Central Florida Events and Festivals
Places to Go and Stuff to Do!

Check out some of our favorite places to eat

Monthly "Cruise-In" Car Show - The Cruise-In Car Show is held on the 1st Saturday of every month from 5-9 p.m. in downtown Dade City Florida. This car show features classic cars from throughout the state of Florida as well as food.

The Market at Olde Courthouse Square - 2nd Saturday of the month in Dade City Florida. Fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers. Local products including honey, kumquat, salsa and various crafts. For info: Call (352)567-0284

Orlando International Fringe Festival - May of each year. The Orlando International Fringe Festival is a ten day celebration of the theatrical and performing arts held in and around Downtown Orlando. It has been voted "Best Outdoor Event" and "Best Cultural Festival" by the readers of the Orlando Weekly and encompasses more than 500 shows, the Visual Fringe, an outdoor stage with nightly concerts, and “The Kids Fringe Tour".

Orlando Opera - Orlando's Bob Carr Performing Arts Center hosts Orlando Opera.

Zellwood Sweet Corn Festival: Late May in Zellwood, Florida

Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival: Walt Disney World Resort hosts the 12th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival in late April every year..

San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival
This annual festival is held in October - Fun for the whole family!

Kumquat Festival - Last Saturday in January - Festival in Dade City Florida. Features more than 200 arts & crafts booths, a farmer's market, a car show, entertainment, antique shopping and food--including lots of kumquat treats.

Pioneer Florida Museum - Dade City Florida

On display are tools of the Florida Pioneer Man, showing how he built his house,made his furniture, plowed his fields, harvested his crops, and did his leather-work and blacksmithing. Some of the building found on the museum grounds reflect the daily lives of early Floridians. Visit the Lacoochee one room schoolhouse, the Methodist Church from Enterprise and the two story Overstreet House, which dates from 1864. On display in the Overstreet House are furnishings which reflect the Florida Pioneer Woman's everyday experiences - churning butter, cooking on a wood-burning stove, spinning, weaving, battling and boiling the family wash and doing her household tasks with simple primitive equipment. The Pioneer Florida Museum hopes to show that the men and women who were here before us, struggled, "Made Do", and sometimes won and sometimes lost their battles with nature.

Many buildings have been acquired by the museum over the years, including the Trilby Railroad Depot built in 1896 by Henry Plant as he extended his railroad line from Sanford on the St. Johns River southwestward toward Tampa Bay and access to the Gulf of Mexico. It was taken over in 1902 by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and was the third-largest railroad yard in Florida at that time. The depot featured a restaurant which was open twenty-fours hours a day, in this era of the steam locomotives. In 1925 most of the town of Trilby Florida was destroyed by fire and the town never fully recovered. In 1926-27, the depot was remodeled without it’s previous upper story, as such a large facility was no longer needed.

The Pioneer Florida Museum hosts several events throughout the year.

Farm Fest & Quilt Show and Annual Dade City Horse Pulling Championship- This unique show features fine, interesting quilts and a variety of other handmade textiles. In addition, this annual horse pulling championship features the best horse-pulling champions from around the country. (First weekend in February at Pioneer Florida Museum)

Pasco County Fair- Come and enjoy the fun of the county fair! The fair offers something for everyone, including arts and crafts, beauty pageants, livestock shows, entertainment, great food and of course, the famous midway. (Third week in February - Pasco County Fairgrounds in Dade City Florida)

Little Everglades Steeplechase- Horse race enthusiasts love this elegant outing in the country, which combines the thundering beauty of America's finest Steeplechase horses with family-oriented infield activities. (First Sunday in March - north of Dade City)

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The St Charles Inn - Bed and Breakfast

Originally known as the St. Charles Hotel, the Inn was built in 1913 by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Barthle. It was a favorite destination of commuters on the Orange Belt Railroad, which came through San Antonio. The Barthles establishment became known for the cozy and inviting atmosphere and delicious meals prepared fresh from the garden. Charles and Mary's daughters Barbara, Bernadette, and Dora continued to run the hotel and host many wedding receptions there. The hotel was sold in the 1970's to Henry and Irene Pike and became an adult care facility. Later, it was owned by Steve and Doris Miller who opened a restaurant and ice cream parlor. In the early 1990's, Mary Epperson and other local characters could be found serving food there when they weren't involved in other activities.