- April 17, 2024
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Fall is here
The calendar announced the official start of the fall season this week, so it’s fitting that fall events are starting to fill the calendar. First up is the 41st annual Winter Park Autumn Art Festival. The sidewalk art show is the only juried fine art festival to showcase Florida artists exclusively. Come out for a fun weekend on Saturday, Oct. 11, and Sunday, Oct. 12, to experience the artwork of 150 talented artists, enjoy live entertainment on the Central Park stage, and a sidewalk sale at local merchants along Park Avenue. We’ve even lined up art workshops for the kids led by instructors at Crealdé School of Art and a beer garden featuring seasonal craft beer from Florida Distributing Company. Festival hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Details are available at autumnartfestival.org
Take a moment after the festival to catch your breath, and then hit the ground running for Park Avenue Fashion Week. The local celebration of art and design returns Oct. 25 through Nov. 1. You can pack your calendar with stylish trunk shows, fashionable VIP parties, special sales and, of course, the spectacular runway show. Information on Fashion Week events and Runway Show tickets are available at parkavenuefashionweek.com
A Chamber of community
When you hear the term ‘chamber of commerce,’ you might think of economic development, networking or professional development – and those things are alive and well at the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce. Our staff works day in and day out to advocate, support and grow local businesses. However, our President/CEO Patrick Chapin is often quoted as describing us as a ‘chamber of community.’ He was recently quoted saying, “The Winter Park Chamber of Commerce has a unique perspective: to promote and support our business community, but also to enhance the civic and overall well-being of Winter Park.”
In this spirit of community, the Chamber is involved in a variety of philanthropic activities. First, in September and October, the Chamber is supporting Pink Out Winter Park with the sale of pink flamingos at the Winter Park Welcome Center. Purchase a pair of flamingos for $10. You’ll get to take one home with you while the second will join the birds flocking around town. All of the funds benefit the Winter Park Memorial Hospital Mammography Scholarship Fund. But it doesn’t stop there! Nearly three dozen local merchants are supporting the cause as well with special promotions, events and give-back nights to benefit the cause. Learn more at pinkoutwinterpark.com.
The Chamber is also collecting diapers in an effort to raise awareness for the lack of sufficient supply of disposable diapers within our community. Diapers are mandatory for day care centers and even free and subsidized facilities require parents to provide a day's supply of disposable diapers. Consider this: when children are in daycare, parents are able to complete higher education programs, attend job training courses and work outside the home. By allowing parents to better their lives, the cycle of poverty can end. Disposable diapers and pull-ups in any size, including open packages, are welcome to be dropped off at the Winter Park Welcome Center, located at 151 West Lyman Avenue, Winter Park, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. To learn more about diaper need in our community, visit diaperbankofcentralflorida.org
Join us on the Front Porch
Finally, in response to a relative divide in our community on complex issues, the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce recently launched the Front Porch Partnership, a cross section of institutions committed to community conversation and education. The partnership, which includes the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens, Friends of Casa Feliz, Hannibal Square Heritage Center, Mayflower Retirement Community, Rollins College, Valencia College, Winter Park History Museum and Winter Park Public Library, will work to create and promote Front Porch Talks, a series of forums and opportunities for discussion around key issues.
Throughout its programming, the Front Porch Partnership will be a non-political, neutral and civil place for conversation. Its primary goal is to present an overview of a particular topic rather than focusing on a specific project or initiative. It is worth noting that this group is operating separately from the city of Winter Park’s visioning process and is not meant to disrupt or supersede that project.
The first Front Porch Talk will be held at noon on Tuesday, Oct. 28, at Casa Feliz. The conversation will be with Kenneth Murrah and Fairolyn Livingston. These local historians will reflect on moments in Winter Park’s history when the community wrestled with tough decisions and lessons learned that are applicable today. Additional information will be available at winterpark.org shortly.
Erika Spence is the senior director of marketing and communications at the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce.