MARCH EDITION: News & best events for Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis

Iconic local farm is in process of selling to developer
For over six decades, Long & Scott Farm has been a popular Lake County farm known for its fresh Zellwood Sweet Corn and, in recent years, as a Central Florida destination for agri-tourism with its sprawling corn maze attraction. Now the approximately 700-acre farm is in the process of being sold to a developer. Read more

Mount Dora Spring Festival of Arts & Crafts​
One of Central Florida's last big festivals of the season takes place in downtown Mount Dora on March 15 and 16. Mount Dora Spring Festival of Arts & Crafts differentiates itself from the city's longstanding arts festival in February by being a hybrid event with crafters and artists exhibiting. Learn more and get parking information here.

Antique boat show returns to Lake Dora in March
Beautiful vintage boats will line the waterfront of Lake Dora this month as the Sunnyland Antique Boat Festival returns to downtown Tavares. The three-day event is a must-see for anyone that loves gorgeous antique watercraft or just enjoys the scenic waterfront. Read more

Mount Dora Sailing Regatta sets sail in March
Pull up a piece of the lakefront to enjoy the 72nd annual Mount Dora Sailing Regatta this month. The two-day event features competitions of various types of sailboats and racers of all ages. Read more and find the best vantage points here. You can also learn more about the Mount Dora Yacht Club's long history here.

New art, wine & music stroll becomes a monthly happening in Tavares
Wooton Park and other locations in downtown Tavares are now the locations of a new Art, Wine & Music Stroll featuring a live art show, artist vendors, performing arts, music and more. The event runs from noon to 6 p.m. on the second Saturday of every month through May and then resumes again in October. The check-in table is located at 100 E. Ruby Street.

Scroll down for more local Buzz, featured events and most recent Best of Mount Dora winners.

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Downtown Mount Dora vacancies provide opportunities to new businesses
Finding commercial space to lease in downtown Mount Dora can be challenging, but after Maw's Mercantile, the Segway store, and Vyntage Goods recently departed, more retail space has become available along 5th Avenue, as well as Alexander Street.

A locally-owned coffee shop to open in downtown Eustis
A cozy spot tucked between the historic State Theatre and the local brewery will soon be home to a new community-centric coffee shop set to open this spring in downtown Eustis. Watch for One Thirteen Coffeehouse to open at 113 N Bay Street. Stay tuned for an opening date here.

Favorite downtown Mount Dora shop's owner to retire
After almost 14 years at its current 4th Avenue location and five at its previous 5th Avenue location, The Wow Factory will be closing its doors at the end of April, so its owner, John Theis, can retire. The popular store earned "Best of Mount Dora" awards for several consecutive years, and is known for its fun and irreverent merchandise. We wish John, and his long-time employee Lynne, fun and relaxing retirements.

Surgical Center of Mount Dora permanently closed
North Lake County lost one option for patients' surgeries after the permanent closure of Surgery Center of Mount Dora, the freestanding, physician-owned facility on Lake Center Drive. Patients still have nearby facilities that include the hospitals in Tavares, Leesburg and Apopka.

If you know of a new local restaurant or retail shop prepping to open in Mount Dora, Tavares or Eustis, please email us the details here.

Scroll down for more local Buzz, events and most recent Best of Mount Dora winners.

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Mount Dora and Lake County to partner to find source of odor​
According to the City of Mount Dora, the source of the foul odor is not its Waste Water Plant #2, so now it's focused on identifying the source (or sources) and to split the cost of finding it with Lake County. Each entity will pay $135,000 to fund a study which should be complete by mid-June.

Construction slated for new community center in Northeast Community
The construction of Mount Dora's new 31,100 square-foot Community Resource and Recreation Center on the corner of Lincoln Avenue and North Simpson Street will begin later this year and will be funded by the Northeast Community Redevelopment Agency. The need for such a facility in the area dates back 50 years.

Scroll down for this month's featured events, the most recent Best of Mount Dora winners, or find more local government news here.

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New Area Development in the Pipeline​
The approval process for new developments depends on the type of project proposed. Check out the current list of local commercial and residential development projects here. As projects advance through the multi-step approval process, watch Mount Dora Buzz's website for more in-depth articles on some of the newsworthy developments.

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