2027 Zora Outdoor Festival in Eatonville
Eatonville is the nation's oldest incorporated Black township and the town Zora Neale Hurston wrote into American literature. Each winter the ZORA! Festival fills East Kennedy Boulevard for three days in her honor, as the Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community has done since 1990. The street holds outdoor stages and a long row of makers and food vendors. The program also has historical exhibits and student showcases, with hands-on activities for children. Kennedy Boulevard closes to traffic the afternoon before the festival opens, so follow the posted detours. Street parking near the site fills quickly, and the marked shuttle and park-and-ride options are the easier bet. Friday is Education Day and free to all. Saturday and Sunday are ticketed and sold in advance as single-day passes or a two-day combo, and there's also a VIP tier. Gates open in the morning, and Saturday runs latest, into the early evening.