Calendar

FEB. 5

Sip wine and stroll downtown Winter Park in an evening of wine and hors d’oeuvres with the first Winter Park Sip, Shop & Stroll of 2015 on Thursday, Feb. 5. The Winter Park Chamber of Commerce and Park Avenue Merchants Association are hosting this seasonal event. It will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Admission is $25 and includes a wine glass and passport at registration. For more information and reservations, call 407-644-8281 or visit experienceparkavenue.com

The city of Winter Park will present tutorials on how to save money on your next utility bill and qualify for possible free home upgrades in energy efficiency workshops! The event is free to attend and will be held in the Winter Park Community Center from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 5. For more information and to register, visit cityofwinterpark.org or register by phone at 407-599-3364.

FEB. 6

Winter Park Chamber of Commerce’s annual Membership Awards Celebration presented by Century Link and HUB International Florida Kuykendall Gardner will be hosted on Friday, Feb. 6. The evening is a tribute to members and volunteers who make the organization and community so remarkable. The event will be held at The Alfond Inn and begin at 6 p.m. Reservations are required by Friday, Jan. 30. For additional information such as ticket prices or to reserve a seat, call 407-644-8281 or visit winterpark.org

Enjoy an outdoor movie in a beautiful garden at Leu Gardens on Feb. 6. Blankets or chairs are recommended. You may bring a dinner picnic basket. Alcohol is permitted. This movie – “Stuck in Love” – is rated “R”, no one under 17 years of age will be admitted without a parent or adult supervision. The Gardens open at 6 p.m. and the movie shows at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults or free for Leu Members. Admission is collected at the door. Leu Gardens closes at the end of the movie. Curbie’s Sidewalk Cafe will be selling great food and Peak Season Pops will be selling delicious popsicles and popcorn. Visit leugardens.org

Baldwin Park First Friday Festival will be 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6, along New Broad Street. First Friday is a monthly event where patrons can shop, stroll and sip their way through Baldwin Park's beautiful Village Center. With live music, free samples, food and drink specials (plus much more), there's something for everyone at First Fridays! This free monthly event is open to the public and is both family and pet friendly. For more information on the First Friday series, please visit baldwinparkevents.com

FEB. 7

Come experience a paranormal tour of the Art & History Museums – Maitland’s Maitland Art Center on Feb. 7 with American Ghost Adventures. Attendees will investigate paranormal activity and claims that Andre Smith still lurks on the campus during this two-hour tour. The event will begin at 6 p.m. Tickets are $36 for members, $40 for non-members, and can be purchased at artandhistory.org

The Carousel Emporium in Orlando proudly presents “An Artist's Affair" with watercolorist Edie Showalter Fagan. Her one-woman show opens on Saturday, Feb. 7, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the gallery located at 2000 Alden Road. Ten percent of all her art sales will benefit the Capen-Showalter Home currently undergoing renovations on the Albin Polasek Museum property. For more information, visit carouselemporium.net

The eighth annual Out of the Darkness Community Walk will be 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, around Lake Baldwin. Support the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention by participating in the walk. Proceeds will benefit local and national suicide prevention and awareness programs. On-site registration will be held across from 2420 Lakemont Ave. at 7:30 a.m. on the day of the walk. The opening ceremony starts at 9 a.m., and the walk will begin immediately after. For more information, visit outofthedarkness.org, contact walk coordinator Vicki Long at [email protected] or call her at 407-646-2227. Visit AFSP-Central Florida Chapter at afsp.org/cfl

FEB. 8

Come feel the love at The Sweetest Sounds: A Valentine Concert in Central Park from 4 to 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 8. The Park Avenue Merchants Association is hosting this free event where attendees will be able to enjoy an afternoon of music and romance. Members of the Bach Festival Choir will join Michael Andrew and Swingerhead for a first-of-its-kind performance in honor of the 80th annual Bach Festival. For additional information, visit experienceparkavenue.com or call 407-644-8281.

