By Matthew Stone
Apopka has enjoyed a very eventful 2024, with a whole host of intriguing events taking place across the year. The headline addition to the Apopka entertainment scene, however, looks to be Wyld Oaks. The massive development taking place off State Road 429 and spanning 215 acres will eventually play host to a bunch of entertainment options alongside shopping, dining, hotels and housing, as well as, potentially, a dog park.
Towards the end of 2024, the full scope of the project was revealed alongside the vote for the dog park design. There’ll be 200,000 square feet of commercial space, the Wyld Green outdoor performance venue, preserved centennial oak trees dotting the park, and a town center with further commercial space. There’s a lot on the way for Apopka, but even before construction at Wyld Oaks approached, there was plenty going on here in 2024.
A great year of fun for all
Across Apopka and in the nearby areas, there were plenty of major events to dazzle locals and people traveling in from across Florida. Particularly on the festivals front, the region saw many great shows put on. The headline act here, of course, was the Apopka Art and Foliage Festival. The annual spring festival down at Kit Land Nelson Park was teeming with creative artists and foliage specialists who helped to make the 62nd edition of the festival extra special.
More towards the Springs, the Art Craft & Wine Festival, Crane’s Roost Park, Beer and Bacon Festival, and the Petrified Forest offered more great occasions to sink into, while the Apopka Amphitheater to the north continued its strong slate of live performances. Of course, in Florida, you don’t always have to go outdoors or even drive anywhere to be entertained.
One of the big additions to the mainstream entertainment conversation of Apopka in 2024 was the rise of sweepstakes casinos. With online sports betting available, but online casino gaming not, sweepstakes casinos have carved out what’s proven to be a very popular niche. Now, over 30 major brands are competing for Floridian playing time, offering a whole host of bonuses and perks to try to win us all over.
On the way in 2025
There’s a lot on the way for Apopka and the nearby cities – especially Orlando. Just before the turn of the year, there was the perfect tee-up to another 12 months of activities with the Apopka Area City Scavenger Hunt, which was based on the Hot Habits book series. On January 4, it was time for FYA 11 Fest over in Orlando, followed by the Ultimate Acoustic Rock Show on February 1 back in Apopka.
On Sunday February 2, the epic Sunshine Reggae Festival makes its way to Apopka Amphitheater. Teeming with eye-catching foods, drinks, and, of course, some chilled-out reggae music, the Caribbean event will run from 2 pm to 7 pm that day. That’s a lot of great music events just to see us through to the second month of the year, with a lot more on the way thereafter!
Wyld Oaks will prove to be yet another mighty addition to the local entertainment scene of Apopka, and before it opens, there’s already more than enough on the docket to keep us buzzing.