The 12th Annual Doggie Door Pet Costume Contest will be taking place Sunday October 30th, 2011 from 10:00 AM until 03:00 PM at the Bullfish on Park Avenue.

This fun-filled pet costume contest and Pet Trick or Treat event is hosted and presented each year by The Doggie Door in Winter Park and BullFish An annual event, this pet costume contest attracts thousands, and includes a Pet Trick or Treat along Park Avenue at over 30 participating stores.

There will also be caricature artists and photographer available for a seasonal photo of your pet, dog trainers to help you with doggie training challenges and many great pet-related vendors who offer holistic massage, all natural foods, pet sitting, and day care.

Adoption organizations will also be on hand for those looking to adopt a homeless pet, or to support through volunteer opportunities and donations. Fido is welcome at this event, but please leave your retractable leashes at home. This event will benefit the Sebastian Haul Fund – a fund created to help local greyhound organizations transport retired racing greyhounds to loving homes in other states.

Since 2005, Winter Park Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Council of Leaders, and members have dedicated countless hours to supporting the development of commuter rail in Central Florida. Today, Florida Department of Transportation Secretary, Ananth Prasad, announced that Governor Rick Scott has lent his support for SunRail.

This is a historic decision that will positively impact the Winter Park community for generations. “Winter Park was built on the railway and SunRail will further enhance the quality of our community and the success of our local economy,” explained Patrick W. Chapin, President/CEO for the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce. “The residents, businesses and community leaders have long supported this initiative. I applaud their tireless support of SunRail and celebrate the success of all our efforts.”

“We’re looking forward to the first train pulling into Central Park in 2014,” added Chapin. “Winter Park truly stands to benefit from this new transit alternative.”

For additional information on SunRail, visit www.sunrail.com.

Help us support Florida’s Blood Centers when blood supply is at a critically low level by donating blood. The Chamber and Rollins College will be hosting a joint blood drive on June 21, 2011. Donate at the Welcome Center to receive a $10 gas card as well as a FREE pass to an upcoming Business After Hours and a FREE Autumn Art Festival poster of your choice.

Sign up online at www.fbcdonor.org and enter Sponsor Code: M8FO. Walk-ups will be accepted, but we do encourage you to sign up ahead of time to help reduce wait times.

Look for the big red bus at 151 W. Lyman Ave, Winter Park, FL

The story behind Nathan Sanders’ comedy, “The Sugar Bean Sisters,” is a funny, and highly unusual one. According to the playwright, he was inspired during an incident that involved his cousin losing her wig while on a ride at Walt Disney World’s Space Mountain.

After that hilarious yet frightening experience, the wheels inside Sanders’ mind began to turn, eventually leading him to the opening of “The Sugar Bean Sisters” here in Winter Park, Florida’s Breakthrough Theatre on Friday.

43-year old Sanders says that that one funny incident has now become the seed of the play. “The Sugar Bean Sisters” is a story set in the Florida town of Sugar Bean, a swamp area not far from Disney World where the Nettle sisters try to escape spinsterhood. The comedy involves a snake charmer, a handsome Mormon bishop, and a spaceship with aliens–the last bit you read correctly.

Yes, “The Sugar Bean Sisters” is far from being your usual comedy, and even Sanders himself admits that it’s pretty ‘out there’ next to the other plays he’s seen before.

Be that as it may however, the ‘weirdness’ factor seems to have paid off, with past audiences thinking of Sugar Bean as uproariously funny.

The quaint city of Winter Park FL is no doubt a great destination to spend the holidays in. With the fast green scenery mixed with modern innovations, it has that small town feel, without the lack of big city features. For the yuletide season, it played host to the first leg of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra’s annual Holiday Pops concerts a few years back.

Happening all over Central Florida, the first of the three-concert series was held at Winter Park FL’s Central Park – a perfect choice for such a musical event.

Over the years, the Orlando Philharmonic’s annual Holiday Pops Concerts have become a regular attraction in the Central Florida area. The celebrated orchestra specializes in a wide variety of holiday classics, with vocalists belting out familiar tunes that entice the crowd to sing along with them. Each year, the concerts attract more and more people, ranging from couples looking for a romantic time, or families who want to spend that special time together as one. Whoever you are or whatever you do, you’re more than welcome to the join in on the musical festivities!

For the Winter Park FL stop, the concert took place outdoors, so everyone got to bring a blanket along, and others even brought some snacks to compliment the performance.

For those who somehow missed the first stop, they were more than happy to head down to Winter Haven’s Polk Community College for the second leg and Winter Springs’ Central Winds Park for the third.

Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to have a memorable holiday season on Winter Park FL by checking out the Orchestra’s holiday event calendar!