2026 Zora! Festival Season returning to Central Florida
The annual event celebrates Eatonville’s culture and heritage while connecting connects Zora Neale Hurston’s legacy to America’s history
UNDERWAY IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, THE EVENT CELEBRATES CULTURE AND HERITAGE WHILE CONNECTING ZORA NEALE HURSTON’S LEGACY TO AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY. BACK WITH US AGAIN THIS YEAR TO HIGHLIGHT THE EVENTS AND THE MEANING BEHIND THE DECADES LONG TRADITION WE HAVE IN LINE TO THEORY. GREAT TO SEE YOU, NY. GOOD TO SEE YOU AS WELL. YEAH, AND WHY IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ASSOCIATION TO PRESERVE THE EATONVILLE COMMUNITY? IT IS FESTIVAL SEASON. ARE YOU READY? I’M TELLING YOU, I FEEL THAT WE’RE LIKE THE DUCK. YOU KNOW, THE DUCK IS VERY PLACID, ABOVE CALM, ABOVE THE WATER. BUT. BUT BELOW THE WATER. THE TEAM IS. PADDLING? YES. IF SOMEONE HAS NEVER HEARD OF ZORA FESTIVAL SEASON, HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE IT TO THEM? IT’S A COMBINATION OF PROGRAMING THAT REALLY IMPACTS AND ENGAGES ALL AGES, PEOPLE FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS. WE REALLY STRIVE TO MEET THE PUBLIC IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS. SOME PEOPLE CALL IT EDUTAINMENT. WE CALL IT JUST HAVING A GOOD TIME. YEAH. AND IT IS. AND WHILE WE’RE HAVING THAT GOOD TIME, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR LITTLE ONES, THEY’RE LEARNING SOMETHING. EVERYTHING GETS GOING THURSDAY. KIND OF TELL US WHAT WE’RE GOING TO EXPECT OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. WE HAVE A TWO DAY, WHAT WE CALL PLACEMAKING CONFERENCE, WHICH IS NOT A TYPICAL ACADEMIC, YOU KNOW, KIND OF POINTY HEADED, INTELLECTUAL KIND OF THING. SURE. WE’RE DOING A MOBILE TOUR THATOK BETWEEN MAITLAND AND EATONVILLE, WILL BE HAVING A LUNCH THAT’S INSPIRED BY RESEARCH OF ZORA NEALE HURSTON, SO THAT THE FOOD IS AUTHENTIC, BUT IT’S ALL COMFORT FOOD. ON THURSDAY EVENING, WE’LL BE GOING TO ROLLINS COLLEGE. YOU KNOW, THERE’S A CONNECTION BETWEEN ZORA NEALE HURSTON, EATONVILLE, AND ROLLINS COLLEGE. ON FRIDAY, WE WILL HAVE EDUCATION DAY. AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE LITTLE ONES, IT IS JUST IT’S REALLY VERY, VERY GOOD. THE MOST EXCITING THING I THINK THIS YEAR WILL BE MEETING TEENAGE ZORA. ORLANDO SHAKES HAS SPENT MONTHS GETTING READY TO BRING OUT A YOUNG STUDENT IN HER TEENAGE YEARS, AND SHE IS GOING TO BE PORTRAYING ZORA NEALE HURSTON. AND WHEN WE SAY PORTRAYING, THAT REALLY MEANS EVERYTHING THAT SHE DOES, THE WAY SHE IS COSTUMED, THE ANSWERS, WHAT SHE DOES ON STAGE WILL LET PEOPLE REALLY BE INTRODUCED TO ZORA NEALE HURSTON AT THAT AGE. WOW. THAT IS THAT IS REALLY VERY, VERY EXCITING. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE LOTS OF ART. STEEL BAND. JUST AS A FOR EDUCATION DAY, WE TRY TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO GET ALL AGE GROUPS. YOU SEE LOTS AND LOTS REALLY HUNDREDS OF OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. IT’S VERY EXCITING THAT THEY COME YEAR AFTER YEAR AND THAT THEY’RE ENGAGED. YEAH. NOW, FOR ME, THE THE REAL, REAL EVENT THAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO AND THAT I’M ENCOURAGING EVERYONE WITHIN THE SOUND OF MY VOICE IS TO COME TO COTTON CLUB REIMAGINED. OKAY. ON SATURDAY EVENING. THAT’S A 31ST OF JANUARY. I’M NOT MAKING A MISTAKE. 9 P.M. TO 1 A.M. OH, WOW. OKAY. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COMMEMORATING AMERICA 250, THIS IS A WAY TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO LOOK AT THE NIGHTLIFE IN HARLEM IN THE 1920S AND 30S. WE’RE WE’RE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO DRESS IN THE FASHION. WE WILL BE IN DOWNTOWN ORLANDO AT THE ALL OF YOU AND THE LEGENDARY JONES HIGH ALUMNI AND COMMUNITY BAND WILL BE PERFORMING. WE WILL BE DOING DANCING. WE’LL HAVE GAMES. WE WILL HAVE IT. REALLY. IT’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF FUN. GO TO ZORA FESTIVAL.ORG. THERE’S STILL TIME. YES. AND AND YOU KNOW, SORT OF THE BIG PART IS THE ZORA OUTDOOR FESTIVAL OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES. WE’VE GOT ALL THE INFORMATION BECAUSE WE’RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME HERE ON OUR WEBSITE. ZORA FESTIVAL.ORG AS WELL. AND WE’LL LINK YOU RIGHT THERE ON WESH.COM. ALL THAT INFORMATION IS THERE. AND I THANK YOU
2026 Zora! Festival Season returning to Central Florida
The annual event celebrates Eatonville’s culture and heritage while connecting connects Zora Neale Hurston’s legacy to America’s history
Updated: 9:33 AM EST Jan 26, 2026
The 2026 Zora! Festival Season is returning to Central Florida.The upcoming events will be held Thursday, Jan. 29 – Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. The annual festival celebrates Eatonville’s culture and heritage while connecting Zora Neale Hurston’s legacy to America’s history.Festival highlights include the three-day Outdoor Festival of the Arts, the ‘Cotton Club, Reimagined — 1930s Harlem Nightlife’ event and a traditional worship service.The executive director of the Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community, N.Y. Nathiri, joins WESH 2 to preview the event. Click here to learn more.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
The 2026 Zora! Festival Season is returning to Central Florida.
The upcoming events will be held Thursday, Jan. 29 – Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026.
The annual festival celebrates Eatonville’s culture and heritage while connecting Zora Neale Hurston’s legacy to America’s history.
Festival highlights include the three-day Outdoor Festival of the Arts, the ‘Cotton Club, Reimagined — 1930s Harlem Nightlife’ event and a traditional worship service.
The executive director of the Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community, N.Y. Nathiri, joins WESH 2 to preview the event.