KISSIMMEE — At the end of the month, Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee and Formosa Gardens shopping plaza in Four Corners — two very different entertainment venues on U.S. 192 — will be hosting a three-day event that offers everything from the joy of our sunny skies to the ability to fly to an appreciation of the rich talent of country music songwriters.
It’s called the Blue Skies & Silver Spurs Festival, and it will be held Friday, May 31 through June 2.
But actually, this is really four festivals rolled into one – a weekend that truly does offer a bit of something for everyone.
So what is there to enjoy?
We can start with the Blue Skies Balloon Festival, an early morning hot air balloon launch guaranteed to take your breath away. Dozens of balloons of all shapes and sizes will take flight amidst the beauty of the morning sky. But you don’t actually have to stand on the ground and look up in order to watch this event. Patrons will have an opportunity to fully appreciate the sights of those ballons — by riding in a hot air balloon yourself! There’s still time to book a flight before the big weekend arrives.
More than 20 hot air balloons are expected to take off during this event. If you prefer to set sail with them, during your ride you’ll ascend anywhere from tree tops to several thousand feet! Once you’re airborne, your pilot will be happy to point out the spectacular sites of this area, from the theme parks and orange groves, to forests and swamps untouched for thousands of years.
Think about it: whether you stay on the ground or set sail into the air, this promises to be an amazing photo opportunity. The event will feature fun-shaped balloons that will float over Kissimmee, including a Space Shuttle, an American flag, Hamlet the Flying Pig, Ella Phant, Purple People Eater and Spunky the Skunk.
The ballons will launch from Formosa Gardens at 7836 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway (U.S. 192) in Four Corners. Corporate and group balloon rides are available. Call 800-831-1844 for more information.
Next, there will be the thrills of the Blue Skies Adventure Race. While the balloons are floating above the crowd, there will be a challenge on the ground with this exciting competition.
It’s an opportunity to test your endurance by competing in a 3.5 mile, rodeo-themed adventure race.
The adventure race will be a challenging, 3.5 mile adventure featuring eight grueling, rodeo-themed obstacles, including:
• Bronco Hurdles
• Chasing the Cans
• Feeding Troth
• The Stalls
• The Walls
• Wagon Trail
The race is fully sanctioned and professionally timed. Registration is $50 per runner. Early registration will include a free race shirt. All participants will receive a race medal. On Saturday, June 1, registration is from 6-7 a.m., when the rce starts. It’s aslo held at Formosa Gardens.
During the race, kids can enjoy their own race activities, including the Kid Cowboy Adventure. There will also be a mini zipline adventure at Formosa Gardens.
This weekend will also host the Endless Summer Songwriters Series. How does it work? Well, let’s say you hear a song — and you know it. You’ve heard it before … but never from the person who actually wrote it.
The key to this third event is that songwriters and their bands will perform top country songs on the open stage, under the blue skies at Osceola Heritage Park — and it’s the singer doing the song he or she wrote.
Under blue skies, you might be in the audience that discovers the Country music scene’s next big act. Six bands from Nashville will be coming to this year’s festival to perform songs they wrote, and which went on to become classics for such country music legends as Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Jason Aldean and Little Big Town. The bands performing include the Tyler Reeve Band, the Brent Cobb Band, and the Adam Craig Band as they break from touring with top musicians such as Lee Brice and Josh Turner.
The performances will be at Osceola Heritage Park at 1875 Silver Spur Lane in Kissimmee.
The fun starts on Friday, May 31, at Osceola Heritage Park, where from 4:30-7 p.m., the Endless Summer Songwriter Series kicks off, along with the Festival Balloon Glow.
Then from 6:30-10:30 p.m., Silver Spurs Arena gears up for the Silver Spurs Rodeo. This terrific event aims to rope in plenty of excitement as it delivers to audiences real cowboys, bulls, broncos, and horses as they compete for top prizes. The rodeo is the largest sanctioned rodeo east of the Mississippi and has been a Kissimmee favorite since the 1940s.
Then on Saturday, June 1 at Formosa Gardens, the Blue Skies Balloon Festival launches from 7-10 a.m., offering both the beauty of watching those ballons soar into the sky, and the option of actually riding one.
It will be followed by the Blue Skies Adventure Race, a Zipline course, and a Kids Race.
That same afternoon, at Osceola Heritage Park from 4:30-7 p.m., the Endless Summer Songwriter Series continues, along with the Festival Balloon Glow. Then from 6:3-10:30 p.m., it’s time for Silver Spurs Rodeo to kick back into gear.
The festival ends on Sunday, June 2 at Formosa Gardens, with the Blue Skies Balloon Festival continuing from 7-10 a.m.
Admission and parking to these events is free!
For more information on this great weekend festival, call 800-831-1844.

