Maitland City Talk

Keep Maitland in mind when making plans for April. Residents and guests of all ages and all walks of life will appreciate Maitland’s seasonal events happening in the Cultural Corridor and along U.S. Highway 17-92 this month.

Join us for a screening of “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2” on Saturday, April 5, at 8 p.m. at Quinn Strong Park. For more information related to Movies in the Park, please visit itsmymaitland.com/community-events.aspx

The Movie in the Park at Quinn Strong Park is not the only film event occurring in April. The Florida Film Festival, presented by Maitland’s own Enzian Theater, begins on Friday, April 4, through Sunday, April 13. In its 23rd year, this year’s festival features 170 films from 32 genres in 10 days. Celebrity guests this year include Giancarlo Esposito of “Breaking Bad” fame and Paul Sorvino, whose filmography includes “Goodfellas” and “William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet.” To kick off the festival, the Enzian will host an opening night event at the Regal Winter Park Cinema at 7 p.m. with a screening of “The Trip to Italy.” Check out the Florida Film Festival website at floridafilmfestival.com and its Facebook page for festival details, including schedule, movie summaries and ticket information.

The grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for Maitland’s new SunRail station will be on Friday, April 11, beginning at 1:30 p.m. A program featuring U.S. Representative John Mica and Florida Department of Transportation’s director of transportation development Frank O'Dea begins at 2 p.m. Event parking only will be available at the Maitland City Hall at 1776 Independence Lane. Shuttles will transport attendees from off-site parking to the station. Attendees will be able to tour the station, trains, and ticket kiosks, and SunRail staff will be present to answer questions. Light refreshments will be provided.

The Art & History Museums-Maitland will host Ladies’ Art Lounge on April 4 and Culture Pop on April 11. The spring session of A&H’s classes and workshops will begin meeting on April 8. Visit artandhistory.org for more information.

The Maitland Area Chamber of Commerce’s Spring Festival of the Arts will showcase the work of 125 artists and craftsmen on April 12 and 13 at Lake Lily. So stop by from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday or 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday for art, sun and fun. Music from the Performing Arts of Maitland and children’s activities also will be presented at this year’s event. Festival prizes will be awarded on Saturday. For more information, please visit maitlandchamber.com

Finally on April 10, the Holocaust Center will host a forum titled, “Diaries and Letters: Primary Sources for Holocaust Education.” Participants will study letters, postcards and diaries written during the Holocaust. The event begins at 6 p.m. Follow this link for class details: holocaustedu.org/education/teacher_training/teacher_forums

If you haven’t done so already, don’t forget to schedule time to check out the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey. They rescue, treat, rehabilitate, and release raptors found in Florida, including bald eagles, ospreys, kites, owls and falcons. You can get an up-close look and an education of a variety of bird species. The website for more information is fl.audubon.org/audubon-center-birds-prey