CitySurfing Orlando

Due to the NBA lockout, there hasn’t been a basketball game for quite a while in Orlando. Well, this weekend, b-ball fans will get a one day reprieve when Orlando Magic superstar Dwight Howard hosts an All-Star game this Sunday, November 13, 2011.

All proceeds will benefit Howard’s D12 Foundation, which supports youth education and health.

Among the celebrity players invited to participate in the game are Penny Hardaway, Shaquille O’Neal, Vince Carter, Grant Hill and more.

The game will be played at the UCF Arena. Doors open at 6pm for the 7pm game.

Tickets range in price from $25 to $100 (plus tax and service fees) and are available at the UCF Arena box office or via Ticketmaster.

Yesterday (March 6), as part of Spring Training, the Kissimmee-based Houston Astros played a home game against the NY Yankees.

Spotted in the stands cheering on her boyfriend, Yankees’ A-Rod, was actress Cameron Diaz right behind home plate at the Osceola County Stadium.

If you’re interested in possible future Diaz sightings this month, the NY Yankees (who are training in Tampa), will play the Atlanta Braves on March 8 at the ESPN  World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World.

[Photo courtesy Kissimmee CVB]

Walt Disney World has festivals and special events year-round geared towards different interests. This weekend, Disney’s Hollywood Studios has one just for the sports fan.

Stars from the NFL, MLB, NBA and NCAA, plus well-known ESPN on-air personalities, are headed back to Walt Disney World Resort for the eighth annual ESPN The Weekend.

This year’s lineup at Disney’s Hollywood Studios features more than 35 athletes and ESPN stars, including former University of Florida football coach and current ESPN college football analyst Urban Meyer, Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco, NBA Hall of Famer Julius “Dr. J” Erving and MLB Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr.

Other athletes expected to participate are Donald Driver and Greg Jennings (Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers), former NFL star Derrick Brooks, ex-NBA great Alonzo Mourning and Karl Malone, Mia Hamm (U.S. Women’s soccer legend), and current Orlando Magic players.

For the first time in the event’s history, several popular sports team mascots will participate in the event, including the Phillie Phanatic (Philadelphia Phillies), Albert E. Gator (University of Florida), the Penn State Nittany Lion, the Oregon Duck, Homer The Brave (Atlanta Braves), Captain Fear the Buccaneer (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Sebastian the Ibis (University of Miami).

In addition to athlete appearances, ESPN The Weekend will feature on-site telecasts of popular ESPN programs (beginning Thursday, March 3) at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney.

During the event, there will be Q&A sessions, motorcades, and autograph sessions. The ESPN Sports Zone will also give guests of all ages the opportunity to test their skills at a wide variety of sports. MLB-, NBA-, NFL- and BASS-themed interactive areas within the Zone will have fans swinging for the fences, shooting baskets and throwing passes, as well as Dick’s Sporting Goods’ Sports Caravan, a multi-sport interactive area.

All ESPN the Weekend event activities run March 4 through 6, and are included in regular admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. For a complete list of ESPN and sports attendees, visit the ESPN the Weekend website.

[Photos courtesy Walt Disney World]

If you’re a baseball fan, this is the time to be in Central Florida. Fifteen Major League Baseball teams are training in the state, and over half of them are stationed in the Orlando and Tampa areas.

The Atlanta Braves are training at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World. Their first away game is this Saturday, February 26, against the NY Mets in Port St. Lucie. Their first home game is the next day, Sunday, February 27, also against the NY Mets. A complete schedule of games is online.

Tickets for home games start at $10 for general admission lawn seats and start at $24 for bleacher reserved seats. Tickets are $3 additional when purchased on the day of.

Over in Kissimmee, at the Osceola County Stadium, you’ll find the Houston Astros training. Their first away game isn’t that far away, as they’ll be taking on the Atlanta Braves at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on February 28. The next day is their first home game, also against the Braves, on March 1. A complete schedule of games is online.

Tickets for home games start at $15 for outfield reserved seats and go up to $24 for dugout reserved seats. There is a $3 additional fee for certain “premium” games.

But we’ve uncovered a great deal for Florida residents!

Purchase tickets for the March 1 game of the Houston Astros vs. the Atlanta Braves at the Osceola County Stadium at the box office, and get outfield reserve seats for just $7 (half-price!). First pitch for this game is at 1:05pm.

For a complete list of MLB teams training in Florida, check out the website for the Grapefruit League.

[Photo courtesy Atlanta Braves]

Relive some of Kissimmee’s history by bringing your family to this weekend’s PRCA Silver Spurs Rodeo of Champions at the Silver Spurs Arena.

2011 marks the 126th year for the rodeo and hundreds of top rodeo professionals are here to compete in events such as bull riding, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, and barrel racing. Yes, there will even be rodeo clowns.

The rodeo starts today (Feb 18) at 7:30pm, continues Saturday (Feb 19) at 7:30pm, and finishes Sunday (Feb 20) at 2pm.

Tickets are a mere $15 per person, per day, and children 10 and under are free when accompanied by a paying adult. All paid admissions also include free admission to the Osceola County Fair being held next door.

The Silver Spurs Arena is located at Osceola Heritage Park (1875 Silver Spur Lane) in Kissimmee. For more information visit the Silver Spurs Rodeo website or call 407-67RODEO.

Here’s a video of a previous Silver Spurs Rodeo to whet your appetite: