Whether it’s strawberry shortcake, brunch or just a lot of wine and beer, it’s festival season in Orlando and there are plenty of reasons to eat and drink while standing near big ass tents. Here are 34 of the most delicious festivals involving food and booze coming to the Orlando area this spring 2019.
Through March 10Florida Strawberry Festival
10 am-10 pm; Florida Strawberry Festival, 2209 W. Oak Ave., Plant City; $20-$45; 813-752-9194; flstrawberryfestival.com.Photo via Florida Strawberry FestivalMarch 9Rotary Craft Beer Festival
Showcase of local craft breweries and their beer offerings. 2-6 pm; Avalon Park Town Center, 13001 Founders Square Drive; $25-$40; 407-658-6565; avalonpark.com.Photo via Adobe StockMarch 9Orlando Whiskey Festival Gourmet food selections and whiskey samplings, plus cigar vendors and live entertainment. 7-10 pm; Mercedes-Benz of Orlando, 810 N. Orlando Ave., Maitland; $75-$125; 407-645-4222; orlandowhiskeyfestival.com.
Photo via Orlando Whiskey Festival/FacebookMarch 10Oviedo Birthday Bash Community party in the park with a chili cook-off, cupcake wars, kids activities, entertainment and local vendors. 11 am-4 pm; Center Lake Park, 299 Center Lake Lane, Oviedo; free-$15; oviedobirthdaybash.com.Photo via Adobe StockMarch 15-17Mighty St. Patrick’s Day Festival
Live entertainment, including Irish music and Irish dancers, food, craft beer and more. Raglan Road Irish Pub, 1640 E. Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista; 407-938-0300; raglanroad.com. Photo via Raglan Road Orlando/FacebookMarch 16St. Practice Day Pub Crawl A second opportunity to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, featuring bars in downtown Orlando. 8 pm;
multiple locations; $10-$20.Photo via Adobe StockMarch 20Winter Park Wine & Dine Unlimited tastings from more than 35 restaurants, plus craft beers, wine and live music. 6:30-9:30 pm; Winter Park Farmers Market, 200 W. New England Ave., Winter Park; $44-$74.Photo via Winter Park Events/FacebookMarch 21Wine & Seafood Festival Three days of seafood, live music and local artists. 10 am-5 pm; Lakeridge Winery and Vineyards, 19239 N. U.S. Highway 27, Clermont; $10; 800-768-9463.Photo via Adobe StockMarch 23United We Brunch
All-you-can-eat event featuring samples from Orlando’s top brunch destinations. 11 am-3 pm; The Orchid Garden, 122 W. Church St.; $45-$80; orlandoweeklytickets.com.Photo via Adobe StockMarch 23Pints N Paws Craft Beer Festival Interact with other pet lovers while enjoying unlimited beer sampling from over 100 breweries. 1-6 pm; Historic Downtown Sanford; $40-$65. Photo via Adobe StockMarch 23-24Caribbean Food & Music Festival Featuring live performances by Jah Movement, LIPS International, and headliner Rupee. Fun Spot, 5700 Fun Spot Way; free; fun-spot.com.Photo via Adobe StockMarch 24Mexican Food Festival Featuring Mexican art, food, tequila cocktails, music, dancing and more 1-6 pm; Gaston Edwards Park, 1236 N. Orange Ave.; $10-$15; orlandoweeklytickets.com. Photo via Adobe StockMarch 24Salsa y Sazón Enjoy culinary delights, artisan crafts and live music. Noon; Seneff Arts Plaza, 445 S. Magnolia Ave.; $15; 844-513-2014; drphillipscenter.org. Photo viaMarch 25Taste of Lake Mary
Gourmet food and wine tasting alongside live entertainment. 5:30-8 pm; Orlando Marriott Lake Mary, 1501 International Parkway, Lake Mary; $55; 407-995-1100; lakemaryrotary.com.Photo via Adobe StockMarch 27UCF Vegfest A festival celebrating and promoting a vegan lifestyle. Includes guest speakers, vegan food, yoga, vendors, raffles and more. 4-10 pm; University of Central Florida, Memory Mall, 4000 Central Florida Blvd.; free; 954-778-5775.Photo via Adobe StockMarch 30World Food Festival