If you’re thinking about coming to Central Florida for to visit Osceola Heritage Park, Formosa Gardens and other local attractions, consider staying at a vacation home resort. Give your family the opportunity to enjoy multiple bedrooms, a spacious kitchen and dining area, and your own private pool — your home away from home while you’re on vacation. Call USA Vacation Homes & Spa at 863-424-3835 to learn more.

ORLANDO — Do the folks in Orlando know beer?
We’ll find out this week, when a special event devoted to all things beer is celebrated.
Through Sunday, downtown Orlando is giving all the lovers of beer an opportunity to cheer. Today through Sunday, May 19, Orlando is celebrating American Craft Beer Week.
The true spirit of this week lies in the celebration of local and independent craft brewers. In downtown Orlando, residents and businesses alike can get iced cold craft selections at Tap & Grind and Eternal Tap.
Tap & Grind is located at 59 W. Central Boulevard in downtown, and it has a variety of house-infused beer selections. The decor is worth checking out as well, since it stays true to Florida’s beaches with the large spalshy waves painted on the backdrop, and a surfer feel that does justice to the company’s logo.
Tao & Grind also takes a friendly “aloha” approach to its customers — whether they get a visit from a beer connoisseur or a first timer.
Eternal Tap is at 116 W. Church St., and is known as a hotspot where folks can enjoy hot brick-oven-fired pizza — and 45 chilled drafts on tap. Eternal Tap also offers a menu that favors a selection of craft cans more than bottles, combined with a knowledgeable and fun staff.
With great microbreweries like these, American Craft Beer Week is calling out to you.

If you’re planning a trip to Orlando, call USA Vacation Homes & Spa at 863-424-3835 to book your vacation home for your visit. We can provide you with a luxury resort with multiple bedrooms, a private pool, and a fully equipped kitchen.

KISSIMMEE — Question: how can a war benefit children?
Answer: When it’s The Fitness Wars, it definitely does.
On Saturday, June 1, the Fitness Wars competitive competition will istart at 9 a.m. at The Vine Church at 1003 S. John Young Parkway. This is Kissimmee’s first-ever event of this kind, and in addition to giving area residents and our visitors an opportunity to test their physical fitness and stamina, it’s also a charity-based Fitness Competition for all levels.
Anyone who attends and participates will be contributing to a cause that helps the children in Honduras.

This event was organized by the Vine Church, which has partnered up with Open Door Ministries for nearly a decade, sending a group of church members to Honduras. As it turns out, 2013 marks their eighth trip to Honduras. The partnership has allowed both agencies to develop relationships with the children, teens, and adults in Honduras.
Open Door Ministries, a U.S.-based non-profit organization that was started and is run by Barry and Penny Compton of Kissimmee, provides food distribution, construction, medical and orphanage assistance, and micro-economic aid to the children of Central America.
To help raise money for this cause, Fitness Wars will feature obstacle courses at seven stations, including:
* Station 1: Tire Flips.
* Station 2: Bear Crawls with Burpees.
* Station 3: Low Crawl
* Station 4: Human Wheel Barrow.
* Station 5: Sand Bags.
* Station 6: Car Pushing.
* Station 7: Obstacle Course.

