Don’t forget to check out our Picture Blog! It’s got great photos from all our recent events!
May 2, 2008 (Friday) in Downtown Eustis and Ferran Park
First Friday Streetfest, Fireworks and Movie in the Park
Join us for another First Friday Streetfest, with live music, food and more, spread through downtown Eustis.
Stay until dark and see a magnificent fireworks display to celebrate the city’s 125th birthday. The best viewing area is from the lakefront in Ferran Park.
Remember to bring your chairs and blankets, because as soon as the fireworks are finished, we’ll be showing our free MOVIE IN THE PARK. We’re kicking off with Indiana Jones and The Raiders of the Lost Ark.
September 27 – 28, 2008 at the Clifford House (The Eustis Historical Museum)
Pioneer Days
Pioneer Days will feature vintage crafters, re-enactors, children’s activities, old fashioned displays, antique vendors and pony rides or farm animals! Vendors are needed for this great event. The event is free to the public. For more information or vendor applications, contact the Eustis Historical Museum at 352-483-0046.
COMPLETED EVENTS:
January 1, 2008 at 4:00 PM
Symphony and Fireworks in Ferran Park
Concert by the Mid-Lakes Symphony Orchestra
Champagne Toast and Anniversary Cake
January 19, 2008
Antique Boat and Car Show in Ferran Park
See restored vessels and a “boatload” of Model T’s
January 19, 2008, 10 AM – 2 PM, Ferran Park
Lake Eustis Sailboat Races & “Sail By” Event
To be held during the Antique Boat & Car Show. Laser Olympic Class Sailboat racing from 10 AM to Noon. “Sail By” by other classes afterward, including C scows, MC scows, Flying Scots & Wayfarers. For more information contact Sam Chapin at 352-357-4022.
January 21, 2008, 7 PM – 9 PM at the Eustis Community Center
Racial Reconciliation Panel Discussion
Sponsored by the Lake Eustis Institute and presented by the Eustis Ecumenical Council. Experts on racial issues will participate in the discussion, which will be moderated by Rev. John Jacobs. For more information, contact the Lake Eustis Institute at 352-357-3995 or visit www.lakeeustisinstitute.org.
January 26, 2008, 10 AM – 4 PM, Ferran Park
Sailboat Inspections, Learn to Sail Program & Capsize Rescue Demonstration
To be held during the Fine Arts Festival. Inspections will occur all day, with representatives to answer questions. From 10 AM – 11 AM, there will be a “learn to sail from shore” program demonstrating most sailing action in front of the park. From 11 AM – Noon and again from 1 PM – 2 PM there will be speed circle races and slalom races. A Laser “free style” competition with celebrity judges will be held from 12:30 PM – 1 PM. Sailboat capsize, rescue demonstrations and Optimist Pram sailing demonstrations will be held from 2 PM – 4 PM.
For more information contact Sam Chapin at 352-357-4022.
January 26 & 27, 2008, 10 AM – 5 PM in Ferran Park
Lake Eustis Museum of Art Fine Arts Festival
Presented by the Lake Eustis Museum of Art in cooperation with the City of Eustis and free to the public. Artists from all over the Country come to display their works and compete for $10,000 in prizes. Visitors will enjoy beautiful fine arts, live entertainment and yummy food in scenic Ferran Park. For more information contact the Lake Eustis Museum of Art at 352-483-2900.
February 8, 2008, 6 PM – 10 PM at Lake Receptions
GeorgeFest 2008 Presidents Ball
Come have a ball as we celebrate George Washington’s Birthday and the City of Eustis 125th Anniversary! Black tie or period costume (1776 – 1883) invited. Prize for the best costume. Tickets are $60.00 each. Enjoy a wonderful dinner and dancing afterward. For more information, contact the Lake Eustis Area Chamber of Commerce at 352-357-3434.
February 10, 2008, 6 PM – 9 PM at the Eustis Community Center
Eustis African-American Heritage Nubian Pageant
The pageant is for African-American girls ages 5 – 18. Applicants must have been born in Eustis, live in Eustis and attend a public school in Eustis. Call Dorothy Goodman at 352-357-1661 for applications. A $2.00 donation will be accepted at the door for those wishing to attend.
February 15, 2008, 7 PM – 9 PM at the Eustis Community Center
Eustis African-American Heritage Annual Achievers Banquet
The banquet honors African-Americans who were born and raised in Eustis and who have made a positive contribution to the community and to society as a whole. Eight adults and two outstanding students from Eustis High School will be chosen as the 2008 Achievers. The cost of the banquet is $25. Reservations should be made by February 8, 2008. For more information contact Carla Mitchell, days at 352-343-4101 or evenings at 352-589-6448.
February 16, 2008, Begins at 10 AM
Eustis African-American Heritage Parade & Festival
The annual parade begins at 10 AM at the corner of Prescott & Bates and ends at the Curtright Campus. There is no charge for participating in the parade. The festival begins at Noon. The festival will showcase African-American cooking, so come ready to eat! Vendors & church groups are welcome. The festival will include children’s activities and entertainment. School & church groups as well as various bands will perform. For more information contact Carla Mitchell, days at 352-343-4101 or evenings at 352-589-6448.
February 16 & 17, 2008, 8 AM
38th Annual Lake Eustis Sailing Club GeorgeFest Sailing Regatta
The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing. Six or more pre-registered boats in a class are required for a class division with a separate start. Classes expected are Flying Scot (Florida Point Series Regatta), MC scow, Wayfarer, A-cats, Hobie 16, Nacra-20, Laser, Opt, C-Scows, Flying Duchman and C420. Eligible participants may enter by completing an entry form, registering with the organization and paying their entry fee. Open fleet boats must be 21 ft. or under. Adults (over 17): $50 before Feb 2, $70 after Feb 1, 2008. Juniors (under 18): $20 with no discount. MCSA members registering online will get a $5 discount (except Juniors). There will be box lunches available both Sat. and Sun. for $7.00 each. There is an after race meal on Sat. that is free for skippers and $5.00 for guests. For more information, contact Ray Laguna, Chairman, at 407-257-0992 or register online at www.mcscow.org
February 17, 2008, 6 PM – 9 PM at Eustis High School
Eustis African-American Heritage Play
The Eustis African-American Heritage, in conjunction with the Eustis Recreation Dept. presents a play featuring the youth dept. of the Bay Street Player. For more information contact Carla Mitchell, days at 352-343-4101 or evenings at 352-589-6448.
February 18, 2008, 5 PM – 7 PM at the Eustis Community Center
GeorgeFest 2008 Annual Spaghetti Dinner and Scholarship Program
Enjoy a spaghetti dinner with salad, breadstick, dessert & drink for $5.00. Take out is available, but stay and watch area Middle and High School students compete for scholarship money. For more information, contact the Lake Eustis Area Chamber of Commerce at 352-357-3434.
February 22, 2008, 4 PM – 6 PM at Eustis High School and The Curtright Campus
Eustis High School Reunion
This event is for all former graduates of Eustis High School and will be held just before the opening of the George Washington’s Birthday Festival. Student council members will be conducting tours of the campus and the school’s Hall of Fame. There will be a reception with refreshments held in the cafeteria so that alumni can visit with former classmates. The Curtright Campus will also be open during this time. For more information contact Barbara Wilson-Smith at 352-483-0557 or ehs125th@yahoo.com.
February 22, 23 & 24, 2008 in Ferran Park
GeorgeFest 2008
GeorgeFest 2008 is the 106th Annual George Washington’s Birthday Festival and is Lake County’s Premier Fun Festival. GeorgeFest will feature a carnival, live entertainment, food, contests, events & plenty of family fun. Friday begins at 5 PM and will feature a Hawaiian show and a fantastic fireworks program. The fireworks will be moved to Saturday if the weather is bad. Saturday will begin at 9 AM on Bay St. with the Annual Bed Race, then the Dog Jog and finally the Grand Parade at 10 AM. This will be International Day with festivities continuing at Ferran Park with many events. Enjoy the Top Dawg Amateur Dog Contest, the annual Cherry Pie Eating Contest and the Celebrity Hot Dog Eating Contest. There will be live entertainment during the day at the historic Band Shell. Sunday is Fiesta Day! Festivities begin at 11 AM and will include live entertainment and the hilarious Citrus Squeeze Contest. At 4:30 PM, we will do the annual button drawing. Donate $2.00 for a collectible GeorgeFest button and get a chance at over 100 prizes. The festival will end at 5 PM.
