Things to Do in Mount Dora & Lake County
Updated October 16, 2026 · Please confirm details with event organizers
Find local festivals, concerts, theatre, farm outings and community events in Mount Dora, Eustis, Tavares, Leesburg and nearby Lake County towns. Browse upcoming dates or search by activity.
This Weekend's Highlights
Coming Up Soon
One-time events arranged by date. Events spanning several weeks appear in “Ongoing This Season” below.
Saturday, October 17
1st Annual Corks & Forks
A new wine and food pairing festival at Lakeridge Winery, with live music alongside the winery's usual free tours and tastings.
Rocktoberfest & Monster Splash Fly-In
Tavares' 8th annual lakeside festival pairs live rock music with the Monster Splash Seaplane Fly-In, where pilots compete in flying contests including the crowd-favorite pumpkin drop. Free admission, with food trucks and vendors.
Mount Dora Fall Festival
The City of Mount Dora's free fall evening in Sunset Park, hosted by Russ Rollins, with live art and music featuring Sergio from Acrylic Beats, kids activities, food and drinks, a drone show, and the Parade of Scarecrows benefiting the Karla Kay Foundation.
ABBA Euphoria
A Las Vegas-born ABBA tribute concert with choreography, live vocals, and a full multimedia backdrop, covering hits like "Dancing Queen," "Mamma Mia," and "Waterloo."
Sunday, October 18
Halloween Pet Parade & Costume Contest
Piglets Pantry's annual pet costume parade in Sunset Park, with categories including cutest, spookiest, funniest, most creative, and best group costume. Local animal rescues take part, and registration proceeds go to rescue organizations.
Tuesday, October 20
Citrus for Beginners
Growing citrus at home is possible again. This talk introduces the University of Florida's newer orange, grapefruit, lemon, and lime varieties that show resistance to citrus greening. Sign-up required.
Thursday, October 22
Red Ribbon Spooktacular
Project Noelle's Halloween-themed community evening pairs prevention education with costumes (welcome, not required), a coloring contest, and a prevention-awareness poster contest. RSVP on the event page.
Saturday, October 24
Trunk or Treat at the Umatilla Public Library
A morning trunk or treat with candy, a haunted caboose, and a petting zoo. Costumes and candy bags encouraged.
Mount Dora Craft Fair
One of Central Florida's biggest craft fairs, with more than 400 crafters lining the streets of historic downtown. Live music in Donnelly Park, festival food, wine tasting, and a Kids Art Tent sponsored by the Mount Dora Center for the Arts.
Eustis Trunk or Treat
Eustis Parks and Recreation is going bigger this year, filling Carver Park with trunk or treat stations, new games and attractions, lots of candy, and costume prizes for ages 17 and under. Free.
Blues, Brews & Bites
A new City of Fruitland Park evening pairing live blues with bites from local restaurants and drinks from beverage vendors.
Ongoing This Season
Fall farms, exhibitions and seasonal experiences you can visit on multiple dates.
Great Scott Farms Fall Festival & Corn Maze
A 7-acre corn maze plus jumping pillow, super slide, castle playground, tractor farm tours, pumpkin patch, and a zipline add-on. This year's maze theme is "Space Exploration."
Amber Brooke Farms Fall Season
25+ attractions including a petting zoo, gemstone mining, corn maze, sunflower express, cow train, bubble barn, and live music. Cashless venue; some attractions are add-on ticket items.
Fall at Southern Hill Farms
Carnival rides, corn maze, pumpkin patch, and farm-fresh food and drinks. Advance tickets required; kids 2 and under free.
Pumpkin Ponderosa at Showcase of Citrus
Pick your pumpkin from thousands on-site, plus gem mining, farm animals, and the ranch's famous monster truck tour. Free entry and parking; some activities are separately ticketed.
