While wandering historic downtown Cocoa I discovered the stately Porcher House in Cocoa Riverfront…read morePark. As a fan of historic architecture, this is a gem worth checking out. In front of the home is a historic marker that is part of the Historical Marker Program, one of the Division of Historical Resources' most popular and valued public history programs. The markers raise awareness of Florida's cultural history while enhancing the enjoyment of historic sites for residents and tourists. The blue historic markers tell the stories of the people and places that were important to Florida's history and they can be found in front of schools, forts, roads, archaeological sites, battlefields, cemeteries, roads, churches, historic districts, and historic buildings like this one. Historic marker F-937 was installed in 2017 by Brevard County Historical Commission, The Brevard Heritage Council, The Brevard County Tourist Development Council, and the Florida Department of State. This impressive home is associated with Edward Porcher. As a young man he moved to Cocoa from South Carolina in the late 1800's. He and wife Byrnina Peck of Atlanta settled into Merritt Island where they raised their family and operated Deerfield Groves, a citrus farm. He was the first person to grade fruit for shipping, patented the first fruit stamping machine, and he invented a machine to wash the fruit. He was the founder of the Indian River Orange Growers Association. In 1962 he was inducted into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame. Byrnina was the first postmistress on Merritt Island. In 1895 the Porcher family moved into a three story wood frame house where the Cocoa Civic Center is now located. Construction on the Porcher's Neo Classical Revival home began in 1914 based on Mrs. Porcher's design. A special feature in front of the house are the stones that were cut to represent the suits of cards in a game of Bridge. The house was built from native coquina rock and included ten bedrooms, four and one-half baths, a partial basement, and an attic. The staircase is made of teak, the floor is oak, and the wainscoting and trim are cedar. The Porcher family moved into the grandest home in Cocoa on October 31, 1916. Portions of the house are original while others are restorations. No longer on the property are the porte-cochere on the north side, the Porcher's swimming pool, and the large packinghouse that was on the river bank behind the house. The packing house was used to process produce delivered by boat the family's groves on Merritt Island. Edward Porcher passes away in June 1939. Upon his death the house passed to his son Arthur who died the next month. The house became a hotel and then in 1945 the City of Cocoa purchased it and used it for City Hall. Money from city and state historic preservation grants were used to restore the Porcher House and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 6, 1986. Today the Porcher House can be rented for private events like weddings.

Porcher was in the business of oranges. Later, this house was used as city hall…read more Now it is an event venue for weddings and such. The house has been restored, but it is not furnished as a residence. Some of the rooms contain offices where you can reserve the house for an event, and arrange for catering. The front door latch is a bit hard to open, so try a little harder before giving up on it. Don't expect a guided tour of the house, but walk thru and have a look, when there is no wedding or reserved private event going on. There is an elevator to the second floor, with water fountain and restrooms nearby. Look out the first floor back porch to the river. Walk out the back and stroll to the river thru a park with an amphitheater. There is another park on the block that has swing sets for the younger folk. This Porcher House is next door to the civic center.

My jobs holiday party was here. It was spacious & had plenty of parking. The location was good but…read morew/o a gps maybe a little difficult to find. I don't believe their was any staff there. The DJs, food, & bartenders were hired privately from my understanding. I didn't use the restroom so I can't comment on the cleanliness. There's a gazebo at the front of the entrance which was nice for photos. It was an enjoyable evening.

A beautiful venue for events. My sister had a wedding here and it was a great venue. On the water…read morewith plenty of parking. Great space inside for any small event you wish to have. Very casual amenities.

If I visit Cocoa I always make a point to visit this lovely park. When you need a place to take a…read morebreak from shopping and dining in downtown Cocoa Village, head over to Cocoa Riverfront Park. This is the perfect spot to relax on a bench and take in the beautiful view of the Indian River and the Hubert Humphrey Causeway. Cocoa Riverfront Park was once the home of the Porcher family. Their neoclassical mansion is still in the park. The families packinghouse was on the river bank behind the house. It was used to process produce delivered by boat the family's groves on Merritt Island. Today the park is a recreational destination for visitors to Cocoa Village. It has an open lawn area, playground, amphitheater, boardwalk, splash fountain, and covered pavilions. There are areas for fishing, water sports, and to launch a boat. The Porcher House can be rented for weddings. Cocoa Riverfront Park is a destination for concerts and community events like the July 4th celebration and fireworks. This park connects to Taylor Park and Lee Wenner Park providing 10 acres of recreational space along the Indian River for everyone to enjoy.

The venue and vibe are amazing. The upkeep on the bathrooms is not good. I understand during…read morecertain events and being crowded it's hard to keep the bathrooms clean, but not once during a recent concert was any of the permanent washrooms cleaned or even checked. Yes there were portapotties on site but you still need to maintain the brick and mortar ones.

