Day: February 13, 2023
Florida was once known for its roadside attractions such as Six-Gun Territory in Ocala, which featured shootouts at high noon on its dusty main drag. Winter Haven also had Cypress Gardens, known for water-ski shows and young women dressed in floral-colored southern belle costumes. Many of them went by the wayside after Walt Disney World opened in the Orlando area in 1972. But this weekend, Weeki Wachee Springs State Park in Hernando County will celebrate 75 years. The park draws hundreds of thousands of tourists each year for kayaking, to see manatees, and, of course, the live mermaid shows. “The park itself that the underwater theater that visitors when they go see the mermaid shows live is the only theater of its kind in the entire world,” said John Athanason, a tourism marketing specialist for Florida’s Adventure Coast. “It’s a 400-seat theater that was submerged. So the mermaids do not perform in a tank or an aquarium. They’re actually performing in a first-magnitude spring. And all the visitors able to see the magic they perform via this underwater theater.” Thursday at 10 a.m., the park will unveil 28 mermaid statues to celebrate its anniversary, in an exhibition called “Destination Mermaid: The Tail Trail.” The original anniversary observance was to be held on Oct. 13, 2022, but it was pushed back after Hurricane Ian ravaged the southwest Gulf Coast near the end of September. Athanason said the park will bring together mermaids from over the decades, including 92-year-old Diane Wyatt McDonald, one of Weeki Wachee’s first “Aquabelles.” McDonald was the co-creator of a certain pose that is depicted in “Adagio,” one of the statues that can be seen in front of the park. And there’s “legendary siren” Vicki Smith, now in her 80s and who, Athanason said, swam for Elvis Presley when he visited the park in 1961. Athanason said Weeki Wachee Springs is Hernando County’s biggest tourist draw. And after this weekend, most of the mermaid statues will be moved to different spots throughout the county. One of them will be moved to its permanent home at the Visit Florida Welcome Center at the Florida-Georgia line in Jennings, Florida. “We’re going to create a trail with a map where people can go and see these beautiful works of art, and maybe discover pieces of Hernando County that it didn’t know existed,” Athanason said. Later this month, Weeki Wachee will be holding auditions for new mermaids. Athanason said first and foremost, they are athletes. Those who wish to become a Weeki Wachee Springs mermaid have to be strong swimmers. “Someone who looks comfortable underwater or someone who doesn’t look panicky … when you’re underwater and you’re breathing compressed air, it can become dangerous,” Athanason said. Font: https://news.wfsu.org/
In its thirty-season history, the Florida Renaissance Festival recently experienced its most incredible year. After a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic, ticket sales were better than ever, with organizers reporting over 100,000 attendees. Additionally, a record number of first-timers attended the festival, which is encouraging for the future of the medieval celebration. So why is this year’s Florida Renaissance Festival different from previous years? “We like to keep things fresh for the regulars, especially those season pass holders who come seven, eight or nine times [per season],” Bobby Rodriguez, the festival’s founder and producer, tells Miami New Times over Zoom. “We want to give them a reason to come back. The last thing we want to hear from the patrons that come to the Renaissance Festival is that it’s the same thing every year.” The festival’s expansion from seven to eight weeks is among the most noticeable changes. It will take place in Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach from February 4 through March 26, and week eight will have a theme, just like all the other weeks: a Mad Hatter’s Circus. The new Lewis Caroll-inspired event joins many others, including Steampunk & Time Travelers, Wizarding World’s Faire, Barbarians & Dragons, Pirate Invasion, and Highland Fling. “Our line is that the Florida Renaissance Festival is between myth and history,” Rodriguez says. “We’re not just trying to be historically correct. We also want to bring in myths like fairies and magic. We started doing that ten years ago, and people really bought into it. A lot of the themes have nothing to do with the renaissance, but that’s what people wanted.” This year’s makeover of the festival’s layout is another new addition. With the new stages, signs, and decorations the festival has been constructing throughout the summer, anticipate new walkways. Rodriguez is conscious of the potential for backlash when unveiling a brand-new layout because there was some opposition the previous time the festival underwent a significant revamp. “I thought it was awesome and would work great, but people just hated it,” Rodriguez says of the previous redesign. “Some people like to know that the music stage will be there when they turn the corner. I’m crossing my fingers that after 30 years of experience, I won’t make as many mistakes as I did years ago.” But don’t anticipate the festival getting a major makeover. Regulars will be pleased to hear that the event’s more well-liked features will not change. The festival’s most well-liked attraction, the jousting show, will still take place three times daily. With its adult-oriented comedy performances, including the brand-new “Filthy Irish Pub Stories,” the R-rated tent will once again draw large crowds. In the Tomato Torture game, you can still fire Captain’s Cannons and fling tomatoes at the insult-hurling opponents. As always, turkey legs will be available for purchase; otherwise, it wouldn’t be a true Renaissance Festival. Only crème brûlée will be sold at Chateau Hibbele if you’re seeking something sweet to eat. According to Rodriguez, the first-time vendor will burn the sugar on top of the traditional French delicacy using a dragon-head lighter to achieve the proper caramelized effect. Other noteworthy desserts include the ice cream and cereal puffs that Shawn Grissom (also known as Magical Desserts and Drinks) smokes with nitrogen and the booze-infused cakes that Spirited Slices make. While not required, costumes are usually recommended, not that attendance needs much persuading. To attend the festival, more individuals than ever are dressing up. “It got to the point seven or eight years ago when we had all our performers wear badges so that you’d know they were part of the show. But the badges didn’t help much,” Rodriguez says. “A big percentage of patrons dress up. They don’t need much of an excuse to wear a costume.” Florida Renaissance Festival: Saturday, February 4, through Sunday, March 26, at Quiet Waters Park, 401 S Powerline Rd., Deerfield Beach; 954-776-1642; ren-fest.com. Daily tickets cost $14 to $32; children 5 and younger get in free. Font: https://floridainsider.com/
Cultural arts institutions are entering the new year with a diverse selection of artistic programming, experiences and educational outreach. The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts has forged a partnership with the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs’ Culture Shock Miami to host free pop-up performances with the return of Family Fest. Family Fest is one of Arsht Center’s programs committed to community engagement and deepening the experience of the performing arts for all residents. Serving more than 105,000 people throughout 16 years, the programs have broadened community participation and opened the sights, sounds and possibilities of the world through the performing arts. The next free performance is “Rita Finds Home,” presented by Miami City Ballet at the Arsht Center at 1300 Biscayne Blvd. in downtown Miami. The ballet showcase is about a young artist named Rita, who dreams of living in the big city despite the lush tropical island she calls home. “Rita Finds Home” is a co-commission with the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago and performed by the Miami City Ballet School. On March 12, The Miami Children’s Chorus, The Children’s Voices Chorus, The Miami Sound Space Choir and The Civic Chorale of Greater Miami will hit the stage at the Arsht Center for a community sing-along. The “Big Sing” concert works towards a vision of a community where people of all ages can explore the joy of singing and highlights Miami-Dade’s choral community. “The Ocean Lives There,” will feature the Greater Miami Youth Symphony at the Arsht Center. The April 15 performance celebrates Miami’s tropical culture as well as Florida-made music and literature, educating young musicians on the practice of new work, and providing an accessible and engaging musical experience for families. GableStage’s longstanding education initiative that presents 40 performances at upwards of 20 Miami-Dade public and private schools each season is bringing Shakespeare into the schools. Touring throughout March, all performances include a comprehensive, interactive study guide that is delivered in advance of the scheduled dates. The program is meant to expose high school students to classic text that is animated from the pages of Shakespeare and also provide recently graduated actors and stage managers with their first professional opportunities.On March 7, GableStage will have a special performance of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy “Twelfth Night,” at 1200 Anastasia Ave. in Coral Gables.Directed by New World School of the Arts’ Eddie Brown, the play tells of a shipwrecked woman navigating love and life in a new land. In this adaption, the coast of Illyria is replaced with the vast beaches of Miami, while Haiti stands in the place of the protagonist’s homeland of Messaline.HistoryMiami Museum will be one of eight Smithsonian affiliates across the nation collaborating on Earth Optimism Youth Action and Leadership for Sustainable Communities (EOYAL), a two-year educational program designed to empower high school students to take environmental action on issues facing their community.The museum will work with two groups of high school students and their teachers from Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The program’s overarching goal is to empower students, specifically from schools in vulnerable neighborhoods, who suffer disproportionately from climate change. With the help of mentors, student teams will design an action plan for a specific issue that they will present to a jury of Smithsonian scientists and educators. Once completed, their work will be publicized on Smithsonian websites and social media platforms.“Students will take on leadership roles and explore current environmental issues facing their communities,” said Olgasabrina Rueda, HistoryMiami’s manager of education and school Initiatives, “and will engage with local and national stakeholders as they create solutions to support local communities.” Font: Miami Today News