Culinary delights from around the world, cultural performances, vendors and more. Noon-7 pm; Cranes Roost Park, 274 Cranes Roost Blvd., Altamonte Springs; free; 407-571-8863; altamonte.org.Photo via Adobe StockMarch 30Fort Christmas Bluegrass & Backyard BBQ Fest Barbecue contest for best chicken and St. Louis pork-style ribs. 10 am-5 pm; Fort Christmas Historical Park and Museum, 1300 Fort Christmas Road, Christmas; free; 407-254-9310; orangecountyfl.net/cultureparks.Photo via Adobe StockMarch 30Longwood Pirate Seafood Festival Festival filled with vendors, mermaids, a pirate village, great music, a pirate ship for kids to climb and a shark ride. An assortment of ocean delights are available, along with beer and wine. 11 am-7 pm; Reiter Park, 301 W. Warren Ave., Longwood; free; 352-217-8390; longwoodfestival.com.Photo via Adobe StockMarch 31Poca’s hottest sauce cook-off Annual cook-off using Poca’s Hottest sauces, along with live music, a taco bar and more. 2 pm; Will’s Pub, 1042 N. Mills Ave.; $15-$40; willspub.org.Photo via a href=”https://www.facebook.com/Pocas-Hottest-129362393774185/?eid=ARAn0wBy-NKNIuu0_t7Hr3e8m_1wC1-x0WWDcxo0d2mTSdRVtx2t0YKy_M5Why1Kgn3Fa4Jcvr3dupQ2″ target=”_blank”>Poca’s Hottest/FacebookMarch 31Arab Fest Cultural heritage festival celebrating Arabic art, food and traditions. 11 am-7 pm; Lake Eola Park, Eola Drive, North Eola Drive and East Robinson Street; free; aaccflorida.org/festival.Photo via Adobe StockApril 6Central Florida Top Brewer Beer Festival Thirty-three breweries compete to brew the best beer with mystery ingredients. 1-5 pm; Lake Concord Park, 127 Quail Pond Circle, Casselberry; $30.Photo via Central Florida Top Brewer Beer Festival/FacebookApril 6-7Hollerbach’s Springfest A spring version of Oktoberfest complete with sausages, pretzels, beer and people dancing to polka music in lederhosen and dirndls. 2 pm Saturday, noon Sunday; Hollerbach’s Willow Tree Cafe, 205 E. First St., Sanford; free. Photo via Adobe StockApril 11Taste of College Park The best food and wine in College Park, plus silent and live auctions for local charities. 6-9 pm; Dubsdread Country Club, 549 W. Par St.; $75; 407-650-0100.Photo via Adobe StockApril 11-13APC National Pie Championships
Pies from across the country go crust-to-crust for the national title. 5:30-7 pm; Rosen Centre Hotel, 9840 International Drive; free; piecouncil.org.Photo via Adobe StockApril 13Brewmaster’s Invitational
Beer Festival
Craft beer samples from more than 50 breweries, plus local artists and live music. 3-7 pm; Port Canaveral, 625 Cargo Road, Cape Canaveral; $30-$60; 321-459-2200; brewmastersinvitational.com. Photo via Brewmaster’s Invitational Beer Festival/FacebookApril 13Brews Around the Zoo
Adults-only night featuring food samples, live music, beer samplings and special encounters with the animals. 6-10 pm; Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens, 3755 N. U.S. Highway 17-92, Sanford; $50-$70; 407-323-4450; centralfloridazoo.org. Photo via Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens/FacebookApril 20Orlando Beer & BBQ Festival Noon; Dezerland Action Park, 5250 International Drive; free; 321-754-1700; dezerlandactionpark.com. Photo via Orlando Beer & BBQ/FacebookApril 26Whiskey Business Whiskey, craft beer and lite bite samplings with live music and burlesque entertainment. A portion of proceeds benefit The Barber Fund. 6-10 pm;Cheyenne Saloon and Opera House, 128 W. Church St.; $20-$80; 407-839-3000; orlandoweeklytickets.com.Photo via Adobe StockApril 26-27German Fest German food, beer and music acts. 5-10 pm; German American Society of Central Florida, 381 Orange Lane, Casselberry; $5-$95; 407-834-0574; orlandogermanclub.com. Photo via Adobe StockApril 27-28Cocoa Beach Uncorked Two-day celebration of food, wine and craft beer on the shores of Florida’s Space Coast. Noon-4 pm; Alan Shepard Park, 211 E. Cocoa Beach Causeway, Cocoa Beach; $65-$85.Photo via Cocoa Beach Uncorked/FacebookApril 27Science of Wine A scientific exploration of wine, with presentations on growing and tasting plus more than 150 wines to sample. 7-10 pm; Orlando Science Center, 777 E. Princeton St.; $110-$125; 407-514-2000; osc.org.Photo via Adobe StockApril 27-28Mount Dora Blueberry Festival
9 am-5 pm; Donnelly Park, N. Baker Street and E. Fifth Avenue, Mount Dora; free; 352-217-8390; mountdorablueberryfestival.com.Photo via Adobe StockMay 4May the Fourth Be With You Sip & Stroll A Star Wars-themed sip and stroll, along with a costume contest, trivia contest, movie screening and more. 6-10 pm; Audubon Park Garden District, East Winter Park Road and Corrine Drive; TBA; audubonparkgardens.com.Photo via Disney Credit: Photo via DisneyMay 18Beer ‘Merica Craft beer festival featuring more than 100 American craft brews. 2-6 pm; Gaston Edwards Park, 1236 N. Orange Ave.; $35-$70; orlandoweeklytickets.com.Photo by Holly Whelden
