Lake Eola’s Fiesta
Fiesta in the Park requires a lot of work, but it’s worth it
in the Park gives artists and specialty vendors more exposure in the public’s eye.
What started out as a side job while running a camera business in New York has become a full-time gig selling honey in Winter Park for Scott Shurman.
As Winter Park Honey has grown, Shurman, its operations chief, said it has become more crucial to attend events like Fiesta in the Park at Lake Eola.
“It was just a job, really,” said Shurman, as he manned a booth at the festival Saturday. “But we kept growing, so there were more festivals to go to.”
Shurman was one of hundreds of vendors on the streets surrounding the the lake Saturday for the Spring Fiesta in the Park, which has been going on 29 years. The fall edition of the event will mark its 42nd year in November.
The show will continue today.
The life of a festival exhibitor is “not easy,” Shurman said. Setting up for a show can mean hours hauling equipment, looking for your assigned lot and paying booth fees.
“But it’s rewarding,” he added.
John Raya has attended the Lake Eola festival since its first year.
The 68-year-old from Winter Garden says sales of his clay figurines usually go well at the event.
He said the grind of setting up for a show can be burdensome. “But you get used to it,” said Raya, sitting among dozens of fragile sculptures of flamingos, manatees and turtles.
When Raya first appeared at the show, it was held right along the perimeter of Lake Eola. It has moved to the streets surrounding the lake since then.
“I have a lot of collectors