Calendar

JAN. 1

Get your fresh produce at a mobile farmers market on the first Tuesday and first Thursday of each month. Market to Park is open on the first Tuesday of the month during lunch, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., so residents and working families can pick up fresh produce during their lunch break. On the first Thursday of each month (Jan. 1 this month), the Market to Park is open during the evening commute from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. so working families can easily access fresh vegetables on their way home from work and immediately serve a fresh and healthy dinner. The Market to Park program was started with a grant from Healthy Central Florida with the intent to increase access to fresh vegetables in the community. It’s in Shady Park in Winter Park’s Hannibal Square. For more information, call 407-599-3334.

JAN. 2

The Art & History Museums – Maitland proudly presents Ladies Art Lounge, a program that focuses on friendships and creativity, with a lot of fun thrown in the mix. Ladies’ Art Lounge, starting at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 2, at the Maitland A&H, is designed for women who want an evening out with friends where they can talk, have a glass of wine, and learn something new in a casual and fun atmosphere. The program is held on the first Friday of every month from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Each event features one of the A&H’s talented faculty members leading a program in which you can let your creative juices flow. Have fun creating fine art and craft pieces for your home, as a gift, or even to wear. Admission is $20 for A&H members and $25 for not-yet-members. A cash wine bar is available. Outside alcohol is not permitted. Pre-registration is required. For more information, call 407-539-2181.

JAN. 5

The city of Winter Park is proud to announce the 14th annual Dinner on the Avenue will be held Saturday, April 11, 2015, from 6 to 10 p.m. Hosted by the city, this unique, fun-filled dining experience has become the social event of the year. Tables will go on sale Monday, Jan. 5, at 8 a.m. at the Winter Park Community Center, located at 721 W. New England Ave. Gather a table of friends, family, co-workers or neighbors to dine under the stars on beautiful Park Avenue. Tables of eight are available for just $125 each. Only the table, white linen tablecloth and chairs are provided – everything else is up to you. Get creative with table set-up and let your appetites decide whether you bring your own potluck dinner or hire a local caterer to satisfy your palate. Creativity is encouraged and each group is challenged to develop its own unique look and individual décor. Awards will be presented to winners in various categories including most colorful, most elegant, most original, best TV/movie-themed and honorable mentions. The judging will begin at 7 p.m. sharp, and awards will be presented once the judges have decided on the winners. For more information regarding this unique dining experience, please visit cityofwinterpark.org or call 407-643-1613.

JAN. 7

A square-foot garden class will run from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 7. This class taught by Ed Thralls of the Orange County Extension Office is free and open to the public. For more information and to sign up, call the park office at 407-539-0042.

JAN. 8

“America’s Exceptional Heritage: National Historic Landmarks” opens at noon on Thursday, Jan. 8, at A&H’s Maitland Historical Museum. Celebrate America’s exceptional landmarks at this exhibit featuring a selection of historic and architectural monuments. National Historic Landmark listing is the highest designation available for an historic site in the U.S. Only 2,500 American structures are listed, including Walden Pond (home to author Henry David Thoreau), the Empire State Building, and now the Maitland Art Center. The exhibit runs through May 10. For more information, call 407-539-2181.

Enjoy an outdoor screening of "To Have and Have Not" at Popcorn Flicks in the Park presented by Winter Park CRA and produced by Enzian Theater at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 8, in Winter Park’s Central Park. This film series features classic films for the whole family. We encourage you to bring a blanket, a picnic or snacks, and some family and friends. Free popcorn for everyone. For more information, please call 407-629-0054.

The greatest show on earth continues to amaze as Circus Xtreme turns audiences into adventure-seekers from Jan. 8 to 11 at the Amway Center. An all-female troupe of Mongolian riders, freestyle BMX riders and tumblers, and circus elephants are the headliners at the circus this season. The party begins an hour before the show at the pre-show (free with ticket purchase) as your family gets to meet the performers, get up close to the animals, and even try on circus costumes. Tickets at ringling.com or ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000 or 407-440-7900.

JAN. 16

On Friday, Jan. 16, the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce and city of Winter Park will host the annual State of the City Luncheon presented by Waste Pro. The event will be held at The Alfond Inn beginning at 11:30 a.m. and will feature Mayor Ken Bradley’s final State of the City address, “The Best is Yet to Come.” In addition to the mayor’s address, the luncheon will feature the city of Winter Park Employee of the Year presentations. THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT. For additional information, contact the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce at 407-644-8281 or visit winterpark.org.

JAN. 21

Learn more about the collection at the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art in a series of free lectures this winter and spring at the Morse. In this season’s lectures, recognized scholars in the field of late-19th and early-20th century decorative art will address topics related to the Morse Museum’s new exhibition Revival and Reform—Eclecticism in the 19th-century Environment. The lectures take place on select Wednesdays in the Jeannette G. and Hugh F. McKean Pavilion, 161 W. Canton Ave. (just behind the Museum) and are followed by a reception. The first session on Jan. 21 at 2:30 p.m. will focus on the stained glass of the J. & R. Lamb Studios and its contemporaries of the 20th century. Admission is free.

ONGOING

This holiday season the city of Winter Park is hosting its sixth annual Winter in the Park Holiday Ice Skating Rink in Central Park now through Jan. 11. There’s a little bit of winter inside the tent – no matter the temperature outside. Join the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce and Park Avenue Merchants Association as they spread holiday cheer to skaters and spectators. Visit winterpark.org or call 407-644-8281.

Of the many ways to experience the magic of “The Nutcracker” this season, ICE! at Gaylord Palms brings us Clara and her Nutcracker Prince in 2 million pounds of hand-carved ice sculptures and four interactive slides. Favorite scenes from the ballet, the beloved music, and ice-carving artists from China are at Gaylord Palms through Jan. 4. New this season, adults 21 and over may chill out at On The Blocks — the exclusive ICE Bar. Call 407-586-2000 or visit ChristmasatGaylordPalms.com