Living the American Dream – the town of Celebration

Experience a nostalgic slice of Americana as you pay a visit to the small picturesque town of Celebration, Florida. Built by Disney in the mid-1990s, you’ll feel as though you have stepped straight into the movies! Wide tree-lined streets are spanned by pastel coloured homes, enclosed by white-picket fences that are a staple scene of American films, and all just three miles away from Disney World. Although Disney no longer own the town, many Disney employees and those associated with the parks live there, and it is still a popular tourist destination for those looking to experience the American Dream, fused with a little Disney sparkle.

Magic Kingdom lies at one end of the famous World Drive, and at the other you will find the town of Celebration, the brainchild of Walt Disney; a perfect community that encapsulates a vision of 1950s small-town America. You can reach Celebration from the I-4 or FL-417, and a visit to this pretty, quaint town should certainly be on your itinerary! With a variety of different style residential buildings, from grand estate-style homes to lofty apartment blocks, famous architects including Robert AM Stern and Michael Graves were involved in the design of civic community buildings such as the town’s hospital and post office, and every last detail of design around the town was carefully considered.

As you walk around the streets take in the sights all around – and don’t forget to look down to spot the manhole covers with their bespoke town design!

The compact town of Celebration is ideally designed for those residents and visitors happy to take a stroll, with wide brick-lined streets making this a tempting prospect. If you want to explore the area then why not follow the self-guided walking tour, or hire some bicycles and whizz around the town using the free bike trail map? You can even take a Segway tour! Head to the Welcome Center in the Downtown area, at the heart of the town’s commercial and residential sector, to get further details.

“I highly recommend the bike rental for those wanting to do something different. It was a great way to see the town of Celebration and its fabulous houses.”

Here you will also discover a wide range of shops and restaurants on the lakeside promenade near to the Market Street and Front Street areas. Pick up some gifts to take home or grab a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants that look out over the stunning Lake Rianhard. Cafe D’Antonio offers a range of Italian cuisine, while Imperium Food & Wine has a wide selection of wines and dishes. If you fancy a sweet treat, then Kilwins offer ice creams and a choice of confectionery. If the weather’s good why not head outside with your ice cream and take a seat in one of the rocking chairs on the waterfront, look across the lake and watch the dragonflies flitting by, while the kids play around the water fountain?

Across the water is the Lakeside Park where you will find a community facility for the town’s residents, including a swimming pool. It is in front of the building here that the farmer’s market is held on Sundays between 9am and 2pm in summer or 9am and 3pm in winter. Here you can pick up organic fresh produce, it is only a small market, but worth a visit if you are already in the town!

2018 events in Celebration

Another chance to sample the local food and drink is at the Oktoberfest Street Celebration, this year scheduled to run on 19th and 20th October. During this festival, leaves are dropped on Market Street at 7, 8 and 9pm to mark the autumn season and you can enjoy fantastic live music with family and friends.

More delicious food to sample is available on Food Truck Friday, the second Friday of every month over at the Celebration Town Hall, from 5-9pm. Sample a variety of delights from Florida’s most popular food trucks, all while listening to DJ Joe Magic working the decks.

A great time to pay a visit to Celebration is over the Halloween period. Residents get into the spirit of the season and decorate their homes with all manner of spooktacular Halloween-based accessories! An annual event, this year 11 homes are working together to raise money for a good cause on Jeater Bend Drive by putting on a Halloween show with stunning water and fire projections – all synchronised to music! The display will be on from 13th –31st October, 7–9:30pm, so you will have plenty of opportunities to check it out; either drive through and take a glance, or pull up and go for a walk along the street to get fully into the spirit!

There is plenty more to see in Celebration as it plays host to a range of special events throughout the year. These include art displays, car shows, music concerts and more, especially as Christmas looms closer. The Now Snowing event provides a winter wonderland for residents and visitors alike. The white-Christmas-extravaganza kicks off with the 20th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on 24th November, with live music, the appearance of Father Christmas and the first flurries of the snow-like ‘snoap’ falling all around, followed by nightly snow displays at 6, 7, 8 and 9pm. Take a spin on the synthetic ice rink, or enjoy a relaxing ride in a horse-drawn carriage. You could even board the Christmas Express train and take a ride around the town, before visiting Father Christmas at his cottage, to snap a photo with the magical man himself!

Before heading to Celebration, we would recommend you check the town calendar for more details on upcoming events >