Visitors looking for spring will find inspiration at the Central Florida Home & Garden Show March 19-21, Hall North B in the Orange County Convention Center’s North/South complex off Universal Boulevard. The premier home improvement event boasts the area’s largest selection of the latest products and services for virtually every area of the home, indoors and out, all under one roof.

 

Sandra Rinomato, real estate expert and host of the popular HGTV show, Property Virgins, will share her knowledge during appearances on Saturday, March 20 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

 

The show will also be blooming with expert tips and new products and services. Presentations will include Orlando’s popular expert green thumb, Tom MacCubbin on Friday only; a Disney Floral & Gifts demonstration inspired by the Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival; Karina Veaudry from the Florida Native Plant Society; The Gourmet Gardener and organic container gardening expert Barbara Baker; and The Landscape Renovator Andy Robinson. The University of Central Florida Arboretum will present a 1,500-square-foot wholesale garden center with plants on sale, and guests can stroll through more than 6,000 square feet of spectacular gardens.

 

Attendees will have the opportunity to shop, compare and save at more than 400 exhibits with the industry’s hottest products and services for home and garden, plus compete in contests, register to win prizes and much more. Show hours are Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m, and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets are available at the door, and are $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-12, and free for children 5 and under. Seniors (60 and over) are $5 on Friday only. Advance tickets can be purchased online for a $3 discount off full-price $10 admission at www.FloridaHomeShows.com. For information call 1-877-871-7469.

Note: For the first time, the public will be able to see the Little Haiti House, a low-cost, eco-friendly, earthquake- and hurricane-resistant home developed for use in Haiti by Orlando hotelier Harris Rosen. Attendees may walk through the 36’ x 12’ model home and see how renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, as well as plant-based fuels, make this a smart and affordable solution to Haiti’s rebuilding effort. Donations will also be accepted, with 100 percent of contributions going directly to the Rosen Haiti Relief Fund.

 

Guests can also see the house and support the Relief Fund while sampling gourmet cuisine on Saturday, March 20 from 6-9 p.m. during a special after-hours fundraising event, “Rosen Hotels’ Homeowners for Haiti.” For just $25, which includes free admission to the show, guests can sample a mix of sweet and savory dishes from the award-winning Rosen Hotels’ restaurants, including Jack’s Place at Rosen Plaza, Everglades at Rosen Centre and A Land Remembered and Cala Bella Italian bistro at Rosen Shingle Creek. Complimentary wine and non-alcoholic beverages are also included. This first-of-its-kind event was created specifically to benefit the victims of the Haiti earthquake through the Rosen Haiti Relief Fund. Tickets for this special event are limited and must be purchased in advance online. To purchase, go to www.FloridaHomeShows.com and enter in the special code, HAITIHOUSE.