Events in Central Florida

Relaunch alumni and anyone considering applying to Relaunch: Career Reentry for Professional Women join us for a Power Up networking event. Connect with other Relaunchers and learn about the program. Class XII begins Aug. 30.

Don’t miss this exciting BACK TO SCHOOL event at LIME Fresh Mexican Grill Lake Nona.

At LIME Fresh Kicks 2022 on Friday, Aug. 19 from 5 to 9 p.m., K-12 students can have their shoes customized for free by local sneaker artists, including Lisa Brady Studio, Se7enCustomss, Lacedupfeed and ArtwithCJ.

🎨👟Students (or their parents) simply sign up in advance at this link https://waitwhile.com/welcome/limefreshkicks and then bring a fresh set of kicks. The evening will also feature live music from DJ Chino, an iron-on patch pop-up for back-to-school supplies, giveaways, guest appearances and, of course, delicious bites and drinks!

MAXWELL, XSCAPE, AND JOE TEAM UP FOR SUMMER’S HOTTEST CONCERT YET

Florida Kids and Family Expo

• Saturday  Aug. 20 – 7 a.m. – 9 p.m
• Sunday, Aug. 20 – 11 a.m. – 5 p.m
• Orange County Convention Center
  9800 International Dr., West Concourse, Hall C Orlando, FL 32819
• Tickets: $8-12
• MyCentralFloridaFamily.com

Sarah Hester Ross Music & Comedy Show Announces Red Boot Tour Florida Dates: August 23-25

See the Award-Winning Las Vegas Headliner, Musical Comedian and TikTok Viral Star of “Florida Man Friday” Featured on America’s Got Talent Live on Stage

Florida Tour Dates: August 23 Naples, August 24 Orlando, August 25 Tampa

Orlando, FL (August 1, 2022) – Award-winning Las Vegas headliner, musical comedian and TikTok star Sarah Hester Ross will take her hit Las Vegas show “Sarah Hester Ross Music & Comedy Show” on the road starting in her home state Florida on August 23-August 25. 2022.  The show is packed full of original comedy music such as “Stop Giving Men Microphones” and “Florida Man Friday” that have garnered Sarah millions of followers on TikTok.  Then, she flips the script to her soulful singer-songwriter chops, with covers and original music like “Savage Daughter” and “Life Goes On” that makes audiences feel something special.  Sarah’s good-natured, comedic exuberance has earned her the moniker of “The Hilarious Redhead”.  Known for her sensational singing voice and her quick-witted quippishness, Sarah gets audiences rockin’ and then rollin’ with laughter.  See Sarah Hester Ross Music & Comedy Show Red Boot Tour in the following cities:

Naples, FL – August 23 @ 7pm

Off The Hook Comedy Club

2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd #1100, Naples, FL 34109

Tickets ($25): www.offthehookcomedy.com/shows/174271

Orlando, FL – August 24 @ 7:30pm

Orlando Improv

9101 International Dr Suite 2310, Orlando, FL 32819

Tickets ($32): https://theimprovorlando.com/ShowDetails/abe7f034-4eca-402d-891d-7363f72d895a/866e4def-e0ba-4722-b140-f1b2b8ab8940/Sarah_Hester_Ross/Orlando_Improv

Tampa, FL – August 25 @ 7:30pm

Tampa Improv

1600 E 8th Ave C-112, Tampa, FL 33605

Tickets ($32): https://improvtampa.com/ShowDetails/b40f0ced-b7f4-4acd-ab19-01fa885d3787/86796be0-6fce-4955-94fc-cf1047b171ae/Sarah_Hester_Ross/Tampa_Improv

Sarah produced the show as a successful limited residency on Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas in 2021-2022.  “I had this idea to put together a show as an experiment to see if I could get people to come,” she says.  “It’s always a hard process getting people out from behind the computers and in-person – real famous people have trouble doing that – so I wasn’t expecting it to be successful, but we’ve had great turnouts and people have been extremely supportive.  Now, I’m excited to be taking it on the road and starting at home.  Growing up in Tampa and living in Orlando for 10 years, Florida was my home for basically my entire life.  I look forward to seeing fans of ‘Florida Man Friday’ come out to see what else I can do and making many new Florida fans along the way.”

For more information on Sarah Hester Ross, visit www.sarahhesterross.com. 

About Sarah Hester Ross

Sarah Hester Ross is an award-winning Las Vegas headliner, musical comedian, TikTok viral star, winner of “Best of Las Vegas” Comedian 2021 and One Woman Show 2022 and featured on America’s Got Talent and The Doctor Demento Show.  With credits in her award-winning “Best Of Las Vegas” one woman music and comedy show and her line comedy album “It’s All A Joke”, she has also appeared at LA Comedy Club, The Laugh Factory at the Tropicana Hotel and The Bar at Times Square at NYNY Hotel and Casino.  Before moving to Las Vegas, Sarah lived and worked in Orlando, Florida at Universal Studios in the Grinchmas and Beetlejuice shows, had local credits in Rent, The Producers and originated the role of Jen in the touring show D Word – The Musical.  Her hilarious and unique comedy tunes have garnered over 1.9 million followers on TikTok and has her being compared to comedians like Bo Burnham and Rachel Bloom.  Then, put her on stage in front of hundreds of people and she merges the two boxes to make her own unique entertainment experience.  Sarah presents a formidable combination of musical and theatrical talents that has earned her an auspicious entry into the comedy performing world.  Her good-natured, comedic exuberance, both on and off stage, has earned her the moniker of “The Hilarious Redhead”.  Known for her sensational singing voice and her quick-witted quippishness, Sarah gets audiences rockin’ and then rollin’ with laughter.

