If you're looking for some festive atmosphere, here's part of the Florida festival calendar.
Kumquat Festival, Dade City, Jan. 27
The downtown in Dade City fills with as many as 35, 000 people for this free event celebrating the tangy little fruit grown locally. Along with dozens of booths and live entertainment, a highlight is enjoying kumquat treats, from kumquat pie, kumquat cookies to kumquat salad.
Sunnyland Boat Festival, Tavares, Mar. 22-24
This antique and classic boat festival is one of the largest classic wood boat shows in the country with as many as 250 to 300 restored ancient boats on display in the water and along one third of a mile of Lake Dora shoreline at Wooton Park in Tavares, which is really a feast to the eye for free.
Siesta Key Sunsculpting Festival, Sarasota, Nov. 10-13
Two dozen professional artists compete in creating sculptures on the gorgeous Siesta Key beach. Those who buy tickets can watch the sculptures take shape, view them under colored lights at night, see demonstrations and take lessons. The party atmosphere includes a tent with ful bar (no ticket required) and a vendor(小贩) village.
Art Basel Miami Beach, Miami Beach, Dec. 8-10
Art Basel, an international art fair, draws top galleries from around the world plus the rich and celebrities to South Florida. A far cry from the street art festivals all over Florida, this is an event that is not cheap-Tickets start at $65. Over the years, however, a variety of satellite events have developed, creating art-related events for regular folks, including Miami Art Week.
