FAMiLYTop 12 Events

Our Favorite

In Central Florida

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Kids & Family2020

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August 2019-20 | Vol. 3. Issue 1

My Central Florida

AUGUST2020

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My Central Florida Family Magazine is free to readers. It is a comprehensive, trusted source of information, events and opportunities for families in Central Florida.

As a resource for families, My Central Florida Family Magazine, MyCentralFloridaFamily.com, and the Florida Kids and Family Expo connect businesses, schools, and organizations to families.

PUBLISHER & PRODUCERBrandi Zrallack

PUBLISHER & PRODUCERJo Tripp

CONTRIBUTORSLisa LeGrand, Debbie Sowder, Tracy Marini, Jill Sangster, Angela Bachelor, Mike Briggs/photographer

ON THE COVER: My Central Florida Family celebrates the family in every shape and form it takes. Photo credit: istockphoto.com

Thank you to all of the supporters, fans, followers and contributors that we have. We couldn’t do what we do without you. –Brandi and Jo

Advertising/Administration:Epic Expos, Inc. | PO Box 622281, Oviedo, FL 32762407.405.4000 | Brandi@MyCentralFloridaFamily.comMyCentralFloridaFamily.com©2019 – All Rights Reserved

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICERTom Zrallack

INFLUENCERS & TALENTThomas & Colby Zrallack

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There are so many fun things to do in Central Florida, but there are certain events that only happen once a year. Below are some of our favorite events that happen

each year in our community and we wouldn’t want you to miss them.

Walt Disney World Special Events1.

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3. SeaWorld Seven Seas Food Festival

Universal Orlando Special Events Busch Gardens Special Events

After Hours Events, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween, A Very Merry Christmas Party, H2O Glow Nights, Epcot Food and Wine Festival and more! These events are some of our favorite events of the year.

These events are often a separate ticket from the normal theme park day, but they are often worth it with less crowds, wait times, cooler temperatures and more.

If you love food, you will love the SeaWorld Seven Seas Food Festival. With Double Pour After Four, seafood specialties, and unique creations along with some of your typical favorites, this is a less crowded version of the food and wine festival you’ll find at Epcot. And, we love the food here just as much. This event is included with a day’s admission to SeaWorld so go enjoy the day and eat until your heart’s content.

Do you love to have a good scare-night? There is no one that does it better than Universal Orlando. For Halloween Horror Nights, you can enjoy thrills and screams in over 10 haunted houses and scare zones. This is a separate ticketed event.

This year, for the first time, we also visited Mardi Gras and loved it. Catching beads, the music, the food. What a great way to celebrate the season!

We don’t mind heading over to Tampa to enjoy Busch Gardens. With their Howl-o-Scream and their Food and Wine Festival, it makes for some great parent date nights as well.

Howl-o-Scream is a less crowded version of Halloween Horror Nights, but really well done. They certainly got my heart pumping! Don’t discount the fun seasonal events over at Busch Gardens!

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County Fairs7.One of our favorite county fairs is the Volusia County Fair because we find it a little less crowded and it seems there are more things to do there. It’s held at the Volusia County Fairgrounds each fall (usually in November).

You can also check out the Central Florida Fair in March or the Osceola County Fair in February. Seminole County also offers a county fair as well..

8. Holiday EventsSome of our favorite holiday events include Light Up UCF with ice skating, sledding and more. Check out Now Snowing Celebration, a free event where kids can enjoy snowfall nightly! Snow Fest at RDV Sportsplex allows kids to enjoy the snow on the ground as well!

There are holiday parades in Winter Park, Oviedo and more. ICE at Gaylord Palms is also a unique and cold experience for the kids.

9. Fourth of July EventsNearly every community has a public fireworks display each Fourth of July. Check your local cities for their schedule and details. Some of our favorites are Red, Hot and Boom, Fireworks at the Fountain and Kissimmee Lakefront Fireworks.

You can also find parades in Winter Garden and Winter Park. No matter which you choose, you can enjoy fireworks for free all-over Central Florida.

10. FestivalsCentral Florida is a great place to enjoy festivals. In October and November, festivals are plentiful. In March and April, food festivals take over Central Florida. Some of our favorites?

Check out Scottish Highland Games for some unique Scottish fun. The Strawberry Festival, Clermont Pig on the Pond, Oktoberfest festivals, Fall Fiesta in the Park and Ocoee Founder’s Day are all events worth checking out!