Whew! There will be a challenge at each “Heat” station, and five teams will go at a time and run or sprint from one obstacle to the next. There will be an instructor at each heat to tell you what to do, and to observe the competition and make sure that everything is being done correctly. Once your entire team completes one heat, the team can then advance to the next station.
Racers are free to work together to complete any of the obstacles. But if you wear out at one station, don’t worry; anyone who doesn’t feel comfortable finishing an obstacle can stop and ask the race staff to mark them as they continue on to the next obstacle.
This is a timed competition.
If that doesn’t sound energizing enough, consider there will also be food vendors available for those who work up a hearty appetite during the competition.
Those interested in taking part in Fitness Wars can show up at the church around 8:30 a.m. There will be a Registration Booth on the field. Participants will receive a bib that enables them to be identified as a fitness participant.
There will be sponsor booths set up and concessions available, and a supervised kid’s area that will include plenty of activities for the little ones.
There will also be health information vendors and special fitness services available to the spectators, including massages, health screenings. and more.
There will be a designated area for everyone to park in, and parking attendants will guide motorists who are entering the property.
The cost to register is $45 for an individual and $135 for a team now through May 30, and $55 for an individual and $145 for a team on the day of the event.
To learn more, call 321-555-1234.
And remember, this is likely to be great fun — for a very good cause.

If you’re planning a Central Florida vacation, consider staying at a vacation home resort to take advantage of our luxury homes with multiple bedrooms, a game room, a private pool and a beautiful and spacious kitchen to enjoy as your home-away-from-home. Call  USA Vacation Home Resort & Spa at 863-424-3835 to learn more about booking your next dream vacation.

ORLANDO — What makes a city great? There are plenty of components, including good schools, appealing neighborhoods, and a thriving downtown.But something else helps quite a bit: a first-rate concert arena.
And the residents of Greater Orlando, as well as the visitors who opt to vacation here, are lucky that this city’s downtown hosts the Amway Center, an impressive arena with a capacity of more than 20,000 seats.
We’re even more lucky, as it turns out, that the city has some big name acts scheduled to perform there throughout the year. The entertainment starts this weekend, of course, when none other than Paul McCartney arrives with his Out There tour to perform on Saturday and Sunday night at the Amway.
But long after McCartney has moved on to the next city, Amway has a lot in store for the region.
Coming up:
Remember the 1970s, when legendary rockers Kiss dominated the charts with hits like “Rock N Roll All Night,” “Beth” and “Shout It Out Loud”? Kiss will be visiting the City Beautiful this summer, headlining ArenaBowl XXVI weekend festivities as the band members celebrate their 40^th anniversary with the Champions of the Arena Football League on Friday, Aug. 16 at the Amway Center.  Tickets went on sale Friday, May 3.
Well known for decades for their explosive stage shows and iconic black and white face paint, this is Kiss’ first return to Orlando since 2006.  Founding partners Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons have helped Kiss sell more than 100 million albums worldwide over the last four decades.
ArenaBowl XXVI is set for Saturday, Aug. 17 at the Amway Center.  The game will be broadcast live on CBS Television Network at 1 p.m. as part of the three-day ArenaBowl XXVI celebration.

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Musician, singer and songwriter Josh Groban has several multi-latinum albums and has sold 25 million worldwide. He’s now gearing up to embark on his In the Round Tour, which begins Oct. 2 and will continue through mid-November. That includes a stop at the Amway Center on Saturday, Nov. 9
Several ticket pre-sales, including an exclusive Fan Club pre-sale via joshgroban.com, began on Tuesday, May 7. Citi^®card members will have access to pre-sale tickets beginning Wednesday, May 8 at 10 a.m. local time through Citi’s Private Pass^® Program. For complete pre-sale details, visit www.citiprivatepass.com.
His In The Round tour is expected to be a unique, one-of-a-kind concert experience. Placed in the middle of the floor, a 360 stage will allow Groban to interact with fans from all sides of the venue as he sings his classic songs. The In the Round tour is building on the concept of Groban’s 2011 Straight To You world tour, which aimed to bring the intimate feel of a theater experience to an arena setting.
“It has been a vision of mine to do a tour in the round for a while now, it was just a matter of when was the right time,” Groban said. “I have always had moments during the show where I walked through the crowd and interacted with the fans. I felt that now was the time to bring it all together.  I can’t wait to bring music from throughout my career, great fun and new experiences to my fans.”
Groban recently completed a tour in Australia and New Zealand that drew rave reviews.

