Mount Dora carries the weekend around here, and it starts Friday night in the alley. Art In The Alley turns downtown into a second-Friday art walk, Plaid in the Park brings bagpipes and Scottish heritage to Sunset Park on Saturday, and the Village Market closes it out Sunday morning under the oaks. Add a Billy Joel tribute and a hawk or two, and you've got a full one. Just know it's a hot one -- upper 90s Friday and Saturday -- so save the outdoor stuff for the evening, hydrate, and count on the usual afternoon storms building in over the weekend.
Friday
Art In The Alley -- Downtown Mount Dora, 6 to 8 PM, free
The second-Friday art walk that turns downtown Mount Dora into a gallery -- local artists, live demonstrations, and the shops staying open late, all free to wander. The easiest, most sociable way to start a Central Florida weekend.
Bald Eagles & Raptors: Summer Show -- W T Bland Public Library, 2 PM, free
A live birds-of-prey show at the library -- eagles, hawks, and owls up close, with the handlers telling their stories. Free, indoors, and genuinely great for kids on a hot afternoon.
Turnstiles: The Ultimate Billy Joel Tribute -- Savannah Center
Turnstiles does the full Billy Joel songbook -- "Piano Man," "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant," all of it -- at the Savannah Center. If you know every word, this is your Friday. Check the box office for showtime and tickets before you go.
Saturday
Plaid in the Park -- Sunset Park, Mount Dora, 4 PM, free
Mount Dora's Scottish-heritage celebration takes over Sunset Park -- bagpipes, tartan, and a genuinely festive afternoon by the lake. Free, family-friendly, and one of the more distinctive things on the calendar this weekend.
Sunday
Mount Dora Village Market -- Sunset Park, Mount Dora, 9 AM, free
Wind the weekend down at the Sunday market in Sunset Park -- local makers, produce, and coffee under the oaks. The mellow, easygoing close to a busy Mount Dora weekend.
The Full Lineup
Find everything happening this weekend at the Villa + Cala events page.
Got a tip or an event we should know about? Email [email protected]