JANUARY EDITION: News & events for Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis

January is the most anticipated month for local film buffs. Central Florida Film Festival returns to Mount Dora this month with screenings of over 170 independent films. This marks the 18th year for the international film festival.  Read more

The next time you drive by the Van Gogh House take a look at the recently repainted wall with refreshed Starry Night-inspired artwork. The creative property, painted by two Central Florida artists, is visible from Old Highway 441 in Mount Dora. The local homeowners originally just had the wall painted for their adult autistic son, who is a Van Gogh fan. Their intention was that if he wandered off, he could communicate that he lived in the Van Gogh House and be returned home safely. Read the archived article with the entire history here.

Watch for big improvements to one of Mount Dora's beautiful outdoor amenities. Forest Preserve, a 14-acre wooded tract of land on the western edge of W.T. Bland Library's parking lot, will eventually include a one-mile dirt walking trail loop, 375 feet of boardwalk, two trailhead entry structures, benches, and more for the public to enjoy. 

Now is the time to do something creative for a great local cause. Yada Yada Pottery is once again organizing the Empty Bowls fundraiser. The fun community event benefits Lake Cares Food Pantry to help bridge the local hunger gap. In the months leading up to the spring event, residents and visitors are encouraged to sign up to paint a ceramic bowl that will be used to serve soup to ticketholders at the fundraiser. The goal is to have 300 painted bowls for the May 4 event. Sign up to paint a bowl here. Businesses and individuals can also opt to sponsor a bag of clay to be used for making the bowls.

Renningers Antique Center kicks off its first Antique Extravaganza of 2024 later this month. The sprawling three-day event only happens in January, February and November. Read more.

There is still time to enjoy Mount Dora's impressive holiday lights displays downtown. Most of the larger display areas stay on through January, so you can extend the festive feeling of the holidays.

A huge shout-out goes to the awesome man that makes festivals and events happen in Mount Dora. Chris Carson is officially the Cultural and Special Event Manager of the city, but he quietly works countless hours and long into the night doing so much more to serve his community. Although Carson does the job of many and only gets paid for one, he always does so with a big smile and genuine willingness to help. So, next time you see this uber-great guy, maybe buy him a beer, a cookie, or just give him a huge "thank you"!  The world needs more Chris Carsons.

Later this month Mount Dora, Tavares and Eustis Fire Departments will engage in a friendly rivalry to benefit Lake County's less fortunate residents. The Tri-City Fire Department Food Drive Challenge will be on January 27, so get ready to help your city's fire department win while helping to bridge the hunger gap. Read more

To help with ongoing parking issues in downtown, the City of Mount Dora is currently exploring the use of a shuttle service into downtown from remote parking lots. If this seems like deja vu to you, it is. Stay tuned.

Scroll down for buzz on local eateries and stores, plus local Government Buzz. Be sure to follow Mount Dora Buzz's Facebook page and its Instagram for local updates.

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With all of the outstanding restaurants in downtown Mount Dora, there was still a void to fill. With the opening of The Butcher's Nook last month, downtown finally has a top-quality deli and meat market. Read more

There's a lot happening in the local restaurant scene this month. Two large chains, Longhorn Steakhouse and Miller's Ale House are set to open Mount Dora locations later this month. Longhorn Steak House will be located at U.S. 441 and Eudora Road. Read more. Miller's Ale House will be just a block away on U.S. 441 in front of Target and opens January 3. Read more   Whiskey Kitchen, a new locally owned restaurant, is also anticipating opening in January in the former home of The Lake House (formerly Sidelines) on Highland Street in uptown Mount Dora. The fully remodeled restaurant will feature American cuisine, a full bar, indoor and outdoor dining areas, plus ample parking.

​Eustis Market, a small food court and retail space, finally opened in downtown Eustis last month at 24 E. Magnolia Avenue. Currently, there’s only a handful of small businesses operating inside, but patrons can enjoy coffee, tacos, boba tea, mac and cheese, Indian cuisine, sweet treats and more.

After being closed for remodeling, Five Guys reopened last month and is once again cooking up its popular burgers and fries.  

Scroll down for this month's featured events, hot local government topics, stellar local businesses, new development buzz, and local resources.

Local Dining Guide

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A huge thanks goes to Mount Dora Marina for their generosity and impressive holiday lights display that attracts thousands of residents and visitors to downtown annually. For decades, all of the labor, power bills and materials have been funded by that one small local business. The City of Mount Dora government now uses the spectacular display as a backdrop for two of its most popular holiday events in neighboring Evans Park. The City also bills the family-owned business for the added electricity used during the festive light display. It's arguably long overdue for the City of Mount Dora to waive the related portion of the business' electric bill to help offset the specific expenses tied to the beautiful attraction which the City freely capitalizes on every year.

This month local senior high school students can begin applying for scholarships available through Lake County Educational Foundation. This year there are over 20 scholarships available for universities, trade schools and colleges. Get details on applying here.

Be sure to check Mount Dora Buzz's government page regularly to find out what's happening at Mount Dora City Hall. 

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