March 8 & 15, 2008, 4:30 PM at Greenwood Cemetery
Historical Cemetery Tours
The 125-year history of Eustis “comes alive” with tours of the Greenwood and Mt. Olive Cemeteries. Beginning with the graves of early residents, the tours will highlight the men and women who worked to make Eustis the thriving city it is today.
Greenwood Cemetery is the final resting place for many of the City’s earliest decision makers and influential residents. Still the active city cemetery, the grounds host the graves of citizens from all periods of the City’s existence.
A knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide will lead you on a tour of the City’s history as you visit the graves of important residents. Volunteers in period costume will help tell the story and lend an atmosphere of authenticity. Each exciting 45-minute tour will cover the city’s founding (1883) and bring you to present time, with stops at the resting places of citizens who shaped Eustis through government, business and the arts.
Tours will be held at the cemetery at 4:30 pm.
For further information or to volunteer, contact Timothy Totten at the Eustis Fire Department at 352-357-6585, extension 3003.
March 13, 2008, 6 PM – 9 PM at the Lake Eustis Museum of Art
Lake Eustis Museum of Art “A Wine Affair”
Casual and fun, this social event offers a night of sophistication. Enjoy delicious wines and scrumptious hors d’ oeuvres while outbidding your friends and neighbors. Proceeds go to general operating support for the Lake Eustis Museum of Art. For tickets or more information, contact the Lake Eustis Museum of Art at 352-483-2900.
March 13, 2008, 10 AM – Noon at the Bay Street Theatre
The Historic State Theatre – Oral Histories and Pictorial
A legacy presentation by those who know the Historic State Theatre. Through a pictorial presentation, you will have the opportunity to hear about the theater’s legacy as a vaudeville theater opening in 1922 to its later reopening as a local movie house and now its present incarnation as one of the finest theaters in Florida. The cost is $40.00 and include on ticket to The Miracle Worker. . For more information, contact the Lake Eustis Institute at 352-357-3995 or visit www.lakeeustisinstitute.org.
March 15, 2008, 7:30 PM at the Bay Street Theatre
The Barto Piano Concert
Featuring concert pianist Tzimon Barto. Barto will perform the winning composition of the 2008 Barto Prize, an international competition for piano solo, during his concert. Meet Tzimon Barto at a reception following the concert at A Third Place. Tickets are $30 for the concert only and $50 for the concert and reception. . For more information, contact the Lake Eustis Institute at 352-357-3995 or visit www.lakeeustisinstitute.org.
April 5, 2008, 9 AM – 4 PM in Ferran Park
Fire Muster & Chili Cook-Off
Come join the firefighters of the Eustis Fire Department as they challenge other area fire departments to muster for firefighting games, a chili cookoff and a vehicle show to include antique and new fire/emergency vehicles. Contests will include the hose cart race, barrel roll, first water competition, balloon race, water battle bucket brigade, midnight alarm and more, with awards going to the winning teams.
After cheering on your favorite local department, don’t miss a chance to try your hand at some of the games, with scaled down versions of the bucket brigade and midnight alarm races. Children and adults are encouraged to participate. The EFD is also challenging area departments to pit their hottest, tastiest and spiciest chili against each other in a competition to find the finest in Lake County. A panel of judges will add their scores to the audience’s choice (you get to vote!) to select a winner.
Got a winning chili recipe? Enter the cook-off for a chance to take home the title as “Greatest Civilian Chili in Lake County.” Local organizations are also encouraged to enter and bring extra to sell. To enter the contest, please contact the Eustis Fire Department.
In addition to games, the chili cookoff and the Eustis Fire Department’s famous hamburgers, don’t miss the exciting antique and new emergency vehicle show. With hose carts from the early 1900’s to the state-of-the-art fire trucks of today, the show will demonstrate the advancement of fire/rescue technology and the pride that firefighters have in their vehicles. While Eustis Fire Department equipment will be for display purposes only, other departments and entrants will compete for awards in several classes. For more information, please contact Eustis Fire Captain Rex Winn at 352-357-6585, extension 3002.
April 27, 2008 at the Eustis Community Center
Eustis Historical Museum Church History Day
Come enjoy music and history presentations on the historic Eustis churches!
Music is provided by the well-known Voices of Praise.
For more information contact Betty Ann McClelland at 352-589-1938.
