Editor’s note
To help pass the time while we stay at home, we are publishing extra puzzles and crosswords inside today. Due to coronavirus concerns, events may be rescheduled or canceled. Please check before heading out.
Events
‘Down the Rabbit Hole’:
Take a trip with Alice of Wonderland fame in this latest immersive experience from Creative City Project. Guests meet a character from Lewis Carroll’s bestknown book and embark on a walking tour through Mead Botanical Garden, past scenes from the story, with its famous characters of the Mad Hatter, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum and the Queen of Hearts. The outdoor adventure is designed to ensure social distancing and safety amid the pandemic. Visitors age 5 and older are required to wear masks. To ensure safety of guests, timed entry is from 5:30-8:30 p.m. in limited groups of 10-15. WednesdaySunday through March 14, Mead Botanical Garden, 1300 S. Denning Drive, Winter Park, $22-$25, creativecityproject.com.
Virtual Family Day:
Celebrate the love of art and enjoy quality fun at home inspired by Black History Month and American Heart Month. View family-friendly videos of art activities, music, storytellers, and dancers. Videos available Feb. 20-28. Create art projects with simple materials at home or with a free art kit, available for pickup on a first-come, first-served basis until they run out. Free, but reservations are required. Orlando Museum of Art, 2416 N. Mills Ave., Orlando, 407-896-4231.
Maitland Symphony Orchestra concert:
The event begins at 6 p.m. with the Baroque Chamber Orchestra. Maitland Symphony Orchestra at 7 and the Daniel Heitz Band at 8. Stroll craft vendors along Independence Lane. Relax in the newly opened Independence Square next to City Hall. Bring chairs for the music performance. Feb. 19, Independence Lane in downtown Maitland, free, PAMatter.org.
Conway Community Market and Community Cleanup: To demonstrate kindness and love, volunteers will clean up trash along Conway Road beginning at 9 a.m. Bags, gloves, vests and “grabbers” provided. The market features local vendors offering personalized gifts, books, art, healing soaps, oils, lotions, plants, organic honey and a variety of foods and treats. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Feb. 20, Conway Methodist Church, 3401 Conway Road, Orlando, free, 407-719-7829.
Central Florida Sounds of Freedom Band and Color Guard concert: The third annual benefit concert will benefit the Orlando Youth Alliance. The concert will be an open-air event. There will be socially distanced open air seating, as well as masks, hand sanitizer and several other safety protocols set in place. All audience members will be expected to comply with safety protocols. All proceeds collected from this event will be donated to The Orlando Youth Alliance. March 13, Walt Disney Amphitheater at Lake Eola, 99 N. Rosalind Ave., Orlando, free, donations accepted, cfsof.com.
Orange County Retired Educators Association:
The program will be “Mosaic of Cultures - Culture of African Women” presented by Fairolyn Livingston, Chief Historian at Hannibal Square Heritage Center. Anyone who has worked in education is invited. 10:30 a.m. March 4. To receive an invitation to this digital Zoom meeting, email ocrea2018@gmail.com or call 407-843-6909.
PASOS (Parents and Spouses of Suicide) Grief Support Group: A program of the nonprofit First Nature Foundation, offers a virtual Zoom meeting twice monthly (for safety during the pandemic), the first and third Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. The group is facilitated and supported by a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with grief counseling experience. If you are interested in participating as a parent or spouse of suicide, email kerul@ firstnaturefoundation.org. There is no charge to join. Donations are not required but are welcome.
2021 Virtual Garden Festival - Zoom Virtual Presentation: Join the UF/IFAS Orange County Extension Agents and Master Gardener Volunteers for a daylong learning event. The day includes nine informational and interactive half hour long presentations covering many topics including landscape design, growing mushrooms, and creating a butterfly puddler. Advanced registration required. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. March 27, $20. Material lists and other information sheets will be sent prior to the event. To register, go to ocextension.eventbrite.com.
