February #FestivalMode taking shape in Central Florida | What stops to make
United Arts of Central Florida cultural tourism director, Thali Sugisawa, joins WESH 2 to outline the dozens of free or low-cost arts experiences
WE’RE LOOKING AHEAD TO A MONTH LONG LINEUP OF EVENTS BRINGING SO MUCH JOY. ARTS AND ACTIVITIES TO US HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. THE CULTURAL TOURISM DIRECTOR OF UNITED ARTS OF CENTRAL FLORIDA IS JOINING ME NOW WITH NOT ONLY YOUR INVITATION TO ALL OF THIS, BUT TO HELP BREAK DOWN THE EVENTS. AND WE NEED YOUR HELP TO PLAN AHEAD. I KNOW THERE’S SO MUCH RIGHT. AND WHEN YOU THINK THERE’S A LOT, THERE’S MORE, RIGHT? YEAH. SO LET’S START WITH JUST WHAT’S UPON US. BECAUSE EVEN STARTING AS SOON AS TONIGHT, WE HAVE AN EVENT. EXACTLY, EXACTLY. SO THIS WEEKEND ALONE, WE HAVE THREE FESTIVALS, RIGHT. SO YOU CAN START WITH THE BACH FESTIVAL. THERE’S ALSO THE CHALK FESTIVAL DOWNTOWN AND WINTER PARK ARTS WEEKEND. SO WHERE YOU CAN SAMPLE THE AMAZING ARTS IN WINTER PARK. OH, YEAH. THAT ONE’S ALWAYS A GREAT ONE. TO BE SO INTERESTING. YES, THE WORK THEY CAN DO WITH, YOU KNOW, THE CHALK THAT LIKE I PLAY WITH, WITH MY KIDS ON THE, ON THE SIDEWALK, THEY MAKE IT A MASTERPIECE. THEY DO. AND IMAGINE ARTISTS MAKING THAT AS A 2D, BUT ALSO A 3D ART. CAN’T WAIT TO SEE THAT. OKAY, THEN NEXT WEEKEND WE HAVE MORE COMING OUR WAY. I WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THIS LOVE YOUR SHORTS FILM FEST. YEAH, LOVE YOUR SHORTS FILM FEST. BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME UP IN SANFORD AND IT’S A GREAT WAY TO GET YOUR SHORT FILM FIXED. OKAY, SO WE’RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SHORTS LIKE THE PANTS. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT SHORT FILMS. EXACTLY. YES. AND THEN THE SPARK STEM FEST FEBRUARY. YES. IN FEBRUARY, OVER AT THE ORLANDO SCIENCE CENTER, A GREAT WAY TO GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY, IF THAT’S WHAT YOU WANT, AND SEE SOME STUFF, YOU KNOW, SPARK AND EXPLODING VOLCANOES AND ALL OF THAT, THAT ONLY THE ORLANDO SCIENCE CENTER CAN DO REALLY, REALLY WELL. YES. AND THEN INDIE FOLK FEST IS HAPPENING, AND THE SCIENCE CENTER, FOLKS, WE SEE THEM A LOT ON WESH TWO NEWS. THEY’RE GOING TO EVEN JOIN US ON MONDAY. I’M TOLD TO DO A LITTLE STEM THING, MAYBE IN THE STUDIO. OKAY, WE’LL SEE. AT ONE POINT, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SIX FESTIVALS, SIX OF THEM GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME, 6 IN 1 WEEKEND. SO BUT IT’S OKAY. OKAY. WE MADE A PLAN FOR YOU. SO WE’RE CALLING YOU FESTIVAL HOP. SO YOU WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN ENJOY EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. SO YOU CAN START AT THE UCF ORLANDO JAZZ FESTIVAL, RIGHT ON FEBRUARY 20TH. AND THAT SAME DAY ALSO IS THE KICKOFF OF IMMERSE FEST IN DOWNTOWN ORLANDO. SO OVER TEN BLOCKS OF DOWNTOWN WILL BE BLOCKED. THOUSANDS OF ARTISTS, SEVERAL STAGES, AND OF COURSE, THE CROWD FAVORITE BLUE MAN GROUP IS GOING TO BE THERE, SO YOU CANNOT MISS THAT. ALSO ON THE 20TH IS THE FIRST EVER FLORIDA’S CHILDREN’S FLORIDA CHILDREN’S BOOK FESTIVAL AT THE ORLANDO FAMILY STAGE, WHO JUST CELEBRATED 100 YEARS. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT? REMARKABLE. EXACTLY. AND THEN LAKE NONA ARTS FESTIVAL, IN THEIR SECOND EDITION WITH THE FINEST ART AND WINTER GARDEN MUSIC FEST AS WELL. AND THEN ON SUNDAY, YOU CAN WRAP UP BY CELEBRATING THE LUNAR NEW YEAR, CELEBRATING THE YEAR OF THE HORSE, THE FIRE HORSE ON MILLS 50. SO EVERY CORNER OF CENTRAL FLORIDA, THERE’S SOMETHING GOING ON. SO YOU WRAP IT UP WITH THE DRAGON PARADE AND LUNAR NEW YEAR FESTIVAL, AND YOU MADE THAT MAP, WHICH IS AWESOME. WE’RE GOING TO TELL YOU HOW YOU CAN FIND THAT COMING UP. WE DON’T WANT TO FORGET ABOUT CINEMA AND THEATER. I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THE SHORT FILMS A LITTLE EARLIER, BUT WE’VE GOT A FESTIVAL THAT ROUNDS UP WITH A FINAL WEEK IN FEBRUARY. SOME BIG STUFF. YES, THE ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL IS HAPPENING. ALSO, THE REAL TEEN SHORT FESTIVAL OVER THE THEATER IS SUCH A GREAT VENUE TO BE. IF YOU HAVEN’T BEEN. IT’S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND JUST ENJOY WHAT THEY HAVE TO OFFER. AND THEN THE VERY END. IT’S THE PLAYWRIGHT SERIES, SO HONESTLY, THERE’S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE YOU WANT CHALK ART, YOU GOT IT. YOU WANT MOVIES, YOU GOT IT. YOU WANT BLUE MAN GROUP IN THE MIDDLE OF DOWNTOWN. YOU GOT IT. BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM. AND MAYBE THEY’LL THROW SOME PAINT OR COLORFUL SOMETHING UP. YEAH. AND WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET THAT MAP AS WE LINK YOU TO IT ON WESH.COM, IN CASE THAT BIG WEEKEND WITH SIX FESTIVALS A
February #FestivalMode taking shape in Central Florida | What stops to make
United Arts of Central Florida cultural tourism director, Thali Sugisawa, joins WESH 2 to outline the dozens of free or low-cost arts experiences
Updated: 9:33 AM EST Feb 5, 2026
United Arts of Central Florida cultural tourism director, Thali Sugisawa, joins WESH 2 to outline the dozens of free or low-cost arts experiences throughout February and early March.Regional arts nonprofit, United Arts of Central Florida, is titling the widespread, weekslong run of events #FestivalMode.Click here to learn more.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
United Arts of Central Florida cultural tourism director, Thali Sugisawa, joins WESH 2 to outline the dozens of free or low-cost arts experiences throughout February and early March.
Regional arts nonprofit, United Arts of Central Florida, is titling the widespread, weekslong run of events #FestivalMode.