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ORLANDO NOW
Plastics & Other Impressive Events By: Gary C. Sain President and CEO, Visit Orlando Read more at: StyleToMe.com
Photo by Dina Litovsky - Snap! Orlando
> As I write this, NPE2012 — the global plastics industry tradeshow — is in its final day at the Orange County Convention Center.The massive show used both buildings at the convention center, and was attended by more than 55,000 participants. And it was the first time this group met outside of Chicago since 1971. Why am I mentioning this? Because everyone was truly impressed with Orlando — attendees, exhibitors and those charged with making the tradeshow happen. We live in an amazing region, and I’m constantly surprised with the amount of things there are to do on any given day of the week. Especially when it comes to special events. With summer almost here, there are several upcoming opportunities that provide a
Gary Sain
STYLETOME.COM
sampling of the world-class entertainment and culture Orlando has to offer throughout the year. A truly unique option for fans of photography and digital imagery is happening during Snap! Orlando (May 10-13). This four-day event showcases local, national and international talent at multiple venues throughout downtown Orlando. It includes cool exhibits, receptions and educational seminars, as well as student and community competitions. Don’t miss the “Urban Wild” exhibit, which will feature works from global talents including Moby (Los Angeles), Miru Kim (New York), Filip Dujardin (Belgium), Gregg Segal (Los Angeles), Yatin (Orlando) and Sandee Pawan (France). Go to snaporlando. com for more information. Perhaps theater is more your style. Well, you won’t find more colorful performances than during the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival (May 16-28). The oldest, non-juried festival in the United States, this 13-day stand of theater, art and music encompasses hundreds of shows taking place in Loch Haven Park. There’s something here for just about any sensibility, and while some of the performances can be a bit wild, there is plenty of family friendly content courtesy of “The Kids Fringe.” Just pick out a few shows and go; you’ll be glad you did. Again,
this is another festival that we should all be proud to have in Orlando. For performance schedules and ticket information, visit orlandofringe.org. But maybe you’re more into pop culture. That is, iconic movies, music and entertainment that we all connect with. There’s nothing more representative of mass appeal than Star Wars™ Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios® (May 18-June 10). Each Friday, Saturday and Sunday, there are special shows, panel discussions and plenty of favorite characters. This year marks the return of Star Tours — The Adventure Continues, now in 3-D. Of course, don’t forget about the celebrity autograph sessions where guests can have a memento signed by their favorite Stars Wars star. Check it out at disneyworld.disney.go.com. And for an experience of the culinary kind, consider checking out the second annual Science of Wine event being held at the Orlando Science Center (May 19). This tasting with an educational twist features more than 100 different wines from around the world. Come out and sample unique wines, and then learn about how to pair them with the appropriate dishes. Go to osc.org to find out more.<