Weekend Preview March 15th - 17th, 2013: Things to Do in Orlando

Wee little note: You may notice that this week's Weekend Preview is ignoring a bunch of big St. Patrick's day events. Rest assured, we are not hating on the Irish! We made a special post focusing only on that green-loving', cabbage eatin', Guinness guzzlin' holiday. Check it out here. Now back to business:

Friday

I have to start with a killer local event: the 2013 Springtime Swap & Shop (1300 Brookhaven Dr), where the mission is to reduce your fashion footprint while rummaging through your trendy friend's closet. This event (for guys too, btw) runs from 6:00 to 9:00pm and tickets are $12 when you drop your items off by the night of. What takes this great Ivanhoe event over the edge is that a perecentage of everything sold will be given to charity: water and any left over clothes will go to Dress for Success Greater Orlando, Beta Center, and local Homeless Ministries. Guilt-free shopping on so many levels...

But he's a part of the family!

But before you head to the Swap, you absolutely have to take a stroll down Park Ave for the 54th Annual Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival. The festival runs Friday and Saturday from 9:00am to 6:00pm and Sunday from 9:00am to 5:00pm. Great art, tasty food, terrific weather, and, best of all, Winter Park people-watching! (They say that pets aren't allowed, but does a lap dog in a baby stroller count?)

If the fancy Winter Park people get you feeling like you need to reconnect with the every-man, hit up a great local tradition- the Ocoee Bluegrass Jam (State Rd 50 & Maguire), whose original flier put a call out for anyone who wanted to play to show up at the Piggly Wiggly. 22 years later, the banjos, guitars and fiddles play on. Forget the trendy bluegrass nights at local bars- come experience some of the best authentic bluegrass music that Central Florida has to offer. Just remember: if you've passed the Twistee Treat, you've gone too far.

American Gothic- Ocoee Style
(Photo credit: Rob Bartlett, Orlando Weekly)

Saturday

Hope you got your tickets for The Downtown Brew, Church Street District's beer and food event featuring unlimited craft beer and food samples from 4:00pm to 8:00pm. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 day of.

It's the day you've been waiting for: the Leu Gardens Annual Plant Sale (1920 N Forest Ave). The gardens are free on Saturday and Sunday from 9:00am to 5:00pm. Don't forget to bring your wagon for this great sale and learning opportunity (there will be no shortage of experts ready to dole out gardening advice!).

If you're on the lookout for Orlando-area preschools, then be sure to stop by the Orlando Public Library's (101 E Central Blvd) Preschool Fair, going on Saturday from 2:00pm to 4:00pm.

Sunday

Remember to check out our special St. Patrick's Day post for all themed goings-on!

Here's a great, FREE arts event: The Young composers Challenge, where composers aged 13 to 18 have their compositions played for the first time on stage by the Orlando Philharmonic.  The show is from 2:00 to 5:30pm and encourages casual attire and an atmosphere open to the whole family.  Head over to the Bob Carr (401 W Livingston St) to check out these sickeningly talented young people.

Bike over to one of the great farmers markets today ~ including the ever-popular Orlando Farmers Market at Lake Eola and the up-and-coming College Park Sunday Brunch Market, outside of Infusion Tea (1600 Edgewater Dr).

And, finally, if your weekend has been jam-packed up until this point, make sure you stop by the aforementioned Leu Gardens Annual Plant Sale and the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival, both of which run through Sunday.

What are you doing this weekend?