Florida Through the year
With its warm climate, Florida is a year- round destination, but with the difference in the weather between north and south means it has two distinct tourist seasons.
In south Florida (including Orlando) the busiest time is from October to April, when tourists and South Florida escorts come to enjoy the mild winters. Most will have left well before summer arrives, when it can be uncomfortably hot.
Orlando’s them parks still attract families with kids on school vacations, but in summer the panhandle sees the biggest crowds.
Be warned that prices in the relevant tourist season can be double those charged during the rest of the year.
Whatever time of year you visit, you are bound to encounter a festival of some kind and Florida escorts, but apart from national holidays, few of these are Florida-wide. For a full list contact the local tourist office.
Spring
In late February, college students invade Florida for the Spring Break. They pour in by the thousands from all over the US. For the next six weeks Florida’s coastal resorts are bursting, putting pressure on accommodations, particularly in Daytona Beach and Panama City Beach.
Baseball training is also a big attraction in the spring. In the North, feast you eyes on the blooming azaleas and dogwood trees.
March
Medieval Fair (last weekend in Feb)
Sarasota, celebrating the middle ages with food and festivities.
Sanibel Shell Fair
(First week March) Shell collectors and artists come to Sanibel Island.
Florida Strawberry Festival (first week of March) Plant City near Tampa. Strawberry shortcake and country music.
Mortorcycle races “Bike week” ( early March) Dayton Beach, Bikers converge from all over, on vintage and modern bikes.
Carnival Miami (second Sunday) A nine-day street party, in Miami’s Latin district.
St. Augustine Arts and Crafts Festival (last weekend) Skilled craft artists offer their wares at the city’s historical sites.
Festival of the States (late Mar-early April), St. Petersburg. Three weeks of parades, balls, jazz, and fireworks.
Winter Park Art Festival (mid March) Greater Orlando’s arts and fine crafts in quant downtown Winter Park.
April (first weekend), mount Dora. Antique boats race on the lake as visitors attend exhibitions in the pretty town.
Spring time in Tallahassee (all month) One of the South’s biggest festivals, this extended extravaganza features parades, balloon races, great food, and a variety of live music.
Easter (March/ April) Celebrate sunrise services at the Castillo de San Marcos, and take a carriage rides around St. Augustine.
Conch Republic Celebration (late April-early May) Key West. Party all week with parades, bed races, dancing, and other events honoring the town’s founding fathers.
May
Sun fest (fist week), West Palm Beach. Cultural and sports events.
Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival (first weekend) Fernandina Beach. Shrimp and other seafood.
Destin May-fest (third weekend). Live jazz on the Destin Harbor-walk.
14th Annual, International Fringe festival (late May) Ten days of comedy, drama, dance, mime, and musicals.
Fiesta of five flags (early June) Pensacola. Two weeks of festivities include parades, marathons, fishing rodeos as well as the reenactment of Tristan de Luna’s beach landing in 1559.
July
America Birthday Bash (July 4th) Miami. The city sounds off with fireworks at midnight, preceded by picnics and fun and games for all the family, in the biggest Independence celebration in the south Florida.
Silver Spurs Rodeo (early July, Feb) Kissimmee, This is the state’s oldest and wildest rodeo. (Arena currently under renovation)
Hemingway Days Festival (mid-July) Key West. The city offers up a week of author signings, short story contests, theatrical productions, and a very entertaining
Hemingway look-alike competition.
Florida international Festival (late July early Aug) Daytona Beach. This world-famous music festival features pop, jazz, and classical music.
August
Boca Festival days (all month long) Boca Raton. This celebration features
an arts- and – craft fair, barbershop quartet performances, and a sand castle building contest.
Annual Wausau Possum Festival (first Saturday) Wausau. This town north of Panama City Beach honors the marsupial with activities such as greased- pole climbing and corn-bread baking, and offers the chance to sample possum-based dishes.
Carrollwood twilight Arts and Crafts festival (First weekend), Tampa. The city’s fast- paced lifestyle slows a little for this large art show.
Fall (autumn) the temperatures begin to cool, and although storms are still a threat, the weather is pleasant. The fall months are usually quit: the beaches, attractions, and highways are all much less crowded.
Thanksgiving, on the fourth Thursday in November, is the highlight of fall for many, when families come together to eat turkey and pumpkin pie.
It is followed by the biggest shopping day of the year and commercially launches the countdown to Christmas.
September
Las Olas Art fair ( early Sept) Fort Lauderdale, Las Olas Boulevard is the main drag for this street fair offering art displays, tasty food, and music.
St Augustine’s Founding Anniversary (Saturday nearest 8th). This period-dress reenactment of the Spanish landing in 1565 is held near the spot where the first settlers stepped off their ships.
