Erika Spence: Business in the Park

Fashion Week grand finale

The fall event season is in full swing in Winter Park. Park Avenue Fashion Week 2014 has been all the rage this week with a mixology contest at Park Social, designer trunk shows and VIP parties. Now it’s time for the Runway Show under the big top. The weeklong celebration of fashion and design comes to an end on Saturday, Nov. 1. The finale will feature an interactive red carpet, VIP pre-party and live reveal of the Emerging Designer Contest winner. This year the event benefits the Foundation for Foster Children. Last minute tickets can still be purchased at parkavenuefashionweek.com

Feed the Need campaign returns

In 2013, Feed the Need raised $100,000 in 22 days to help fight hunger in our community. However, the need continues to be great. Today, 187,940 children struggle with hunger – an 8.9 percent increase over last year. In response, the Winter Park community is renewing its effort to end hunger in Central Florida. You may recall that Feed the Need, presented by Florida Distributing, Mayflower Retirement Community and Winter Park Memorial Hospital, is not your average food drive. It is an unprecedented community-wide effort to raise funds for Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.

Earlier this week Mayor Ken Bradley proclaimed November as “Feed the Need” Month in the city of Winter Park and you can help keep the momentum going. Visit feedtheneedwp.org to get involved as a Community Champion. You can start a team, host an event or donate online. The Feed the Need campaign will officially kick off on Friday, Oct. 31, at City Hall with campaign partners, including city of Winter Park, Rollins College, Sodexo, Think Creative and the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce. From Nov. 1 to 21, the campaign will unite local residents, businesses, faith communities and civic groups through online giving, friendly competitions, community events and individual fundraising efforts, with one mission in mind: to feed the need.

Throughout November a variety of events and special shopping promotions will benefit the campaign at local stores, including Alex and Ani, Lilly Pulitzer, Kendall and Kendall, Through the Looking Glass, Ten Thousand Villages, Shake Shack, The Ancient Olive and others. To keep up with these and other opportunities to support the effort, ‘like’ the campaign on Facebook at facebook.com/feedtheneedwinterpark

Happy Hour for Hunger

To round out your fall calendar, the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce has partnered with Winter Park Village to host Happy Hour for Hunger on Nov. 13. Join business owners and community leaders for a fall-themed happy hour presented by Ruth’s Chris Steak House and Mitchell’s Fish Market. The event features live entertainment, food, drinks and a fun photo booth. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door, with all proceeds benefitting Feed the Need. Tickets and event details can be found online at winterpark.org or at the Winter Park Welcome Center.

Erika Spence is the senior director of marketing and communications at the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce.