Lake Eola Park has a nearly mile-long sidewalk that surrounds the lake, making it a popular place for walking and running at lunch time and in the evening. The park rents swan-shaped paddle boats and electric gondola boats (both at $15 per half hour as of April 2011), and visitors are welcome to feed the swans and other birds. The park's Walt Disney Amphitheater hosts concerts and plays, and the Relax Grill restaurant (relaxgrill.com) offers outdoor dining with a menu of American, Greek and Middle Eastern specialties.
Lake Eola Park hosts two major celebration each year, along with many other smaller events. Juneteenth Celebration, a week-long event each June, features blues artists, cultural programs and African dance, as well as presentations on topics ranging from genealogy to quilting. Celebration in the Park, held in the fall, is one of Orlando's largest outdoor events. The celebration features live entertainment (including singers and musicians from Walt Disney World), food vendors from around the world, games and fireworks.
Lake Eola Park is home to Orlando's annual July Fourth Fireworks at the Fountain festival. This free event features food and live music in addition to the fireworks. Fiesta in the Park, an annual festival held at Lake Eola, features hundreds of artists and artisans selling fine art, crafts, ceramics, pottery, home decor and jewelry. The festival also has live music and other entertainment, food booths selling everything from tacos to kebabs and a children's area with crafts and face painting stations.
Lake Eola became an Orlando city park in 1892. Since that time, the park has gone through a number of changes. The park was once home to a zoo, a horse track, tennis courts and a pier with a dance area, features that have all since been removed. The park's first band shell was built in 1910, but three others have been erected on the same site since. The band shell was most recently renovated in 2007 by the Walt Disney Company. A children's playground was added to the park the same year.
