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X-WR-CALNAME:Central Florida
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.esuus.org/centralflorida
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Central Florida
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TZID:UTC
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DTSTART:20250101T000000
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261020T180000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261020T210000
DTSTAMP:20260906T160840Z
CREATED:20260906T160839Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260906T160840Z
UID:1569-1792519200-1792530000@www.esuus.org
SUMMARY:ESU Fall Dinner
DESCRIPTION:The Fall Dinner is a sublime opportunity for Central Florida members and new friends to celebrate the season in style. Come enjoy a night of delectables and wonderful entertainment! \n\n\n\nCocktails 6:00 p.m. | Dinner 6:45 p.m. | Entertainment 7:30 p.m. \n\n\n\nEntertainment: We are delighted to welcome Zoe Kindley\, award-winning West End performer\, internationally acclaimed vocal coach\, television personality\, and recording artist. She has starred in Les Misérables\, Jesus Christ Superstar\, and City of Angels\, performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra\, and collaborated with artists including Elton John and Rod Stewart. A National Television Award-winning and BAFTA-nominated vocal coach\, Zoë has inspired audiences worldwide through her work in theatre\, television\, and the performing arts.  \n\n\n\nReservations: Due by Tuesday\, January 13\, 2026Please contact Barbara Hughes at (321) 279-1133 or barbarahughes954@gmail.com
URL:https://www.esuus.org/centralflorida/event/esu-fall-dinner/
LOCATION:Winter Park Racquet Club\, 2111 Vía Tuscany\, Winter Park\, Florida\, 32789\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.esuus.org/centralflorida/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Screen-Shot-2026-09-06-at-9.54.33-AM.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261102T153000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261102T170000
DTSTAMP:20260916T100829Z
CREATED:20260906T173905Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260916T100829Z
UID:1595-1793633400-1793638800@www.esuus.org
SUMMARY:November Program with Dr. Tim Riley
DESCRIPTION:You’re invited to hear Dr. Tim Riley as he presents the November lecture\, “Churchill: The Language of Leadership.” \n\n\n\nThe ESU Central Florida Branch hosts many prominent authors and scholars\, including ESU’s own Evelyn Wrench Lecture Series named after our founder. These renowned British and American speakers present programs on a wide range of topics\, including but not limited to current events\, history\, language\, literature\, art\, architecture\, and travel. Our programs not only include top-notch speakers and topics\, but we also provide refreshments and the opportunity to connect with the community! \n\n\n\n3:30 p.m. Refreshments \n\n\n\n4:00 p.m. Lecture
URL:https://www.esuus.org/centralflorida/event/november-program-with-dr-tim-riley/
LOCATION:University Club of Winter Park\, 841 N Park Avenue\, Winter Park\, Florida\, 32789\, United States
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261104T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261104T180000
DTSTAMP:20260914T153412Z
CREATED:20260914T144246Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260914T153412Z
UID:1608-1793811600-1793815200@www.esuus.org
SUMMARY:Happy Hour: Virginia’s Role: From English Rights to American Constitutions
DESCRIPTION:Today our ESU Happy Hour takes us on a journey through the pivotal events that shaped America 250 years ago\, this time in the great state of Virginia\, where revolutionary ideas became constitutional action. On May 15\, 1776\, at the Fifth Virginia Convention in Williamsburg\, delegates in Philadelphia proposed to transition Virginia from a British colony into an independent commonwealth\, to establish a new state government\, and urged the Continental Congress to declare full national independence from Great Britain. \n\n\n\nTheir work produced the Virginia Declaration of Rights—one of the most important documents in American history. It was a landmark statement of liberty and limited government and laid out the basic rights and freedoms that all people should have and set limits on what the government could do. The Virginia Declaration of Rights also influenced other state bills of rights\, the U.S. Bill of Rights\, the U.S. Declaration of Independence\, and France’s Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. \n\n\n\nJoin us for a lively step back into this revolutionary moment with Professor A.E. Dick Howard\, who will present “From English Rights to American Constitutions: Americans Transcribe Their Values and Aspirations in State Constitutions.” This special ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU Charlottesville\, VA Branch. The program is online\, free\, and open to ESU members and the public. Registration is required to receive the webinar link. \n\n\n\nAbout A.E. Dick Howard \n\n\n\nA.E. Dick Howard is the White Burkett Miller Professor of Law and Public Affairs Emeritus at the University of Virginia. He was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University and served as a law clerk to Justice Hugo L. Black\, at the Supreme Court of the United States. He has written prolifically on a range of historical and constitutional subjects\, including The Road from Runnymede: Magna Carta and Constitutionalism in America. \n\n\n\nActive in public affairs\, Professor Howard was the chief architect of the Constitution of Virginia. He has compared notes with constitution-makers in various foreign countries\, including post-communist Central and Eastern Europe. Seven universities have conferred on him an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws. Washington magazine has called Professor Howard “one of the most respected educators in the nation.”  In 2015\, Virginia’s General Assembly named Professor Howard as that year’s “Outstanding Virginian.” \n\n\n\nCocktail \n\n\n\nAs we are marking the 250th anniversary of Independence\, it would be fitting to recall the imbibing preferences of Thomas Jefferson. When he was our minister to Paris\, Jefferson acquired a taste for French and Italian wine. He explored the vineyards of Burgundy and Bordeaux\, hoping to replicate European viniculture in America. I propose a white burgundy for the occasion.
