VOICES OF SURVIVORS BEAR WITNESS
Holocaust Center exhibition has history you can (and must) see, hear and share.
There’s still no firm timeline for the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida, now in Maitland, to complete its previously announced move into a new, larger facility and to formalize its rebranding as the Holocaust Museum for Hope & Humanity.
In the meantime, however, visitors can get an idea of the sharpened focus the new museum will display by perusing the center’s current core exhibition—the not-coincidentally named Hope & Humanity.
A highly personalized and localized exploration of the effects of antisemitism, Hope & Humanity traces the legacy of European Jews who survived the Nazi persecutions of World War II to eventually settle in Central Florida.
Ten survivors are spotlighted: Suzanne Szmajuk Schneider, Henri Landwirth, Tess Goldberg Wise, Oswald “Valdik” Holzer, Harry Lowenstein, Albert Hess, Helen Garfinkel Greenspun, Felicia Deutscher Friedman, and brothers Stevan and Eric Simon. (Greenspun, Lowenstein and Schneider are still living.)
Correspondence and other artifacts from their personal collections demonstrate how they weathered the 20th century’s most infamous atrocity and came out on the other side—and what their experiences have meant to not only their own lives but to the lives of their loved ones, their community and culture.
But this isn’t just a standard-issue collection of mementos. To ensure an intimate connection between observer and subject, Hope & Humanity has been structured as an interactive tour that employs state-of-the-art technology to preserve history as a living narrative.
For example, one installation features an audio recording of a voice actor reading a letter that Holzer’s father wrote to him before they were rounded up and separated by the Nazis. Other correspondence from Holzer’s collection is readable thanks to animation that shows letters literally flying out of a Chinese lacquer box. In addition, photographs of the sender and receiver are brought to life via AI.
That jaw-dropping component is facilitated through a Snapchat filter created by OpticSky, an advertising and digital experience studio known for blending traditional filmmaking with cutting-edge technology. In addition, there are many hours of video interviews with survivors available. Incredibly, visitors can ask or type questions and the survivors, who are shown on the screen of a desktop computer, will answer—in their own voices, not AI.
According to Suzanne Grimmer, senior director of museum experiences, the idea is to redirect the emphasis of Holocaust study from the perpetrators to the survivors. “Hope & Humanity is both an exhibition and a statement of intent,” she says.
Continues Grimmer: “It demonstrates the survivor-centered, human-first storytelling approach that will guide the future Holocaust Museum for Hope & Humanity—ensuring that the lived experiences of our Florida survivors remain at the center of how this history is remembered.”
Subjects were located via community connections and through research databases maintained by such organizations as the USC Shoah Foundation. In one case, organizers of the exhibition didn’t have far to look: Survivor Tess Goldberg Wise founded the center more than 40 years ago. Now her daughter, Ellen Wise Lang, sits on the museum’s board and is part of the leadership team for the future location.
Hope & Humanity is a self-guided tour that takes approximately one hour. Admission is free but requires a reservation through mrec.org/tickets. The exhibition will remain in place for as long as the center remains in its current space, 851 North Maitland Avenue, Maitland.
Its successor facility will occupy more than 25,000 square feet at the former Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce building in Ivanhoe Village. For more information, call 407-628-0555 or visit holocaustedu.org.
—Steve Schneider
VISUAL ARTS
Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens. This lakeside museum, open since 1961, is dedicated to preserving works by the famed Czech sculptor for whom it was both home and studio for more than a decade. The museum offers tours of Polasek’s home from Tuesdays to Saturdays and of the adjacent Capen-Showalter House three times weekly: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11:30 a.m.; and Saturdays at 10:15 a.m. Continuing through August 9 is Identity: Reflections of Self, an exhibition that features works by students from the University of Central Florida School of Visual Arts & Design. And opening August 18 will be America the Beautiful, a collection of landscape images by internationally renowned photographer Clyde Butcher. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $3 for students and free for children. 633 Osceola Avenue, Winter Park. 407-647-6294. polasek.org.
The Art & History Museums of Maitland. The Maitland Art Center, one of five museums that anchor the city’s Cultural Corridor, was founded as an art colony in 1937 by visionary artist and architect J. André Smith. The art center, located at 231 West Packwood Avenue, Maitland, is Central Florida’s only National Historic Landmark and one of the few surviving examples of Mayan Revival architecture in the Southeast. Opening July 25 will be Us, an exhibition that celebrates the center’s legacy of creativity by pairing historic works from Jules André Smith and the original Bok Fellows with contemporary pieces from recent artists-in-residence and artists-in-action. Admission to the art center’s galleries is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and students (ages 5 to 17) and free for children ages 4 and under. Maitland residents receive a $1 discount. The Cultural Corridor also includes the Maitland Historical Museum, home to the ongoing exhibition, Maitland’s Attic: A Journey Through a Small City’s Past, and the Telephone Museum at 221 West Packwood Avenue, Maitland. Plus, you won’t want to miss the Waterhouse Residence Museum and Carpentry Shop Museum, both built in the 1880s and located at 820 Lake Lily Drive, Maitland. 407-539-2181. artandhistory.org.
Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art. With more than 19,000 square feet of gallery and public space, the Morse houses the world’s most important collection of Louis Comfort Tiffany creations, including jewelry, pottery, paintings, art glass and an entire chapel interior originally designed and built for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Continuing at the museum are three new exhibitions: Handpicked: Jewelry from the Morse Collection, a selection of personal heirlooms and collected jewelry that bridge fashion and art; Beyond Glass: The Paintings of Louis Comfort Tiffany, a collection of Tiffany’s explorations of color and light through painting; and Salon-Style Paintings, which features a variety of works from the museum’s collection. Continuing exhibitions include Breaking Tradition: Distinguishing American Stained Glass, which examines the way opalescent glass introduced a (surprisingly controversial) naturalistic aesthetic to the medium; and Tiffany Art Glass, which highlights Tiffany’s mastery of textured effects. Other current exhibitions are: Arts & Letters, which explores the all-but-lost art of letter-writing; Vignette: Fair Views, which displays glass, art pottery and furniture as well as ephemera salvaged from the Columbian Exposition; View of Oyster Bay, a notable example of Tiffany’s artistry in leaded glass that’s on extended loan from the Morse to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City; The American Arts & Crafts Movement, which features distinctive furniture, metalwork and design created during the turn of the last century; and Fascinating Clutter: American Taste During the Reign of Victoria, which explores the rich aesthetic landscape of the 19th century and how industry, expansion and war influenced personal and artistic expression. Also ongoing are Lamps & Lighting: Tiffany and His Contemporaries, a showcase of Tiffany’s most innovative and iconic designs; and Art Jewelry, Favrile Metalwork & Precious Glass, a display of Tiffany’s innovative use of semiprecious stones and enamel in wearable art. Regular admission to the museum is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, $1 for students and free for children younger than age 12. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays and 1 to 4 p.m. on Sundays. 445 North Park Avenue, Winter Park. 407-645-5311. morsemuseum.org.
Crealdé School of Art. Established in 1975, this nonprofit organization on Winter Park’s east side offers year-round visual-arts classes for all ages taught by more than 40 working artists. Visitors may take self-guided tours through the campus’s lakeside sculpture garden, which includes more than 60 pieces of contemporary outdoor art and related educational panels. Continuing through July 26 is the 45th Annual Juried Student Exhibition, which features more than 100 of the school year’s strongest student works across all media. That will be followed by the 43rd Annual Summer ArtCamp Exhibition, which will display the creations of art camp participants ages 4 to 17. Admission to the school’s galleries is free, although there are fees for art classes. 600 Saint Andrews Boulevard, Winter Park. 407-671-1886. crealde.org.
Rollins Museum of Art. The Rollins College campus is home to one of the most eclectic collections of fine art in Florida, including ancient artifacts, contemporary collections and Central Florida’s only paintings by European Old Masters. Closing August 30 are two exhibitions: I Remember When…, a selection from the museum’s permanent collection that explores memory and storytelling; and The Captivating Unknown: Charting Our Relationship with the Cosmos, which features works that blur the lines between the physical and the immaterial, presenting unique perspectives on personal experiences and interpretations of reality. The first in a series of installations leading to the opening of RMA’s new facility, The House that Freedoms Built, will open July 24 and will explore the legacy of colonialism in the Caribbean with three structures inspired by homes built by formerly enslaved people in 18th-century St. Croix. And continuing through January 3, 2027, as part of America 250 is Being Outdoors: Recreation in the American Imagination, which highlights the strong connections between outdoor recreational activities and with paintings and prints from the 19th to the 21st centuries that invite reflection on how depictions of outdoor activities have reflected societal and cultural values over time. Guided tours are at 1 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays at the nearby Alfond Inn, where a selection of more than 400 works is on view from the museum’s Alfond Collection of Contemporary Art. Happy Hour tours of the Alfond Collection are held on the first Wednesday of most months at 5:30 p.m. If you prefer historic works, Throwback Thursday tours are offered at the museum from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of most months. Admission is free, courtesy of PNC Financial Services Group. 1000 Holt Avenue, Winter Park. 407-646-2526. rollins.edu/rma.
Zora Neale Hurston National Museum of Fine Art. Eatonville is strongly associated with Harlem Renaissance writer and folklorist Zora Neale Hurston, who lived there as a girl and recorded her childhood memories in her classic autobiography, Dust Tracks on a Road. The museum that bears her name provides information about the historic city and sponsors exhibitions that feature the works of African American artists. 344 East Kennedy Boulevard, Eatonville. Admission is usually free, although group tours require a reservation and a charge. 407-647-3307. zoranealehurstonmuseum.com.
PERFORMING ARTS
Annie Russell Theatre. “The Annie,” on the campus of Rollins College and in operation since 1932, will begin its 94th season this fall with The Bounds (October 22 to 25), a genre-bending dark comedy set in Tudor-era England that asks what happens when one is left to watch as history unfolds without them. Up next will be Expressions (November 20 and 21), an eclectic program featuring a wide variety of dance styles—tap, jazz, contemporary, hip-hop, musical theater and more—that will blend skill with storytelling. That will be followed by Sir Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia (February 25 to March 7), a quick and witty multicentury quest to unravel the mysteries of the universe. And the season will conclude with In the Heights (April 15 to 18), a vibrant celebration of community set in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood and featuring hip-hop, salsa and soul music. Curtain times are 7:30 p.m., 4 p.m. or 2 p.m., depending upon the day of the week. Individual tickets are $25. 1000 Holt Avenue, Winter Park. 407-646-2145. rollins.edu/annie-russell-theatre.
Winter Park Playhouse. Winter Park’s only professional, nonprofit theater will kick off its 2026–27 season in its renovated home with a grand opening gala on Friday, July 17 at 7:30 p.m. with tickets priced at $150. Then the Mainstage Season will begin with Never Can Say Goodbye: The ‘70s Beehive Musical (August 7 to 30), which celebrates more than 30 classic tunes from Heart, Fleetwood Mac, the Jackson 5 and more. That will be followed by The Rat Pack Lounge (September 25 to October 18), a fantastical comedy featuring Frank, Dean and Sammy’s greatest hits. The season will continue with A Christmas Survival Guide (November 20 to December 20), Now Comes the Fun Part: The “How the #@&! Did I Get This Old?” Musical (January 22 to February 14), All Hands on Deck (March 12 to April 11) and Sister Amnesia’s Country Western Nunsense Jamboree (May 7 to May 30). Performances are Thursdays through Sundays, with evening performances at 7:30 p.m. and matinees at 2 p.m. Tickets range in price from $20 for students to $46 for evening shows. 711 Orange Avenue, Winter Park. 407-645-0145. winterparkplayhouse.org
FILM
Enzian. This cozy, nonprofit alternative cinema offers a plethora of film series. Tickets are usually $12 for regular admission; $10 for matinees, students, seniors and service members (with ID); and $9.50 for Enzian Film Society members. Children under age 12 are admitted free to Peanut Butter Matinee Family Films, which are shown on the fourth Sunday of each month at noon. Other series include Saturday Matinee Classics (the second Saturday of each month at noon), Cult Classics (the second and last Tuesday of each month at 9:30 p.m.) and Midnight Movies (every Saturday night). FilmSlam, which spotlights Florida-made short films, takes place most months on the second or third Sunday at 1 p.m. 300 South Orlando Avenue, Maitland. 407-629-0054 (information line), 407-629-1088 (theater offices). enzian.org.
Popcorn Flicks in the Park. The City of Winter Park and Enzian collaborate to offer classic, family-friendly films free in Central Park on Park Avenue. These outdoor screenings are typically held on the second Thursday of each month and start at 7 or 8 p.m. Don’t forget to pack a picnic and bring blankets or chairs. 407-629-1088. enzian.org.
HISTORY
Casa Feliz Historic Home & Venue. This stunningly restored Spanish farmhouse-style home, designed in 1932 by acclaimed local architect James Gamble Rogers II, is now a community center and museum. Docent-led tours are hosted on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free but a $5 per visitor donation is suggested. 656 North Park Avenue (adjacent to the Winter Park Golf Course), Winter Park. 407-628-8200. casafeliz.us.
Hannibal Square Heritage Center. Established in 2007 by the Crealdé School of Art in partnership with residents of Hannibal Square and the City of Winter Park, the center celebrates the city’s historically African American west side with hundreds of archival photographs, original artwork and oral histories that are collectively known as the Heritage Collection. Opening Friday, September 4, will be Sacred Vessels: Healing & Memory in the Black Diaspora by Central Florida-based abstract artist and architect Tasanee Durrett, which will blend human forms with botanical elements to explore the connection between environmental knowledge and cultural identity. 642 West New England Avenue, Winter Park. 407-539-2680. hannibalsquareheritagecenter.org.
Holocaust Memorial Resource & Education Center of Florida. The center is dedicated to combating antisemitism, racism and prejudice, with the goal of developing a moral and just community through educational and cultural programs, permanent and temporary exhibitions, archives and a research library. The center’s ongoing exhibition, Hope & Humanity is a highly personalized and localized exploration of the effects of antisemitism, that traces the legacy of European Jews who survived the Nazi persecutions of World War II to eventually settle in Central Florida. Admission is free. 851 North Maitland Avenue, Maitland. 407-628-0555. holocaustedu.org.
Winter Park History Museum. The museum’s new exhibition, Echoes of Expression: The History of Art & Culture in Winter Park, salutes the creativity that established and continues to define the city. Echoes features a visual timeline of the city’s arts and cultural movement, a stage for monthly performances, an art gallery, a library of books by local and visiting authors and an interactive children’s area on stage. The exhibition takes place under a sound dome, where the voices of writers, poets, journalists, scholars and actors with ties to Winter Park can be heard. Admission is free. 200 West New England Avenue, Winter Park. 407-644-2330. wphistory.org.
LECTURES
Central Florida Anthropological Society. Do you want to preserve Florida’s historic heritage? Are you curious about prehistoric Florida? Join the CFAS on the third Monday of most months at the Winter Park Library for this new lecture series, which highlights current anthropological and archaeological investigations with a special focus on Central Florida. Upcoming dates are slated for July 20, August 17 and September 21. Enjoy light refreshments and socializing when the doors open at 6:30 p.m., followed by presentations at 7 p.m. Admission is free. 1050 West Morse Boulevard, Winter Park. cfasorlando.com.
Life Explorers Speakers Series. Hosted by Mead Botanical Garden, this speaker series features programs for adults interested in expanding their knowledge on a variety of environmental and cultural topics. Meetings are usually held on the second Thursday of the month, with upcoming dates slated for July 9, August 13 and September 10. Admission is free. 1300 South Denning Drive, Winter Park. 407-622-6323. meadgarden.org.
Morse Museum Wednesday Lecture Series. The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art regularly invites recognized scholars in the field of late 19th- and early 20th-century art to speak on topics related to the museum’s collection and exhibitions. Call or visit the museum’s website for upcoming subjects and dates. Programs take place at 2:30 p.m. Admission is free. 161 West Canton Avenue, Winter Park. 407-645-5311. morsemuseum.org.
The Winter Park Institute. With public lectures and readings, the Winter Park Institute hosts influential people from a broad spectrum of disciplines and expertise. This exchange of ideas is designed to encourage enlightened ongoing conversation and convene the community around the arts, science, humanities and literature. The theme of the Institute’s 2026 Speaker Series is “Human Flourishing: How We Live Well Together.” Call or visit the organization’s website for upcoming subjects and dates. 1052 West Morse Boulevard. 407.853.2802. winterparkinstitute.org.
