Seasonal Events and Festivals in Orlando

By Kate Cohen
June 1, 2025

 

Throughout the year, you’ll find The City Beautiful hosting a variety of events, celebrations, and festivals.  

If you’re looking for something fun to add to your itinerary, check out these seasonal events and festivals in Orlando.  

 

Key Takeaways

SPRING 

 

Florida Strawberry Festival  

February 26 - March 8, 2026

 

White plastic buckets full of picked ripe strawberries.

 

The Florida Strawberry Festival is a huge celebration of the state’s bountiful harvest of sweet red strawberries.  

First held in 1930, the festival is a throwback to a time when fairs, festivals, and Americana were the backbone of a community.  

Held in Plant City, just under an hour from Orlando, the Florida Strawberry Festival is jam-packed with live concerts, contests, and exciting carnival rides and midway games.  

Headlining entertainment in 2025 included artists like Reba, Boyz II Men, The Beach Boys, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Lauren Daigle.  

In addition to traditional festival favorite foods, you can expect plenty of strawberry treats, products, and merchandise made with the honorary ruby red fruit.  

 

Central Florida Fair 

February 26 - March 8, 2026

 

A carnival Ferris wheel at sunset overlooking other rides and games.

 

If you’re looking for a fair experience a little closer to Orlando, check out the Central Florida Fair at the Central Florida Fairgrounds.  

In 2026, the event will be celebrating its 114th year.  

Carnival rides, midway games, delicious food, and live entertainment add to the festive atmosphere for a classic fair experience.  

Additionally, youth from surrounding counties gather to showcase livestock, creative art projects, and other competitive endeavors. 

 

Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival 

March 2026

Artists and art enthusiasts from around the world gather in the Orlando area of Winter Park every spring for the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival.  

Hailed as one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious juried art festivals, over 250,000 visitors attend to admire art in a variety of mediums.  

There are plenty of activities to engage kids in arts and crafts, as well as a showcase of local student artwork.  

While you’re in Winter Park, walk up and down Park Avenue and take in the shops or enjoy a pit stop at one of the area’s fabulous restaurants.  

 

EPCOT’s International Flower & Garden Festival  

March – June 2026

 

A dad in a blue tshirt twirls his daughter in a yellow dress and Minnie ears in front of an Encanto-themed topiary.

 

For 30 years, the Flower & Garden Festival has charmed guests and travelers from all over the world.  

Magnificent topiaries designed to look like beloved Disney characters decorate the theme park, as well as beautiful garden displays.  

Enjoy specialty food and drink made with fresh garden-grown ingredients, and the Garden Rocks concert series with entertaining headliners.  

The longest-running EPCOT festival, the International Flower & Garden Festival is not one to be missed! 

 

Spring Fiesta in the Park  

 

The front of a swan boat looking out over Lake Eola, including tall skyscrapers and a rainbow amphitheater in the distance.

 

April 2026
Lake Eola Park in Downtown Orlando is a beautiful urban oasis with a large lake, a majestic fountain, and an abundance of unique wildlife.  

Every April, the Spring Fiesta in the Park event invites guests to enjoy the splendor of the park while browsing hundreds of artist and creator booths.   

There are also plenty of food vendors, a Kid Zone to keep little ones active and entertained, and live performances at the outdoor Walt Disney Amphitheatre throughout the weekend.  

Entrance to the popular festival is totally free.  

Spring Fiesta in the Park also has a fall counterpart, Fall Fiesta in the Park, that you can look forward to in November.  

 

Orlando Fringe Festival  

May 12 – 25, 2026  

 

A performer in a beret, red striped shirt, and plaid pants balances a bicycle on his nose on a stage surrounded by stained glass windows.

 

The Orlando Fringe Festival is a unique celebration of independent, uncensored performance art produced and performed by artists from around the world.  

With pieces selected through a lottery process, you never know what shows you’ll find at Orlando Fringe.  

