- December 16, 2025
Central Florida's first Latin performance festival is nearing its Ormond Beach debut; a local author publishes a book to save species; volunteers clean up the city; and more.
BY THE OBSERVER STAFF
Oscar Ciccone, festival organizer behind September’s Festival Latino Ormond Beach, has launched a new website for the 13-day festival, complete with a full program schedule and ticket information.
Offered in both English and Spanish, the website offers descriptions of every music and theater show, as well as the participating companies, performance photos and videos.
Festival Latino, taking place Sept. 16-29 at the Ormond Beach Performing Arts Center, is the first Latin performance festival to ever take place in Central Florida. The festival has been tradition in New York City since 1983.
Organizers expect the event to draw more than 5,000 visits. Tickets are $20 per performance.
Visit www.festivallatinoormondbeach.com, call 676-3379 or search “Festival Latino Ormond Beach” on Facebook.
Local publishes book to raise extinction awareness
Ormond Beach’s Aubrey Corrine Wilkinson celebrated last week the release of her new novel, “Fading Stripes: Saving a Species,” which she hopes will raise awareness about species extinction.
Published by Tate Publishing and Enterprises, the book follows Giya, a 12-year-old girl who discovers that her grandmother’s bed time stories about a species called Seuua were true, and that the species no longer exists because of mankind's mistreatment of it.
Wilkinson works for one of the leading animal-rescue teams in the world. Her book is available at bookstores nationwide and online.
Call (877) 727-0697, or email [email protected].
Around town …
Over the past few weeks, Campus Outreach Program volunteers, from Georgia, have assisted city staff with edging and raking near the construction area on Hand Avenue. They continue to conduct visitor surveys at Andy Romano Beachfront Park, assisted with the setup and execution of the city’s Independence Day celebration, trimmed and edged fields at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex and did the same to the walking trails at Central Park.
Pat Speno wrapped up the fourth week of her Art Expressions camp at The Casements July 19, focusing on nature art. The camp will continue July 22-26, with the “Exciting Art Escapes” program.