MUSIC
Bach Festival Society of Winter Park. Central Florida’s longest-running performing arts organization and one of America’s first festivals to celebrate the works of Johann Sebastian Bach (and others), the society will kick off its 92nd season in October 2027. Performances are usually held in Knowles Memorial Chapel or the John M. Tiedtke Concert Hall on the campus of Rollins College. 1000 Holt Avenue, Winter Park. 407-646-2182. bachfestivalflorida.org.
Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts. This vibrant, intimate venue is known for its eclectic and high-caliber musical programming. Concerts span a wide range of genres, with a strong emphasis on jazz, roots, swing and blues. Upcoming concerts will include the Andrew Yuska Quartet (July 3, 8 p.m.), the Vin Scialla Quartet featuring Benito Gonzalez (July 10, 8 p.m.), Ariella & Nicholaas (July 12, 3 p.m.), the Ultimate Floyd Tribute (July 17, 8 p.m.), the Orlando Contemporary Chamber Orchestra (July 18, 8 p.m.), the Blue Theory Orchestra (July 24, 8 p.m.), Golden Flower (July 31, 8 p.m.), Allyson Briggs & Dan Gabel (August 2, 3 p.m.), Clayton Bryant (August 22, 8 p.m.), Ella and the Bossa Beat (August 29, 8 p.m.) and Cubop! Sextet with Marco Bojorquez (September 18, 8 p.m.). Ticket prices range from $35 to $45, but Thursday nights are always reserved for free concerts followed by a “Thursday Night Hang” jam session that audience members are invited to join. 460 West New England Avenue (the former Winter Park Library), Winter Park. 407-636-9951. bluebambooartcenter.com.
Candlelight Concerts at Mead Garden. Enjoy live music by candlelight in Mead Botanical Garden’s Azalea Lodge. String quartets perform a selection of works by a particular artist or dedicate a program to a special theme. Upcoming dates will include Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (July 9, 6:30 p.m.), ‘90s Hip-Hop on Strings (8:45 p.m.), A Tribute to Bad Bunny (August 7 and September 25, 6:30 p.m.) and The Best of Bridgerton on Strings (August 6, 6:15 and 8:45 p.m.). Ticket prices start at $49. 1300 South Denning Drive, Winter Park. 407-622-6323. meadgarden.org.
Central Florida Folk. This Winter Park-based nonprofit is dedicated to promoting and preserving live folk music, primarily through concerts usually held on the last Sunday of each month (unless a holiday intervenes) at 2 p.m. Upcoming acts will include Grant Peeples (July 19), Shana Smith and Sharon Osuna (August 30) and Crowes Pasture and Ken Holt & The Promise (September 27). The group’s primary venue is the Winter Park Library, 1052 West Morse Boulevard, Winter Park. A donation of $15 for nonmembers is suggested. 407-679-6426. cffolk.org.
Music at the Casa. The Casa Feliz Historic Home & Venue presents some of the area’s most talented performing artists, including opera singers, jazz guitarists and flamenco dancers who perform in the intimate courtyard of Winter Park’s beloved Andalusian-style landmark. Tickets are $15 and advance purchase is recommended since courtyard space is limited. Offerings from food and beverage vendors further enhance the experience. Call or visit the venue’s website for upcoming artists and dates. 656 North Park Avenue (adjacent to the Winter Park Golf Course), Winter Park. 407-628-8200. casafeliz.us.
Performing Arts Matter. This nonprofit organization collaborates with various organizations to promote performances for and by local musicians. It supports various groups, including the Maitland Symphony Orchestra, Maitland Market Music, the Maitland Stage Band, the Bravo Chamber Orchestra and the Orlando Contemporary Chamber Orchestra. Call or visit their website for upcoming artists and dates. 321-303-1711. pamatter.org.
MARKETS
Maitland Farmers’ Market. This year-round, open-air market—held each Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.—features fresh produce, seafood, breads and cheeses as well as plants, all-natural skin-care products and live music by Performing Arts of Maitland. The setting on Lake Lily boasts a boardwalk, jogging trails, a playground and picnic areas. 701 Lake Lily Drive, Maitland. itsmymaitland.com.
Winter Park Farmers’ Market. The region’s busiest and arguably most popular farmers’ market is held every Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Central Park West Meadow—located at the corner of New York Avenue and Morse Boulevard—and offers baked goods, produce, plants, honey, cheese, meat, flowers, crafts and other specialty items. 200 West New England Avenue, Winter Park. cityofwinterpark.org.
WRITING
Orlando/Maitland Writers Group. Join fellow scribes for lectures by guest speakers and discussions led by local authors. The local chapter of the Florida Writers Association meets on the second Thursday of each month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Upcoming meetings are slated for July 9, August 13 and September 10 at the Maitland Public Library, 501 South Maitland Avenue, Maitland. floridawriters.org.
Storytellers of Central Florida. Experienced and fledgling storytellers gather to share stories and practice their craft on the first Tuesday of each month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Winter Park Library. Upcoming meetings are slated for July 7, August 4 and September 1. And, as part of America 250, the storytellers will make a special presentation, American Tales, on July 18 at 12:30 p.m. 1052 West Morse Boulevard, Winter Park. 321-439-6020. storytellersofcentralflorida.com.
Writers of Central Florida or Thereabouts. This group offers various free programs that attract writers of all stripes. Short Attention Span Storytelling Hour, a literary open-mic night, meets at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of most months at Stardust Coffee, 1842 Winter Park Road, Winter Park. Upcoming meetings are slated for July 8, August 12 and September 9. Orlando WordLab, a workshop that challenges writers to experiment with new techniques or methods, meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of each month at the Winter Park Library, 1052 West Morse Boulevard, Winter Park. Upcoming meetings are slated for July 22, August 26 and September 23. meetup.com/writers-of-central-florida-or-thereabouts.
BUSINESS
Connections. Hosted by the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce at local eateries, Connections provides local businesspeople and entrepreneurs an opportunity to network, socialize and share ideas. Upcoming meetings, held on the fourth Wednesday of most months, are slated for July 22, August 26 and September 23 (locations TBA). Admission is $35 for members and $50 for nonmembers. 407-599-3580. winterpark.org/connections.
Good Morning, Winter Park. Hosted by the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce, these gatherings feature coffee and conversation about community issues. Upcoming meetings, held on the first Friday of most months, are slated for July 3, August 7 and September 4. Networking begins at 8:45 a.m. followed at 9:15 a.m. by a 45-minute program. Admission, which includes coffee, is free, but registration is required. Winter Park Welcome Center, 151 West Lyman Avenue, Winter Park. 407-599-3580. winterpark.org/good-morning-winter-park.
Winter Park Outlook. The Winter Park Chamber of Commerce’s annual regional issues summit will convene on Friday, September 18, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Alfond Inn. The focus will be the local housing market crisis. 300 East New England Avenue, Winter Park. 407-599-3580. winterpark.org/
winter-park-outlook.
Winter Park Professional Women. Hosted by the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce, these meetings—held the first Monday of most months from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.—feature guest speakers and provide networking opportunities for women business owners. Topics are related to leadership development, business growth and local initiatives of special interest to women. Upcoming meetings are slated for July 6, August 3 and September 7. Tickets, which include lunch, are $35 for chamber members and $50 for nonmembers. Reservations are required. Winter Park Welcome Center, 151 West Lyman Avenue, Winter Park. 407-599-3580. winterpark.org/winter-park-professional-women.
NATURE
Keep Winter Park Beautiful. Volunteer to help the city keep local watersheds beautiful all season long with cleanups held throughout the year. Call or check the website for dates and locations. Litter grabbers, safety vests, gloves and garbage bags are provided at City Hall, 151 West Lyman Avenue, Winter Park. Volunteers should contact kwpb@cityofwinterpark.org for more details and to complete a waiver. 407-599-3364. cityofwinterpark.org.
Mead Botanical Garden Restoration. Join the Tarflower Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society to help weed, water and install new plants. Plus, you’ll have the chance to learn about native plants and the wildlife they support. Upcoming dates are slated for July 19, August 16 and September 20 from 8 to 11 a.m. 1300 South Denning Drive, Winter Park. 407.622.6323. meadegarden.org.
Winter Park Garden Club. The club’s general membership meetings, which always offer something intriguing for lovers of gardening and the great outdoors, are typically held on the second Wednesday of each month from September through May at 10 a.m. Field trips and other community events are also held throughout the year. All meetings are at the club’s headquarters at 1300 South Denning Drive, Winter Park. For more information about the club, which was founded in 1922, and its upcoming programs, call 407-644-5770, check winterparkgardenclub.com or email winterparkgc100@gmail.com.
CAUSES
CoffeeTalk. These free gatherings, sponsored by the City of Winter Park, are held on the first Thursday of most months and offer residents an opportunity to discuss issues of concern with local officials. Barnie’s Coffee Kitchen supplies the coffee. Upcoming events are slated for July 2, August 6 and September 3. The hourlong sessions begin at 8:30 a.m. at City Hall, 401 South Park Avenue, Winter Park. 407-644-8281. cityofwinterpark.org.
WINTER PARK CELEBRATES AMERICA 250
CITY OF WINTER PARK
31st Annual 4th of July Celebration. The celebration—which actually takes place of Friday, July 3, from 6 to 9 p.m.—will begin with remarks from Mayor Sheila DeCiccio and the singing of the National Anthem. Festivities continue with music from the Bach Festival Choir and Brass Ensemble, led by Dr. John Sinclair. Other activities will include a Kids Zone (with bounce slides and carnival games!) in the West Meadow. Later, after the Bach Festival musicians lead the singing of “Happy 250th Birthday America!”, there’ll be free cake and ice cream. The event is free and open to the public. Central Park Main Stage, 11 South Park Avenue, Winter Park, 407-599-3342, cityofwinterpark.org. If you want to start celebrating even earlier, enter the annual Watermelon 5K Run, which begins at 7:30 a.m. on Park Avenue. Military personnel and their family members receive a race bib and a $10 discount on the 5K registration fee. 407-599-3463. For information about the race, visit trackshack.com.
Popcorn Flicks in the Park: Yankee Doodle Dandy.
Bring your blankets, a picnic or snacks, and some family and friends for this installment of the long-running Popcorn Flicks in the Park series, which this month will celebrate America 250 with Yankee Doodle Dandy, the immortal 1942 biopic that features James Cagney in the tour de force role of iconic composer George M. Cohan, author of the film’s title song and countless other classics firmly ensconced in the Great American Songbook. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards, winning three, including Best Picture. The event is free and open to the public. Thursday, July 9, 8 p.m., City of Winter Park and Enzian Theatre, Central Park Main Stage, 1 South Park Avenue, Winter Park, 407-599-3342, cityofwinterpark.org.
WINTER PARK HISTORY MUSEUM
Celebrate America 250. Explore a special America 250 pop-up exhibition that will highlight how local stories connect to the nation’s history and enduring spirit of independence. There’ll be displays from the Daughters of the American Revolution, the World War II Veterans History Project and a film project produced by students at Winter Park High School. Attendees will also enjoy colonial-style clothing displays, marvel at a community-created art installation that celebrates our shared heritage and take a moment to write a letter of gratitude to active-duty service members. The exhibition will run through July 15. Wednesday, July 1, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Winter Park History Museum, 200 West New England Avenue, Winter Park, 407-647-2330, wphistory.org.