Fear Reach Scream Park: Willow's Nightmares
This nonprofit haunt on a working blueberry farm runs two haunted houses this season, The Discarded Laboratory and Parasomnia, plus a midway with games, food trucks, rotating vendors, and the Pitchfork Parlor bar with live music from The Dismembered. Intense scares; check the site for age guidance.
Dr. Grimley's Haunted Trail
Three outdoor haunted walking trails this year, The Rot Fields, The Dark Communion, and The Carvehouse, each with its own story, and the lights go out at 10pm for anyone brave enough to keep going. Expect intense scares, fog, strobe effects, and uneven outdoor terrain.
Papier-Mâché Pumpkin Sale, Mount Dora Art League
Handcrafted papier-mâché pumpkins made by Art League members. Proceeds support arts programs at Triangle Elementary School.
Mount Dora Plein Air Sale & Exhibition
Artists spent Paint the Town week painting on location around Mount Dora, and their work goes on display and for sale in the Mount Dora Center for the Arts gallery, with proceeds supporting local art education. Don't miss the timed Quick Draw at Donnelly Park during the Plant & Garden Fair, Saturday, Nov 7, 9am–1pm.
On the Horizon
More dates to plan around, including future festivals, holiday events and live performances.
Thursday, October 29
Leesburg Haunted House at the Mote-Morris House
The City of Leesburg opens the historic 1892 Mote-Morris House for three nights of eerie fun and ghostly tales. Open to all ages.
Friday, October 30
"Carrie: The Musical" at Bay Street Players
The second Main Stage production of Bay Street Players' 2026–2027 season, a musical adaptation of Stephen King's novel "Carrie." Check the site for showtimes.
Tavares BOO! Festival
Tavares' free Halloween night downtown: a trunk-or-treat spanning several blocks, a kids' costume contest, the Creepy Tent, Halloween games, a movie in the park, and a live DJ. Costumes encouraged.
Mind Magic LIVE with Mentalist Joshua Seth
A 75-minute evening of mind reading, clean comedy, and audience participation from a Magic Olympics winner. Recommended for ages 12 and up.
Saturday, October 31
3rd Annual Trick or Treat Downtown Leesburg
Little ghosts and goblins trick-or-treat up and down Main Street, collecting candy from downtown businesses, with music along the way.
Halloween Masquerade Ball at The Howey Mansion
The Howey Preservation Trust's first masquerade ball fills the 1925 mansion with music, dancing, and a little mystery on Halloween night. Costumes or elegant attire encouraged. Reservations required, no tickets sold onsite, and tickets are non-refundable. The historic home has stairs at all entrances.
Mount Dora Crawloween
The seventh annual self-guided Halloween bar crawl returns to downtown, with 14-plus participating spots, exclusive specials and treats, and live music and DJs along the way. Ages 21 and up.
Friday, November 6
46th Annual Montverde Day Fall Music Festival
Montverde's long-running town festival returns for its 46th year, with two days of live music and community fun in this small town on the shore of Lake Apopka.
Saturday, November 7
5th Annual Coffee & Classics Car Show
Classic cars, motorcycles, and UTVs fill the farm for this annual fundraiser, with music from Z88.3, raffles, food, free face painting, kids' activities, and local vendors including Whimsy Market. Car show proceeds support Altoona Charter School.
32nd Annual Mount Dora Plant & Garden Fair
Nurseries and vendors from across Florida fill Donnelly Park with native and exotic plants, garden décor, and handcrafted items. Free admission, and volunteers help cart plants to your car. Saturday morning also brings the Mount Dora Center for the Arts' Plein Air Quick Draw.
Wednesday, November 11
Leesburg Veterans Day Parade
Marching bands, decorated floats, veteran organizations, and community groups head down Main Street to honor those who have served, with this year's parade also marking America's 250th birthday. Free to watch.
Friday, November 13
"How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" at the IceHouse
The IceHouse's second show of the 2026–2027 season follows J. Pierrepont Finch from window washer to the executive suite in this classic musical comedy. Thu 7:30pm, Fri 8pm, Sat/Sun 2pm.
