Things To Do In SW Florida

Walt Disney World has announced the first batch of singers who are slated to appear in Garden Rocks, the concert series that’s part of the upcoming Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival.

Seven acts, each appearing for two days at the park’s America Gardens Theatre, have been announced so far for the 2025 event, which is scheduled to run from March 5 through June 2.

Performers, subject to change, scheduled for March include:

• March 7-8: Tommy DeCarlo (former lead singer of Boston).

• March 9-10: Air Supply — 50th Anniversary Celebration.

• March 14-15: Blue October.

• March 16-17: Rick Springfield.

• March 21-22: Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone.

• March 23-24: 38 Special.

• March 28-29: Jason Scheff, longtime Chicago singer/bassist.

The concerts are included with regular Epcot admission. Menus for the festival’s outdoor kitchens and the topiary lineups have not yet been announced.

The 2025 event will mark the milestone 30th Flower & Garden festival.  The park is currently in the midst of the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays, which ends Dec. 30. The Epcot International Festival of the Arts — including its Disney on Broadway concert series — is scheduled for Jan. 17-Feb. 24. Dates for next year’s Epcot International Food & Wine Festival have not yet been announced. read more

By KELVIN CHAN

TikTok has challenged a Canadian government order to shut down the Chinese video-sharing app’s business operations in the country that was imposed over national security concerns.

Three Central Florida restaurants shut down the week of Dec. 1-7, according to data from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

Orange

Pho Huong Lan at 1216 E. Colonial Drive Suite #7 in Orlando shut down on Dec. 3. Inspectors found nine violations, four of which were high priorities. Those violations included rodent activity, nonfood-grade bags directly contacting food and not following proper procedures for time-marking food. A second inspection occurred on Dec. 4. Inspectors found five violations, two of which were high priorities. The restaurant corrected those priorities and met inspection standards.

Volusia

China One at 601 Bellevue Ave. in Daytona Beach shut down Dec. 2. Inspectors found 15 violations, four of which were high priorities. Those violations included nonfood-grade bags touching food, rodent activity and raw food stored over canned drinks. A second inspection took place Dec. 3. Authorities found three violations. One was a high priority that received a time extension. The restaurant met inspection standards. read more

TALLAHASSEE — Visit Florida President and CEO Dana Young, who oversaw tourism-marketing efforts as House leaders pushed for the agency’s closure and helped guide a tourism rebound after COVID-19 slammed the industry, announced Tuesday she will step down from the post.

Young, a former lawmaker who has spent nearly six years at Visit Florida, will exit when a new leader is in place.

“I am very proud of the work we have done (and will continue to do) at Visit Florida, maximizing return on investment for Florida taxpayers,” Young said in a prepared statement. “This has truly been the best job I have ever had, and I will miss my amazing team!”

A Visit Florida news release did not indicate her future plans.

Young, an attorney, represented parts of Hillsborough County in the House from 2010 to 2016 and in the Senate from 2016 to 2018. After a narrow defeat in a re-election bid, Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed her to run Visit Florida days before his first-term inauguration.

Visit Florida Board of Directors Chairman John Lai, president of the Sanibel and Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce, issued a statement Tuesday that praised Young for “guiding us through challenging times with unwavering determination and leading the way to record-breaking visitation.” read more

Universal Orlando Resort has unveiled the design for a potential specialty license plate in Florida that would feature its signature Universal globe and benefit the nonprofit agency Give Kids the World.

The plate would feature the globe structure, seen in real life near the entrance to Universal Studios theme park, on a blackened, starry background, with “Florida” printed across the top in gold, “Universal Orlando Resort” in white at the bottom and with white letters and numbers.

The plate is now available for presale purchase. Drivers of Florida-registered vehicles can purchase vouchers online or at tax collector and tag agency offices across the state.  The cost for the vouchers is $33, which does not include the regular annual plate fees. Production of the plates would not begin until 3,000 pre-sale vouchers are purchased.

“We are so excited to build on our longstanding, treasured partnership with Give Kids the World in support of its incredible mission in this new and unique way,” said Karen Irwin, president and chief operating officer of Universal Orlando, in a news release. read more