WINTER PARK LIBRARY
The Winter Park Public Library is hosting several activities related to the semiquincentennial. America 250 VR: Historic Battlefields will enable attendees to experience history in a new way by stepping onto historic battlefields using virtual reality devices. To full appreciate this experience, you should be comfortable using handheld controllers independently. (Wednesday, July 1, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.) The Great American Chocolate Chip Cookie will share the history of the classic Nestlé Toll House chocolate chip cookie, then attendees will be able to roll up their sleeves and make their own tasty batches. For rising grades 8 to12. (Wednesday, July 8, 2 to 4 p.m.) Past Meets Present: The Declaration of Independence will feature Carl Creasman, a history professor at Valencia College who’ll lead a read-through and an in-depth discussion of the nation’s founding document. (Saturday, July 11, 1 to 2:30 p.m.) Joining a Lineage Society will feature genealogist Elaine Powell, who’ll answer questions and explain how to find and organize required documents if you’re interested in joining an organization such as Daughters of the American Revolution. (Sunday, July 12, 2 to 3 p.m.) American Tales will feature the Storytellers of Central Florida, whose members will enthrall attendees with their favorite tales from American history. (Sunday, July 12, 2 to 3 p.m.) Moon Lander STEM Challenge will help attendees engineer their own moon landers using simple craft supplies, and then to test their designs in a “lunar landing” drop challenge. For grades 5 to 7. (Sunday, July 12, 2 to 3 p.m.) But wait, there’s more! The Americans in Their Own Words Book Club will discuss Lovely One, an autobiography by Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. (Tuesday, July 21, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.) and the Summer Tie-Dye Workshop will invite attendees to create wearable fun summer garmets with blast-from-the-past projects. Bring your own items to tie dye or the library will provide a small item for participants while supplies last. (Wednesday, July 22, 1 to 2:30 p.m.) All events are free and open to the public, and all require preregistration except for the Summer Tie-Dye Workshop. Winter Park Library, 1052 West Morse Boulevard, Winter Park, 407-623-3300, winterparklibrary.org.activities.
ROLLINS MUSEUM OF ART
Being Outdoors: Recreation in the American Imagination. This exhibition explores how artists have visually shaped American ideas of nature, recreation, community and belonging. Featuring paintings and prints from the 19th to the 21st centuries, Being Outdoors examines our relationship with the outdoors across various contexts—from fishing and picnicking to ice skating and tourism—and reflects upon how such activities reflected societal and cultural values. The exhibition includes works from Thomas Cole, Robert Freeman, Winslow Homer and Jaune Quick-To-See Smith, among many others. The exhibitions run through January of 2027. Saturday, July 11, noon to 5 p.m., Rollins Museum of Art, 1000 Holt Avenue (Campus of Rollins College), 407-646-2526, rollins.edu/rma.
ARCHITECTURE AND IDENTITY IN ST. CROIX
From hauling Casa Feliz 300 yards to floating Capen House across Lake Osceola, you could say that Winter Park has an affinity for moving houses to new locations—which bodes well for an upcoming exhibition at the Rollins Museum of Art.
St. Croix interdisciplinary artist La Vaughn Belle’s The House that Freedoms Built—which debuted in 2024 as part of the Smithsonian’s Design Triennial series outside New York City’s Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum—will migrate to campus on Friday, July 24. The installation will include three small houses that symbolize how formerly enslaved people used architecture to claim their independence and identity.
Belle’s white, pitched-roof structures—each of which measures roughly 9-feet, 4-inches tall, 8-feet long and 7-feet wide—are built without glue or frames so they can be taken apart and moved. This is emblematic of how island residents navigated shifting colonial laws and territories. (St. Croix, formerly a Danish colony, has been a U.S. territory since 1917.)
Belle’s work honors the legacy of resilience and creativity on the island and invites viewers to reflect on the complex issues surrounding colonization and cultural heritage that continue to shape contemporary society. “At Rollins, I imagine the work in conversation with students who are also figuring out how to inhabit themselves in the world intellectually, ethically and socially,” adds Belle.
The installation will kick off a dynamic two-year series of works at the college that will explore architecture and the built environment through various media. The series will conclude with the debut of a commissioned piece for the museum’s new facility, which is slated to open in early 2028.
Leslie Anne Anderson, the museum’s executive director, previously collaborated with Belle and made the connection to bring The House that Freedoms Built to campus. She says: “What’s particularly powerful about this installation is the way it surfaces stories that might otherwise remain forgotten and encourages viewers to reflect on whose histories are preserved and whose histories are left out.”
In addition to The House That Freedoms Built, the museum will display two works from Belle’s Swarm series, which is inspired by her research in Danish colonial archives. These works will appear in a companion exhibition organized by Gisela Carbonell, museum curator, titled To Imagine a Home, which will open in September.
The Rollins Museum of Art is located at 1000 Holt Avenue on the campus of Rollins College. For more information, call 407-646-2526 or visit rollins.edu/rma.
—Jenna Marina Lee
SOLANA SCORES WITH SPORTS ART BY NEIMAN
The flamboyant LeRoy Neiman, widely known as the “Father of Contemporary Sport Art,” gained worldwide fame for his colorful, energetic paintings of sporting events and iconic athletes. He also served as the official artist for five Olympic Games between 1972 and 1984.
Solana Fine Art in Winter Park is currently showing—and making available for sale—10 original paintings by Neiman through the LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation. The gallery, founded by Bob Jimenez, is the only gallery in Florida to represent Neiman.
“Having the opportunity to present these original works is truly extraordinary,” says Jimenez. “LeRoy Neiman captured the energy, glamour and spectacle of American culture like no other artist.”
