Josh Garrick: Culture Worthy of Your Calendar

July 14 — Wine tasting event

Wine lovers and cheese foodies can sample fine wines and artisan cheeses during the “Inaugural Garden Party Wine and Cheese Tasting” set for July 14 from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Audubon Park Garden District. Hosted by wine expert Jeremy Byrd and cheese expert Carol Overstreet, the event takes place at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church. Timed to coincide with Orlando's Fourth Annual Bastille Day Festival, handpicked French wines, along with their American counterparts, will be paired with cheeses, both French and American. Proceeds will benefit the Audubon Park Garden District. Pre-sale tickets are $25. Tickets at the door are $35. The Church is at 1603 E. Winter Park Road in Orlando. Visit apgardens.com or call 407-590-8776.

July 14 to Oct. 28 — Artist John Rocco at the Orlando Museum of Art

Artist and illustrator John Rocco, who created the covers for the best-selling “Percy Jackson” series, will be featured in an exhibit “From Alice to Zeus: The Art of John Rocco.” In 2010, 20th Century Fox released the movie “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” based on a book from this series. The exhibit will feature 60 drawings by Rocco, and will be on view through Oct. 28. John Rocco will be at the opening on July 14 at noon for a presentation and book signing. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design and the prestigious School of Visual Arts in New York City, Rocco published his first children's illustrated book “Alice” in 1992. The OMA is located in Orlando’s Loch Haven Park. Call 407-896-4231 or visit omart.org

July 17 and July 27 – Collagraphs at the Mennello Museum

As part of the Mennello Museum’s current exhibit – “Imprints: 20 Years of Flying Horse Editions” – the Museum is offering classes for adults and children related to the printing press and the ever-evolving process of transferring ink to paper. Flying Horse Editions is committed to working with artists who fuse traditional and innovative printmaking processes. The exhibit can be seen through Aug. 12 with one of the museum's galleries transformed into a print studio for the workshops. On Tuesday, July 17, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. David Shapiro will lead an adult workshop. The University of Central Florida’s Artists in Action Anna Cruz and Paul Finch will join him to create sophisticated collagraphs with everyday materials. After the workshop, we’ll go home with prints that no one would suspect were made from gauze, hemp and feathers. And while we create, the Museum invites us to enjoy coffee and pastries. Reservations are required, and the cost is $12 per person. Then on July 21 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday Workshop for Kids and Families will teach us how to use printmaking techniques to create a print that advertises the fun things there are to do where we live. The cost is $5 per child with no charge for an accompanying adult. Call 407-246-4278 or visit mennellomuseum.com

July 19 – Marcos Cruz and Roberto Gonzalez – Sculptures and Paintings

Third Thursdays are the day on which all the galleries — and spaces that exhibit art — in downtown Orlando hold their monthly openings. It’s one big, friendly gallery crawl with free wine. Each month I highlight an exhibit that is “not to be missed,” and this month it is a duo-exhibit of the sculptures of Marcos Cruz and the paintings of Roberto Gonzalez. The opening reception is July 19 from 6 to 9 p.m., and the exhibit will be on display through Sept. 14. Cruz, director of design for the Culinary Team USA for the World Cup in 2010 and the 2012 Olympics in Europe, has work that keeps getting bigger and more wonderful, which leads to diverse perceptions as you walk around it. Roberto Gonzalez is a native of Mexico City and shares his rich heritage through the vibrant colors and unusual movement of his canvases. The exhibit will be held at the Gallery at Avalon Island at 39 S. Magnolia Ave. in downtown Orlando. Call 407-312-0708 or visit GalleryatAvalonIsland.com

Now through Aug. 3 – Free Family Tours at the Morse Museum

The Morse Museum in Winter Park, which houses the largest collection of the work of artist Louis Comfort Tiffany in the world, invites families to two free summer programs designed for elementary-school-age children. Family Tours, 45-minute guided tours of the Museum, are held on Tuesdays: July 17, 24 and 31. The program includes a take-home art activity. Friday Family Films includes a short film, gallery tour, and art activity on Fridays July 13 and 27, and Aug. 3. Children must be accompanied by a parent. Call 407-645-531, ext.136, or visit morsemuseum.org

And not to be missed through July 16 – “fragment(ed)” is a ‘fusion’ of dance, movement, spoken word, aerial acrobatics and original music exploring the very adult world of love, sex and desire. With direction by John DiDonna and original music by Tod Kimbro, “fragment(ed)” will be performed through July 16 at the Shakespeare Center in Loch Haven Park. Call 407-328-9005 or visit redchairproject.com