Held in Loch Haven Park near Downtown Orlando, hundreds of performances are hosted in spaces at Orlando Family Stage, Orlando Shakes, and the Orlando Museum of Art.  

Buy a button for entrance to the Fringe Festival for only $10. Tickets for shows range from free to $15, and 100% of proceeds go directly to the artist.  

Families with young kids can participate in Kids Fringe, which has shows, activities, crafts, and games perfect for little ones.  

 

SUMMER 

 

Red, Hot & Boom  

July 3, 2025 

 

Rainbow-colored fireworks explode against a dark night sky.

 

Red, Hot & Boom is Central Florida’s largest Independence Day celebration.  

Held in Cranes Roost Park in Altamonte Springs, this epic annual party is the perfect way to kick off your July 4th holiday.  

This year marks the 28th year of Red, Hot & Boom.  

Thousands of visitors come together to enjoy live music, food and beverage vendors, and an impressive fireworks display to end the evening.  

Grownups can enjoy the beer garden, which will be pouring a variety of locally brewed craft beer, wine, and spirits.  

Admission to the event is totally free with concessions available for purchase.  

 

Bands, Brews, & BBQ 

July 5 – August 24, 2025 

 

A hand holds a tall pint glass up against a backdrop of palm trees and a raft ride at SeaWorld.

 

Nothing says summer quite like concerts, beer, and fresh barbecue.  

SeaWorld Orlando throws an epic summer party that revolves around all three.  

On select dates throughout July and August, you can treat yourself to great music, refreshing brews, and delicious food with your admission to SeaWorld Orlando.  

In 2024, music headliners included Hunter Hayes, Bo Bice, and Mackenzie Porter. 2025’s bands have yet to be announced, but you can expect them to be exciting.  

Plus, the concerts take place in an indoor, air-conditioned theatre that provides a cool respite from the Orlando summer heat.  

 

AquaGlow 

May 16 – September 27, 2025 

 

A group of adults in swimwear wearing neon glowing jewelry walk through Aquatica at night.

 

Aquatica is one of Orlando’s most popular water parks.  

In the summer, they take their refreshing park experience to the next level with AquaGlow, an after-hours, separately ticketed event that’s colorful and unique.  

This family-friendly party features neon glow installations to bring the water park to life after dark, as well as attractions with synchronized lighting and music.  

Take time to enjoy the Massive Neon Foam Party, a bright and glowing dance party unlike any you’ve ever experienced.  

Check out the event on select nights from mid-May through September.  

 

H2O Glow After Hours  

May 23 – September 13, 2025 

 

A mom, dad, and their teenage daughter wade through a crystal clear pool at night as a wave rolls in behind them.

 

Aquatica isn’t the only water park with a fun after-hours party in the summer.  

Typhoon Lagoon is one of Walt Disney World Resort’s two water parks. On select summer evenings, you can experience the park with a totally new perspective during H2O Glow After Hours.  

Tickets for H2O Glow After Hours are limited, so guests get to enjoy all the park’s attractions with limited wait times – one of the biggest draws of attending.  

In addition to seeing the park lit up at night, guests also get to participate in a DJ dance party, meet beloved Toy Story friends, and enjoy complimentary ice cream and popcorn.  

 

FALL 

 

Southern Hill Farms Fall Festival  

Late September – November 2025

 

A stack of three sugar-dusted donuts on a paper napkin resting on a wooden table.

 

Southern Hill Farms in nearby Clermont is a fabulous place to spend the day with family picking blueberries, strawberries, and sunflowers (seasonally, of course).  

In autumn, their Fall Festival celebrates the season with pumpkins, a petting zoo, apple cider donuts, and so much more.  

The Kids Zone has a variety of carnival rides, bounce houses, and attractions for a fun day on the farm.  

There are also food trucks, tractor tours, and plenty of TVs around so you won’t miss any big important games.  

Tickets are needed to attend, and the event is known to sell out, so be sure to secure yours ahead of time.  

