SEBRING, Fla. (Sept. 5, 2018) – Rev your engines or shift to a slower gear this fall in Sebring with events suited for every Florida vacation pace.  Located just 60 miles south of Disney World, Sebring offers a myriad of unique family-friendly offerings.  With live concerts and performances; auto racing; beer, art, food and historical festivals; cycling, airplanes and vintage cars, Sebring, and the nearby cities of Avon Park and Lake Placid, is Florida’s off-the-beaten-path, affordable destination you won’t want to miss this fall.

Literacy Day & Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 8)

Celebrate Literacy Day and Hispanic Heritage Month at Highlands Hammock State Park at this family friendly event, which will feature a bilingual story hour in the Civilian Conservation Corps Museum followed by a short hike and nature activity immediately following the story hour. www.FloridaStateParks.org/park/Highlands-Hammock

ChampCar “Sebring 14” (Sept. 22)

A wild 14-hour race for street cars. It’s “run what you brung” with a twist – cars of just about every make and model (including vans and station wagons!) raced by amateur drivers on the famous 3.74-mile Sebring road course. https://www.ChampCar.org

Drag Racing at Sebring International Raceway(Sept. 27, Oct. 11 & 25, Nov. 15 & Dec. 6)

After the summer break, drag racing on selected Thursday nights resumes September 27. Other dates for the remainder of the year are: Oct. 11, Oct. 25, Nov. 15 and Dec. 6. Great fun for the entire family with a wide variety of street cars, motorcycles and other vehicles running on the famed Sebring concrete 1/8thmile drag strip. Gates open at 5 pm and racing starts at 6 pm. Admission only $5, and just $20 to compete all night! www.SebringRaceway.com

Battle at the Bridge (Sept. 29)

The inaugural Battle at the Bridge presented by Safety-Kleenwill take place at Sebring International Raceway. The special event will feature three classes of racing, drift contest, car show and Power Wheels race for children. Gates open at 1 p.m. Admission at the gate is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. https://www.SebringRaceway.com

Kids Discovery Nature Walks (Select Saturdays starting in October)

A new, one-hour park program introduces children aged 5 and older to habitat, plants, wildlife and more and the skills to explore nature in the park.  Meet at the Music in the Park Stage at 10:00 am for all Saturday Kids Walks and explore the Wild Orange Trail behind the Hammock Inn.  All children must be accompanied by an adult.  Call the Ranger Station at (863) 386-6094 for more information and exact dates. https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Highlands-Hammock

Barktoberfest (Oct. 6)

Two and four-legged attendees will have a great time at this annual pet-adoption event to raise awareness about pet rescue and animal care. All food, supplies and monetary funds collected will benefit local not-profit animal rescue groups. All pets onsite are ready for forever homes. Call (863) 441-0351 for information. https://www.facebook.com/ barktoberfest.lakeplacid

Brew Jam Grand Prix Craft Beer and Music Festival (Oct. 13)

Craft beer and music are the theme of the inaugural Brew Jam Grand Prix.  Sebring International Raceway knows how to party, and this event will combine a wide selection of craft brews and great live music.  Three popular Sarasota-based bands will perform throughout the afternoon and into the evening, and multiple Florida breweries will provide sampling opportunities of their brands.  Unlimited beer and bar-style food will be available in a VIP section.  Tickets are available with three levels of access provided – a designated driver pass, a sampling ticket and a VIP pass.  A watch party for the Petit Le Mans IMSA race from Road Atlanta will be shown on a big screen and everyone will be able to keep up with college football teams on other screens throughout the day. https://www.SebringRaceway.com

10th Annual Mason G Smoak 5K & Family Fun Day(Oct. 20)

Held annually in Lake Placid’s Devane Circle Park, this free family fun day features bounce houses, kids games, face painting and more. https://www.masongsmoakfoundation.org

Fall Agritourism Open House (Oct. 20)

Join several of our agritourism attractions as they host an open house for anyone interested in learning more about the local agriculture industry. www.VisitSebring.com

  • Sugar Sand Distillery: Open 11AM-7PM with tours & tastings every hour on the hour for $7.50/person
  • Henscratch Farms: Open 10AM-5PM with open wine tasting for $1/each
  • La La Land: Open 9AM-2PM with guided tours at 10AM & Noon for $20/person
  • Maxwell Groves: Open 9AM-6PM with wine tasting from 1-4 PM for $10/person (includes glass)

Sebring’s Craft Beer Festival: Another Round on the Circle (Oct. 20)

Don’t miss the annual Sebring Craft Beer Festival: Another Round on the Circle held in historic downtown Sebring in Circle Park. Join us for an evening of sampling 50+ unique flavors of beers, appetizer bites from local restaurants, and live music while mingling around the Circle. General Admission Ticket gives you a special sampling cup, ages 21 and up only, to where you can visit various beer tents and receive a 2 oz sample of over 50+ unique craft beers. Also included is local restaurants showcasing some of their signature foods to sample. VIP tickets also available. This is an annual fundraiser event benefiting the Children’s Museum of the Highlands.  Tickets available September 1st online at www.beerfests.com/events/Sebring