URL:https://www.esuus.org/centralflorida/event/happy-hour-virginias-role-from-english-rights-to-american-constitutions/
LOCATION:Florida
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261207T153000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261207T170000
DTSTAMP:20260919T203956Z
CREATED:20260919T203956Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260919T203956Z
UID:1635-1796657400-1796662800@www.esuus.org
SUMMARY:December Program with Dr. Juliette Wells
DESCRIPTION:You’re invited to hear Dr. Juliette Wells as she presents the December lecture\, “Jane Austen: A Lively Mind.” \n\n\n\nThe ESU Central Florida Branch hosts many prominent authors and scholars\, including ESU’s own Evelyn Wrench Lecture Series named after our founder. These renowned British and American speakers present programs on a wide range of topics\, including but not limited to current events\, history\, language\, literature\, art\, architecture\, and travel. Our programs not only include top-notch speakers and topics\, but we also provide refreshments and the opportunity to connect with the community!
URL:https://www.esuus.org/centralflorida/event/december-program-with-dr-juliette-wells/
LOCATION:University Club of Winter Park\, 841 N Park Avenue\, Winter Park\, Florida\, 32789\, United States
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261209T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261209T180000
DTSTAMP:20260914T154850Z
CREATED:20260914T154456Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260914T154850Z
UID:1630-1796835600-1796839200@www.esuus.org
SUMMARY:Happy Hour: The Surprising History of Santa and Christmas Traditions in America
DESCRIPTION:Christmas in America has a much richer and stranger history than the cozy images we know today. This festive ESU Happy Hour explores why early New Englanders outlawed Christmas\, how rowdy wassailing gangs once filled the streets\, and how German\, Dutch\, and English traditions eventually blended into the modern Santa. We’ll trace the journey from medieval St. Nicholas and Alpine mischief-makers to Thomas Nast’s German-American illustrations\, the Civil War era’s sentimental reinvention of the holiday\, and the 20th-century rise of Rudolph\, department-store Santas\, Coca-Cola branding\, and iconic Christmas foods. With a pint in hand\, you’ll learn how a mix of immigrant customs\, reform movements\, and cultural trends brought today’s version of American Christmas into being. \n\n\n\nJoin us as Erica Benson brings a story-packed journey tracing how America invented its own version of Santa and reshaped Christmas into the celebration we recognize today. The ESU Kansas City Branch sponsors this special ESU Happy Hour. The program is online\, free\, and open to ESU members and the public. Registration is required to receive the webinar link. \n\n\n\nAbout Erica Benson \n\n\n\nErica Benson\, founder of Third Place Historian\, is a seasoned historian and educator with over a decade of experience teaching U.S. history at the college level. She holds multiple degrees in history\, including a master’s degree in North American history\, and brings a deep scholarly background to her work in both academic and public history.A recipient of the prestigious James Madison Congressional Fellowship\, Erica has participated in numerous elite history seminars and institutes\, continually advancing her expertise in American political and social history. Her commitment to historical education extends beyond the classrooms. She is a contributing writer for the National Women’s History Museum and an advocate for gender equality issues and the Equal Rights Amendment. Erica’s work is grounded in a passion for making history accessible\, engaging\, and relevant. Her lectures are known for combining rigorous scholarship with compelling storytelling\, offering fresh insights into the complexities of the American past. Cocktail: EggnogEggnog evolved from posset\, a warm medieval British drink made of milk\, ale\, and eggs. Aristocrats drank it with expensive sherry\, while colonists in America substituted cheap rum. By 1775\, the name “eggnog” appeared\, transforming into a popular holiday tradition and even sparking a famous 1826 military academy riot. Ingredients:4 egg yolks1/3 cup sugar\, plus 1 tablespoon1 pint whole milk1 cup heavy cream1 1/4 ounces bourbon1 1/4 ounces dark rum1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg4 egg whites Directions:-In the bowl of a stand mixer beat together the egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar until the yolks lighten in color and the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the milk\, cream\, bourbon\, rum\, and nutmeg and stir to combine.-Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks. With the mixer still running\, gradually add one tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the mixture. Yields six cups. Chill and serve.