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Another big name entertainer, Justin Timberlake, announced this month that he would kick off his The 20/20 Experience World Tour, starting Oct. 31. It follows the release of his acclaimed new album, “The 20/20 Experience.”
This is the Grammy and Emmy Award-winning artist’s first tour in six years, and Timberlake also announced that he would release a new album on Sept.  30, just before the tour starts. His schedule that will include a stop at the Amway Center on Dec. 19.
The 20/20 Experience World Tour ticket sales started on May 13, and fans can visit  www.priceless.com/justintimberlake for more information.

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Also this fall, Michael Bublé, will be hitting the road following up the success of his “To Be Loved” CD, which debuted at the number one spot on Billboard Magazine’s  Top 200 Pop Charts.  The Canadian superstar is going to be starting a 40-city U.S. concert tour on Sept. 7, and  Bublé performs at the Amway Center on Oct. 30.
“I’m very excited to get back on the road and perform for my fans.  It’s been awhile, but we’re rested up and ready to have a big party on stage every night,” Bublé said.
His previous Crazy Love Tour sold out in 80 U.S. cities and was seen by more than two million fans worldwide. “To Be Loved” is Bublé’s fourth consecutive number one album, and his last CD, the multi-platinum “Christmas,” was the second most successful selling album of 2011.

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Are you thinking about coming to Central Florida for one of our exciting concerts at the Amway arena, or to see our other great attractions? If you do, consider staying at a vacation home resort while you’re here — your vacation home-away-from-home. Call USA Vacation Homes & Spa us at 863-424-3835 and we can tell you more about the resort homes we have available for bookings.

ORLANDO — Would you like an opportunity to help our planet — one refill at a time?
SeaWorld Orlando is about to give you that opportunity.
Today the theme park giant unveiled its new penguin-shaped cup — cute, cuddly and noble in purpose.
Known as The Cup That Cares, it was created in conjunction with SeaWorld Orlando’s epic new attraction, “Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin,” which is opening on May 24, just in time for the start of Memorial Day weekend. SeaWorld created the Cup That Cares as a reusable cup, and one which nevertheless has a technological twist: this innovative, interactive cup was designed specifically to connect with Coca-Cola Freestyle beverage dispensers in the new realm.
The new cup will engage guests in a personalized manner — and encourage them to reuse materials and reduce their carbon footprint. There will be an RFID chip embedded in each Cup That Cares, and it interacts with software at Coca Cola Freestyle dispensers to calculate and tell guests how they are being more environmentally responsible by choosing to reuse.
SeaWorld has pledged to donate $1 from each Cup That Cares purchase to the SeaWorld & Busch gardens Conservaion Fund, a not-for-profit foundation that helps protect wildlife around the world.
So how does it work?
The technology embedded in the Cup That Cares calculates the amount of CO2 each guest saves from entering the atmosphere when they choose to reuse the cup for refills at Coca-Cola Freestyle machines in Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin.
With each refill at the designated machines, exclusive software developed by Coca-Cola and SeaWorld serves up an onscreen message that is customized to that guest’s Cup That Cares history. The message thanks the guest for choosing to reuse, tracks how many refills the Cup That Cares has been used for, and calculates the running total of CO2 the guest has saved from entering the atmosphere.
Each refill with a reusable cup prevents the emission of approximately 27 grams of CO2.
There are two types of cups that will be available exclusively in the new Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin attraction:

• A Cup That Cares souvenir reusable cup will be available at the two beverage stations inside the attraction, and will sell for $9.99. It will come adorned with photos of Puck, the hero penguin character featured throughout the new attraction.

• Create A Cup That Cares lets guests may build their own personalized penguin-shaped character cup by choosing from more than 40 accessories such as eyes, hair, glasses, hats, bow tie, necklaces and even miniature Shamu ice cream bars and SeaWorld shopping bags. The Create A Cup That Cares will be sold in the Antarctica gift shop, and includes a free first fill at the nearby Antarctica beverage stations. Create A Cup That Cares experience starts at $15.95 with the option to add accessory items.