The Winter Park Bridal Stroll invites Central Florida brides and grooms to its fifth unique bridal showcase experience on Feb. 8. There will be three central locations in The Alfond Inn, Woman’s Club of Winter Park and 310 Park South Restaurant. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit winterparkbridalstroll.com

FEB. 10

The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art will open its new exhibition on Tuesday, Feb. 10: a collection donated by Los Angeles lawyer and collector Harry C. Sigman. The exhibit features an etched glass vase from 1900 by Emile Gallé, among many other works. The museum hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and Saturday; 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday; and 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, call 407-645-5311 or visit morsemuseum.org

FEB. 11

Wordier Than Thou's next storytelling and prose open mic night is at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at Stardust Video and Coffee, located at 1842 Winter Park Road in Orlando. This unique open mic focuses on storytelling – no poetry or music. Come share your finest prose, or if you're just in the mood for listening, catch some tales from our area's wordsmiths. Readings will begin around 7 p.m., with featured readers kicking off the night followed by open mic slots. Open mic readers get 10 minutes and will be timed. This month's featured readers are Suzannah Gilman and Lynn Waddell. There’s a suggested donation of $5 at the door. Find more info at wordierthanthou.com

FEB. 12

Mr. Grey and BRIO at Winter Park Village will see you on Feb. 12 at BRIO’s “Fifty Shades of Grey” cocktail party and private movie screening. The upcoming film will be shown at an exclusive, private pre-opening, only for guests of BRIO Tuscan Grille. Brio will be “raising the ordinary to extraordinary” at the soirée, where guests will indulge in sensuous libations and small bites featured in the movie. For more information, visit shopwinterparkvillage.net or make your reservations by calling 407-622-5611. Space is limited.

FEB. 13

Join the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce as it hosts its monthly breakfast program featuring a Mayor and City Commission Candidate Forum at 7:45 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 13, at the Winter Park Welcome Center. Meet Winter Park mayor candidates Steven Leary and Cynthia Mackinnon and City Commission candidates Gary Brewer and Greg Seidel while enjoying a complimentary continental breakfast. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 407-644-8281 or visit winterpark.org

FEB. 14

Taste craft cocktails, enjoy music and art, and snack on special picnic foods from the East End Market at the debut Indie-Folkfest in the Sculpture Gardens of the Mennello Museum of American Art. The Museum offers a Valentine’s twist to the traditional Orlando Folk Festival with this afternoon and evening of fun on Feb. 14, from 2 to 7 p.m. For more information about this free event, visit orlandofolkfestival.wordpress.com

The Orlando Dollhouse Festival on Feb. 14 and 15 will feature more than 50 artisans at the International Palms Resort, located at 6515 International Drive in Orlando. Prepare to meet some of the country's most avid collectors of all things small, from HO to 1-inch scale. Georgian Michael Reynolds, a true Renaissance artisan, will bring furniture, paintings and his one-of-a-kind creations. Show hours are 5 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14, which includes early sales, weekend admission and refreshments, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 15. For more information, visit mollycromwell.com or call 703-200-5341.

FEB. 18

Come out to the American Association of Individual Investors’ meeting on Feb. 18 to hear speaker Rick Ferri, CFA, on “A Case for Index Fund Portfolios.” The event will be at the University Club of Winter Park and check-in begins at 6:30 p.m. Pre-registered tickets are $5 for AAII members and $7 for non-members, and $10 at the door for everyone. For more information, visit aaii.com or call 407-644-1607.

FEB. 19

Before voting for City Commission seat one and mayor on March 10, the Winter Park Public Library will host a pair of one-hour debates. This allows residents to familiarize themselves with the candidates and to hear directly from them regarding their positions on key issues. Mayoral candidates Steven Leary and Cynthia Mackinnon will respond to moderator and audience questions on Thursday, Feb. 19, from noon to 1 p.m. The debate will be moderated by former WKMG-TV news anchor Lauren Rowe. The event will be held in the Library’s Community Room. For more information, call 407-623-3486.

FEB. 20

Join Jacqueline Rolly, of the Tarflower Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society, on Feb. 20 for a presentation on Florida’s native plants at the Orlando Garden Club’s meeting, located across from Lake Estelle. Jacqueline, who has been saving plants from construction sites for over 15 years and has learned many techniques and tips for transplanting, propagating, and maintaining Florida’s unique native vegetation. The presentation will cover a short background on the various ecosystems of Florida, and why native plants are important to sustain not only humans but also wildlife. The event is free and the program starts at 10:30 a.m. For more information visit OrlandoGardenClub.org.