Today’s travel tip sheet includes information on Orlando’s fall happenings, including food-centric events, Oktoberfest celebrations, ideas for planning a getaway in the Halloween Vacation Capital® and a spotlight on Hispanic Heritage Month festivities.
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In this Issue:
- Fall Foodie Events and Oktoberfest Celebrations
- Halloween Happenings outside the Theme Parks
- Orlando Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
- What’s New This Month
- DYK? Orlando Health is Visit Orlando’s official destination health and wellness partner
Fall Foodie Events and Oktoberfest Celebrations
This fall, Orlando brings flavorful food-centric events to visitors and locals alike, offering numerous food and wine festivals including one of the longest running vegan food festivals in the world and all-new Oktoberfest celebrations.
- Celebrating its 17th year, Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining (now – Oct. 2) offers three-course, prix-fixe dinners at more than 100 top Orlando-area restaurants for just $40, including six MICHELIN Guide honorees, as well as 23 first-time participants.
- EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival presented by CORKCICLE (now – Nov. 19) features over 25 global marketplaces, including a menu of new flavors and sips along with live entertainment, family activities and more. Guests are encouraged to pre-purchase tickets and make park reservations in advance.
- Central Florida Veg Fest Presented by Vegetarians of Central Florida (Oct. 22), a family- and dog-friendly vegan event held at Orlando Festival Park near downtown Orlando, returns for its 17th year. The event will showcase the best in vegan cuisine featuring over 30 food vendors, living alkaline water stations, a veggie kids’ zone, animal haven, food preparation demonstrations, speakers, live music and more.
Oktoberfest Celebrations
- ICON Park will host its first annual Oktoberfest celebration on weekends Sept. 16 – Oct. 2. The family-friendly events will feature traditional German dishes at The Lawn, beer flights with four seasonal brews and authentic Bavarian Music.
- Plant Street Market will celebrate its 8th Annual Crooked Can Oktoberfest Oct. 14-16 with live music, family-friendly activities, German-inspired dishes, and plenty of beer including special brews on tap from Crooked Can Brewery.
- Hourglass Brewing will host the Hourglass District Oktoberfest on Sept. 24 in the taproom. The event will feature food trucks, live music, a variety of German beer offerings and giveaways.
Additional information on fall foodie events can be found here.
Halloween Happenings in Orlando
Orlando, the Halloween Vacation Capital®, welcomes visitors this fall with a lineup of spook-tacular events and offers for every scare level. Festivities range from fright-inducing thrills to family-friendly chills.
Scares Beyond the Theme Parks
- Screamin' Green Hauntoween at Crayola Experience (Sept. 25 – Oct. 31) is chalk-full of spooky happenings included with admission, such as a themed scavenger hunt, spook-tastic crafts, character photo ops, trick-or-treating on the weekends and more.
- Gatorland‘s “Gators, Ghosts and Goblins” event (weekends Oct. 15-30), included with regular admission, will feature multiple themed haunt zones, interactive characters, animal meet-and-greets, candy giveaways, a children’s Halloween costume parade and more spooky fun.
- Scream n' Stream Drive-Thru Halloween Experience, (select nights Oct. 1-31), a haunted Halloween drive-thru event, features seven horrifying zones to drive through complete with monsters, music, lighting and special effects.
- The 13th Annual Día de los Muertos & Monster Party (Oct. 20) at CityArts showcases art inspired by Mexico’s Day of the Dead, as well as Halloween. The unique exhibition, created by regional, national and international artists, is paired with an outdoor experience featuring food, drinks, entertainment and spooky art vendors.
Haunted Hotel Offerings
- Hilton Orlando will offer a “Room With A Boo” package, featuring a $50 daily resort credit to enjoy terror-ific options throughout the resort including dining, spa, and the new Escape Room Experience, free parking and late check-out.
- Lake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa offers up to 35% off on stays this fall as part of their "Spook-tacular Savings" promotion. The resort will also offer fun Halloween-themed activities throughout the month, a pumpkin decorating contest, Halloween movies, coloring contests and more.
- Encore Resort at Reunion will offer an all-new Halloween vacation experience, “Stay A Spell: Broom & Breakfast,” featuring Halloween-themed vacation homes now - Oct. 31. Guests can choose from three spellbinding options including Monster Party, Willow’s Harvest Hollow and Pumpkin Palooza, as well as an array of festive activities throughout the season.
A full lineup of Orlando’s Halloween events can be found here.
Orlando Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
With over 30% of Orlando’s population made up of Latinx and Hispanics, Orlando is filled with unique events to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. From art exhibits and Latin fashion shows to community celebrations commemorating Spanish-speaking national, visitors can immerse themselves in the flavors and sounds of the Hispanic culture now through October.
Additional information on Hispanic Heritage Month in Orlando can be found here.
Found throughout the destination at a range of price points, Hispanic and Latin restaurants offer some of the tastiest ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Several of Orlando’s MICHELIN Guide restaurants feature menus with heavy Hispanic and Latin influences, starting with the One MICHELIN Star Capa Steakhouse & Bar at Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort. Others include Papa Llama, a Bib Gourmand honoree in Orlando’s Curry Ford West district east of downtown, as well as the MICHELIN Guide Recommended BACÁN at Lake Nona Wave Hotel and Black Rooster Taqueria in Orlando’s Mills 50 District.
What’s New in Orlando this Month?
Stay up to date on Orlando's most recent announcements and openings - from accommodations and attractions to restaurants and events - available here.
Did You Know?
Orlando Health is the official health and wellness partner of Visit Orlando and offers health-related benefits, including a newly established concierge telephone number for access to visitor-specific wellness tips and individualized health resources. For additional information, visit orlandohealth.com/visitorlando