Ocoee festival to welcome spring

The city of Ocoee is celebrating the season of gorgeous weather with its 10th Annual Spring Fling from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 14. 

Admission is free to the event, which takes place at Bill Breeze Park, 125 N. Lakeshore Drive. Attendees can enjoy free food, door prizes and fun family activities, and dozens of vendors will offer information on the services they provide.

Throughout the day, safety-related presentations and demonstrations will be given: Diabetes Awareness by HAPCO Health Initiatives will start at 10:30 a.m.; self-defense by Victory Martial Arts will begin at 11 a.m.; bike safety at Children’s Safety Village will start at noon; a live burn by Wayne Automatic Fire Sprinklers will start at 12:30 p.m.; and a vehicle extrication by the Ocoee Fire Department begins at 2:15 p.m.

Activities will include a bike rodeo, where children can hop on a bicycle and make their way through a course set up with orange cones. After children finish the course, city staff will teach them how to safely ride their bicycles. Bikes and helmets will be provided for the rodeo.

In the educational road obstacle track, children can drive miniature motorized cars through an obstacle course designed to teach them about road safety.

There will be a balloon artist on site, as well as face painting.

Ocoee residents can take part in giveaways, such as trees, plants and rain barrels, but must show proof of residency. Trees that will be available are crape myrtle (assorted varieties), Italian cypress, Ligustrum, Little Gem Southern Magnolia, Tabebuia (pink or yellow), Loropetalum (Plum Delight), Podocarpus, Red Maple and Sea Grape. All are Florida friendly and will do well in Central Florida with proper care.

Ocoee residents who want to attend a rain barrel workshop must pre-register by calling (407) 905-3159. The workshop begins at 10 a.m., and rain barrel decorators are asked to start by noon.

The goal of Spring Fling is to educate, raise awareness and empower residents to be safe.   

For more information, visit ocoee.org or call (407) 905-3100.

Contact Amy Quesinberry Rhode at [email protected].