As Florida’s dog days of summer drag on, Central Florida event organizers are planning celebrations and activities for people of all ages at venues both inside and out. This weekend, spend time at a special event at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens , enjoy the grand reopening of the Orlando Fire Museum and meander around the Milk District during a bar and bites crawl. Art lovers can attend an artist workshop from Florida-based painter Mark Messersmith at the Mennello Museum of American Art while beer lovers can sip and savor a summer of sours at Deviant Wolfe Brewing .
The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens celebrates Black and African-American culture and heritage with an after-hours event on Friday that includes food, themed activities and music. Food options include Brothers-N-Arms BBQ , Paula’s Jamaican Cuisine and Papa G’s Freeze Shop . Guests can also enjoy vendors, live entertainment, a DJ and a dance floor.
If you go: Sunset at the Zoo is 5-8 p.m. July 26 at 3755 W.
Seminole Blvd. in Sanford. Tickets are $6 each when purchased in advance ($8 at the gate).
A family four-pack of tickets includes four hot dogs and four drinks for $44. More information: centralfloridazoo.org The nearly 140-year history of the City Beautiful’s fire department is on display at the Orlando Fire Museum, which sits next to the Orlando Science Center in Loch Haven Cultural Park.
The museum, situated inside a two-story red brick firehouse that was formerly in College Park, is reopening to the public this weekend with refreshments and gift bags for the kids. If you go: The Orlando Fire Museum has its reopening from noon-4 p.m.
July 27 at 814 E. Rollins St. in Orlando.
The event is free and open to the public. More information: orlandofiremuseum.org Head to the Milk District for a crawl that winds its way through different venues with drink and food specials.
Themed as an “Olympics kick-off,” the event includes free “swag,” a costume contest and free drinks at several stops included with each ticket. If you go: The Milk District’s Bar and Bites Crawl is 6-10 p.m.
July 26, starting from District Dive at 2401 E. South St. in Orlando.
Tickets are $10 in advance. More information: themilkdistrict.org The work of Florida-based painter Mark Messersmith depicts ivory-billed woodpeckers, roseate spoonbills, Florida’s native cats and other flora and fauna native to the Sunshine State.
This Saturday, the artist will lead a workshop at the Mennello Museum of American Art where his work is displayed. Guests can make sculptural pieces out of reused plastic bags. Messersmith will also lead an exhibit discussion about his work on Friday evening.
If you go: Mark Messersmith’s artist workshop is from 1-3 p.m. July 27 at 900 E.
Princeton St. in Orlando. Tickets are $30 each for non-members.
Messersmith’s exhibit discussion is from 6-7 p.m. July 26.
More information: mennellomuseum.org One of Sanford’s breweries invites guests to escape the summer heat with a cold beer in hand. Explore the summer of sours at Sanford’s Deviant Wolfe Brewing, which includes a lineup of seven new sour beers with names like “Fruit’s Just a Fad,” “Sourmanjaro” and “Blueberry Waffle Sour.
” If you go: Summer of Sours kicks off at noon July 27 at 121 W. 1st St. in Sanford.
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