The oeuvre of Neiman, who died in 2012, will soon also be exhibited at the Kent State University Museum, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Pérez Art Museum Miami and the Philadelphia Art Museum, signaling a resurgence of scholarship and public engagement around the artist’s legacy.
The works now on view at Solana Fine Art exemplify the qualities that defined Neiman: electric color, gestural line and scenes pulsing with motion and life. From sporting arenas to the glamour of international culture, his art celebrates what he often described as “joie de vivre”—the drama and color of life on a world stage.
When the current selection is sold, Jimenez will have access to more through the foundation, whose goal is to preserve and promote the artist’s legacy and support organizations that advance the arts and provide opportunities for at-risk youth to build successful futures.
Solana Fine Art is located at 1104 Solana Avenue, Winter Park. For more information, call 404-964-0445 or visit solanafineart.com.
—Randy Noles
ROMPS RETURN TO A REVITALIZED VENUE
The tried-and-true adage for troupers like Roy Allan and Heather Alexander is, of course: “The show must go on!” But in 2023, there was real doubt about where (if, indeed, anywhere) The Winter Park Playhouse—which the husband-and-wife team had opened in 2002—would stage its wildly popular musical comedies and classic cabarets.
When the venue on North Orange Avenue was set to lose its lease, the news sparked a frantic scramble to find a new location. Although at times the situation seemed dire, this roller coaster story—like most of the shows at the Playhouse—had a happy ending.
The City of Winter Park—citing $1.9 million in economic impact from the operation—applied for and won an $8 million grant via the Orange County Tourism Development Tax to buy and renovate the building specifically for the Playhouse, which was offered a 25-year lease from the city at $1 per year.
While construction was underway, Allan and Alexander moved the venue’s slightly shortened 2025–26 season to the Lowndes Shakespeare Center’s Mandell Theater in Loch Haven Cultural Park. Playhouse fans followed but knew it wouldn’t be for long.
And it wasn’t. In fact, a Grand Opening Gala for the remodeled venue is slated for Friday, July 17, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $150 per person and the evening will include a dessert and cocktail reception, a champagne toast, a ribbon cutting ceremony and a special one-hour show celebrating completion of the project.
Then the first show of the 2026–27 Mainstage Series, Never Can Say Goodbye: The ’70s Musical Beehive (August 7 to 30), will open. The regional premier of this Fred Stuart-written romp will salute the sounds of the ’70s with an all-woman cast of six who’ll sing hits from Fleetwood Mac, Gloria Gaynor, the Jackson Five, Linda Ronstadt and Diana Ross. The remainder of the new season—five more shows—will run through May of 2027.
“This whole thing has been exhausting, stressful and exhilarating,” says Alexander. “And I feel such gratitude. I’m so glad that our baby is going to go on.” Likewise elated are roughly 30,000 ticket buyers—the number of show attendees during a typical year.
Seasons to come, in fact, will almost certainly welcome far more patrons than that. The remodeled theater space will now seat 173 instead of 123. And there’ll be a second stage that will seat about 80 for the ever-popular Spotlight Cabaret Series.
All you have to do is drive by and you’ll see that it’s a new era for the Playhouse. The building’s once-bland façade, typical for the state’s abundance of featureless strip centers, has also been torn down and rebuilt in a Spanish Mission style more in keeping with the aesthetic of Winter Park. Other upgrades include renovated restrooms, a larger lobby and improved accessibility.
Whatever its address, the nonprofit Playhouse remains Central Florida’s only professional musical theater. In addition to its Mainstage Series and its monthly Spotlight Cabaret Series, it sponsors the Florida Festival of New Musicals—an annual event that fosters development of original works.
And its community outreach programs include REACH (Relevant Educational Arts for Children), for underserved youth; and SHARE (Senior Health Through Arts Enrichment), for mobility-limited seniors who live in full-service care communities.
The Playhouse’s location, likely by the time you read this, will again be 711 North Orange Avenue, Winter Park. For more information about the gala, or season tickets, visit or call 407-645-0145.
—Randy Noles
BACH FEST INSPIRES THE HUMAN SPIRIT
The goal of the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park is to “inspire the human spirit through great music.” By that standard, it has succeeded through 91 seasons, with the 92nd season set to begin in October.
As always under the artistic direction of conductor John V. Sinclair—now in his 39th year at the podium—the season will feature profound choral and orchestral works by the classical masters, presented by the full choir and orchestra, alongside solos and ensemble performances by in-house talent and an eclectic roster of guest artists.
To be clear, the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park should not be confused with the annual Bach Festival itself. The festival, which is presented in February, is just one component—albeit the signature component—of the society’s offerings throughout the year.
Generally the season is divided into performance categories with something for everyone. Most performances are held on the campus of Rollins College (either Knowles Memorial Chapel or Tiedtke Concert Hall) with one in Steinmetz Hall at Dr. Phillips Center.
Here, by grouping, is what to expect in the 2026-27 season. Some venues may be subject to change.
VISITING ARTISTS
Roomful of Teeth (Sunday, October 4, 3 p.m., Knowles Memorial Chapel). The ensemble blends global vocal techniques and bold contemporary repertoire, redefining what the human voice can achieve. They’ve won two Grammys for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance, first in 2014 and again in 2024 for their fourth album, Rough Magic.
Paul Gailbraith (Sunday, January 17, 2027, 3 p.m., Tiedtke Concert Hall). The world-renowned Scottish classical guitarist—celebrated for his emotive artistry and technical innovations (including design of an 8-string classical guitar)—is considered one of the world’s greatest players and was inducted into the Guitar Foundation of America Hall of Fame in 2024.
