Mount Dora is packing a lot into the final weekend of September.

Viva La Frida brings art, music and dancing to Donnelly Park, Great Scott Farms kicks off its fall festival and corn maze season, and the Jim Colbert Show returns for its annual celebrity dog wash. Add drag bingo, supernatural theater, a live horror production, waterfront music and a busy weekend at our local restaurants and pubs, and there's plenty happening around town.

Here's your guide to September 25–27.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

Apéro in Paris at Mount Dora Bistro

4–5 PM | Mount Dora Bistro, 142 W. 4th Ave.

Begin the weekend with a French tradition. Apéro in Paris features an open bar with cocktails, Bistro wines and French beer, accompanied by canapés, hors d'oeuvres and live saxophone from Lucas. The experience returns Saturday afternoon. Reservations and details 

Lake Young Professionals at The Yardery

6–9 PM | The Yardery, 231 N. Baker St. | Free

Lake Young Professionals takes over The Yardery's second floor for a networking evening overlooking Lake Dora. Meet professionals from across Lake County, enjoy an extended happy-hour menu and head downstairs for cornhole, yard games and drinks in the expansive backyard.

The event is open to members and nonmembers. Event details 

Sip, Snack & Mosaic Workshop at Nature's Bloom

6–8 PM | Nature's Bloom Garden Boutique, 4385 County Road 19A | $65

Get creative in the garden with a guided mosaic workshop. Design your own flowerpot, plant a succulent and enjoy tacos and tequila while learning mosaic techniques. Space is limited. Workshop details .

Circus of Scream

7:30 PM | Mount Dora Music Hall, 520 N. Baker St. | $36.22

A live horror production brings chilling characters, suspense, theatrical effects and unexpected twists to Mount Dora Music Hall. Expect loud sounds, strobe lighting, extended darkness and an intense experience intended for older audiences. Children under 13 are not permitted. Tickets and details .

Blithe Spirit at the IceHouse Theatre

8 PM | Sonnentag Theatre at the IceHouse, 1100 N. Unser St.

Noël Coward's supernatural comedy continues its run in Mount Dora. When a séance accidentally summons the ghost of novelist Charles Condomine's first wife, his current marriage takes an increasingly chaotic turn.

Performances continue Saturday and Sunday at 2 PM. Tickets and information .

Games Galore: Drag Bingo & Cabaret at Mount Dora Bistro

Dinner and cabaret from 6:30 PM | Show at 9 PM | Mount Dora Bistro

Survey says it's time for drag bingo!

Bridgette Galore and her twin sister Gidget host Games Galore, a combination of drag bingo, classic television game shows, audience participation and performances from the Bistro's Les Girls.

Bingo winners have a chance to become contestants competing for the title of Queen of Games Galore. Guests can enjoy dinner and the show or arrive later for cocktails and cabaret. Reservations are recommended. Show details .

Friday Live Music Around Town

Eden Abbey Brewing Community — Live music, 7–10 PM. No cover.

Pisces Rising — Waterfront live music, 7–10 PM, weather permitting.

The Yardery — Friday night live music in the outdoor yard.

Tremain's Tavern at Lakeside Inn — Live piano, 6–9 PM.

Whiskey Kitchen — Live music in The Backyard; check the venue for this weekend's performer and time.

Sep 25, 2026

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

Great Scott Farms Fall Festival & Corn Maze — Opening Weekend

10 AM–5 PM | Great Scott Farms, 26216 County Road 448A | $16 online, $20 at the gate

Fall festival season officially begins at Great Scott Farms.

Explore the seven-acre corn maze, visit the pumpkin patch, take a tractor-driven farm tour and enjoy the jumping pillow, 60-foot super slide, castle playground and other family attractions.

The farm market and café are also open, offering fresh produce, seasonal favorites, food and drinks. The festival continues Saturdays and Sundays through November 15. Last admission is at 4 PM. Tickets and details .

4th Annual Mount Dora Viva La Frida Festival

11 AM–7 PM | Donnelly Park | Free admission

Downtown Mount Dora gets a colorful transformation Saturday as the Mount Dora Center for the Arts hosts its fourth annual Viva La Frida Festival.

Inspired by the creativity of artist Frida Kahlo, the festival fills Donnelly Park with art vendors, food, Latin music, dancing and a free children's art zone.

Come dressed as Frida for the look-alike contest at 2 PM, then stick around for afternoon music and dancing. The entertainment schedule includes folklórico performances, Latin jazz and salsa.

