Mayfaire Art Festival

Mayfaire Art Festival is one of my favorite events.  Set for Mother's Day weekend each year, this festival includes different events for everyone.  There is the Art Festival on Saturday and Sunday, a run on Saturday, block party on Saturday night (with fireworks), and food truck event.  Set around beautiful Lake Morton, the fair is a staple for the community.  Put on by the Polk Museum of Art and various local businesses, and the majority of the events are free to enjoy, so it is worth the crowds.

I personally enjoy the art.  There is something for everyone here. Artists from all over the country are displaying their pieces.  From paintings and drawings, to ceramics, and even metal work, can be found while enjoying a leisurely stroll around the lake.  Lake Morton is also known as the "Swan Lake" as there are many different breeds of swans and ducks in the Lake enjoying the spring weather.


My husband enjoys the food.  There are tons of food trucks located through out art festival and the Saturday night block party.  The food is rather expensive if you buy it at the truck, but there are plenty of wonderful restaurants within walking distance.  Or, to save some cash, there are plenty of places to drop a blanket and enjoy a picnic.

The kids get extremely excited about the kids tent located in the Lakeland Library's parking lot.  The tent offers kids the opportunity to make their own art for free.  There are plenty of volunteers to help parents and kids turn household objects in to something fun.  This year they made paper plate swans and coffee filter sun hats.  There is a bounce house area set up directly behind the kids tent, but it is rather pricey, so we skipped it.

They also enjoy the free block party.  There is live music, dancing on the lawn at nearby Lake Mirror, and fireworks.  Bring a blanket or some lawn chairs and set up a spot for your family.  There is a park here, so the little ones can expel some energy before the main event.  If you would like a cold drink, either bring your own, or headed over to the Garden Bistro (you will save yourself $3 per drink).  *There is alcohol sold and consumed at the Block Party.

The 5K takes place before the Block Party kicks off, and awards are handed out before the fireworks to runners.  There is a fee for participating in the 5K, and if you are interested, please visit their website at; http://lakelandrunnersclub.org/races/mayfaire/ 

This year's Mayfaire was amazing and we already can not wait for next year!  For more information on Mayfaire check out this website; http://polkmuseumofart.org/events/mayfaire-by-the-lake/  It is regularly updated, and includes information on past and future Mayfaires.  We hope to see you there in 2014!

Lake Mary Heathrow Festival of the Arts

I was not impressed at all. This was an extremely small festival and not very well put together. I was disappointed with the parking situation and the fact that you had to pay $5 to park, then walk across the street dodging cars. Yes, they did have officers directing traffic, but the cars did not pay any attention to them, and I saw a Seminole Deputy almost get ran over twice.


The art was arranged in a maze, and vendors were thrown in next to art. When I come to an Art Show, I don't want to be harressed to purchase a subscribition to the NY Times or the evaulate my cable needs.

The kids things were thrown into the back like an afterthought, and it was very difficult to find, and it turned out to be a few bouncy houses and nothing else.

The car show was crap. I have seen much larger shows in a Taco Bell parking lot on a Friday night.

On the plus side, I did see several good new local artists, and several that I have seen and enjoy seeing at other festivals each year.

Next year, I will be headed to Halifax to see what Volusia County has to offer. Also, for any art lovers, the Deland Festival is coming again next week.