Dan Brown, chief operating pfficer of SeaWorld, Discovery Cove and Aquatica Parks, said it was a way to have fun and help educate guests at the same time about protecting the environment.
“Just as penguins do within their colonies, humans also can band together to make a big difference through small actions,” Brown said. “We see great potential with this new program because it encourages guests to be more aware of their actions – and reduce their carbon footprint — in an easy, fun and innovative way. Each step may be small, but it all adds up when we work together.”
Refills throughout the park for both Cup That Cares options are 99 cents each.
The Cup That Cares concept was developed in partnership with the park’s beverage partner Coca-Cola, whose Coca-Cola Freestyle dispensers offer guests more than 100 different beverage brands. Also only in Antarctica, Coca-Cola Freestyle will offer an all-new, vanilla-infused choice — South Pole Chill!
Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin is the biggest expansion in SeaWorld’s history, combining a state-of-the-art family adventure ride with up-close encounters with hundreds of penguins – kings, gentoos, Adélies and rockhoppers.

If you’re coming to Orlando for the opening of SeaWorld’s Antarctica: Empire of the Penguins attraction, consider staying at a vacation home resort close to that theme park and all the rest of Central Florida’s many attractions. Call USA Vacation Homes & Spa today at 863-424-3835 to learn about booking your vacation home-away-from-home.

FOUR CORNERS — This weekend, a very special and unique museum close to Disney will be hosting an event deisgned to remind all of us about the sacrifices that our veterans made to defend the freedoms we all cherish.
The Museum of Military History will host the event in honor of Armed forces Day. It will be the museum’s first annual Military Appreciation Weekend, held on Saturday and Sunday, May 18 and 19 at Mac Overstreet Regional Park at 5271 Pleasant Hill Road in Poinciana.
This special event will be highlighted by a World War II battle re-enactment on Saturday, and an opportunity for guests to check out the encampments of both units of re-enactors, the German and U.S. Army soldiers.
There will also be a weapons demonstration prior to the re-enactment.
“This is the first annual military appreciation event that the museum has presented to honor our veterans and active duty military and their families,” said Don Smith, CEO and chairman of the board of directors of the museum. “This is a great honor and we should all be proud to express our support and appreciation for those who have served or currently serving our country and protecting our freedoms.”
The program starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday, is open to the public, and admission is free. There will be a parking fee of $7 to offset the expenses of putting together this event.
Donations to the museum’s annual campaign “Bringing Honor Home: Campaign 2013″ are welcomed and greatly appreciated to help sustain the museum’s educational programs and exhibits.
The museum is at 5210 W. Irlo Bronson Highway (U.S. 192) in Four Corners, close to Celebration and Walt Disney World.
The museum opened on March 31, 2012, and now houses multiple rooms, each one devoted to a different war or military conflict. It starts with a wall commemorating the local Medal of Honor recipients, including Puerto Rican Medal of Honor recipients from Central Florida.
The first room that visitors to the museum come to hosts items collected from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Among the items they have now are a tank periscope that was used in Kuwait City, and uniforms from soldiers from Sweden who are a part of the peacekeeping forces.
There are also exhibits from the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf War, with period artifacts, uniforms, equipment, weapons and written and video military history. Interpretation and explanations are provided through signage and guided tours.
The Museum of Military History, Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit, private organization, with a mission of educating the public about our nation’s military, while increasing awareness and building knowledge of the American military experience through interactive, interpretive exhibits designed for visitors of all ages.
The museum started out as a much less ambitious effort at the Osceola Square Mall, which had lost some of its retail stores when the new, larger shopping mall called The Loop opened on the Osceola Parkway. Some veterans asked the Osceola Square Mall if they could have a small space to create a special memorial to veterans.
As word spread about the museum, it got large enough to hire an executive director, whose tasks included finding the museum a larger, permanent home.
The building chosen to house them is right in the heart of Four Corners, close to other attractions like Old Town.
During Saturday’s event, military displays and museum exhibits will be available for visitors to view. John Holmes, local historian and re-enactor, will attend in Civil War uniform to share information about the war. The 463rd Cadet Squadron Civil Air Patrol and Sea Cadet units will present the colors and participate in competitive events on Sunday.
Also on Sunday, a special concert of WWII and USO-era music will be presented by the Bahia Dance Band of Orlando.
Food vendors, booths, radio controlled airplane demonstrations and displays, and children’s activities will be available both days.
For more information on the event, call 407-507-3894. Food and merchandise vendors are also welcomed for a nominal donation.

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ORLANDO — Sometimes all it takes to get you revved up is the irresistable sound of great music.
That’s exactly what happens to Huey Calhoun as he walks down the historic Beale Street in downtown Memphis, when he overhears a woman singing in a nightclub. He wanders into the club and immediately falls in love with the ethereal voice of singer Felicia.
But there’s a problem — a big one.
The year is 1951, and Memphis is in the heart of the racially segregated South. Huey is white, while Felicia is black, and the underground club she performs in is located in a black section of town. As the club’s manager, patrons and even Felicia herself warn Huey, he’s not supposed to be in there.
But Huey doesn’t care. He’s tired of local radio stations that play the soft sounds like white singers like Perry Como. He thinks the music of black singers and songwriters — rhythem and blues that helped usher in the era of rock ‘n roll — are considerably better, if only more white people would stop to listen.
So when Huey gets fired from his job as a stock boy at a local department store, but he makes a deal with the owner: let him play records over the loud speakers in the store, and he’ll pledge to sell at least five records. If he does, he gets a sales job.
Huey plays his singles, and he actually sells 29 records — and promptly gets fired. Why, after so much success? Because the songs he played were “race” songs, or black singles. The department store’s white owner fears it will drive away from caucasian customers.
As it turns out, though, Huey taps into a new market: white teenagers who love the sounds of black music. At that point, he becomes determined to not only become a successful DJ and radio performer, but also to bring Felicia’s voice to audiences as well.
And to fall in love with her — regardless of the fact that interracial marriage is still illegal in the South.
“Memphis”, the Broadway musical by David Bryan (music and lyrics) and Joe DiPietro (lyrics and book), won four Tony Awardse in 2010, including Best Musical, and it’s not hard to see why. Loosely based on the life of Memphis disc jockey Dewey Phillips, one of the first white DJs to play black music in the 1950s, the show had its debut in Orlando last night at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre. It continues through Sunday, May 19, and is well worth seeing.
A great musical should be able to offer more than just a collection of catchy songs, and in that respect, “Memphis” absolutely delivers. It has more than a bit of comedy in the beginning, as the wide-eyed, optimistic Huey thinks he can ride above the established order of racial segregation. Felicia and the other members of her underground club are a lot more skeptical; they know Huey is flirting with danger by so brazenly ignoring the legally mandates of the separation of the races.
But with the kind of entrepreneurial spirit that invented the light bulb, Huey sets out to demonstrate that there’s a market for black music across racial lines. Huey goes back to the club and begins flirting with Felicia, while promising to get her on the radio. He also applies for DJ jobs at various local white radio stations, and hijacks one where he plays a black rock song. The owner is about to toss Huey out when dozens of teenagers start call in demanding more of that kind of music. Reluctantly, the station owner, Mr. Simmons, agrees to give Huey a two-week trial that could lead to a full time job. Huey also encourages white people to visit black churches, and saves money to put Felicia’s voice on a record.
But it’s not an easy transition for any of them. Huey’s racially prejudiced mother, Mama, is furious that Huey got “mail” — a note tied to a brick thrown through their window warning him about how dangerous his flirtation with the other side of town is. Felicia herself yearns to move to New York in the hope of a better life, but Huey seems determined not to let local prejudices get in their way.
And he has no clue just how dangerous the situation could become for them.
“Memphis” works beautifully, and quite movingly, as it shifts from the comical beginning to the tension that builds as possible tragedies await Felicia and Huey as they flaunt local convention. The story is powerfully brought to life by the lead performances of Bryan Fenkart as the happy-go-lucky, give-me-a-chance Huey, and Felicia Boswell as the street smart and cynical Felicia, who falls for a white boy against her own better judgment.
“Memphis” has a fine sense of nostalgia as it recounts a faded era, but it still has a powerful message about how change can scare some communities in very scary ways.
The music itself is first-rate, with show stoppers like “Steal Your Rock ‘n Roll,” “The Music of My Soul,” and the terrific “Change Don’t Come Easy,” sung by Julie Johnson, who steals every scene she’s in as Huey’s outspoken and crotchety Mama. This is a rousing musical, a very funny one, and at times a deeply sad one as well. It makes for great theater.
“Memphis” is being performed at the Bob Carr at 8 p.m. tonight through Saturday, with matinee performances on the weekend, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday, and 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Sunday. To make a reservation, call 1-800-982-2787. Bob Carr is at 401 W. Livingston St. in downtown Orlando.
If you’re planning to come to Orlando for our great stage shows and other attractions, consider staying in a vacation home. Call USA Vacation Homes & Spa at 863-424-3835 and find out about booking your home away from home on your next Central Florida vacation.