We toured the Winter Park Events Center while searching for Quinceañera venues for my daughter, and…read moreit's truly one of the most beautiful event spaces in Central Florida. The venue is thoughtfully designed with two main levels. The downstairs ballroom serves as the primary event space with a full kitchen and dressing room, while upstairs features a large rooftop terrace, another dressing room, and a half kitchen that works well for cocktail hours or smaller gatherings. The entrance also showcases local art installations, which adds a nice cultural touch. One thing that really stood out during our tour is the value for the size of the venue. For the number of guests the space can accommodate, it's honestly difficult to beat the pricing compared to many other venues in the area. The only reason we ultimately didn't choose this venue came down to production limitations. They do not allow cold sparkler machines, "dancing on a cloud" effects, or direct mounting from the ceilings, which restricted some of the celebratory elements we were planning. They are also strict about approved caterers and vendors, which is understandable since previous events have caused permanent damage to the facility. Because our daughter's padrinos wanted to contribute to some of the more elaborate production elements, we had to explore other options. That said, if your event doesn't require those features, the Winter Park Events Center is an incredible venue with a modern design, great layout, and strong value. For weddings, galas, or milestone celebrations that fit within their guidelines, it's absolutely worth touring.

Beautiful venue for events and weddings! They have a nice outdoor space with a ring of palm trees…read morethat makes for nice pictures. However, it is nearby a sports field, so wedding ceremonies have a background noise that could disrupt the process. The facilities are nice and clean. Parking can be tough but there is a free parking structure across the street.

I was here for an end of year appreciation party for work, and it was so nice. I really love how…read moremuch natural light the main room has. They did a lovely job with the table settings. The staff was wonderful and really went above and beyond clearing place settings and bringing us drinks (which I'm pretty sure was not in their job description for this event and they didn't have to do!) It was a nice event in a lovely space!

The staff is wonderful! The space is so open that you can…read morecreate whatever your dream event is.

I came here for a concert for a band that I follow. They are a RUSH cover band called YYNOT. The…read morevenue is very nice, has very nice acoustics and overall a decent place to see a show. I was very impressed with the sound. The venue itself is very accessible, right off the main highway (US1) and didn't have any issues finding street parking. I didn't get to explore many other areas of the venue / center but it seemed large enough to hold very large events. There was probably close to 500 people at this show. I had a good time, and if you are coming here, I'm sure you will too.

I've been to Eau Galley Civic Center for many events although the parking is limited it's easy to…read morenavigate and I usually end up finding a parking space either in the lot or nearby on the street. Once inside it's always air-conditioned and events always seem to be well rounded and organized. It's located in the downtown arts District so it's always fun to walk around that area. There are several cute bars and restaurants in the area as well

This building is great for large meetings or other get togethers. It was clean, the air…read moreconditioning worked well, the bathrooms were also clean and well stocked. There is a stage for performances. There is also a large projection screen and necessary hookups are there for presentation purposes.

The Eastmonte Civic Center is a great venue for civic events. It is a meeting place for the…read moreSeminole County Democrats as well as other local organizations. There is a large open room suitable for most types of meetings, and the facilities are clean, spacious, and comfortable. Wow, I'm such an old maid, reviewing the civic center... Excuse me, I must go knit.

A very nice community center for the Satellite Beach area…read more This facility is on the east side of South Patrick Drive just to the north of the jackson Avenue intersection. There is a large parking lot in front here larger events (like car shows) are often held here. The building is 37000 square feet of space that allows it to serve as a vibrant hub for local residents. Their website states that their building houses, "...a meeting room, game room, concession area, gymnasium, and two dance studios. Whether it's a birthday party, social gathering, special event, or club meeting, we hope to be able to accommodate your needs" They offer a wide range of activities and amenities, including fitness facilities, meeting rooms, and recreational spaces. The center promotes community engagement through various programs such as fitness classes, art workshops, and community events. I recently went there for a group meeting. We met at one of the smaller meeting rooms. The staff was very friendly. The facility was clean and functional with a closet for extra tables and chairs. Overall, it a great place to hold a meeting or an event, either inside or out. For more detailed information and reviews, you can check out local community websites or visit the center's official website.

I went and did one of those candlelight concerts. It was fantastic great setting well set up…read more Plenty of parking. Acoustics were phenomenal.

The venue is situated on the water with great views. We visited to see a Candlelight Concert of…read moreVivaldi's Four Seasons. The prices were fair. We paid for mid level tickets, so our view was decent. The chairs are individual, so you're able to have space. The audience has a 360 view of the musicians, and I didn't think there was a best view, but I realized it's from a side that view the center--so you could see the faces of all the musicians. We had a wonderful time. Great date night!