TALLAHASSEE, FL—Today, VISIT FLORIDA highlighted an amazing year for Florida’s tourism industry driven by the efforts of the state’s official tourism marketing corporation. Throughout 2022, VISIT FLORIDA’s marketing initiatives – initiatives that are frequently done in collaborative partnership with local and regional tourism industry partners throughout Florida – have consistently yielded record-breaking visitation growth, and reinforced Florida’s position as one of the top vacation destinations in the world. “Florida tourism continues to reach new heights thanks to VISIT FLORIDA’s strategic marketing initiatives in tandem with the initiatives of our tourism partners throughout the state,” said VISIT FLORIDA President and CEO Dana Young. “Quarter after quarter, our vacation message has clearly resonated with travelers far and wide, and delivered record-breaking results on behalf of all Floridians. We appreciate Governor Ron DeSantis’ support and leadership that have helped get us here today, and are looking forward to leading Florida’s No. 1 industry to even more success in 2023.” 2022 Highlights: Following the devastating impact of Hurricane Ian, VISIT FLORIDA launched a multi-million-dollar marketing plan in partnership with communities throughout Florida to promote tourism to the state to ensure a full recovery from the storm. The multi-phased campaign includes an initial effort showing that Florida is open for business, as well as a comprehensive recovery package for the areas of the state that were most severely impacted by the storm. Conducted the annual Winter Sunseekers Campaign to reinforce Florida’s position as a top winter vacation destination. The campaign delivered over 1 billion impressions and those exposed to its advertising were nearly 3 times more likely to travel to Florida. Hosted Florida Huddle (serving the international travel trade industry) and Florida Encounter (serving the meetings and events industry) simultaneously for the first time ever in Tampa, FL. Together, the events were attended by more than 600 registrants, representing 24 countries and over 7,500 appointments. Partnered with the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) to help promote Florida’s Rural Areas of Opportunity (RAOs). Efforts included a two-module, in-person adventure training program for local tourism suppliers, and a new Unexplored Florida webpage on VISITFLORIDA.com. Awarded the distinction of International Destination Guest of Honor at the ANATO Tourist Showcase in Bogota, Colombia—the first state to ever receive this designation in the event’s history. Led multi-city mission trips to Mexico and Brazil to further foster Florida’s presence among Latin American travelers – which encompassed eight of Florida’s top 10 international origin markets in 2021. Executed the annual Families campaign to further solidify Florida as the top destination for family travelers. Targeting a variety of markets across the U.S., the campaign resulted in over 970 million impressions among potential travelers. Attended the U.S. Travel Association’s IPW (International Pow Wow) in Orlando, participating in nearly 400 trade appointments and media interviews over three days. VISIT FLORIDA collaborated with Visit Orlando on several events spotlighting Florida as the host state for the event, and conducted 6 post-show Group Familiarization Trips (FAMs.) Executed a total of 15 domestic and international campaigns with Expedia. The campaigns resulted in 2.2 million air tickets, 2.4 million room nights, 1.3 million vacation rental nights, 5.3 million passengers, and nearly $517 million in total gross bookings. Created a culinary hub on VISITFLORIDA.com and produced 22 “You’ve Got To Try This: Chef’s Edition” videos. Highlighting the unique restaurants, cuisines, and chefs across the state, the programming showcased the wide spectrum of Florida’s culinary offerings to potential travelers. Florida grew its market share of overseas visitors by 21 percent, surpassing New York as the #1 destination in America for the first time since 2001. Partnered with Michelin, Visit Orlando, Visit Tampa Bay and the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau to announce the launch of the MICHELIN Guide in Florida. Hosted the 2022 Florida Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Boca Raton, FL. Over 800 tourism professionals and stakeholders attended the event, representing GC’s highest participation since 2016. From January through September, Florida welcomed 104.5 million travelers, an increase of 4.1 percent from the same period in 2019, and over 15.3 percent more than in 2021. Launched its 2022 Adventure Travel campaign to showcase Florida’s wealth of outdoor experiences and grow the state’s reputation as a leading adventure travel destination. Debuted its 2nd annual Gift of Florida campaign, inspiring people to choose Florida vacation experiences over their material items in their gift-giving this holiday season. Font: https://www.visitflorida.org/