POLK CITY — The month of May marks a special time for active duty servicemen and women, and for their families. It’sNational Military Appreciation Month, and some of our local attractions have made note of that.
Fantasy of Flight, the aviation attraction in Polk City, is offering complimentary admission to all active-duty, retired and reserve members of the U.S. Armed Forces throughout this month. Just present a current military ID or something showing past military service — then enjoy!
Kermit Weeks, the creator and founder of Fantasy of Flight, noted that this is an offer that members of the Armed Forces enjoy annually.
“Each year, we are honored to extend this free admission offer to the brave men and women of our armed forces,” Weeks said. “We hope they will take advantage of this opportunity to enjoy our many vintage military aircraft, as well as our permanent exhibits honoring military heroes such as the Tuskegee Airmen and Women Airforce Service Pilots.”
Fantasy of Flight is an ideal place for members of the Armed Forces, since this attraction celebrates our nation’s military past in so many ways.
Part of Fantasy of Flight’s mission is to find more war heroes and bring them to Central Florida. World War II pilots, soldiers, and flight nurses have been encouraged to contact Fantasy of Flight in the past, to recollect the amazing military aviation moments these men and women have to share.
It’s been estimated that worldwide, only a small fraction of the nearly 100,000 World War II POWs are alive today.
In a salute to D-Day participants, Fantasy of Flight’s aircraft collection will spotlight its fully-restored Douglas C-47 Dakota — which actually participated in the D-Day Invasion by dropping paratroopers on the nights of June 5 and 6, 1944, and by towing supply gliders on June 6.
This rare and historic aircraft has been restored to pristine D-Day military specifications, featuring “innovation stripes” and authentic fuselage equipment for paratrooper operations: static line, inwardly removable jump door and jump master signaling equipment.

Fantasy of Flight is an aviation-themed attraction that showcases vintage aircraft from the world’s largest private collection, and has interactive exhibits, a tram tour of aircraft maintenance areas, restoration and back lot tours, and programs like “The Tuskegee Airmen – They Dared to Fly” exhibit.
The attraction also features the 1930s style Art Déco Compass Rose Diner — a restaurant right out of the past, like the corner soda fountains that were so popular in the World War II era. This diner features a long bar with twirling barstools as well as booth and table seating. A circular bank of windows provides great views of vintage aircraft in flight.
Fantasy of Flight general admission is $29.95 for adults and $15.95 for children, ages 6-12. Annual passes are available for $69.95 for adults, $39.95 for children ages 6-12. Prices do not include 7 percent sales tax. Fanntasy of Flight is at 1400 Broadway Boulevard, SE in Polk City, right off Exit 44 on Interstate 4. For more information, call 863-984-3500.
If you’re thinking about coming to Central Florida, consider staying at a vacation home — your home away from home while you’re on vacation. Call us at 863-424-3835 and we can tell you all about the luxury resorts you have available to book, complete with multiple bedrooms, a game room, private pool, and full kitchen. What better way to vacation than in style and luxury?

