Orlando’s Premier Fall Arts Calendar: IMMERSE, EDC, Broadway, Museums and More
Discover a season of immersive art, world‑class theater, and vibrant cultural celebrations in Orlando this fall (IMMERSE pictured; photo by Charles Schuett).
Autumn is the ideal time to visit Orlando, offering cooler temperatures, lighter crowds, and an unrivaled arts lineup. From interactive multimedia events in downtown to headline Broadway productions, award‑winning museums, and family‑friendly theater, your entire fall getaway can revolve around the city’s thriving creative scene.
Even if theme parks are your main draw, Orlando’s fall arts calendar promises unforgettable moments you won’t want to miss.
IMMERSE in Orlando
IMMERSE in Orlando (Photo: Creative City Project)
Presented by Creative City Project and supported by the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, IMMERSE is a groundbreaking public‑space festival that transforms downtown streets into a living gallery. The 2019 edition runs October 18‑19.
IMMERSE blends interaction, inspiration, and immersion: expect everything from breakdancing and ballet to orchestral performances, large‑scale installations, and participatory art that invites you to become part of the spectacle. Most programming is family‑friendly, with a PG‑13 portion in the final two hours each night.
Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra at IMMERSE (Photo: Creative City Project)
The 2019 lineup features more than 1,000 artists from 100+ organizations, including Orlando Ballet, Opera Orlando, Central Florida Community Arts Jazz Band, and new international acts such as Blue Man Group, Architects of Air, and Diavolo. Highlights include:
- Blue Man Group at Universal CityWalk—an international phenomenon that fuses music, art, and comedy.
- Architects of Air’s inflatable domes and light corridors, opening at the Dr. Phillips Center’s Seneff Arts Plaza on October 18 and running through October 27.
- Diavolo’s fusion of dance, acrobatics, and architecture, exploring the human body’s relationship to space.
Returning favorites from last year include:
- The Worlds of Corkcicle—a photogenic, Insta‑ready experience inside eight shipping containers, available at Seneff Arts Plaza from October 18‑27 and open to the public after IMMERSE.
- 4,000 LED‑node light installation at Loch Haven Cultural Park and the Dr. Phillips Center, showcasing dynamic, large‑scale illumination.
Additional attractions feature tech‑based interactive art, a 60 × 25‑foot inflatable structure with projection, a giant 3‑D printer, drone displays, and “Orchestrate,” a collaboration among the Orlando Philharmonic, Florida Symphony Youth Orchestras, and Creative City Project.
IMMERSE is budget‑friendly: general admission, including Blue Man Group shows, starts at $10. VIP packages are also available. The downtown location means you’ll have easy access to renowned dining and nightlife before and after the festival.
Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) Orlando
Following last year’s record‑breaking attendance, EDC returns November 8‑10. With a record‑sized footprint, the festival adds an extra stage and showcases world‑class electronic music talent—an essential event for dance‑music aficionados.
Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando
Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando
As the cultural cornerstone of downtown Orlando, the Dr. Phillips Center hosts Broadway productions, top musicians, comedians, and distinguished speakers. Fall’s lineup includes:
- Les Miserables (Oct. 22‑27)
- Escape to Margaritaville (Nov. 12‑17)
- The Play That Goes Wrong (Dec. 3‑8)
- The Four Italian Tenors: Viva Italia! (dates TBD)
- Concerts: Alison Krauss (Oct. 19), King Diamond (Nov. 5), Sammy Hagar (Nov. 9)
- Orlando Ballet’s Vampire’s Ball (Oct. 31‑Nov. 3)
- Comedians: Dane Cook (Sept. 27), Wayne Brady (Oct. 12)
The Bob Carr Theater, adjacent to the Center, will feature the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra on Sept. 28, Oct. 5, Oct. 26, and Nov. 30. Tickets sell quickly—plan ahead!
More Performing Arts in Orlando
No matter when you visit, theaters across the region offer diverse performances.
Orlando Shakespeare Theater
Orlando Shakespeare Theater (Orlando Shakes), located in Loch Haven Cultural Park, hosts PlayFest 2019 (Nov. 1‑3 & Nov. 8‑9). The festival features seven readings of new plays and a behind‑the‑scenes experience.
Upcoming productions include Evita (Sept. 4‑Oct. 6), Macbeth (Oct. 9‑Nov. 24), and the family‑friendly Miss Nelson Is Missing! (Oct. 17‑Nov. 22).
Orlando Repertory Theatre (Orlando Rep) also in Loch Haven will present Tuck Everlasting (Sept. 3‑29), How I Became a Pirate (Sept. 30‑Nov. 10), and Mr. Richards & The Pound Hounds (Oct. 25‑26).
In Winter Park, The Winter Park Playhouse offers You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Nov. 15‑24 & Dec. 5‑15) and a Spotlight Cabaret Series featuring Tay Anderson (Sept. 25‑26) and Natalie Cordone (Oct. 23‑24).
Additional venues include downtown’s Mad Cow Theatre, Timucua Arts Foundation Concert Hall, Garden Theatre in Winter Garden, and Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center in Sanford.
Museums & Galleries in Orlando
Orlando’s art venues are as diverse as they are inspiring. Highlights include:
Rollins Museum of Art in Winter Park (Photo: Stephen Allen)
The Rollins Museum of Art—free to the public—houses 5,500+ works from antiquity to contemporary art, including the Alfond Collection displayed at The Alfond Inn.
Fall exhibits (Sept. 21‑Dec. 29) feature African American Art in the 20th Century, Ut Pictura Poesis: Walt Whitman and the Poetry of Art, and At Leisure: Images of Repose From the Permanent Collection.
The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art in Winter Park
Home to the world’s largest Louis Comfort Tiffany collection, the Morse Museum’s current specials include Iridescence — A Celebration and Earth Into Art — The Flowering of American Art Pottery.
Orlando Museum of Art
Since 1924, the Orlando Museum of Art in Loch Haven has showcased rotating exhibits. Current shows (up to Oct. 27) include Modus Operandi: Photographs From the BNY Mellon Collection, Our Voice: Celebrating the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Awards, and Jon Napoles: Devil City. Upcoming exhibitions (Sept. 20 onward) feature Louis Dewis: An Artist’s Life in France, Stephen Althouse: Metanoia, and Edward Steichen: In Exaltation of Flowers.
Loch Haven also hosts the Mennello Museum of American Art, honoring self‑taught artist Earl Cunningham, while CityArts Factory in downtown offers free tours of multiple galleries.
With so many visual and performing arts options, it’s no wonder Orlando feels like a natural “fall” for culture.
Cover image: Aretuzas Ballerina Project at IMMERSE in downtown Orlando; photo by Charles Schuett
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