Florida Kids & Family Expo5.Every August, the Florida Kids and Family Expo comes to the Orange County Convention Center. This two-day indoor family event allows families to peruse over 150 exhibitors and enjoy over 10 fun zones, 4 stages, Touch a Truck and so much more.

Tickets are less than the cost of going to the movies and can be purchased online in advance at MyCentralFloridaFamily.com.

6. Charity EventsTwo of our favorite family charity events are The Mascot Games and Make ‘m Smile. The Mascot Games is a two-day event at the Amway Center. Mascots from across the county come to compete for fun and grieving children.

Make ‘m Smile takes place at Lake Eola the first weekend in June each year and helps kids with special needs. It’s a fun day around the lake for all kids and families!

11. Animal EventsPaws in the Park (February), Silver Spurs Rodeo (February), the Manatee Festival (January) and The Great Duck Derby are some fun-filled animal events that happen around Central Florida. Get out and enjoy seeing animals in nature, adoption festivals and more. Don’t forget Central Florida Zoo and Brevard Zoo for regular events as well. They have fun-filled and nighttime events for the kids too.

12. Indoor EventsWhen the weather gets hot, going inside is where it’s at in Central Florida. Some of our favorite events take place indoors! Check out MegaCon every May at the convention center where kids can find all their favorite characters and toys. Back to School Events are plentiful in August and are free as well. Finally, check for special events at Amway, Addition Arena, and Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.

Now that the theme parks are covered, here are some additional local events.