Back Porch Revival: Music in the Park Concert at Highlands Hammock State Park(Oct. 27)

Back Porch Revival will open the 2018-2019 concert series on Oct. 27 from 7-9 PM.  This sweet and sassy old-time string band blends fiddle, guitar, dulcimer, mandolin, banjo, harmonica, cello, percussion and bass.  Lively toe-tapping tunes are a hallmark of their shows.  Back Porch Revival has appeared at the Florida Folk Festival for over 25 years. The band has earned honors from the folk music community for their vocal arrangements and is considered one of Florida’s top folk bands.  The admission for all concerts is $10/adult; children 10 and under are free with adult.  Bring blankets, lawn chairs, and flashlights and enjoy an evening of music under the stars.  The Hammock Inn concession and other food vendors will be open.  Vehicle entry fees are waived after 6 PM on concert nights. https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Highlands-Hammock

Sebring Art, Wine & Jazz Festival (Nov. 3-4)

One of Florida’s longest continuously running art Festivals and the largest and most prestigious in the South Central Florida region kicking off the holiday shopping season in historic Downtown Sebring.  With 80+ original artists and artwork from 10 mediums. $5,000 in cash awards and $2,000 in scholarships.  Live music, performances and strolling street theatre provide non-stop entertainment. Culinary offerings are provided by local restaurants and mobile food vendors. www.SebringArtFest.com.
 

Michelin SportsCar Encore (Nov. 9-11)

The inaugural Michelin SportsCar Encore will feature four classes of race cars – the LMP3 prototype class and the production-based GT3, GT4 and TCR classes featuring cars from major automotive manufacturers.  Every racecar will use Michelin tires, and the weekend will be capped with a Sunday afternoon four-hour race.  The event will include a test day for all participants on Friday, Michelin SportsCar Encore practice sessions and a Mazda MX-5 race on Saturday, and Michelin IMSA Encore practice sessions and the noon start of the four-hour main event.  Plus, don’t miss the live concert Saturday night with performer to be announced soon. Tickets available in advance or at the gate. https://www.SebringRaceway.com

33rd Annual Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Festival (Nov. 10)

Take a step back in time to learn about the Men of the Civilian Conservation Corps and the amazing things they did for the National and State Park’s Service. This is also a time when things like blacksmithing, beekeeping, hide tanning, and antler carving were a way of life, and at this festival you get a chance to see them all demonstrated. Live bluegrass and folk bands, heritage crafts, arts and crafts vendors, CCC worker reenactment, a model railroad display, antique cars, tram rides, food and beverage vendors, pony rides, storytelling, children’s activities.  Call (863) 386-6094 for information or https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Highlands-Hammock

Crazy Chili Pepper Cook Off (Nov. 10)

Teams from throughout central Florida compete for the coveted Best Chili at this crazy and fun event in historic downtown Sebring.  All chili is cooked on site; public samples available.  Chili Dog Eating Contest.  Other food available. www.rotarychili.com.

John Tesh in Concert (Nov. 17)

Six music Emmys, two Grammy nominations, three gold records, a string of #1 radio hits and seven Public Television specials and 8 million records sold, John Tesh creates a delightful musical journey. After more than three decades as an international entertainer and host of the nationally syndicated “Intelligence for Your Life”, Tesh reveals his personal inspiring story in an intimate evening of music and storytelling. sfscarts.org

26th Annual Turkey Trot 5K (Nov. 22)

Don’t miss the traditional Thanksgiving morning walk/run through beautiful Highlands Hammock State Park.  Details at https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Highlands-Hammock

Sebring Classic Pistons and Props (Nov. 30-Dec. 2)

Don’t miss the biggest vintage racing event of the year at Sebring International Raceway and celebrate both Sebring as The Birthplace of American Endurance Racing and also Sebring’s military history as a WWII B-17 combat crew training base known as Hendricks Field. Vintage race cars and airplanes share the stage as legendary cars from Sebring’s past, plus a display of vintage airplanes paying tribute to Sebring’s history as a former WW2 military air base. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the gate. https://www.HSRrace.com

The Hunts in Concert (Nov. 30)

Known for their harmony-laced take on alt-folk, The Hunts are a Chesapeake, Virginia-based band of seven siblings who’ve been playing music together almost their entire lives. Twin sisters Jessi and Jenni and five brothers Josh, Jonathan, Jordan, Justin, and Jamison, now ranging in age from 26 down to 17, learned to sing and play violin as young kids and spent much of their childhood performing in their community. After widening their following and playing at theaters, festivals and universities around the country—and teaching themselves to play instruments like mandolin, piano, ukulele, banjo, and drums—The Hunts started experimenting with songwriting and soon brought to life a batch of songs that reveal their sophisticated sense of melody and undeniably dreamy innocence.sfscarts.org

Highlands Bikefest (Dec. 7-9; Sebring)

Enjoy up to three days are cycling  our low traffic roads, friendly motorists, citrus groves, cattle ranches, and small towns typical of rural Central Florida.  Fun for the entire family. highlandsbikefest.com