Florida Culture for the Week of September 15 By Josh Garrick

Two Weeks Left – Truly Magical Dining Month

Foodie Alert! -- September is Orlando’s Magical DINING Month, and you do NOT want to miss the opportunity to visit more than 75 restaurants serving up big savings this month. Many of our finest restaurants are serving 3-course dinners for $33. My personal favorite so far – Eddie V’s on Sand Lake Road. So wonderful I went back twice. A full list of restaurants and menus is available at OrlandoMagicalDining.com.

Sept 17 to 21 – Cirque du Soleil presents Varekai

From a group of 20 street performers in 1984, Cirque du Soleil has grown into a multi-national company with 4,000 employees, including 1,300 performing artists from 50 different countries. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Cirque brings Varekai to the Amway Center from September 17 to 21. Varekai picks up where the Icarus legend leaves off.  Parachuted (as only Cirque can) into a magical forest, a young man learns to ‘take flight’ again. Visit cirquedusoleil.com. For tickets, visit amwaycenter.com, Ticketmaster.com, or charge-by-phone at 800.745.3000.

Sept 17 to Jan 4 – Fractured Narratives at Rollins’ Cornell Fine Art Museum

There are Artists who take on social or political content while avoiding didactic expression by allowing each viewer’s critical eye to become the final ingredient. Fractured Narratives considers this approach in the new exhibit at the Cornell Museum at Rollins College. Entrance is Free. Call 407.646.2526 or visit rollins.edu/cfam

Sept 18 to Oct 11 - Donna Dowless presents Dresses: Objects of Art

An Opening Reception will be held for Dresses: Objects of Art, an exhibit produced by artist Donna Dowless, featuring painting, sculpture, and mixed-media works. Dresses will open September 18th at 6 pm with the public invited to the Gallery at Avalon Island. Visit galleryatavalonisland.com or call 407.257.2415

Sept 19 to Nov 10 – Taste Your Way Around the World at Epcot

Take your family (and your taste-buds) on an adventure of food and wines at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival from September 19 to November 10.  Each fall, Disney’s Epcot offers the flavors of 30 global marketplaces along with cooking demos, tastings, wine-pairings, and decadent desserts. Meet and talk with celebrity chefs as you sample, sip and learn. Then – each evening, visitors end their day with a live performance by chart topping bands – ranging from the Pointer Sisters to Smash Mouth. Visit disneyworld.disney.go.com

Sept 19 – Curator Noel Smith Speaks at Art & History Museums – Maitland

Inspired by the exhibition Lengua Materna at A&H’s Maitland Art Center, Noel Smith will examine the visions of Hispanic artists in today’s art world at noon on September 19. Ms. Smith is Curator of Latin American and Caribbean Art and Curator of Education for the Institute for Research in Art: Contemporary Art Museum and Graphicstudio at the University of South Florida. Lengua Materna, Maitland Art Center’s current exhibit, features work created by Artists of Hispanic descent. Visit artandhistory.org/lengua-materna or call 407.539.2181

Sept 20 – OPENING NIGHT 2014 for the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra

In a season in which the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra’s search for a new Music Director has chosen five finalists, the Orchestra offers one more brilliantly strategic move as each of the finalists conducts a classical program during the season. Opening Night will be conducted by Mexican-born Alondra de la Parra. The Paris Symphony captures the genius of a 22-year-old Mozart and speaks to the young Mahler’s First Symphony, in which he discovers his musical voice. Beginning at 8:30 pm on September 20 at the Bob Carr PAC, visit orlandophil.org

Sept 20 -- Headdress Ball XXV! A Benefit for the Hope and Help Center

Headdress Ball is proud to be Orlando’s “most outrageous black tie event” – an evening of ‘lively’ entertainment, food, drinks and visual masterpieces. This is the 25th annual Headdress with the event having evolved into a no-holds-barred Vegas production to help the Hope and Help Center of Central Florida, which saves lives by treating and preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS. 90 cents of every dollar goes directly to client services at Hope and Help. For tickets, call 407.645.2577 or visit headdressball.org

Sept 20 to Jan 4 – Bats: Myths and Mysteries at the Science Center

At Bats: Myths and Mysteries, the new exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, visitors will see 30 of the flying ‘creatures of the night’ (safely enclosed) including African fruit bats, Asian fruit bats, leaf nosed bats, and a local variety called ‘the big brown bat’ – for real. Guests may try a pair of giant bat ears to experience the sensitivity of bat hearing, and search for replica bats concealed in a variety of habitats. Visit osc.org

Sept 20 at 1 pm – Orlando Museum of Art Film Series

The Orlando Museum of Art’s Film Series presents a “romp through the art scene of the ‘60’s.”. Centered on the outrageous life of Henry Geldzahler, the Metropolitan Museum curator who championed the careers of Andy Warhol and his contemporaries, Who Gets to Call it Art is a fascinating look at mid-20th Century American art. 2005 / 80 min. Producer / Director: Peter Rosen Admission is Free. Call 407-896-4231 x262

Sept 21 – Seminole Harley Owners Bike Run for the Zoo

Beginning at the Winter Springs VFW and ending at the Central Florida Zoo, the Seminole Harley Owners will hold a bike run to support the Zoo’s American Bald Eagle Aerie on September 21. The Seminole Harley Owners have maintained the Aerie for the public since July 4, 1992 and were given the honor of naming the first eagles – Harley and Davidson – who were rescued at the Zoo. SCHOG has maintained the eagles through generations, earning them the distinction of being the longest running sponsor of the Zoo. All proceeds go directly to the care and feeding of these majestic symbols of freedom. Call 386-837-1157 or 386-847-4075.

Sept 25 – Hispanic Heritage Month Kick-off at City Hall

We are all invited to join Mayor Buddy Dyer and Commissioner Tony Ortiz at the City of Orlando’s 8th Annual Hispanic Heritage Month Kickoff. The free event celebrates Florida’s rich Hispanic heritage and will feature an art exhibit of Latin American artists. The Kickoff will be held in the City Hall Rotunda beginning at 5 pm and will include a City proclamation, live entertainment and a ribbon cutting ceremony. Call 407.254.4652 or email hola[at]cityoforlando.net

Sept 25 10 am to 2 pm – Art for Generations at the Mayflower

In celebration of Active Aging Week, the Mayflower Retirement Community in Winter Park will host a juried art show featuring creative works by older adults. The Art for Generations event is free and open to the public. Artists at least 55 years of age have submitted original entries in Painting, 3-D, mixed media, and Photography.  Set for September 25 from 10 am to 2 pm, visit the Mayflower Retirement Community at 1620 Mayflower Court. Visit themayflower.com/artshow

NOW – When Kids Have No Food, We Have No Choice

Today, we share the awful statistic that 187,940 children struggle with hunger in our community - an 8.9% increase over last year. In response to the growing need, the Winter Park community is renewing its effort to end hunger through Feed the Need – an unprecedented community effort to raise funds for Second Harvest Food Bank. The Time is Now. Please help by making a donation, starting a food drive, hosting an event, or providing a raffle prize. Ready to sign up? Email Ashley Ringler at aringler[at]winterpark.org. Community Champions who sign up by October 4 will be recognized at the kick-off on October 31 at City Hall. For Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, call 407-295-1066

Josh Garrick is the Florida Arts Editor for Wandering Educators