Friday, November 27
39th Annual Light Up Eustis
Eustis kicks off the holiday season the day after Thanksgiving with its annual tree lighting and an evening of holiday activities in Ferran Park on the shore of Lake Eustis.
Friday, December 4
"Every Christmas Story Told (and Then Some!)" at Melon Patch Players
A fast-paced comedic romp through every holiday tradition and story imaginable, from Rudolph to Scrooge, performed at the Tropic Theater.
Saturday, December 19
2nd Annual Eustis Christmas Parade & Winter Fest
The Eustis Community Alliance and Eustis Parks and Recreation bring back the Christmas parade, ending at Carver Park for Winter Fest. Last year's Winter Fest included a hot chocolate bar, holiday crafts, letters to Santa, a DJ, food trucks, and free photos with Santa.
Friday, January 22
"Peter Pan Goes Wrong" at Melon Patch Players
The accident-prone Cornley Drama Society attempts J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan, with flying mishaps and technical disasters throughout. A comedic take on the holiday classic from the creators of "The Play That Goes Wrong."
Friday, February 12
Mount Dora Jane Austen Fest
Historic downtown slips into the Regency era for a weekend of Austen-themed workshops, lectures, teas, fashion, and a marketplace. Regency dress is welcome but optional. Check the schedule for ticketed events.
Saturday, March 20
Japan Festival Eustis
Arching Oaks Japanese Art & Culture Center brings its festival back to Ferran Park, now over two days. The first festival featured taiko drumming, traditional dance, martial arts and calligraphy demonstrations, mini art classes, and a cosplay contest; watch the site for the 2027 lineup.
Upcoming dates
Dora Queen Halloween Party Cruise
A Halloween-themed party cruise on Lake Dora aboard the Dora Queen paddlewheel boat, departing from Tavares. Themed cruises have limited tickets and are non-refundable, so book early and check the cruise calendar for details.
Recurring Events
Farmers markets, live music, classes, community gatherings and other regular activities.
Local Favorites
Mount Dora Village Market
Weekly market in downtown Mount Dora with local vendors, produce, and makers.
Fresh Market at Ferran
A lakeside evening market along Ferran Park with local vendors, food trucks, handmade goods, and live music, right on Lake Eustis.
Lake County Farmers Market at the Fairgrounds
A weekly morning market with local produce, plants and flowers, baked goods, and food and market vendors. From June through September it runs 8am to noon.
Eustis First Friday Street Party
Food trucks, vendors, and live music fill Ferran Park for Eustis's monthly downtown street party.
Discover Leesburg
Leesburg's monthly downtown evening, with live acoustic music in Towne Square and an evening market on 5th Street. Next one: Friday, Nov 13.
Art in the Alley
Local artists set up along Royellou Lane next to the Mount Dora Center for the Arts to show and sell original work, while downtown galleries stay open late. Free to attend. Next one: Friday, Nov 13.
Maggie's Attic Wine Tasting & Downtown Wine Walk
Sample more than 20 wines and stroll to tasting stops around historic downtown Mount Dora, with live music in Maggie's courtyard along the way.
Live Music at Lake Harris Hideaway
Live music four days a week on the deck at this waterfront spot on Lake Harris, reachable by car, boat, or seaplane. Weekend reservations are limited and some events carry a reservation fee applied to your bill; call 352-343-3585 with questions.
Browse 25 more recurring activities
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Stacy Bracewell, REALTOR®
ERA Grizzard Real Estate · Mount Dora
Considering a Move to Lake County?
I put this list together every week because I love living in Lake County and want everyone to find the good stuff, from the big festivals to the Tuesday trivia nights. When you're ready to talk about buying or selling a home here, I'd love to help.
Questions about Lake County or local real estate? Call or text Stacy at 352-223-9238.
Stacy Bracewell, REALTOR®, ERA Grizzard Real Estate, 600 N. Donnelly St., Mount Dora, FL. Equal Housing Opportunity.