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Orlando runs a year-round festival calendar, and most of it is bundled into theme park admission rather than sold as separate tickets. From Epcot’s food festivals to Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, the best events are the ones timed to shoulder-season weather in the best time to visit Orlando guide. Here are the Orlando events worth planning a trip around.
Orlando Events: Spring (March to May)
EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival
Running from early March to early June, this festival adds topiary sculptures, outdoor kitchens, and a butterfly garden to EPCOT. It is included with park admission, so a US$109 to US$189 ticket covers it. Weekdays in March are lighter than the spring break weeks.
Universal Mardi Gras
From early February through April, Universal Studios Florida throws a nightly Mardi Gras parade with live concerts on select weekends. The parade and street entertainment are included with a US$119 ticket. The concert lineup, which has ranged from pop to country headliners, is posted months ahead.
Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival
Held over about two weeks in May at Loch Haven Park, Fringe is the longest-running fringe festival in the United States. Artists keep 100 percent of ticket sales, and individual shows run roughly US$12 to US$15 each. It is the best non-theme-park cultural event on the calendar and pairs with the downtown stops in our things to do in Orlando guide.
Orlando Events: Summer (June to August)
Fourth of July at the Parks
Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Universal all run extended fireworks shows around July 4, and the parks fill to capacity by early afternoon. Expect 33°C (92°F) heat and afternoon storms, the exact conditions our Orlando weather by month article flags for July. Book dining reservations as soon as the 60-day window opens.
EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival
From late August through mid-November, EPCOT adds more than 25 marketplace booths serving small plates and drink flights around the World Showcase. Admission is included with the park ticket, and dishes run US$5 to US$12 each. Evenings and weekends are busiest, so go on a weekday afternoon if you can.
Orlando Events: Fall (September to November)
Universal Halloween Horror Nights
Running select nights from early September through early November, Halloween Horror Nights fills Universal Studios with haunted houses and scare zones. It is a separately ticketed event starting around US$80 to US$100 per night, and it sells out on Fridays and Saturdays close to Halloween. It draws an adult crowd, so plan a babysitter or skip it with young kids.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
On select nights from mid-August through October, Magic Kingdom hosts this family-friendly after-hours party with trick-or-treating and a special parade. Tickets start around US$119 and are separate from daytime admission. Costumes are encouraged, and the candy haul is generous.
Orlando Events: Winter Holidays (December to February)
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
From early November through late December, Magic Kingdom hosts this separately ticketed holiday party with a parade, fireworks, and free cookies and cocoa. Tickets start around US$159 and climb toward Christmas week. The event is the reason early December crowds concentrate, as the Orlando neighborhoods guide notes for resort-area stays.
Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
Held around New Year’s Day at Camping World Stadium, this college football bowl game pulls Big Ten and SEC teams and their fans into downtown. Tickets start around US$50, and downtown hotels and the areas in our where to stay in Orlando guide fill up early. It is a lively alternative to the theme park crowds that week.
Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend
Usually the first or second weekend of January, this race weekend draws over 60,000 runners across a 5K, 10K, half, and full marathon that wind through all four parks. Registration opens months ahead and the marathon itself often sells out. Race mornings start before dawn, and traffic around the resort is heavy all weekend. For logistics, see the Orlando travel tips and Orlando pages.
