Mount Dora Festivals: Your Month-by-Month Guide

Mount Dora festivals bring art, antiques, food, music, and holiday celebrations to this lakeside Florida town. Between events, explore historic homes, independent shops, local restaurants, and Lake Dora.

This month-by-month guide keeps the year’s highlights in one place. It follows the usual seasonal pattern, not a fixed-date calendar. Dates, programs, tickets, and pet rules can change, so confirm details before traveling.

January: Art, Antiques & Storytelling

• Mount Dora Highwaymen Art Show, Sale & Benefit: Explore Florida landscape art, from palms and coastal scenes to vivid sunsets, while learning about the Highwaymen’s legacy.
• Renninger’s Antique Extravaganza: Browse vintage furniture, jewelry, collectibles, memorabilia, and home décor at this large antiques gathering.
• Florida Storytelling Festival: Enjoy storytelling concerts, workshops, and opportunities to connect with performers.
• Central Florida Film Festival: Discover independent films, screenings, and filmmakers. Together, these events make January a strong month for culture and collecting.

February: Arts & Culture

• Mount Dora Arts Festival: Usually held on the first weekend of February, this juried downtown festival features paintings, photography, sculpture, ceramics, and jewelry. Meet artists, shop for original work, and enjoy nearby restaurants.
• Jane Austen Festival: Explore Regency-inspired workshops, dancing, tea, crafts, and literary activities.
• Scottish Highland Festival: Celebrate Scottish heritage with music, Highland athletics, dancing, cultural displays, food, and family activities.
• Renninger’s Antique Extravaganza: Return for another round of antique shopping and unusual finds.

March: Spring Shopping & Sailing

• Mount Dora Spring Festival: Browse handmade crafts, gifts, jewelry, and home décor downtown. Afterward, visit independent boutiques and cafés.
• Mount Dora Yacht Club Sailboat Regatta: Watch sailboats cross Lake Dora and enjoy the waterfront atmosphere.
• Ice Cream Stroll & Pup Walk: Follow a downtown tasting route through participating businesses. Check tickets and the event’s dog-friendly arrangements.
• Renninger’s markets: Keep antique browsing on your itinerary. However, the main Antique Extravaganzas run in January, February, and November—not March. Check the market’s separate calendar for spring events.

April: Blueberries, Gardens & the Outdoors

• Mount Dora Blueberry Festival: Celebrate blueberry season with fresh berries, pies, pastries, specialty products, vendors, entertainment, and children’s activities.
• Arbor Day Celebration: Learn about trees and green spaces through educational displays, outdoor vendors, and entertainment. Tree giveaways may also be part of the program.

May: Food & Community

• Mount Dora Taste: Sample dishes from local restaurants and food vendors while discovering new dining favorites.
• Local markets and outdoor events: Also make time for downtown shops, community markets, and the lakefront before peak summer heat. Pair a food event with a relaxed historic-district stroll.

June: Lakeside Summer Adventures

• A quieter festival month: Explore independent shops, outdoor dining, boat tours, and Lake Dora at a slower pace.
• Community activities: Look for markets, art programs, and family entertainment. Because afternoons can be hot and rainy, plan outdoor time early and check local announcements.

July: Independence Day Celebrations

• Freedom on the Waterfront: Elizabeth Evans Park hosts a seasonal celebration with music, food trucks, family activities, and fireworks over Lake Dora.
• Independence Day Parade: Enjoy a downtown parade with community groups and patriotic displays. Confirm each year’s dates, route, and fireworks schedule; festivities may fall on different days.

August: Florida Art & History

• Florida Highwaymen Art Show, Sale & Benefit: Discover the landscape paintings and legacy of the African American artists known as the Florida Highwaymen.
• Galleries, museums, and lakeside stops: In addition, use this quieter month to explore local art, history, shops, and summer community events.

