ORLANDO, Fla. (Sept. 14, 2026) – There's more to Mount Dora than the version you see on a postcard. In the season premiere of WUCF's Florida Road Trip, the people who know the city best reveal how it became the place it is today.
Florida Road Trip: Mount Dora premieres Thursday, Sept. 17, at 8 p.m. on WUCF and will air on PBS stations across Florida in September.
In the episode, Emmy® Award-winning journalist and host Scott Fais traces Mount Dora from its earliest settlement through the growth that transformed it into a destination. Viewers learn how Lake Dora connected the young town to the rest of Florida and hear the uncertain history behind the city's name.
The episode also explores the history of Mount Dora's Black community. As redevelopment displaced Black families from what became downtown, many resettled in East Town, where residents built a largely self-sufficient community.
Other stories show how much of Mount Dora's character has been shaped by people who built something here and kept it going. Local artists created what became the nationally recognized Mount Dora Arts Festival, while volunteers transformed an abandoned ice plant into a community theater. Along the lakefront, the episode visits places that have endured for generations, from Lakeside Inn to the Mount Dora Yacht Club and Mount Dora Lawn Bowling Club.
Featured interviewees include:
- Barnett Schwartzman, Historian
- Gary McKechnie, Author and Historian
- Erin Creel, Archivist
- Vivian Owens, Author
- Trae Johnson, Worship Master, Mount Dora Masonic Lodge
- Janet Gamache, Art Executive Director, Mount Dora Center for the Arts
- Gary Hopcraft, Artist
- Darlin Barry, Managing Artistic Director, The IceHouse Theatre
- Dylan Gamez, Marketing and Public Relations Manager, Lakeside Inn
- Edee Robinson, Past Commodore, Mount Dora Yacht Club
- Randy Woods, Former President, Mount Dora Lawn Bowling Club
- Tricia Eustice, President, Mount Dora Lawn Bowling Club
The Mount Dora premiere launches a new season of Florida Road Trip, with eight new episodes exploring communities across the state.
New episodes premiere Thursdays at 8 p.m. on WUCF and will air on PBS stations throughout Florida. Episodes are also available to stream for free following broadcast, with early access to episodes through WUCF Passport.
The media tool kit with episode images is available here: https://www.floridaroadtrip.org/blogs/florida-road-trip-newsroom/
To request interviews with featured guests or producers, contact:
Christine Dellert Mullon
christine@sondersays.com
407.718.0199
About WUCF: WUCF serves as the region’s trusted source for educational programming, arts, culture and local storytelling. As Central Florida’s only PBS affiliate and home for jazz, WUCF offers free, accessible content that enriches lives, fosters curiosity and strengthens the community. Guided by the mission “We Change Lives,” WUCF is committed to connecting, inspiring and empowering audiences across all platforms. To explore WUCF’s impact and programming, visit WUCF.org.
