Winter Park City Talk

On behalf of the city of Winter Park, I’d like to wish you a very safe and happy New Year!

Russell Athletic Bowl Parade of Bands

The city of Winter Park will proudly host the seventh annual Russell Athletic Bowl Parade of Bands, featuring school bands from the University of Miami and University of Louisville Saturday, Dec. 28, at 11 a.m. As a prelude to the Russell Athletic Bowl game at 6:30 p.m. at the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium, school bands, cheerleaders and mascots will march through downtown Winter Park and perform a “Bandtastic Game Day Preview.”

From 9:30 to 11 a.m., Interlachen Avenue will be closed to through traffic between Fairbanks and New England avenues, and Lyman Avenue will be closed between Knowles and Interlachen avenues for the band staging area. The parade will start at 11 a.m. at the intersection of Park and Lyman avenues, going north on Park Avenue through downtown Winter Park. After turning west onto Garfield Avenue, they will proceed in to Central Park where they will perform for all fans to enjoy.

In order to minimize disruption to traffic flow, street closures along the parade route will occur in a rolling fashion (see map on cityofwinterpark.org). Street closures will reopen immediately after the parade has safely passed. However, a portion of Park Avenue between Morse Boulevard and Canton Avenue will remain closed for the duration of the parade. Side street entrances onto Park Avenue will also be closed as the parade approaches each intersection.

The Russell Athletic Bowl is operated by Florida Citrus Sports, a non-profit group that also manages the Capital One Bowl and the Florida Blue Florida Classic. For information regarding Florida Citrus Sports and to purchase tickets for upcoming events, including the Russell Athletic Bowl and Capital One Bowl, please visit fcsports.com

For specific information regarding the Russell Athletic Bowl Parade of Bands in Winter Park, please call 407-599-3463.

Qualifying begins

The city of Winter Park will hold its municipal general election for City Commission seats 1 and 2 Tuesday, March 11, 2014. The qualifying period for interested candidates begins Monday, Dec. 30, at noon, through Tuesday, Jan. 7, at noon. If there are more than two candidates running for a seat, the primary election will be held Tuesday, Feb. 11.

Qualifying papers and other information regarding the election must be obtained from the city clerk by calling 407-599-3277. Everything must be completed and submitted in their entirety to the city clerk before the qualifying period end, no later than noon, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014.

For more information, call the city clerk at 407-599-3277, visit cityofwinterpark.org/elections or click the Election button featured on the homepage.

City Hall closed

City Hall will be closed Wednesday, Jan. 1, in observance of New Year’s Day and reopen for regular business Thursday, Jan. 2. There will be no Waste Pro services on New Year’s Day, however, recycling will still be collected. Normal services will resume on the next regularly scheduled collection day.

New Year’s Eve and fireworks

With New Year’s Eve just around the corner, remember to leave fireworks up to the professionals. In Florida, virtually all fireworks except sparklers are considered illegal and can turn any amateur fireworks festivity into a tragedy. Keep your friends and family safe this year by letting professionals do the show. Have a safe and happy New Year!

Last few days of ice-skating!

The last day to skate at the city’s “Winter in the Park” ice-skating rink is Sunday, Jan. 5. If you haven’t already taken a spin on the ice, there’s only a little over a week left. Bring your friends and family to experience some cool fun before it’s all over. Open daily Monday through Thursday, from noon to 9 p.m.; Friday, noon to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 8 p.m. until Sunday, Jan. 5. For more freezing information, please call 407-599-3203 or skate onto our blustery website at cityofwinterpark.org/WITP

Dinner on the Avenue tables on sale Jan. 6 at new location

The city of Winter Park is proud to announce the 13th annual Dinner on the Avenue will be held Saturday, April 12, from 6 to 10 p.m. This unique, fun-filled dining experience has become the social event of the year you won’t want to miss.

Mark your calendar! There are only 150 tables and they literally sell out within hours. Tables will go on sale Monday, Jan. 6, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Winter Park Community Center, located at 721 W. New England Ave.

Gather friends, family, co-workers and neighbors; decorate your table(s) (eight seats for $100); cater, order or pre-cook your dinner; and enjoy a night under the stars. Awards will be presented to winners on each side for most colorful, elegant, original, best TV/movie-themed and honorable mention. For questions and more details, please call 407-643-1613, visit cityofwinterpark.org/dinnerontheavenue or click the Dinner on the Avenue button on the homepage of the city’s website.

Save the date for the annual State of the City Luncheon

Save the date! The 2014 Winter Park State of the City Luncheon is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 17, at 11:30 a.m., at The Alfond Inn. It will feature the city’s Employees of the Year and Mayor Ken Bradley’s annual State of the City Address. For more information, please call the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce at 407-644-8281, or purchase tickets on their website at winterpark.org

WPPD to stop impaired driving and save lives

To help save lives this holiday season, the Winter Park Police Department is launching a special “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” crackdown to stop impaired drivers and to save lives on our roadways.

The holiday season is a particularly dangerous time. During December, an average of 25 people a day die in drunken driving crashes nationally. Data also shows that among those alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities, more than two-thirds occurred when drivers had nearly twice the legal limit blood alcohol concentration of .15 grams per deciliter or higher.

Now thru Wednesday, Jan. 1, WPPD, along with other law enforcement agencies, will be out in force conducting roving saturation patrols, looking for alcohol and drug impaired drivers. If you drive impaired, you will be arrested.

For more information, please visit TrafficSafetyMarketing.gov or nhtsa.gov/drivesober

Visit the city’s official website at cityofwinterpark.org, find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and watch us on Vimeo.