Virtual History Group:
Presented by The University Club of Winter Park. John Stewart will portray President Thomas Jefferson in clothing, language and ideas during his presentation “Thomas Jefferson and the French Revolution.” To attend this virtual event send an email with your full name to info@uclubwp.org expressing your interest, and a link will be provided. 10 a.m. Feb. 15, free.
Philosophy Group:
The group meets to discuss various topics. Bring topics and questions. 2 p.m. Feb. 16, University Club of Winter Park. To attend this event, email your full name to info@ uclubwp.org expressing your interest. Free.
Virtual Classical Music Group:
Featuring Sergei Kossenko, solo pianist. Presented by The University Club of Winter Park. To attend this virtual event send an email with your full name to info@uclubwp.org expressing your interest, and a link will be provided. 1 p.m. Feb. 17. Free.
Virtual Classics Book Club:
Presented by The University Club of Winter Park. The book discussion will be “Ethan Frome” by Edith Wharton. To attend this virtual event send an email with your full name to info@ uclubwp.org expressing your interest, and a link will be provided. 10 a.m. Feb. 18. Free.
African American Read-In:
Celebrate African American literature in poetry, story, and performance through virtual format in conjunction with the 2021 Annual National African American Read-In. Keynote presentations will be given by Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden and bestselling author Beverly Jenkins. 2 p.m. Feb. 28. For more information, visit ocls.info/readin or call 407-835-7323.
A Healthy Table - Virtual Cooking School: Join the University of Florida IFAS Extension monthly for a series of interactive cooking experiences. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 23, March 23, April 27, May 25, June 22. $25. Register at bit.ly/ahealthytable or call 407-254-9218.
Free mobile clinic offers checkups for uninsured children:
Register for free checkups for uninsured children ages 17 and younger, where family income is less than or equal to 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. Nemours Children’s Health System is scheduled to visit one of these community centers for appointments 9 a.m.-1 p.m. each Saturday through mid-March - Hope Community Center in Apopka, Community Hope Center in Kissimmee, Orange County Community Centers and the Florida Department of Health in Sanford. To learn more and to register for an appointment, call 407-6507715.
Organic Methods in the Home Vegetable Garden — Zoom Virtual Presentation:
Orange County Residential Horticulture Agent Ed Thralls will show how growing your own food naturally or organically requires no special tools or special tonics to be successful. Learn about organic gardening including soil building techniques, disease and insect control, use of organic material to improve sandy Florida soil, organic fertilizers, fungicides, insecticides and more. Once you register at ocextension. eventbrite.com, you will receive hyperlinks to “Organic Gardening Topics at UF” via e-mail. 6-7 p.m. Feb. 18, free.
Orange Audubon Society: University of Delaware entomology professor and best-selling author Doug Tallamy will present “Creating a Homegrown National Park.” 7 p.m. Feb. 18. Call 407-6372525 for link or search on YouTube for Orange Audubon Society.
Basics of Square Foot Gardening — Zoom Virtual Presentation:
Orange County Residential Horticulture Agent Ed Thralls will show how to grow more fresh vegetables, herbs and flowers in less space than you thought possible. Once you register at ocextension. eventbrite.com, you will receive instructions on how to view the program and you will receive “Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide” and “Gardening in Raised Beds” publications via e-mail. 9-10 a.m. Feb. 20, free.
Mosquito Management in the Home Landscape; Zika and Bromeliads — Zoom Virtual Presentation:
Orange County Residential Horticulture Agent Ed Thralls will show how to reduce the mosquito population in the home landscape. A discussion of Zika will be included. Once you register at ocextension.eventbrite.com, you will receive hyperlinks to “Mosquitoes Topics at UF” via e-mail. 2-3 p.m. Feb. 23, free.
Learn about Dementia and Memory Care Communities webinar:
Presented by Paul and Lyn Henderson, Certified Senior Housing Professionals. Reservations required. 9:30-11 a.m. Feb. 24, 407-476-1808.