URL:https://www.esuus.org/centralflorida/event/happy-hour-the-surprising-history-of-santa-and-christmas-traditions-in-america/
LOCATION:Florida
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.esuus.org/centralflorida/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/12-9-26-hh-1024x536-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20270301T153000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20270301T170000
DTSTAMP:20260919T204009Z
CREATED:20260919T204009Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260919T204009Z
UID:1637-1803915000-1803920400@www.esuus.org
SUMMARY:March Program with Dr. Elliot Engel
DESCRIPTION:You’re invited to hear Dr. Elliot Engel as he presents the March lecture\, “The Wizard of Oz: L. Frank Baum and His Classic American Fairy Tale.” \n\n\n\nThe ESU Central Florida Branch hosts many prominent authors and scholars\, including ESU’s own Evelyn Wrench Lecture Series named after our founder. These renowned British and American speakers present programs on a wide range of topics\, including but not limited to current events\, history\, language\, literature\, art\, architecture\, and travel. Our programs not only include top-notch speakers and topics\, but we also provide refreshments and the opportunity to connect with the community!
URL:https://www.esuus.org/centralflorida/event/march-program-with-dr-elliot-engel/
LOCATION:University Club of Winter Park\, 841 N Park Avenue\, Winter Park\, Florida\, 32789\, United States
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20270405T153000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20270405T170000
DTSTAMP:20260919T204036Z
CREATED:20260919T204036Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260919T204036Z
UID:1648-1806939000-1806944400@www.esuus.org
SUMMARY:April Program with Dr. Iris De Rode
DESCRIPTION:You’re invited to hear Dr. Iris De Rode as she presents the April lecture\, “When France Saved America: The Alliance That Won The Revolution.” \n\n\n\nThe ESU Central Florida Branch hosts many prominent authors and scholars\, including ESU’s own Evelyn Wrench Lecture Series named after our founder. These renowned British and American speakers present programs on a wide range of topics\, including but not limited to current events\, history\, language\, literature\, art\, architecture\, and travel. Our programs not only include top-notch speakers and topics\, but we also provide refreshments and the opportunity to connect with the community!
URL:https://www.esuus.org/centralflorida/event/april-program-with-dr-iris-de-rode/
LOCATION:University Club of Winter Park\, 841 N Park Avenue\, Winter Park\, Florida\, 32789\, United States
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20270503T153000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20270503T170000
DTSTAMP:20260919T204049Z
CREATED:20260919T204049Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260919T204049Z
UID:1639-1809358200-1809363600@www.esuus.org
SUMMARY:May Program with Dr. Nancy Sindelar
DESCRIPTION:You’re invited to hear Dr. Nancy Sindelar as she presents the May lecture\, “Hemingway: His Women\, His Wars\, His Passions.” \n\n\n\nThe ESU Central Florida Branch hosts many prominent authors and scholars\, including ESU’s own Evelyn Wrench Lecture Series named after our founder. These renowned British and American speakers present programs on a wide range of topics\, including but not limited to current events\, history\, language\, literature\, art\, architecture\, and travel. Our programs not only include top-notch speakers and topics\, but we also provide refreshments and the opportunity to connect with the community!
URL:https://www.esuus.org/centralflorida/event/may-program-with-dr-nancy-sindelar/
LOCATION:University Club of Winter Park\, 841 N Park Avenue\, Winter Park\, Florida\, 32789\, United States
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