September: Culture, Barbecue & Fall Fun

• Mount Dora Viva La Frida Festival: Celebrate Hispanic culture and Frida Kahlo’s artistic legacy through music, dancing, food, local art, and children’s activities.
• Pitmasters & Pourers: Enjoy barbecue, drinks, food vendors, and entertainment. Check the current program for offerings and admission details.
• Great Scott Farms Fall Festival: Nearby farm festivities typically begin in late September, with a corn maze, pumpkins, and family activities. The season can continue into November.

October: Crafts, Cycling & Outdoor Art

• Mount Dora Bicycle Festival: Join organized rides through Central Florida, with routes for different experience levels.
• Ice Cream Stroll & Pup Walk: The fall tasting event offers another chance to explore downtown with your dog, subject to its ticket and pet rules.
• Mount Dora Craft Fair: Shop handmade jewelry, pottery, woodcrafts, artwork, home décor, and gifts from hundreds of vendors. Arrive early for this busy downtown weekend.
• Plein Air Paint Out: Watch artists interpret local outdoor scenes and look for related exhibitions. Check the arts center’s schedule, since associated activities may extend into November.

November: Plants, Antiques & Holiday Lights

• Mount Dora Plant and Garden Fair: Browse nurseries, Florida-friendly and native plants, exotic varieties, garden supplies, and decorative items.
• Renninger’s Antique Extravaganza: Explore another major gathering of dealers selling furniture, collectibles, memorabilia, and vintage treasures.
• Pirates & Parrots Festival: Enjoy tropical music and a relaxed waterfront celebration.
• Light Up Mount Dora: Welcome the holiday season with illuminated parks, downtown decorations, entertainment, and seasonal activities. Check the program for Santa appearances and evening attractions.

December: Christmas Traditions & New Year’s Eve

• Mount Dora Christmas Walk: Enjoy downtown entertainment, food vendors, gift shopping, and festive decorations.
• Mount Dora Christmas Parade: Find a viewing spot for floats, bands, dancers, community groups, and Santa.
• Christmas Lighted Boat Parade: Watch decorated boats cruise Lake Dora, with colorful lights reflected on the water.
• Holiday Tour of Homes: Visit selected homes dressed for the season and enjoy local architecture and décor. Check ticket requirements.
• Snow in the Park: Look for family activities and the event’s snow-themed play or sledding program.
• Mount Dora 5K and Half Marathon: End the year with a local race and check which community or charitable causes the event supports.
• New Year’s Eve Celebration: Welcome the new year with entertainment and a midnight countdown. Past programs have included fireworks over Lake Dora; confirm the current schedule.

Events Throughout the Year

Outside the major weekends, look for Art in the Alley, the Mount Dora Village Market, community concerts, local shopping and dining events, and Renninger’s regular markets. These smaller gatherings offer more ways to enjoy town at a relaxed pace.

Six Tips for Planning Your Visit

1. Confirm dates: Annual patterns can shift, and some schedules appear only a few months ahead.
2. Arrive early: The Arts Festival and Craft Fair draw large crowds, so allow time for parking and walking.
3. Make time beyond the festival: Add a downtown stroll, restaurant meal, or Lake Dora boat tour.
4. Prepare for Florida weather: Bring comfortable shoes, water, sunscreen, and a plan for heat or rain.
5. Check access and pet policies: Street closures affect parking. Many major festivals restrict pets, even though specific Pup Walk events welcome dogs.
6. Support local businesses: Explore the independent shops, cafés, restaurants, and galleries beyond the event booths.

For confirmed dates, start with the City of Mount Dora’s events page and the Chamber’s annual festival calendar. Also check Renninger’s, Mount Dora Center for the Arts, and Great Scott Farms for their own programs.

A Reason to Return in Every Season

From February’s fine art to October’s crafts and December’s lights, Mount Dora offers plenty of reasons to return. Above all, leave time for the town itself: its lakefront, historic streets, and local businesses are part of the experience.

Images are AI-generated seasonal illustrations, not photographs of the named festivals or venues.