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

Get your dance-walk on this weekend in Orlando. 

Weekend Events

RIP, Bodhi

This Friday and Saturday is the Florida Surf Film Festival. Both nights, stop by from 6:00pm to 2:00am for movies, parties, and far too many blonde, sandy beards. Day passes are $15, $10 with a student ID. It all takes place at Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach.

Head over to Uptown Altamonte for their 3rd Annual Art, Craft and Wine Festival November 16th and 17th. This festival features 120+ talented artists and crafters and (most importantly) a Wine Stroll (this part's $20 in advance, but includes wine at each tent!).

Wait, what? Another art festival? YUP. Saturday and Sunday is the 2013 Osceola Fall Art Festival in historic downtown Kissimmee, from 10:00am to 5:00pm. This is a free event showcasing hundreds of artists, crafters, students, and vendors, as well as one of Central Florida's cutest downtowns.

Ugh, that's so like Jesus: a birthday month wasn't enough. We know Thanksgiving hasn't even happened yet, but if you're ready for a Disney-themed holiday experience (without the Disney-themed prices), stop by Downtown Disney starting this Friday for the annual Festival of the Seasons.

Speaking of holidays coming way too early, Friday at 5:00pm is the Light up UCF Opening Night. The event goes through the rest of the year, with movies, rides, ice skating, and vendors. Friday's movie is Polar Express at 7:00pm.

This weekend is also the start of Winter in the Park, happening in Winter Park's Central Park. (One more for good measure: Park.) Come pretend we don't live in Florida and go ice skating ($10). Skating going on through the rest of the year.

Friday at 8:00pm, catch the best in student dance performance at the Choreographer's Showcase at Valencia College's East Campus. Tickets are $12 general admission, $10 for students, senior, faculty, and alumni. For more student arts, check out Seminole State College's production of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, at various times through November 24.

Saturday through Monday is the Enzian's 15th Annual Central Florida Jewish Film Festival. Individual tickets are $10. (Mensch passes are unfortunately sold out. Seriously. There are Mensch passes.)

This is the actual poster. LOVE IT.

Friday, November 15th

Groovy guys and gnarly ladies, listen up: from 7:00pm to midnight, stop by the History Center (65 E Central Blvd) for another installation of Retro Game Night. $5 cash at door gives you access to tons of games - including giant Jenga and retro video games - and new this month is Retro Trivia! Don't forget to bring some cash for $2 hot dogs and pizza, free candy, and a cash bar.

Saturday, November 16th

This Saturday at noon, stop by the Festival Field next to the Citrus Bowl for a family-friendly cultural festival, Celebrate Guyana. Experience Guyanese food, live music, and dance performances. Admission is $5-$10.

We really can't make this shit up.Come hang out with everyone's favorite local celebrity, Queen of Versailles herself, Jackie Siegel, for a community-wide Thriftmart Garage Sale in front of Ocoee's Thriftmart (10770 W Colonial Dr) from 9:00am to 1:00pm. Proceeds to benefit the Harbor House, Ocoee Little League and Making Strides Walk to Fight Breast Cancer.

If you regret not going to one of the dozens of Gatsby-themed parties this summer (seriously, how did you miss that?), then you may be interested in Saturday's Gangster and Flapper Pub Crawl in Downtown Orlando. Get your tickets now for $12, or day-of for $15.

Enzian Theater has got a new Science on Screen series where each film will be preceded by a presentation from a notable expert from the world of science, technology, mathematics, and medicine. This time- Rollins College President (oh yeah, and space physicist), Lewis Duncan, will be giving a pre-screening talk before Sebastian Cordero’s Europa Report.


Beer from a Gypsy brewery in Denmark and local Orlando art. An obvious match. Redlight Redlight Art was asked to do a collaborative art/beer event to celebrate the introduction of the To Øl Brewers specialty series of beers named “F_ck art this is Architecture”, “F_ck Art Let’s Dance”, and “F_ck Art this is Advertisement”. They humbly obliged. F_ _K Art this is an Art Show! from 8:00pm - 1:00am.



Oh yeah, it's a Mutha Flippin' WALK OFF. Get your competitive side going with The 2nd Annual Mayor's Sole Challenge a competitive fun walk between the residents of Eatonville, Maitland and Winter Park (with the cities' mayors too!). 7;00am - 9:30am (Mayors’ Walk is 8:00 - 8:30 am) meet at the Central Park Stage (236 N. Park Ave). This time though- things are going to get real. They're upping the fun factor with the option of DANCE WALKING.   Check. It. Out.

Any Dr. Who fans out there? The Winter Park Public Library is hosting WHOSTOCK: 50 Years of Time & Space! This event's been going on every Saturday and is now culminating in an epic celebration. Head over between 10:00am - 4:00pm and meet the many faces of Dr. Who. Costumes? CHECK. Trivia? CHECK. Dr. WHOse Line is it Anyway? BET ON IT.

And finally, head over to Chat Roulette at The Falcon. We don't know exactly what this is, but we're intrigued... FREE 8:00pm - 2:00 am.

Sunday, November 17th

You know you want fried Southern food on the last day of your epic weekend. Walk/bike over to Will's Pub for Southern Fried Sunday with American Aquarium, Johnny Knuckles, the Fallen Sons, Six Time Losers. If you haven't been before, $8 gets you in for a live concert plus a Southern-style dinner. 18+

You like dags? Join the SPCA of Central Florida at Orlando Brewing for a special charity event- Ales for Tails. Enjoy a day of local food, organic beer, vendors, and live music for a great cause.

What are you doing this weekend, Orlando? Leave a comment below!