Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities

03/24/2026

03/21/2026

✨ The ZORA! Festival of the Arts continues!

Celebrate the dynamic partnership between the Zora Neale Hurston Museum of Fine Arts in Eatonville and the Art & History Museums of Maitland.

This unique dual-campus experience features acclaimed artist Mary Graham and offers an intimate exploration of her work examining race, identity, and American culture, alongside a rare, behind-the-scenes look at her creative process.

When: March 27, 2026

🕙 10:00 AM | 📍 Zora Neale Hurston Museum (Eatonville)
🎟️ Guests will enjoy a guided tour of Value Test: Brown Bag, led by Mary Graham, providing insight into the themes and inspiration behind the exhibition.

🕚 11:00 AM | 📍 Art & History Museums of Maitland Exclusive studio visit
🎨 11:00 AM | Art & History Museums of Maitland

The experience continues with an exclusive visit to Graham’s working studio, where attendees will view works in progress and engage with Chief Curator Dan Hess.

This collaborative event honors the historic friendship between founders J. André Smith and Zora Neale Hurston, while highlighting the ongoing Artist-in-Residence partnership between both institutions.

Join us for a special Progressive Museum Tour connecting two Central Florida cultural institutions: the Zora Neale Hurston Museum of Fine Ar

02/15/2026

It is with profound sadness and heartfelt gratitude that we share the passing of one of our own, Alice Morgan Grant, lovingly known as Nana.

For many, she was a mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. For us at Preserve the Eatonville Community (PEC), she was a pillar. A steady hand. A wise voice. A faithful advocate. A woman whose dedication to community was not occasional, but lifelong.

Alice served as a valued and devoted member of PEC for many, many years. Her work, guidance, and commitment helped shape the very foundation of this organization. She believed deeply in preserving Eatonville’s history, protecting its legacy, and ensuring that future generations would know the power and pride of this historic community.

Her contributions were not quiet background efforts. They were intentional. Thoughtful. Strategic. She gave her time. She gave her talent. She gave her heart.

Alice also dedicated her life to education and excellence, serving as Editor of the Spelman College newspaper and later as a grantwriter supporting community-based initiatives. Her love for words, history, and community empowerment flowed into everything she touched.

Her loss is deeply felt within PEC. This one hits hard.

We grieve not only because she is gone, but because of the space her wisdom, strength, and presence leave behind. At the same time, we are incredibly grateful for the years we had with her and for the legacy she leaves woven into the fabric of Eatonville.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made in her honor to:
• Spelman College
• Preserve the Eatonville Community (PEC)

Please specify: “In Memory of Alice M. Grant.”

As we honor her life, we also commit to continuing the work she cared so deeply about preserving Eatonville’s story, protecting its history, and strengthening its future.

Rest well.
Your work here matters.
And we will carry it forward. Love P.E.C.❤️

02/10/2026

🕊️ In Loving Memory of Alice Morgan Grant 🕊️

The Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community (P.E.C.) mourns the passing of Alice Morgan Grant, a cherished and foundational member of the P.E.C. family.

From 1988 until her passing, Alice’s presence and impact were woven into nearly every aspect of our work. Her portfolio spanned literary excellence, secondary education, grant research, and decades of meticulous documentation that preserved the history and growth of P.E.C.’s most significant initiatives. Most recently, she served as Lead for Sankofa Showdown, a national middle school scholastic tournament and one of six major programs within Eatonville Rising – Sacred Ground and Storied Eyes, commemorating 140 years of Eatonville and 90 years of Zora Neale Hurston’s vision.

Alice was a cornerstone of P.E.C.’s editorial legacy. Her contributions include the Souvenir Book for the First Annual Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts (1990), editorial leadership for All About Zora: Views and Reviews by Colleagues and Scholars (1991), and years of service on the editorial staff producing the annual ZORA! Magazine. Because of her careful stewardship, P.E.C.’s archives remain a rich and precise record of decades of planning, scholarship, and decision-making.

Perhaps most enduring is Alice Grant’s commitment to educational excellence. Her national research laid the foundation for the Excellence Without Excuse (E-WE) Community Computer Arts Lab & Learning Center, which she managed for more than 20 years. Through that space, countless students from Eatonville and beyond gained the tools to succeed academically and become productive members of society.

Through her tireless service, Alice ensured that P.E.C. remained deeply trusted by the Eatonville community and widely respected among colleagues locally and nationally.

We extend our deepest condolences to her family, colleagues, and all who were touched by her life. Alice Morgan Grant’s legacy will live on through the students she empowered, the history she preserved, and the community she loved.

With gratitude and remembrance,
Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community (P.E.C.) 💙

01/31/2026

Step into the Harlem Renaissance. ✨
The ZORA!® 2026 Festival Season invites you to
COTTON CLUB, REIMAGINED, an unforgettable evening of live jazz, and glamour inspired by 1930s Harlem nightlife. History meets elegance.

📅 Saturday, January 31, 2026
🕘 9:00 PM – 1:00 AM
📍 Eola View | Downtown Orlando
🎟️ Individual Tickets & Tables Available
visit zorafestival.org

01/29/2026

Get your tickets now! ZORA! Outdoor Festival of the Arts🔥 Live performances by JUBU of MAZE in a Tribute to Frankie Beverly (🎉 All-White Party!), plus Brick with Jimmy & Curtis, Tyesha Williams, and Sunset Band.

📍 344 East Kennedy Boulevard
Saturday, January 31, 2026
👉 Get tickets at ZoraFestival.org

01/29/2026

Step into Zora’s world! Watch history come alive through performance at the ZORA!® Festival with The Zora Project.
🎭 Jan 30–Feb 1 | Eatonville

01/28/2026

The 2026 ZORA!® Festival Season welcomes Dr. Zienzi Dillon, Founder of Carmel Global Capital to the Africa–America Women Economic Forum. Join powerful voices from Access Bank Group, Barclays Africa, Range Rover USA, Absa Bank Zambia, and others. Be part of a global conversation that matters.

🎟️ Register now. Space is limited.
👉 zorafestival.org (under schedule of events)

01/27/2026

✨ Enter the Zoraverse✨

Join us for a dynamic two-day experience featuring a Zora-inspired luncheon with Dr. Fred Opie, powerful conversations with Dr. Deborah Plant, Dr. Ruthe T. Sheffey, and Eatonville residents on community heritage and a mobile tour connecting Maitland & Eatonville. Don’t miss it! Visit Zorafestival.org

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01/27/2026

🌟 Today’s students. Tomorrow’s leaders.
Education Day at the ZORA!® Outdoor Festival of the Arts invites you to explore creativity, technology, and history through immersive, hands-on experiences.
🗓 Friday, January 30, 2026
📍 Historic Eatonville
🎟 Free
Visit Zorafestival.org

01/24/2026

The 2026 ZORA!® Festival Season welcomes Irene Kakooza to the Africa–America Women Economic Forum. Join powerful voices of leaders whose careers include work at Access Bank Group, Barclays Africa, Carmel Global Capital, Absa Bank Zambia, and others. Be part of a global conversation that matters.

🎟️ Register now. Space is limited.
👉 zorafestival.org (under schedule of events)