Peak season for northern snowbirds and winter vacationers is now in full swing for the great state of Florida! We’ve already taken a look at some of the fantastic events for the month of January, however, that’s just the beginning of all the great local events and festivals available during those first few months of the year when everyone wants to escape the winter chill for some warm sunshine!
We’ll take you through a tour of some of the fun and festive February events that draw people from near and far each year:
Northern Florida
Seawalk Music Festival
February 25-26, 2017
Jacksonville Area
Located behind the Jacksonville Beach City Hall at the Seawalk Pavilion, this family-friendly music festival celebrates the rich and diverse local resources of this unique area. Enjoy local artists, food vendors and some of the best up-and-coming talent at this free two-day event.
Resorts less than an hour away
Central Florida
Florida State Fair
February 9-20, 2017
Tampa Area
Kick-off fair season right with the first State Fair of the year! A tradition in the making since its humble beginnings in 1904, the Florida State Fair provides thrills and chills on the Midway with great rides and games for hours of family-friendly fun! Enjoy live entertainment featuring the Country Gold Tour, plus an array of exhibits to like Aquaculture, Horticulture, Woodcarving, Needlework and more. Then there’s the food, and fairgoers at the Florida State Fairgrounds in February are the first to try out latest and greatest culinary concoctions such as the Pizza Cone, Redneck Burger, and Bacon Ice Cream!
Resorts less than an hour away
- Dunedin (Dunedin, FL)
- Hidden River (Riverview, FL)
- Rainbow Village Largo (Largo, FL)
- Spanish Main (Thonotosassa, FL)
- Tampa East (Dover, FL)
- Three Lakes (Hudson, FL)
Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival
February 18, 2017
Tampa Area
Get your fill of deliciousness with 60 beers and 40 bourbons on tap , plus an outstanding selection of BBQ eats like pulled pork from whole hogs, ribs, briskets, chicken, sausage and more with all the fixin’s! Enjoy live rock and roll, blues, and bluegrass music on the main stage and seminars featuring Master Distillers, Brewmasters, and Pitmasters from the Deep South!
Resorts less than an hour away
- Dunedin (Dunedin, FL)
- Hidden River (Riverview, FL)
- Rainbow Village Largo (Largo, FL)
- Spanish Main (Thonotosassa, FL)
- Tampa East (Dover, FL)
- Three Lakes (Hudson, FL)
Bay Area Renaissance Festival
February 18, 2017 – April 1, 2017 (Weekends Only)
Tampa Area
Hear ye, hear ye! Travel back and get lost in a world from days past amidst a charming 16th century village setting at the annual Bay Area Renaissance Festival! This fun family-friendly festival boasts live armored jousting, musical minstrels, court jesters, wenches and more on 12 stages of entertainment with mouthwatering eats from a variety of vendors and seven themed weekends to choose from.
Resorts less than an hour away
- Dunedin (Dunedin, FL)
- Hidden River (Riverview, FL)
- Rainbow Village Largo (Largo, FL)
- Spanish Main (Thonotosassa, FL)
- Tampa East (Dover, FL)
- Three Lakes (Hudson, FL)
Pasco County Fair
February 20-26, 2017
Dade City Area
All of the traditional staples that make a county fair so much fun are here for your enjoyment with exciting amusement rides, games, livestock shows, and all of that deep-fried and greasy goodness that we get to treat ourselves to on specials occasions like these! This family-friendly event also offers the annual Pasco County Rodeo, Disc Connected K-9’s Show, Kachunga & the Alligator Show, the all new Firefighter Show, and a host of other live entertainment acts!
Resorts less than an hour away
- Baker Acres (Zephyrhills, FL)
- Blue Jay (Dade City, FL)
- Blueberry Hill (Bushnell, FL)
- Citrus Hill (Dade City, FL)
- Glen Haven (Zephyrhills, FL)
- Grove Ridge (Dade City, FL)
- Hidden River (Riverview, FL)
- Lakeland (Lakeland, FL)
- Majestic Oaks (Zephyrhills, FL)
- Rainbow Village Zephyrhills (Zephyrhills, FL)
- Red Oaks (Bushnell, FL)
- Settler’s Rest (Zephyrhills, FL)
- Southern Charm (Zephyrhills, FL)
- Spanish Main (Thonotosassa, FL)
- Sweetwater (Zephyrhills, FL)
- Tampa East (Dover, FL)
- Three Lakes (Hudson, FL)
- Waters Edge (Zephyrhills, FL)
MLB Spring Training: Florida’s Grapefruit League
February 23 – April 1, 2017
Central and South Florida Areas
Enjoy America’s favorite pastime during spring training, a tradition in the Sunshine State since the early 1900s! Big league baseball teams who travel to Florida to prepare for the upcoming MLB season make up what’s known as the Grapefruit League and are spread throughout Central and Southern Florida.
Teams & Locations
- Blue Jays (Dunedin, FL)
- Phillies (Clearwater, FL)
- Yankees (Tampa, FL)
- Tigers (Lakeland, FL)
- Pirates (Bradenton, FL)
- Orioles (Sarasota, FL)
- Rays (Port Charlotte, FL)
- Red Sox/Twins (Ft. Myers, FL)
- Cardinals/Marlins (Jupiter, FL)
- Nationals/Astros (West Palm Beach, FL)
DAYTONA 500
February 26, 2017
Daytona Area
Experience the ride of a lifetime at one of the most important and prestigious NASCAR races of the year! The DAYTONA 500 defines legends against the backdrop of the world’s only motorsport stadium!
Resorts less than an hour away
Southern Florida
Everglades Seafood Festival
February 10-12, 2017
Everglades City Area
Attention seafood lovers! Get ready for the annual Everglades Seafood Festival, a free event featuring an array of fresh seafood, country music, carnival rides, and craft booths. With a backdrop in Everglades City, Florida’s “stone crab capital,” festival goers will experience architectural buildings that showcase the look and feel of Old Florida with a rich history steeped in the lore of pirates and smugglers.
Resorts less than an hour away
Edison Festival of Light
February 11-19, 2017
Ft. Myers/Naples Area
Join in a one-of-a-kind celebration all in honor of Thomas Edison’s contributions to mankind with festivities like the annual Edison Garden Festival, Crafts on the River, Classic Car Show, and several parades including the Grand Parade – named the largest nighttime parade in the Southeast featuring a glittering assembly of illuminated floats, local marching bands, clowns and much, much more!
Resorts less than an hour away
- Club Naples (Naples, FL)
- Groves (Ft. Myers, FL)
- Indian Creek (Ft. Myers Beach, FL)
- Lake San Marino (Naples, FL)
- Marco Naples (Naples, FL)
- Naples (Naples, FL)
- Siesta Bay (Ft. Myers, FL)
MLB Spring Training: Florida’s Grapefruit League
February 23 – April 1, 2017
Central and South Florida Areas
Enjoy America’s favorite pastime during spring training, a tradition in the Sunshine State since the early 1900s! Big league baseball teams who travel to Florida to prepare for the upcoming MLB season make up what’s known as the Grapefruit League and are spread throughout Central and Southern Florida.
Teams & Locations
- Blue Jays (Dunedin, FL)
- Phillies (Clearwater, FL)
- Yankees (Tampa, FL)
- Tigers (Lakeland, FL)
- Pirates (Bradenton, FL)
- Orioles (Sarasota, FL)
- Rays (Port Charlotte, FL)
- Red Sox/Twins (Ft. Myers, FL)
- Cardinals/Marlins (Jupiter, FL)
- Nationals/Astros (West Palm Beach, FL)