6 things to do this weekend
This Friday night you can party like a Bond villain or enjoy folk music under the stars on Saturday.
All weekend long, there's a variety of vibes for all to enjoy at Leesburg/Lake County area events May 17-20.
FRIDAY
Whiskey Painters of America
On a foggy night in 1962, 11 watercolor artists gathered at the Tangier Night Club in Akron, Ohio, where the Whiskey Painters of America group was born. Though official, they're anything but conventional. After business hours, founder Joe Ferriot would head to his beloved watering hole and produce miniature masterpieces by dipping his brush into his glass of booze, which he would then give away.
See the members' miniature works and learn more at an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday at the Lake County Museum of Art, 213 W. Ruby St., Tavares. The Whiskey Painters of America exhibit will run through June 29. Details: lakeartmuseum.com.
Marmadukes Lodge grand opening
Celebrate the long-awaited grand opening of Marmadukes Lodge at 7 p.m. this Friday. The first 100 people in the door will receive a complimentary domestic draft or well drink every day for a year. The venue comprises a pizza parlor serving stone-fired pizza and milkshakes, a speakeasy bar and a restaurant that serves elevated sports pub fare.
With a name that pays tribute to Leesburg pioneers John and Mary Marmaduke Robertson (not the lovable cartoon dog) and photos of the Civil War-era couple on display, Marmadukes Lodge has a Prohibition Era-style nostalgic ambiance and features live music in the main room downstairs next to the bar’s brew barrels. A “high-end speakeasy” at the old Burns Drug Store can be accessed with a secret tunnel of sorts and features piped-in jazz from the 1920s. Marmadukes is at 215 W. Main St., Leesburg. Details: facebook.com/lodgeleesburg.
Marmadukes and more downtown: Bar, restaurant, apartments: Check out this downtown Leesburg redevelopment project
Battle of the Bonds in Leesburg
Leesburg is more than an ocean away from Monte Carlo, but the city's chamber hopes to re-create the glitz and the glam of a James Bond casino scene at its Casino Royale soiree this Friday night. The Leesburg Area Chamber of Commerce invites you to get gussied up in your best Bond-style attire to participate in Battle of the Bonds. The assignment: Play top secret spy games, drink, dance and dine, and play casino-style games. Takes place 6-10 p.m. at the Venetian Center, 1 Dozier Circle, Leesburg. Tickets are $85. Details: leesburgchamber.com.
SATURDAY
Leesburg Boat, Music and Food Truck Day
No need to wait 'till Memorial Day weekend to enjoy Americana-style outdoor festivities. One "Rec'N Saturdays" event sounds especially fun and offers a trifecta we all love: boats, music and food. Leesburg's Boat, Music and Food Truck Day takes place at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the Venetian Center and Venetian Gardens, along the banks of Lake Harris. Details: leesburgflorida.gov.
Wine down Weekends at the Winery
Bring lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy free live music at the Lakeridge Winery this Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. On Saturday, catch 33 Years, roots rockers that will appeal to fans of Neil Young and Shoves & Rope. Clermont blues guitarist and singer David Julia headlines Sunday's show.
No coolers or outside food and beverages allowed. Admission and parking are free. Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards is at 19239 U.S. 27 N., Clermont. Visit lakeridgewinery.com/WATW for details on its wines and other goods.
Lake Eustis Folk hosts acclaimed Florida musician
Gamble Rogers, a famed musical storyteller from St. Augustine (1937-'91), once took a budding Sam Pacetti under his wing. Rogers imprinted on his protégé music and oral traditions, and they played together weekly for around a year, until Rogers died trying to save a drowning tourist caught in an undertow at Flagler Beach.
The local organization Lake Eustis Folk says they're honored to have Pacetti headline the Trout Lake Nature Center this Saturday evening, calling him "a fingerstyle guitar wizard." The group's Facebook invite credits Pacetti as "a deft songwriter, capable of haunting depth and wry humor in the space of one song."
If you're interested in enjoying the troubadour's talents, bring a dish for the park's monthly potluck dinner at 7 p.m.; the concert will start at 7:30. A small donation is requested. Trout Lake Nature Center is located at 520 E. County Road 44, Eustis. Learn more about Pacetti at sampacetti.com. Details about the nature center can be found at https://troutlakenaturecenter.com.
Hosting an event in Lake County or nearby? Email description and photo (without text, please) to news@dailycommercial.com. Please notify us at least two weeks in advance.
This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Weekend events in Leesburg and Lake County Florida for May 17-20