 

Fall Fiesta in the Park  

November 1 - 2, 2025 

The autumnal counterpart to the Spring Fiesta in the Park, Fall Fiesta in the Park is the perfect way to enjoy cooler fall weather in a beautiful setting.  

Shop from hundreds of booths selling homemade artwork, crafts, goods, and products, just in time to start crossing gifts off your holiday shopping list.  

Enjoy a section of the festival designated for kids and families or take a leisurely stroll around the lake to admire the resident swans and other waterfowl.  

Treat yourself to something tasty from a festival food vendor or grab a bite to eat at one of Downtown Orlando’s many amazing restaurants.  

 

EPCOT’s International Food and Wine Festival  

August 28 – November 22, 2025 

 

Two women in Disney attire carry flutes of Champagne while two men follow behind them carrying food.

 

EPCOT’s fall festival is the renowned International Food and Wine Festival.  

This culinary adventure features flavors from around the world, from comforting and familiar dishes to more adventurous fare.  

The Eat to the Beat concert series brings a variety of nostalgic bands from the 80’s, 90’s, and 00’s to the stage for an evening of entertainment.  

 

WINTER/HOLIDAYS 

 

EPCOT’S International Festival of the Holidays  

November – December 20025

 

A man with a long white beard wearing a red and white robe smiles at a family in front of a garden.

 

Once the last autumn leaf drops in Disney World at 12:01 a.m. on November 1st, EPCOT transforms into a holiday wonderland.  

During the International Festival of the Holidays, guests can explore traditional holiday foods from around the world, taste a variety of holiday cookies, and learn from holiday storytellers.  

EPCOT is also known for its spectacular Candlelight Processional, which features the retelling of the story of Christmas led by a celebrity narrator and accompanied by a choir and orchestra.  

There are also opportunities to meet Santa, celebrate with holiday gospel music, and enjoy holiday overlays on beloved rides like Living with the Land.  

 

EPCOT’s International Festival of the Arts  

January – February 2026

 

A dad and daughter hold paintbrushes to a canvas painting of Mickey and Minnie sitting on a park bench.

 

Hot on the heels of EPCOT’s International Festival of the Holidays is the International Festival of the Arts.  

Explore some of the world’s most famous artworks and indulge in innovative cuisine inspired by artistic movements and styles.  

2025’s festival included an exhibit showcasing a behind-the-scenes look at your favorite Disney Broadway musicals, and a concert series with the biggest Broadway stars. 

Photo ops and exclusive festival merchandise round out one of the most popular EPCOT events.  

 
Immerse  

February 20 – 22, 2026  

 

A woman in a blue shirt poses for a photo at the end of a tunnel of long triangular white lights.

 

For several nights in February, 10 city blocks of Downtown Orlando come to life with live performances, spectacles, and artistry during Immerse.  

Breathtaking light installations, concerts, acrobatic shows, and other energetic attractions are the headlining events of the festival.  

Celebrate the Orlando community and the extraordinary visionaries that know how to enhance its true potential.  

 

Seven Seas Food Festival  

February – April 2026

If the post-holiday theme park season has you feeling a little blue, check out the Seven Seas Food Festival at SeaWorld Orlando.  

This foodie-centric celebration heralded as the largest food festival in Orlando brings unique global flavors to a variety of culinary marketplaces throughout the park.  

There is also always a lineup of fun concerts throughout the event. 2025’s musical artists included Jordin Sparks, ZZ Top, Walker Hayes, and Soulja Boy.  

Admission to the festival is included in regular SeaWorld Orlando admission, and food and beverages are available for purchase.  

 

Stay at a Rosen Inn for Year-Round Comfort  

 

The front of Rosen Inn International with a large palm tree and purple floral landscaping. Stay with us for any of these seasonal festivals in Orlando.

 

When you stay at a Rosen Inn, you’re never far from year-round entertainment and excitement.  

Our hotels offer convenience, comfort, and affordability so you can make the most of your time in The City Beautiful.  

Learn more about our four Rosen Inn properties to find the one that best suits your vacation needs.