" and "lures."

Players are encouraged to be mindful of cars and safety hazards as they scurry from spot to spot.

Sorrento is also getting into the Pokemon Go craze with its East Lake Crawl on August 1. East Lake Library is hosting the event from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m and local stores will be offering specials to participants.

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KIDS TO CREATE FISH PRINTS AT MOUNT DORA MUSEUM

7/21/2016

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What started two centuries ago as a means for Japanese fishermen to accurately record their catches will now be taught to local kids as a fun adventure into the arts.
Gyotaku reproduces the unique features of an individual fish by covering the fish in ink or paint and then pressing paper against it, which causes the image to transferred onto the paper. The Japanese word gyotaku comes from "gyo" meaning "fish" and "taku" meaning "stone rubbing."

Kids will have the opportunity to create their own gyotaku prints at a free children’s workshop on Saturday, July 30th at the Modernism Museum Mount Dora. In lieu of real fish, rubber fish replicas will be used for the process.

The downtown workshop is for kids from five to ten years of age and begins at 11 a.m. Space is limited for the hour-long event. Children will need to bring their own smocks. To register call (352) 385-0034.

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EUSTIS CAPTURES POKÉMON MANIA

7/17/2016

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They lurk, dart, or just stare into their cell phones. Gamers have gotten off their couches and onto the sidewalk.

One Lake County city has embraced the current frenzy for Pokémon Go, the nation's most popular mobile game, with an innovative idea. The City of Eustis designed an event, "Go Eustis", to lure the game's players to its downtown lakefront, shops and restaurants,

On Tuesday, July 19, the city is partnering with its downtown merchants to host the family-friendly event. The goal of the game is for players to search for “spots” to catch different Pokémons with varying point values.

“We have seen a lot of families and even couples playing the Pokémon game over the last few days in Eustis. We have over 15 'Pokéstops' throughout Downtown Eustis and in Ferran Park,” said Erin Bailey, the city’s event coordinator.

During “Go Eustis” the city will be activating “lures” at all of the fifteen "stops".   A “lure” attracts Pokémon to a Pokéstop for 30 minutes. That in turn attracts players trying to "catch" the various monster characters.

Pokémon Go currently has 21 million active players combing the streets across the globe to catch the decades-old Pokémon characters in what is an augmented-reality scavenger hunt utilizing smart phones.

“We thought we’d embrace the phenomenon by hosting an event and add a twist by partnering with our local businesses to offer theme-related specials to players," said Bailey about the three- and-a-half hour “Go Eustis”.

The event starts at 4:30 p.m. at Ferran Park and various other locations downtown and will continue until 8 p.m. Players will fire up their mobile devices to discover all the "spots" and "lures."

Players are encouraged to be mindful of cars and safety hazards as they scurry from spot to spot.

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POKÉMON LURES PLAYERS TO DOWNTOWN MOUNT DORA

7/13/2016

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It's not every day a customer comes screaming into your store. It's even more unusual when that results in a good thing.

That's exactly what happened to one downtown Mount Dora store owner last Friday. A regular customer excitedly notified Crissy Stile, owner of Barrel of Books and Games, that “Pokémon GO” featured her business as one of the “spots” to catch Pokémons, miniature animated monsters.

Say what? The game is an insanely popular mobile app that has 21 million active players daily combing the streets across the globe to catch the decades-old Pokémon characters. Think of it as a frenzied, digital scavenger hunt requiring a cell phone. The goal is for players to find each “spot” to catch different Pokémons with varying point values. Mount Dora has become a popular "Pokémon GO" location because there are in excess of 20 “spots” and 3 “gyms” in the small downtown area.

The historic Donnelly House is designated a “gym” where players go to “battle” for coins. Barrel of Books and Games had lures inside for two days so more Pokémons were lured to the store. As a result, players would come into the store and try to catch them.
Pokémon GO, currently the biggest mobile game in the U.S., has improved foot-traffic downtown in what would otherwise be its slow season. “It certainly has made people aware of our super-awesome store,” said Stiles, laughingly who also owns Alleyway Comics. “I probably saw about forty people playing today and on Saturday I’d say it was probably in the hundreds.”

The mobile app makes money by selling in-app purchases of coins to buy lures and other coveted items in the game.

National media has reported safety concerns about the app. The fear is pedestrians playing the game will be distracted from watching for cars and safety hazards as they scurry from spot to spot. Additionally, thieves have reportedly lured players to locations with the intent to rob, and it was yesterday today that one player found a loaded gun instead of a Pokémon.

One positive effect of Pokémon GO is that by utilizing Google Maps, the game rewards players with points for the distance walked. Then there’s the local benefit: players that stop in to The Coffee Branch Cafe on Fifth Avenue downtown will receive a 10% discount.

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KIDS DISCOVER CREATIVE OUTLET IN MOUNT DORA

7/6/2016

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Trying to get your kids unplugged this summer? There's still time.

"It's an Art Revolution", a local summer camp for kids from ages five to twelve years old, will forego electronic devices for hands-on experience exploring art materials and methods in creative and fun ways.

Depending on the week, campers at Mount Dora Center for the Arts will explore imaginative collage, drawing, painting, watercolor, pastels, fiber art, hand building with clay, and mixed media techniques.

The program is available weekly for either half days or full days for the following sessions:

July 11–15: "In Your Dreams"
Imagination is unleashed by creating surrealistic art.
July 18–22: "Lasting Impressions"
Campers draw inspirations from famous Impressionists.
July 25–29: "Tag You're it"
Campers explore the world of Graffiti Art.
August 1– 5: "That's All Folks"
Campers delve into folk art, the root of cultural expression.

The campers' artwork will be displayed at the “End of Summer Exhibit” August 5.

The cost is $95 per week for half day sessions or $160 per week for full days. Get registration packet here. or visit Mount Dora Center for the Arts at 138 E. 5th Avenue, Mount Dora.

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Arts & Entertainment

MOUNT DORA SCREENS "HONKY TONK FREEWAY" AUGUST 19

MOUNT DORA SEAFOOD FESTIVAL OFFERS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

EUSTIS TO HOST 2ND BIG "POKEMON GO" EVENT

KIDS TO CREATE FISH PRINTS AT MOUNT DORA MUSEUM

EUSTIS CAPTURES POKÉMON MANIA

POKÉMON LURES PLAYERS TO DOWNTOWN MOUNT DORA

KIDS DISCOVER CREATIVE OUTLET IN MOUNT DORA

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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