Back to School Bird Bash

• Saturday, Aug. 27
• 10 a.m. – noon
• Audubon Center for Birds of Prey
  • 1101 Audubon Way, Maitland, FL 32751
• CBOP.Audubon.org/events

Opera Orlando’s hot soprano summer comes to a thrilling conclusion on August 28 at the University Club of Winter Park. Soprano Susan Hellman Spatafora, bass Andrew W. Potter, and pianist Robin Stamper present LATE NIGHT ENCOUNTERS. The program will explore characters who reveal their true selves only in the cloak of darkness, including late night scenes from Verdi’s La Forza del destino and Carlisle Floyd’s opera Susannah, evening art songs by Alfred Bachelet, Herbert Hughes, and Richard Strauss, and musical theater favorites from Les Misérables and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.

“We are thrilled to feature three Opera Orlando favorites in one concert,” shares artistic director Grant Preisser. “With such an exciting variety of repertoire, from solo to duet, art song to opera, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.”

Celebrated by Opera News for her “perfect, yearningly optimistic coloring—golden and radiant,” soprano Susan Hellman Spatafora has performed with Palm Beach, Tampa, Sarasota, Central City, St. Petersburg, Lakeland, Green Mountain, and Gulfshore Operas; the Glimmerglass Festival; New World Symphony; Florida Orchestra; Tampa Oratorio Singers; Dranoff International 2 Piano Foundation; and Tampa Bay Symphony. In December 2020, Ms. Spatafora “sparkled” as she “let (Rosalinde’s) intelligence shine through” (Orlando Sentinel) in Opera Orlando’s Die Fledermaus. She returns for the role of First Lady in the Company’s production of The Magic Flute in October. Other signature roles for Ms. Spatafora include Antonia/Giulietta (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), the title role in Suor Angelica, Micaëla (Carmen), Mimì (La Bohème), Leonora (Il Trovatore), Leïla (Les pêcheurs de perles), Cio-Cio-San (Madama Butterfly), and Anna (Le Villi). She also played the title role in St. Petersburg Opera’s world premiere recording of Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah in 2014.

Bass Andrew W. Potter is in demand across the country for his larger-than-life stage presence and voice to match. Of his recent performance in L’elisir d’amore, Opera Today hailed, “with his huge, all‐encompassing bass voice and precise comic timing, he nearly stole the show.” This past season, Mr. Potter joined Opera Santa Barbara in the title role in Don Pasquale, Pacific Opera Project as Sam in Trouble in Tahiti, and Southern Illinois Festival for Covid fan tutte. Additionally, Mr. Potter has performed as Simone in Gianni Schicchi and as Pastor Avery in Tobias Picker’s Emmeline with Tulsa Opera; Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni with Indianapolis Opera; René, King of Provence in Iolanta with Pacific Opera Project; and Sparafucile in Rigoletto with Opera Orlando. This season he will reprise his role in L’elisir d’amore for Livermore Valley Opera, and star in productions of The Pirates of Penzance and Tosca.

Robin Stamper is currently the artistic/managing director and chorus master for Opera Tampa, continuing a versatile career as a coach-accompanist, chorus master, and opera conductor. Credits include director of music for the Kentucky Opera, where he made his conducting debut with The Mikado. Subsequently, he became Artistic Director for the Nevada Opera where he conducted the mainstage productions of The Marriage of Figaro, The Barber of Seville, Lucia di Lammermoor, Rigoletto, Suor Angelica, and Pagliacci. Following his tenure at Nevada Opera, Stamper became the music director for Orlando Opera, substantially growing the caliber of the company’s chorus. Additionally, Stamper has conducted La Traviata and Camelot for the Augusta Opera, as well as Così fan tutte and The Barber of Seville while serving as artistic director for Florida Opera Theatre.

Enjoy our hot soprano lineup for $108 for the entire series or $45 for each individual concert. Only a few seats left for each concert. Admission includes artist receptions following each concert, with light hors d’oeuvres and wine graciously donated by Winter Park Wine. All Summer Concert Series performances take place at the University Club of Winter Park, located at 841 North Park Avenue, Winter Park, Florida 32789.

Stay up to date with Opera Orlando’s upcoming season online at www.OperaOrlando.org, and follow and like the Opera’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts to share in all the Company has planned for 2022-23. Celebrate Opera Everlasting, and see YOU at the Opera!

About Opera Orlando: The Company aims to celebrate, expand, and share the world’s greatest art form through emotionally compelling and unique stories, with the 2022-23 season marking Opera Orlando’s seventh season producing high-quality operatic entertainment and educational programs that engage Central Florida audiences.

Please join the West Orange Chamber and the West Orange Foundation for the State of West Orange Luncheon! This event features an open conversation with our elected officials regarding the municipalities, the county, and information on the upcoming Orange County Transportation Sales Tax Referendum. Learn more about how these initiatives will impact our community.

Invited Guest Speakers- Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, City of Ocoee Mayor Rusty Johnson, City of Winter Garden Mayor John Rees, Town of Oakland Mayor Kathy Starks and Town of Windermere Mayor Jim O’Brien

Chamber Member Rates:

• $46 per person;
• $375 for a table of 8 – must be paid in advance

Non-Chamber Member Rates:

• $56 per person;
• $450 for a table of 8 – must be paid in advance

• $1 from each ticket sold is contributed to the West Orange Foundation.
• All reservations and or cancellations must be made by August 26 (no refunds after that date)
• No Shows will still be charged
• You must register to attend this event

Elite Central Florida is an annual awards event that celebrates the most elite organizations, businesses, non-profits, and community leaders that focuses on supporting, enriching, and going above and beyond for the Central Florida community.

Purchase tickets here: https://elitecentralflorida.com/tickets