Imagine you’re alone and walking home from a friend’s party or from your car late at night. The street seems very quiet and almost a bit eerie. You hear a scuff of shoes on the street behind you, and you turn to see a person following you. We’ve all been there and begin to wonder, […]
Widerman Malek Law Blog
Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights are Almost Here!
As the weather begins to cool down just a little bit, the unofficial start to the holiday season is quickly approaching, Halloween. Candy is already being stocked in local supermarkets and costumes are popping up in stores all over. In just a couple weeks, confirming that fall has truly arrived, Universal Orlando’s “Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) 23” will be open for business. Running most weeks Thursday through Sunday beginning September 20th and lasting until November 2nd (check out the HHN official website for official dates), hundreds of thousands of guests are expected from around the world!
Named the “best in the business” by the Editor of Fangoria Magazine, Orlando transforms its movie theme park into haunted houses inspired by shows and video games like “The Walking Dead”, “Resident Evil”, and “Cabin in the Woods” with live shows such as “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure” and “Rocky Horror Picture Show”. There are videos on the HHN website previewing the haunted houses and they look absolutely terrifying, a great way to really get into the season! Rides like “Transformers,” “Revenge of the Mummy,” and “Men In Black Alien Attack” are also a part of the admission.
Melbourne Civic Theatre – The 2013-2014 Season has Begun
Melbourne’s Melbourne Civic Theatre began its 2013-2014 season just a few weeks ago with Laughter on the 23rd Floor which ran from August 2nd through September 8th. While this first show has just completed its run, there are many more to look forward to this season beginning in just a couple weeks.
Started as the Indian River Players in 1951, the Melbourne Civic Theatre (MCT) adopted its new name in 1988. They currently perform in the 93-seat La Galerie on East Strawberry Avenue in downtown Melbourne. Show tickets are very reasonably priced at $25 for adults and $23 for seniors (aged 62 and older), military (active and retired), and students (must be full-time and aged 25 or younger) for individual shows. A season “flex pass” is also available at $115 for adults and $105 for seniors, military, and students. The “flex pass” allows entry into five performances, not including the holiday show.
Prost! Oktoberfest is Almost Here!
One of the most well-known worldwide celebrations is Oktoberfest, a 16 day festival dedicated to all things beer. The official festival is held in Munich, Germany and is attended by over 6 million people each year. For those who can’t make it to Munich, local cities around the world hold their own celebrations and the Brevard County area is no exception. This year Orlando and Viera will be hosting their own weekend tribute festivals.
A big misconception about the Munich Oktoberfest is that it occurs in October. The festival actually begins late in September. Orlando will be home to two separate celebrations this year. The first, the Orlando Oktoberfest, follows with the traditional timing of the Munich festival being held for one day on September 28th from 4pm to 11pm at the Bahia Festival Grounds. Entry to this festival is free and parking is $5 per vehicle. Contrary to popular belief, Oktoberfest is not just about the beer, the food plays just as big a part. The Orlando celebration will include brats, potato salad, and pretzels along with “Schunkel Musik” and “Schuhplattler Dancing”. For the kids in attendance, there will be bouncy houses to enjoy.
The 80’s Are Here Again!
Be it the hair, the clothes, and especially the music, almost everyone loves the 80’s! Whether you remember where you were when you first saw a music video on MTV (remember when they played videos?) or only know the 80’s through the John Hughes movies replayed every weekend on at least one cable channel, it was truly a special time. Relive some the magic of this decade at the Wickham Park Pavilion when it plays host to the “80’s In The Park” for two days on September 28th and 29th.
While the party officially begins Saturday the 28th, there is actually an 80’s film festival to kick off the weekend on Friday, September 27th. The showtimes for the movies have not been released yet but the event runs from 5pm to 1am at the Cinema World Theater. Some of the movies being played include “Adjust Your Tracking,” a documentary on VHS along with “Rock ‘N Roll Nightmare” and “The Colombian Connection”. It was also just announced that “Deadliest Prey” has been added to the line-up.
Celebrating 20 Years – Melbourne’s Fall Festival
For the 20th year running Melbourne Main Street’s “Fall Festival” is just around the corner. The festival is being held this year officially on Saturday, October 5th and Sunday, October 6th (with some pre-events on Friday, October 4th) among the beautiful historic downtown area of Melbourne. On a typical day in the downtown area, visitors can partake in shopping, dining, and even yoga – the fall festival adds to the already vibrant area with live music, family activities, and more food and drinks!
Catering to families, retirees, and young adults/professionals, this festival is the place to be in Melbourne the first weekend in October with over 30,000 people expected to attend. East New Haven Avenue will act as the main thoroughfare for the festival with many of the side streets serving as branches with additional vendors. Main attractions this year include the main stage, the Gen-X Motors exhibit, food court, the Rockstar Energy Drink side stage, and a kids zone.
The McKee Botanical Gardens – Peace and Beauty in the City
A mere thirty miles south of Melbourne, just off route 1, you will find yourself in Vero Beach. It is here that you will discover the McKee Botanical Garden, one of the oldest tourist attractions in Florida!
Originally established in 1929 as the McKee Jungle Gardens, it was developed with the help of William Lyman Phillips, often viewed as the creator of tropical landscaping. It was at this time that waterways and trails were established and both native and worldwide flora and fauna were planted. By the time the 1940’s rolled around, upwards of 100,000 tourists visited the Gardens each year. Unfortunately, with the opening of some of the bigger theme parks in the area in the 1970’s the Gardens had to close down. Of the original 80 acres occupied by the Gardens, all but 18 were sold off and developed. These final 18 acres sat around undeveloped and untouched for over 20 years. Things turned around in 1995 when the Indian River Land Trust purchased the land after leading a successful fund-raising campaign. The Garden’s formal re-opening dedication was held in 2001.
Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge – Natural Beauty in Florida
There are a number of small islands off the mainland coast of Florida. Located just north of Melbourne is the largest of these islands and on the southern tip of this island you will find Merritt Island. With the Indian and Banana Rivers located on either side, it is most well known as the location of NASA’s space launch program but it is also home to the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. Established in 1963, the Refuge is 140,000 acres in size and provides habitat to over 1,500 plant and animal species. The land was originally acquired by NASA for the building of the Kennedy Space Center and other related facilities but much of the land wasn’t used and was eventually turned over to the Department of Interior.
Approximately twenty miles of the thirty-five mile refuge is open to the public to enjoy the local beauty and wildlife. The Refuge provides habitat for migratory birds, endangered and threatened species, along with an additional array of rare wildlife species. With upwards of 500 wildlife species and over 1,000 species of plants, it is no wonder it is called the “most unique wildlife refuge” and is full of things to do and see. The roads, trails, and boat ramps within the refuge are open daily from sunrise to sunset and the Visitor Information Center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9am to 4pm.
Comedy Improv at Mama’s!
When you think of Orlando, thoughts of DisneyWorld and Universal Studios may be the first thing that come to mind. Along with those visions are kids, lots of them! While children are wonderful more often than not, a nice time out at an adult only venue can be just what the doctor ordered. Look no further than Mama’s Comedy Show, a comedy improv show for a mature audience and Sleuths Presents: Standup Comedy Nights! Both are located just east of Disney and south of Universal on International Drive in Orlando at the Sleuths Mystery Dinner Theater.
Modeled after “Whose Line Is It Anyway” with the audience acting as an active participant, every Mama’s Comedy Show is different and promises to be a good time. Admission is just $10 and shows are Fridays at 10pm. Reservations, while not necessary, are recommended to ensure you and your party will get seated. Calling themselves a family, there are twelve members involved with Mama’s. They have been performing for four years and have earned rave reviews from their audiences. With comments like “A+ super funny,” “wicked fantastic show,” and “soooooo funny” it is a sure bet for a great night.