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Soccer

Exhibitor BoothsArt Zone Wristband Required

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Face Painter - $

Entrance

dodgeball

Stage TWO

Train - $

Characters

Magic Zone

Bounce - W

Bumper Cars - W

Laser Tag Golf Aerial Stage Mechanical Bull - W

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Sit Means Sit

reckless - W

First Aid

Lost Parent

Nominal FeeW $

Pony Rides - $

Petting Zoo

Touch a Truck Zone

Wristband StationCyclone Swing - W

Wrestling Ring

Stage ONE

Corn MAze - W

Crab Races

Sensory zone

Tennis

2019 Exhibitor ListFind these exhibitors at their booth number below. MP = Marketplace

3 Bears Body Care MP

Abu dulce pasión MP

Addition Financial 717

ADT Fire 628

Advanced Dermatology 513

Altitude Trampoline Park 113

Alpha One Security 707

American Power Solutions 615

Andretti Indoor Karting 424

Art A-Go-Go Zone

AT&T 433

Autism Awareness Stand MP

Belhaven University 506

BioLife Plasma Services 613

Bluegreen Vacations 607

Boardwalk Bowl Entertainment 715

Boggy Creek Airboats 606

Boing Fun Center 129

Breakout Escape Rooms 204

buy buy Baby 634

Celebration Family Chiropractic212

Central FL Ballet & Academy MP

Central FL Zoo & Gardens 431

Central FL Community Arts 329

Chalk Couture 326

Chatty MC 227

Chocolate Museum & Café 432

Color Street 704

Colorful Day Events 410

Combined Insurance 538

Crab Races by Mister Crab Zone

Crayola Experience 712

Critter Control Greater Orlando 230

Cruise Planners-Jeff Page 325

Dejaci 228

Destination Sitters MP

Diamond Head Shaved Ice 527

Diamond Resorts 302

Discover Vacations 729

District Eat and Play 318

Doctor D’s Sparking Probiotics 601

Dodgeball2You Zone

Dog Show Menestrelli 131

doTERRA Essential Oils 617

Drive Shack Orlando 417

Eagle Robotics Academy 737

Embrace Families MP

Face Painting MP

Florida Dept of Transportation MP

Florida Resort Exchange 511

Florida School Deaf/Blind 429

FPEA 714

Fun Spot America Parks 202

Gallas Hair Tools 309

GameTime 728

Gatorland 317

Gegelman Inc 224

Global Bambini 215

Pipiza Balloons Décor 719

Pirates Dinner Adventure 627

Pooof Productions MP

Posh By May – Perfectly Posh 308

Prime Protection 206

Primerica MP

Princesses and Princes 413

PRP Wine 409

Pulte Homes 405

Rebounderz of Apopka 425

RelfectorMe MP

Renewal by Andersen 609

RockStar 101 716

Ronald McDonald House 708

Safe2bSafe MP

Sam’s Club 315

Seminole Towne Center 233

Señor Paleta 509

Shaan Saar Krav Maga 730

Shipt 517

Sit Means Sit Dog Training Zone

SKELETONS: Museum of Osteology 503

Soccer Shots Zone

Southern Creations Face Painting Zone

St. Jude Children’s Research Hosp. MP

Starbound Performers 604

State Farm 514

Staywell MP

Step Up For Students 508

Sunpro Solar Energy 403

Sunrun 331

Sunshine Bath 412

Sunshine Photography 724

Sweet Pea 711

Sweet Tomatoes MP

Take a Break Travel 501

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 223

The Caden Project 310

The Diamond Agency MP

The Scott Center 610

Top Golf Orlando MP

Train Zone

Treasured Cinemas 504

Tricia’s Boutique Clothes 515

Troy University 706

Truly Nolen Pest Control 725

Tupperware 207

Tutu Tales Party Palace 314

UCF Marriage & Family Research 735

United Arts of Central Florida 531

Universal Roofing 731

USTA Florida Zone

Victory Martial Arts 216

Wartella Home Team 439

Williamsburg Physical Medicine MP

Wild Florida Airboats 721

WonderWorks 127

Wyndham Vacation Destination 616

Young Star Musician Theatre 709

Godsend Nanny Agency MP

Goldfish Swim School 526

Heart Gallery of Central Florida Lobby

HECOStix 635

HempWorx 406

Holidays Network Group 532

HunterVision 605

I9 Sports 534

I-Drive NASCAR 226

IFLY Indoor Skydiving 313

Ignite Your Light Kidz 333

Incredible Memories Travel 211

Innovative Solar 316

Jayce The Bee MP

JEMS Body Art 510

John Casablancas Center 732

Just Plumerias 626

K1 Speed 437

KidiVerse 111

Kids R Kids Landstar 602

Kimberly Kiss Law, P.A. 414

Lake Mary Preparatory School 219

Lasik Vision 125

Leaf Filter 411

Legacy Chiropractic MP

Legal Services Clinic 733

Lethal Chicken Games 426

Lily Bean Couture 507

Little Linksters Zone

Los Soldaditos 332

Mad Science 702

Main Street Children’s Dentistry 217

Maple Box Kids 214

Mass Mutual 528

Melanie Bryan Arte MP

Miracle Leaf Health Center 225

Momentum Solar 629

Monka Dunk Creations 335

My Little Town 324

Nathaniel’s Hope 428

National Flag Football MP

New York Life 408

NM Residential 307

Nola Snowballs 338

Old Town Kissimmee 205

Orlando Ballet MP

Orlando Bubble Party 603

Orlando City Soccer 208

Orlando Magic Zone

Orlando Repertory Theatre 632

Orlando Science Center 536

Osceola Library System 633

Palm World Travel 311

Palmer Natural Health 435

Paparazzi Jess Jewelry 502

PDQ Restaurant 611

Perler Crazy Creations MP

Peter Raymundo Author 608

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Sunday

Saturday

Sunday

Saturday

Sunday

Saturday11:00 AM11:45 AM12:20 pM12:55 PM1:35 PM2:10 PM2:45 PM3:20 PM3:55 PM

Los Soldaditos

Music with Mar

CFCArts

Gatorland

Caleb B.

Actors Reaching Out

Mackenzie Carey

Ignite Your Light Kidz

The Warehouse

12:00 PM12:45 PM1:30 PM2:05 PM2:40 PM3:40 PM4:15 PM

Los Soldaditos

Medieval Time

Gatorland

Caleb B.

Rockstar 101

Ignite Your Light Kidz

Actors Reaching Out

10:30 AM, 12:00 PM & 1:45 PM

11:00 AM, 1:15 PM & 3:15 PM

11 AM, 1 PM & 3 PM

12:30 AM, 2 PM & 3:30 PM

OneStage

Stage

Ring

twoStage

Thank you, Media Partners!

Wrestling

PRESENTED BY:

Sunday11:45 AM12:30 PM1:05 PM1:40 PM2:15 PM2:35 PM3:25 PM

Music with Mar

Victory Martial Arts

Mad Science

Josie Pantoja

Bubble Party

Young Star Musical Theater

DGBEK Studios

4:10 PM Emerging Dance Academy

Saturday10:45 AM11:20 AM12:00 PM12:35 PM

1:10 PM1:45 PM2:45 PM3:20 PM3:40 PM

Citrus Singers

Mad Science

DGBEK Studios

Victory Martial Arts

Medieval Times

Rockstar 101

Josie Pantoja

Bubble Party

Young Star Musical Theater

4:15 PM Emerging Dance Academy

Aerial

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