Balourdet Quartet. (Sunday, April 4, 2027, 3 p.m.,
Tiedtke Concert Hall). The acclaimed string ensemble blends technical precision and emotional depth while bringing a fresh perspective to beloved classics. Formed in 2018 at Rice University, the group has quickly risen to the top tier of young classical chamber music and are winners of the 2024 Avery Fisher Career Grant and the Chamber Music America’s 2024 Cleveland Quartet Award.
CHORAL MASTERWORKS
Berlioz Requiem by Hector Berlioz (Sunday, October 25, 3 p.m., Steinmetz Hall). The requiem (officially titled Grande Messe des morts, Op. 5)—a monumental 1837 sacred work by the French composer known for his immense scale and revolutionary use of spatial acoustics—remains a defining masterpiece of the Romantic era, blending solemn liturgical text with bold orchestration to create an almost apocalyptic sound.
Classic Christmas (Saturday, December 12, 3 and 7 p.m.; Sunday, December.13, 1 and 3:30 p.m., Knowles Memorial Chapel) The concert—a sure sellout and a tradition in Central Florida—features stunning arrangements of traditional holiday music sung by the Bach Choir and Orchestra with the Bach Youth Choir and guest soloists. The program will be filmed for broadcast on PBS stations nationwide.
Sublime Sounds (Saturday, April 24, 2027, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, April 24, 2007, 3 p.m., Knowles Memorial Chapel). The program features Vaughan Williams’s Dona Nobis Pacem, a choral plea for peace, and Joseph Jongen’s Symphonie concertante, a thrilling showcase for organ and orchestra performed by the incomparable Paul Jacobs. This program is described by the festival as “a serene and sonic exploration.”
BACH VOCAL ARTISTS
Fables, Feathers and Fins (Thursday, October 29, 7:30 p.m., Tiedtke Concert Hall). This program, which features the society’s professional chamber ensemble, explores storytelling through music inspired by animals, myths, and whimsical creatures. At its center is The Unicorn, the Gorgon, and the Manticore by Gian Carlo Menotti, a lively madrigal fable that blends humor, satire and moral reflection.
Music for the Night (Friday, February 5, 2027, 7:30 p.m., Knowles Memorial Chapel). This program encompasses nocturne and reflective works and includes pieces by Morten Lauridsen and Eric Whitacre. Lauridsen’s music is often described as serene, luminous and deeply spiritual, while Whitacre’s work is characterized by cinematic, neo-impressionistic soundscapes that employ sweeping dynamics and strict text painting.
In Pursuit of Peace (Friday, April 9, 2027, 7:30 p.m., Knowles Memorial Chapel). This program tackles themes of harmony, justice and reconciliation. The cornerstone work is Randall Thompson’s The Peaceable Kingdom, a powerful choral setting that draws upon imagery from biblical texts to envision a world of unity and peace. The piece was inspired by the famous painting of the same name by 19th-century Quaker artist Edward Hicks.
INSIGHTS AND SOUNDS
Boston Six (Tuesday, November 13, 7:30 p.m., Tiedtke Concert Hall). The Boston Six usually refers to a group of six American classical composers from the late 19th century. In this case it refers to a sextet—joined by the Bach Festival Chamber Choir—who’ll perform music works by those same composers, who proved that the United States could create homegrown orchestral and chamber works without merely imitating European masters.
Low and Behold (Sunday, April 11, 2027, 3 p.m., Knowles Memorial Chapel). This program highlights the rich sonorities of the Bach Festival Choir’s tenor and bass sections. A varied program of sacred and secular styles, the concert will highlight both the power and subtlety of male ensemble singing. Sinclair describes the experience as “engaging, entertaining and “just plain fun.”
THE BACH FESTIVAL
The Bach Festival this year commemorates the 300th anniversary of Bach’s St. Matthews Passion—a performance of which will anchor the season—as well as the 200th anniversary of Ludwig Von Beethoven’s passing. The annual event will, says Sinclair, form “a cohesive journey through faith, artistry and human emotion—an unforgettable collection.”
It all gets underway with a free organ recital by Ken Cowan (Friday, February 6, 7:30 p.m., Knowles Memorial Chapel), followed by a concert, also free, by the eight finalists of the National Oratorio Competition (Friday, February 12, 2027, 7:30 p.m., Knowles Memorial Chapel).
The competition was created by the society in 2024 to provide emerging classical singers with a dedicated platform to develop their careers through coaching sessions, master classes and public performances.
The music continues with Concertos by Candlelight: Brahms & Beethoven (Tuesday and Wednesday, February 19 and 20, 2027, 7:30 p.m. both nights, Knowles Memorial Chapel). Israeli violinist Itamar Zorman will perform Brahms’s Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77, while pianist Byeol Kim will perform Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4.
Next up is Beethoven: Sacred Send-Off (Sunday, February 21, 2027, 3 p, m., Knowles Memorial Chapel), which commemorates the composer’s death. The festival’s choir and orchestra will re-create the music performed at the memorial service for Beethoven, who died in 1825 but whose service was held in 1827 (hence the 200-year anniversary).
The centerpiece of the program, Luigi Cherubini’s Requiem in C Minor, was written to commemorate the 24th anniversary of the execution of King Louis XVI during the French Revolution. But it was a work much admired by Beethoven—who once declared that if he were ever to write a requiem, his only model would be Cherubini’s.
Bach’s St. Matthew Passion (Sunday, February 28, 3 p.m., Knowles Memorial Chapel), which marks its 300th anniversary, concludes the season. The work, widely considered to be a pillar of Western classical music, sets the 26th and 27th chapters of the Gospel of Matthew to music, detailing the final days of Jesus Christ.
You may buy season tickets by visiting bachfestivalflorida.org or calling the festival box office at 407-646-2182. Various options are available for those who wish to select specific shows through a customized package called “Design Your Experience.”
—Randy Noles