Windermere prepares for a festive fall

This October, Windermere’s downtown area will come alive with two major, inaugural events: the Family Health Festival and the Craft Beer Festival.

The Family Health Festival is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, and the Craft Beer Festival is scheduled for 4-9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11. Windermere’s Downtown Business Committee is the lead organizer of both events.

Family Health Festival

This free festival will take place in and around Town Hall, 520 Main St., and offer health screenings, exhibits, demonstrations, activities, food, music and more. It could feature about 30-50 businesses, nonprofit groups and other exhibitors, said Irma Yapor, who co-chairs the DBC, chairs the Family Health Festival Subcommittee and owns Yapor Realty, in Windermere.

“The festival is open to everyone,” Yapor said July 28. “It was my idea to bring it to light. I’ve lived here for 34 years, and I’ve never seen anything happen like this here. Hopefully this will be the first of many (festivals).”

Activities at the event will include yoga in the park, women’s self-defense demonstrations, fitness demos, health talks and a scavenger hunt for all attendees. Exhibitors will include hospitals, doctors’ offices, wellness and fitness businesses and organizations, and veterinarians.

“We want to make it a fun event,” Yapor said. “You think of health and go 'Eh, it’s probably corporate.' But this will be more engaging. We’ll have music and food, while encouraging people to make positive health changes in their lives.”

Florida Hospital is the event’s title sponsor. The Florida Hospital Winter Garden campus is expected to open in 2015 next to Winter Garden Village at Fowler Groves.

For more festival information, contact Yapor at (407) 909-8000 or [email protected].

Craft Beer Festival

Many Windermere area residents have been thirsting for this type of event, organizers said. The Craft Beer Festival will be based in Town Square, in front of Town Hall. Organizers are looking to have at least six vendors of bar/tavern-style food, distributors who will provide about 40-50 craft beers to sample, and a craft beer truck where visitors will be able to buy pints.

DBC Chairman and Windermere Realtor Chris Sapp, and John Thurman, who chairs the DBC’s Craft Beer Festival Subcommittee and owns John Ashley Interiors, in Windermere, are spearheading the organization of this festival.

“It’s something John and myself have talked about for a couple of years,” Sapp said. “I myself am really into craft beer. And the people in town say it’s something they would like and enjoy.”

Thurman said that about two years ago, the Town of Windermere began allowing open containers of alcohol at permitted, downtown events, such as the hugely popular Family Food Truck Night, held on the fourth Friday of the month.

“Our Food Truck Night is one of the largest in Central Florida,” Thurman said, adding that upwards of 3,000 people attend this event.

And he and Sapp anticipate a similar, or even greater, turnout at the Craft Beer Fest.

Festival tickets will cost $25 in advance and $30 at the gate. The event also will offer 200 VIP tickets, each of which will cost $60 and include goodie bags containing souvenir glasses and other items. Proceeds will help pay for improving Windermere.

To learn more, visit facebook.com/WindermereCraftBeerFest, or call Sapp at (407) 876-3688, or Thurman, at (407) 403-4490.