As you're surely figuring out, there's plenty to do in Orlando all year 'round, and these have nothing to do with the theme parks. There are arts, sports, cultural festivals, conventions, food and drink events, LGBTQ+ gatherings and sundry other diversions to fit all tastes and fancies. Here's a rundown of annual events that need to be on your calendar.
Come Out With Pride
comeoutwithpride.com
We know, most of the world does Pride in June. But our favorite downtown parade and party celebrates Orlando's LGBTQ community in October, a month when it's not too blazingly hot to be outside. The party keeps going for a long weekend with a huge slate of in-person events, observances, celebrations, a big shindig in Lake Eola, brunches, pre- and after-parties and — yes — the blockbuster parade through downtown Orlando, complete with celebrity grand marshals.
Electric Daisy Carnival
orlando.electricdaisycarnival.com
The premier EDM festival makes a stop at historic Tinker Field every fall to showcase the best in contemporary dance music, otherworldly scenery and psychedelic lightshows. Few festivals around these parts are as immersive as EDC, which boasts multiple themed stages and environments. At this three-day weekender, the eclectic and fantastically attired attendees often overshadow the performers, so if you're planning to attend you'd better be fabulous.
Florida Film Festival
floridafilmfestival.com
Whether you're a fan of dramas, comedies, documentaries or shorts, the Florida Film Festival has it all. For over 30 years, this fest has celebrated adventurous cinematic fare from around the world. Headquartered at the Enzian Theater, the fest also takes over nearby screens in a Winter Park multiplex for nearly two weeks of films on all subjects, special guests, premieres, panel discussions and glitzy parties. And don't miss the shorts — Florida Film Festival is one of just a few Oscar-accredited festivals in the U.S. for animated short films, live-action short films and documentary shorts.
Grandma Party Bazaar
instagram.com/grandma_party
Handmade crafts from local artisans and live music from local bands make this our favorite quirky stop for last-minute holiday shopping every December. Here you'll see the work of many of our best artists and artisans, along with bands and DJs, all fortified by Stardust's food and drinks. Witches, drunks, kids and dogs are all welcome.
Halloween Horror Nights
halloweenhorrornights.com
The big daddy fright fest of them all, courtesy of Universal Studios. No matter what they're cooking up, it will scare the crap out of you. The annual late-night spooktacular — now over 30 years in — offers attendees multiple haunted houses themed on hot scary-movie properties, scare zones and live variety shows.
MegaCon
fanexpohq.com/megaconorlando
Central Florida's largest comic and media convention brings in big names from the worlds of television, film, comics, anime, cosplay and more for a gigantic and colorful celebration of pop culture. Taking over an appreciable chunk of the Convention Center and cramming it full of celebrities, merchandise, cosplay warriors, signings and panel discussions, this is event offers a little something for every fannish taste.
Orlando Beer Festival
orlandobeerfestival.com
Orlando's only large-scale legitimate craft beer festival attracts brewers and guests from all over Florida. Boasting more than 200 different beverages for tasting, from refreshingly hazy IPAs to malty lagers and crisp craft pilsners, this fest brings both quality and quantity. The fest also features plenty of local eats, live local music and a Game Zone with — what else? — beer pong.
Orlando Fringe
orlandofringe.org
Thespians from all over the world descend on the theater complex at Loch Haven for two weeks of performances featuring more than 100 shows and hundreds of local, North American and international performers coming together in Central Florida's biggest annual cultural convergence. Fringe takes over stages at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center, the Orlando Museum of Art and the Orlando Family Stage (plus a few farther-flung locales), hosts an outdoor stage with a busy nightly schedule of local musicians, comedians, dancers and more, and runs a mingle-friendly lawn full of food and drink vendors.
Sanford Porchfest
sanfordporchfest.org
A free music festival that takes place on the fourth Saturday of February every year, taking over various residential porches in the downtown area. Rather than stages and festival grounds, this family-friendly daytime extravaganza books over 70 acts and sets them on 17 porches in a walkable grid of Sanford's idyllic historic residential district.
Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival
wpsaf.org
Browse through booths from tons of artists and vendors at one of the country's oldest, largest and most prestigious juried art festivals. Going strong for over 60 years, this fest is three full days packed with over 200 artists, plenty of works from local students (awww) and hundreds of thousands of art fanatics taking it all in — sprawled all over the bucolic environs of Winter Park along Morse Boulevard.
