Calendar

AUG. 20

The Audubon Center for Birds of Prey will kick of a new program series “Birds Before Bedtime,” hosted on the third Thursday of the month (beginning in August and running through November). The first session will be Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. Programs feature crafts, birds, songs, stories, snacks, and lots of fun for children ages 3 to 10 and their parents. Each night the Center will have different activities based on that evening’s theme. The cost is $5 for adults, and $4 for children. To reserve your spot, email [email protected] or call 407-644-0190.

Sip Baldwin Park will run from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20, in the Village Center. The event will feature a fun and casual stroll of bars and restaurants in Baldwin Park, featuring samples at each location. For tickets and information, visit thesipevent.com or call 321-396-7790.

Join the city of Winter Park to hear internationally known speaker and author Peter Kageyama at the city’s first large community visioning event from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20, at the Alfond Inn, located at 300 E. New England Ave. Leave inspired after hearing about the importance of sharing what we love about Winter Park, and motivated to make it even better! Space is limited, so please RSVP by Friday, Aug. 14! Vision Winter Park will set the stage to guide our city’s future. A major focus of the visioning process is to educate the community about the process, why individuals should participate, and how the shared vision affects them. Participate in the process online and stay up-to-date with the latest Vision Winter Park events and opportunities to share your ideas. For more information, call 407- 998-8090.

AUG. 21

Come out to the Metiers Gala from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 21, at 1050 W. Morse Blvd. in Winter Park for a unique networking event for art and fashion professionals with the goal of helping children with special needs. The event will raise funds for Florida Hospital for Children and will immerse guests in a fashion show, art exhibition and much more. For information and to buy tickets, visit http://bit.ly/MetiersGala

AUG. 22

A series of community workshops will be presented by ACi Architects on behalf of the city of Winter Park and the Winter Park Public Library starting on Saturday, Aug. 22, from 10 a.m. to noon at Lake Island Hall, located at 450 Harper St. The purpose of the workshops is to gather insights and input from Winter Park residents on the specific location, appearance and design of the proposed new Winter Park Public Library and civic center facility. The first workshop will delve into the opportunities and challenges presented by various sites within the northern sector of Martin Luther King Jr. Park. A second workshop from 1 to 3 p.m. on Aug. 23 at the Rachel Murrah Civic Center will explore the many different style options for the interior and exterior design concepts and see how design elements can be integrated into Morse Boulevard, surrounding neighborhoods, and the existing park. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17, also at the Civic Center, participants will review the results of the place-making and building appearance workshops, and view a 2-D conceptual site plan as well as 3-D conceptual building-site visualization that incorporate the community’s input.

AUG. 27

Popcorn Flicks returns to Central Park for a showing of “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” on Thursday, Aug. 27, at 8 p.m. The event is presented by Winter Park CRA and produced by Enzian Theater. This film series features classic films for the whole family. You are encouraged to bring a blanket, a picnic or snacks, and some family and friends and join in! Free popcorn is available for everyone. For more information, call 407-629-0054.

AUG. 28

Bring your child out to a book club meeting at the Maitland Public Library. This book club is open to anyone in elementary or middle school interested in the Sunshine State Books! Each month a different book is selected to discuss. Even if you haven't read it, stop by anyway! Light snacks are provided. August's book is “Pie” by Sarah Weeks. The next book club meeting will take place Friday, Aug. 28, at 5 p.m. Visit maitlandpl.org to learn more.

AUG. 29

Audubon Center for Birds of Prey will host the Audubon Back to School Bird Bash on Saturday, Aug. 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Join the Center to kick off the new school year and learn about magnificent birds of prey and what you can do to get involved with conservation! The Audubon Center is located at 1101 Audubon Way in Maitland. The event is free, and all ages are welcome. Visit http://fl.audubon.org/events-and-programs for more information.

SEPT. 10

Watch a movie under the stars in Winter Park’s Central Park as Popcorn Flicks continues with a screening of “Strangers on a Train” at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 10. This film series features classic films for the whole family. You are encouraged to bring a blanket, a picnic or snacks, and some family and friends and join in! Free popcorn is available for everyone. For more information, call 407-629-0054.

SEPT. 16

Rollins Winter Park Institute, a center for intellectual engagement that brings world-renowned speakers to Central Florida, recently announced its first speaker for the 2015-16 academic year, 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee. Gbowee, founder and current president of the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa, will address “Leading Change Through Activism: The Liberian Women’s Experience” on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 7:30 p.m. at the Alfond Sports Center. All Rollins Winter Park Institute events are free and open to the public. No tickets are required. Parking is available in the SunTrust parking garage at 166 E. Lyman Ave. For more information, visit winterparkinstitute.org, call 407-691-1995 or email [email protected].

Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs and the National Center for Simulation will host the Florida Simulation Summit on Wednesday, Sept. 16, in Orlando at the Orange County Convention Center. The Summit will highlight the state’s multi-billion dollar simulation industry and help identify opportunities for businesses to commercialize simulation! The Summit is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $25. To purchase tickets, call 407-384-6111.

SEPT. 17

The Winter Park Garden Club and the League of Women Voters of Orange County are co-sponsoring a moderated discussion about the pros and cons of fracking in Florida at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17, at the Winter Park Garden Club, located at 1300 S. Denning Drive. Chuck O’Neil, First Vice President of the League of Women Voters of Florida, will moderate a discussion between David Mica, executive director of the Florida Petroleum Council, and Jennifer Hecker, director of Natural Resource Policy of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 407-644-5770 or visit winterparkgardenclub.com

ONGOING

The Vision Winter Park team is continuing to work with the community in setting the stage to guide the vision for the city’s future. For those that have not already submitted a survey online, the team is inviting you to join the 300-plus people in the conversation at the upcoming Community Talk on Thursday, between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., on Aug. 27. Community Talks are held at the Rachel D. Murrah Civic Center, located at 1050 W. Morse Blvd. These short, 30-minute, one-on-one talks are offered to help you navigate through the survey and allow the visioning team to talk with you about the overall process, find out how to reach others, and identify willingness to co-create the plan. To reserve your time, please contact Lisa Smith at [email protected] or 407-599-3324 or stop by at your convenience. 
If you are unable to make these face-to-face meetings, you can join the conversation online at visionwinterpark.org to begin and/or continue the discussion about the future of Winter Park, or contact 407-599-3665 or [email protected]

The Winter Park Sunday Running Group has been a source of pleasant running experiences and friendships for hundreds of runners over 40 years. Join them every Sunday at 7 a.m. starting along Park Avenue at Welbourne Avenue. They encourage and welcome runners of all ages and speeds to join them on the course, which offers exceptional scenery throughout Winter Park. The most popular distances range from 5 to 10 miles, but the course easily accommodates shorter loops of 3 or 4 miles. Visit orlandorunnersclub.org