Proceeds support local art education and public art initiatives. Festival details .

Blithe Spirit at the IceHouse Theatre

2 PM | Sonnentag Theatre at the IceHouse

Missed Friday's performance? The IceHouse Theatre presents another afternoon of Noël Coward's supernatural comedy about a novelist, his current wife and the ghost of his first wife, who has no intention of disappearing quietly. Theatre information .

4th Annual Suds, Pups & Pints

3–6 PM | Sunset Park | Free admission

The Jim Colbert Show returns to downtown Mount Dora for its fourth annual celebrity dog wash benefiting the Humane Society of Lake County.

Bring your dog for live entertainment, family activities, dog-training tips and auctions to determine which member of the show washes your pup.

Jim Colbert will also climb into a dunk tank, giving attendees an opportunity to send him into the water for a donation. College football will be shown on a 40-foot screen, and a silent auction adds another way to support the cause. Event details .

 

Saturday Night at Mount Dora Bistro

Apéro 4–5 PM | Dinner from 5:30 PM | Club Privé later in the evening

Saturday begins with another Apéro in Paris open bar hour, featuring cocktails, wines, beer, canapés and live saxophone.

Later, the Bistro transitions into its Private Chef Dinner, a multi-course dining experience with tableside preparations and wine service, before Club Privé takes over with nightclub anthems, cocktails and dancing in a speakeasy-inspired atmosphere.

Guests can make an entire evening of it or arrive later for cocktails and nightlife. Reservations and details .

Saturday Live Music Around Town

Eden Abbey Brewing Community — Live music, 7–10 PM. No cover.

Pisces Rising — Waterfront live music, 7–10 PM, weather permitting.

The Yardery — Saturday night live music in the outdoor yard.

Tremain's Tavern at Lakeside Inn — Live piano, 6–9 PM.

Whiskey Kitchen — Saturday night live music in The Backyard; check the venue for the performer and time.

Magical Meat Boutique — Live band, 7–10 PM, plus the pub's Friday and Saturday $32 prime rib special.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

Mount Dora Village Market

9 AM–2 PM | Sunset Park | Free admission

Start Sunday downtown at the weekly Mount Dora Village Market. Browse fresh produce, artisan foods, flowers, handmade crafts and other goods from local vendors.

 

Great Scott Farms Fall Festival & Corn Maze

10 AM–5 PM | Great Scott Farms | $16 online, $20 at the gate

Opening weekend continues Sunday with the corn maze, pumpkin patch, farm tours, jumping pillow, super slide and other fall attractions.

It's another opportunity to enjoy the beginning of the fall season at one of Mount Dora's longstanding family farms. Tickets and details .

Harvest Jubilee at Lil' Bit of Life

10 AM–2 PM | 2920 Robie Ave. | Reservations recommended

Lil' Bit of Life welcomes families for its Harvest Jubilee, where the farm's animals will be dressed in their fall best.

Meet the animals, enjoy autumn decorations, take seasonal photos and spend a morning on the farm. Essential Therapies Med Spa is sponsoring the celebration. Event registration .

Sunday Brunch & Live Music at Eden Abbey

Brunch noon–4 PM | Live music 12:30–2:30 PM and 5–7:30 PM

Eden Abbey Brewing Community offers Sunday brunch, including its popular chicken-and-waffle sandwich, followed by two live music sessions in the taproom. No cover. Event calendar .

 

Blithe Spirit at the IceHouse Theatre

2 PM | Sonnentag Theatre at the IceHouse

The weekend closes with another matinee performance of Noël Coward's supernatural comedy. The production continues its run through October 4. Theatre information .

Rock & Roll and the Vietnam War

2–3 PM | W.T. Bland Public Library, 1995 N. Donnelly St. | Free

Dr. J. Michael Butler, Kenan Distinguished Professor of History at Flagler College, explores how rock and roll became both a soundtrack to and a participant in the Vietnam War.

Through music, the presentation examines patriotism, protest, military service and the cultural divisions of the era. No registration is required. Program details .
 

Sunday Live Music Around Town

Pisces Rising — Waterfront live music, noon–3 PM, weather permitting.

Eden Abbey Brewing Community — Live music during brunch, 12:30–2:30 PM, followed by another session from 5–7:30 PM. No cover.

Pisces Rising

Whether you're coming for Viva La Frida, getting lost in a corn maze, bringing your dog downtown, catching a show or settling in for waterfront live music, there's plenty to build a weekend around in Mount Dora.