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Here & There

By David Monforton

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The Memories Come Cruisin’ Back

There’s nothing like a blast from the past to take you back to your younger days, and if you visit Old Town in Kissimmee, FL, on any Saturday night, that blast will include rock ‘n’ roll and classic cars as part of the attraction’s weekly Saturday Night Cruise. The memories will come flooding back to you as an average of 300 classic cars, hot rods, street rods and antiques parade down the brick streets of Old Town as live bands perform songs you grew up with.

And here’s the kicker: There’s no admission fee to attend. Can’t make it on a Saturday night? No problem! Old Town also hosts similar events on Wednesdays (show cars 1987 or older) and Fridays (hot 1975-87 cars, plus newer customs and exotics).

But classic car shows are just one of the reasons to visit Old Town, an attraction that every member of your family can enjoy. Several dozen specialty shops and a wide variety of dining options line Old Town’s pedestrian-friendly brick roads, and there are carnival rides at either end of its main street, including a roller coaster, Ferris wheel, go-carts and more. Admission and parking are free, but there is a charge for the rides.

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Red Priest. Photo: Graham Flack.

It’s a Beautiful Day in the Concert Hall?

Capturing and understanding the complexities of a classical music performance can be hard for children. Recognizing this, the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park (FL) created the Fred Rogers Family Series, a concert series just for families. These concerts are shorter and more interactive, making them the perfect vehicle for exposing children to classical music.

As part of this series, Red Priest will be performing on April 10 in Winter Park’s Tiedtke Concert Hall. Named for composer Antonio Vivaldi (an auburn-coiffed clergyman), Red Priest is a quartet known for its performances of familiar classical music in a flamboyant and theatrical manner.

In case you were curious, the series’ namesake is indeed the beloved Fred Rogers of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood fame, once a choir member then a longtime supporter of the organization.

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Minnie’s Magnificent Butterfly Garden at the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
Photo: Walt Disney World Resort

Mother Nature Shines At Disney

More than 30 million blooms in artfully designed floral beds, lush rose gardens, expertly crafted bonsai trees and whimsical topiaries will grace Epcot this spring during the theme park’s 17th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. Presented by Disneynature, the festival will be in bloom from March 3 through May 16.

Beyond its dazzling displays, the festival is revered by gardening aficionados for its celebrity guest speakers, hands-on seminars and innovative planting demonstrations and exhibits. And for fans of live music, the festival will come alive with Flower Power concerts that rock the park with some of the top names in live entertainment, including Jose Feliciano, Davy Jones, Chubby Checker and more. All festival activities are included with regular Epcot admission, but some events may have limited availability.

And the festival magic doesn’t have to end when you leave the park there will be plenty of gardening tools and products for sale to help you grow and maintain the perfect garden back home.

AAA members can save on admission to Epcot by purchasing tickets at a local AAA office or online at AAA.com/Fun.

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Peter Facinelli, Dr. Carlisle Cullen, will be appearing at the convention.
Photo: Creation Entertainment. 2009 Summit Entertainment LLC.

Calling All 'Twilight’ Fans

Those squeals and screams you may hear March 5-7 emanating from the general direction of Atlanta are likely coming from the legions of vampire fiction fans attending the Official Twilight Convention being held in Atlanta’s Westin Buckhead hotel.

Not just a gathering of fans celebrating a pop culture phenomenon, this convention will bring Twilight devotees face-to-face with several actors from the films for autographs and panel discussions. The list of those appearing is not yet final, but scheduled to appear are Peter Facinelli, who played Dr. Carlisle Cullen, as well as the actors who portrayed Embry Call and Jared of the wolf pack, Volturi Leader Marcus and others. More will be announced in the weeks leading up to the convention. (As with all scheduled guest appearances at conventions, these are subject to change.) Also appearing will be the cast and creators of The Hillywood Show, a Twilight parody. Attendees will be able to see the extended version of their New Moon parody, which is exclusive to the convention.

In addition, there will be a big-screen showing of the first Twilight movie, a Friday-night concert (performers to be announced), the Volturi Vampire Ball, a costume competition, trivia games, news on the upcoming Eclipse movie, and much more.

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Darius Rucker
Photo:Florida Strawberry Festival

Diamonds for Strawberries

Truth is, the strawberry isn't a berry at all; in fact, it's a member of the rose family. But who cares when you can fete it with great food and entertainment. Celebrating its 75th (diamond) anniversary this year, the Florida Strawberry Festival is set to take place March 4-14 in Plant City.

Performances by top acts draw festivalgoers to this event—including Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bill Engvall, Darius Rucker, the Oak Ridge Boys and more this year—but many come for the baby contests and baby parade, pig races, displays of locally handcrafted items, 80-plus midway rides and especially the wide range of strawberry dishes.

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Last year’s festival included a
showing of Rear Window.

Movies the Way They’re Meant to Be Seen

The best way to watch a classic movie is on the big screen, and for the sixth straight year, locals and visiting cinephiles will be treated to Hollywood’s best at Robert Osborne’s Classic Film Festival on March 25-28 at The Classic Center in Athens, GA. The festival is hosted by the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.

lms representing the breadth and variety of classic cinema from the 1920s to the 1980s.The 2010 festival is set to include these classics: To Catch a Thief; Double Indemnity; Stand by Me; Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid; The Shining; Steamboat Bill Jr.; All About Eve; The Godfather, Part II; and The Wizard of Oz.

A number of celebrity guests will be there to discuss the films with Osborne, who will also preside over a panel discussion expected to include scholars, festival guests, artists, critics and others.

All films require a paid ticket for admission. In continuing the tradition of the Children’s Sunday Matinee,children 12 and under will receive a special ticket price of $5 for The Wizard of Oz.

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