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Chalk art challenge to spice up Mount Dora on October 30

10/19/2024

ABOVE: Screenshot of scene from Spice Frontier by Steamroller Animation.

Art lovers can take in a colorful event in downtown Mount Dora this week as teams of animation artists compete in a chalk art challenge. The artists hail from Steamroller Animation headquartered only a few blocks away from the site of the competition.

During the friendly competition on October 30, Sunset Park’s sidewalks will transform into a vibrant canvas of chalk art as teams battle it out to create stunning artwork inspired by their original animated episode, Spice Frontier. Mount Dora Mayor Crissy Stile will judge the pieces and crown the top team.

Spice Frontier is a post-apocalyptic series created by Steamroller with its first episode currently in production. The animated pilot features a struggling chef and an eclectic cast of adventurers as they traverse the cosmos on their spaceship in search of rare spices from Earth. The series is based on an award-winning short film the studio created five years ago with the same title.

The community is invited to watch the Spice Frontier artists showcase their artistic expression during the chalk art challenge in Sunset Park on the corner of Alexander Street and Fourth Avenue from noon to 5 p.m.

From its downtown Mount Dora building, Steamroller Animation creates original stories with its team of character, creature, and facial animators and other inspired artists as well as partners in some of the largest gaming and film studios across the globe.

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.

Mount Dora Craft Fair returns October 26 & 27

10/1/2024

As fall temperatures slowly return, so does one of Central Florida's biggest events. The streets of downtown Mount Dora transform into a sprawling craft fair on October 26 and 27 with hundreds of crafters from across the country.

The Mount Dora Craft Fair is a nationally ranked craft fair and features an eclectic mix of handmade items ranging from jewelry, photography and textiles to paintings, leather goods and woodwork. The two-day event has previously attracted approximately 100,000 visitors, according to its organizers.

Crafts aren’t all there will be in downtown Mount Dora that weekend.  Its many unique stores and seemingly endless restaurants are also open during the craft fair’s hours to accommodate shoppers and diners.

The festival runs Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parking restrictions begin downtown in the late afternoon on Friday to allow for the craft vendors to set up. Street parking during the festival is limited, so as visitors drive into Mount Dora, they are encouraged to look for signs for park-and-ride shuttles. There are also private parking lots with paid parking available closer 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.

Rocktoberfest rocks Downtown Tavares in October

10/1/2024

Every year the City of Tavares ushers in the season with a splash. RocktoberFest and the Monster Seaplane Fly-in feature family friendly activities, live rock music concerts, seaplane competitions, and food and merchandise vendors in lakefront Wooton Park.

The all-day October 19 event kicks off with the Monster Splash Seaplane Fly-In beginning at 11:00 a.m. Seaplanes fly in from across Florida to participate in the flying competitions, like the crowd-favorite “Pumpkin Drop” contest. While the pilots are competing, pumpkin decorating kits will be given to the first 100 kids at the Pilot Registration Tent. Spectators can meet the pilots from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and get photos with their planes.

RELATED:  Check out the Local Entertainment Calendar

Following the seaplane contests, RocktoberFest will feature a rock show with music from the seventies, eighties and nineties. continues with a performances by Duplicity, Brother Brownlow, Switch, and headliner Atomic Punks, a Van Halen tribute band.

Admission is free, but seating is limited, so guests are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket. The event begins at 11 a.m. and ends at 10 p.m. Free parking is available on the street and at the nearby parking garage located at 200 N. Sinclair Avenue 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.

Far Reach Scream Park takes 'haunted' to next level

10/1/2024

A frightful October awaits visitors who dare set foot on one seriously spooky Tavares farm. Far Reach Ranch, a usually peaceful family farm,has been successfully transformed into an exceptionally ghoulish seasonal experience rightfully dubbed Far Reach Scream Park. Instead of the ripe u-pick blueberries that typically draw droves of visitors to the former cattle ranch, the sprawling farm venue has become an eerie destination with three haunted attractions where ghostly and creepy characters partake in terrorizing antics.

RELATED: Video of this year's Fear Reach Scream Park here

The farm’s three intensely haunted attractions, Bloodline Barn, Grimoire Manor, and Chainsaw Chase, challenge even guests with nerves of steel not to scream. Guests who enjoy a little less intensity can head over to the devilish competition in the midway with ax throwing and old-school carnival games at Dr. Deviant’s Game Emporium. There are also family-friendly yard games like cornhole, giant Jenga, ring toss, plus an area for creating smores.

The Pitchfork Parlor and Bar serves up special ghoulish drinks as a Halloween-themed rock band jams on the nearby stage. A food truck is also on-site in case guests need a break from the terror.

Fear Reach Scream Park is open Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. through October 31. It is also open the last two Thursdays in October. The attractions open at dark, and lines close at 11:30 p.m. Tickets start at $20 and vary through the season. Speed Pass upgrades, which allow guests to skip the lines, start at $10 per person, and also increase throughout the season. Tickets must be purchased online and in advance. Costumes are not allowed so guests are not confused with costumed employees.

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.

"Fall in the Field" kicks of the season on October 5 & 6

10/1/2024

In sunny Central Florida the change of seasons isn't signaled by the color of leaves. Instead, every year there is one reminder that a cooler time of year is approaching evergreen Mount Dora.

The big tell is the annual Fall in the Field outdoor event at Renningers Antique Center. The two-day event among big live oak trees blends an exotic heirloom pumpkin patch with plenty of primitive fall decor and a large dose of vintage shopping. This year the event is October 5 and 6 and celebrates its 13th anniversary.

In addition to the shopping experience, the weekend also features make–and–take crafts for kids at the complimentary craft tent. Fall in the Field runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m on both days, rain or shine. Admission and parking are free.

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. Be sure to follow Mount Dora Buzz's Instagram and Facebook page for more local info.

Arts & Entertainment

Chalk art challenge to spice up Mount Dora on October 30

Mount Dora Craft Fair returns October 26 & 27

Rocktoberfest rocks Downtown Tavares in October

Far Reach Scream Park takes 'haunted' to next level

"Fall in the Field" kicks of the season on October 5 & 6

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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