If anyone needs a reminder of just how diverse Central Florida’s tourism industry is, consider that we have it all: theme parks, beaches, golf courses, shopping … and space travel.
At Kennedy Space Center, the wonders of soaring above the skies and taking flight into space are spectacularly on display for all to see. And if you’ve always wanted to watch a space launch, you’ve got an opportunity this week.
The Atlas V rocket will be launching on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. This is your opportunity to experience the powerful sights and sounds of the thunderous roaring engines of an Atlas V rocket as it thrusts into the sky from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station/a>.
Atlas V is an active launch system in the Atlas rocket family. Originally operated by Lockheed Martin, it’s now operated by the Lockheed Martin-Boeing joint venture United Launch Alliance.
The Atlas V rocket is using a Russian-built RD-180 engine burning kerosene and liquid oxygen to power itself. In more than three dozen launches, starting with its maiden launch in August 2002, Atlas V has had a near-perfect success rate.
The closest public viewing area for this latest launch is the Apollo/Saturn V Center, located along the Banana River, just three miles from the launch pad. The Apollo/Saturn V viewing area provides an excellent public spot in Brevard County, since this area features live NASA launch countdown commentary.
Tickets are still available for this launch, at $20 per person.
You can call 866-870-6239 to book your reservation today.
There is an additional viewing area as well, at the Kennedy Space Center’s Visitor Complex. Launch viewing there is included in your general admission, and it also features live mission control commentary.
Originally intended as a nuclear armed missile, Atlas has evolved into one of the world’s premier satellite launchers, and over the last 50 years, more than 600 Atlas rockets have flown into space.
This is an opportunity to watch history in the making as the Atlas V soars into the sky. And what better way to spend the entire day than to also take a tour of Kennedy Space Center, and find out more about this historic facility.
Located on Merritt Island, the John F. Kennedy Space Center is the United States launch site that’s been used for every NASA human space flight since 1968.
KSC also manages and operates unmanned rocket launch facilities for the U.S. government’s civilian space program from three pads at the adjoining Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Its Vehicle Assembly Building is the fourth-largest structure in the world.
For good reason, this is also one of Central Florida’s top tourist destinations, with a Visitor Complex offering public tours of the center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Located in a restricted area where only 9 percent of the land is developed, this is also a wildlife sanctuary where Bald Eagles, alligators, wild boars, and Florida manatees have been seen by workers.
If you’re planning a visit to Central Florida and to Cape Canaveral, consider staying in a vacation home resort. Call USA Vacation Homes & Spa at 863-424-3835 and book your home-away-from-home today.

Here are some known facts about the continent of Antartica …. starting with the most obvious.
It is cold there. Very, very cold.
Antarctica is Earth’s southernmost continent, containing the geographic South Pole, and 98 percent of Antarctica is covered by ice.
It is described as the coldest, driest, and windiest continent on the planet. The temperature in Antarctica has reached −89 degrees. There are no permanent human residents, but animals — including penguins and seals — call it home.
Depending on how you respond to sub-zero temperatures, a trip to Antarctica may not sound like the ideal vacation experience. But then again, what if you could take in the Antartica experience, penguins and all, only minus the minus-zero temps? Would that sound a lot more tempting?
Our local theme park giant SeaWorld Orlando is certainly counting on that. We’re now just days away from the grand opening of Antartica: Empire of the Penguins, bringing the wonders of this amazing continent to Central Florida’s already spectacular world of tourism.
If that sounds like a genuine oxymoron — Antartica in tropical Central Florida, a region that virtually never sees snow? — SeaWorld nevertheless is banking on the natural beauty and wonder of Antartica being a strong sell amidst our sunny skies and t-shirt-and-shorts-inviting heat.
Seaworld has built the world’s largest penguin habitat outside of Antarctica. This is also the single largest attraction Seaworld has ever constructed. There will be multiple things to do there.
Antarctica: Empire of the Penguins is the latest addition to the Orlando-based theme park’s attractions like Discovery Cove and Aquatica.
The SeaWorld version of this magnificent and mysterious continent — twice the size of Australia — will offer interactive and digital experiences for guests, as well as an opportunity to learn more about the world’s least populated continent. On an epic scale, it also celebrates ways of providing care for the natural world.
For example, Antartica will allow guests to “Walk with penguins in their World,” including on giant icebergs and massive glaciers — a way for guests to take a literal voyage to the bottom of the world. After all, who doesn’t love baby penguins?
SeaWorld’s Antarctica will allow people to experience the mystery, the drama and the beauty of the ice. And that’s just … well, the tip of the iceberg!
Antarctica: Empire of the Penguins is opening on Friday, May 24! Be among the very first ones to experience the grandeur of the South Pole and see it through the penguins’ eyes.
If you’re planning to visit Central Florida for the grand opening of Antarctica: Empire of The Penguins, consider staying at a vacation home resort while you’re here. Call USA Vacation Homes & Spa at 863-424-3835 and we can tell you about the luxury resorts and spa services that await you in your home-away-from-home.