PHOTO VIA MEET FLORIDA MEAT FACEBOOK PAGE
Meet Florida Meat (Website), Central Florida’s farm-direct market and agricultural gathering, holds its fifth annual event this Saturday and Sunday, March 21 and 22, at Great Scott Farms (Website) in Mount Dora.
The 2026 theme is “What’s At Steak,” shining a light on the resilience of Florida’s agricultural community in the face of hurricanes, urban sprawl, rising costs, and regulatory hurdles. It’s also a send-off of sorts for the host venue, as Great Scott Farms will be moving to a new location, and this year’s event serves as a farewell gathering at their current site.
The event was founded by Jillian Curtin, who also runs Florida Farm Finder (Website), a directory resource connecting consumers with farmers across the state. According to an interview by Central Florida Ag News, when Curtin realized people were eager to support local farmers but lacked the confidence to buy farm-direct, she knew a space needed to exist where consumers could learn from and listen to farmers directly.
“Meet Florida Meat was inspired by a very real disconnect I kept seeing between Florida consumers and Florida food,” Curtin says. “Farmers who are struggling to market themselves and consumers who want transparency and trust.”
All protein at the event comes from animals born, bred, and processed exclusively in Florida, including beef, pork, chicken, turkey, seafood, and duck. The market also features dairy, cheeses, honey, jams, breads, oils, sauces, and a wide range of handmade goods, plants, and apothecary products.
The inaugural event drew about 30 vendors and 1,500 attendees. It has since grown to roughly 3,500 to 4,200 people and 60 vendors. Great Scott Farms also hosts several family-friendly farm activities, including a corn maze, zip line, castle playground, jump pillow, super slide, and food trucks on-site throughout the weekend.
Coolers and wagons are welcome, and bulk ice is available on-site. The event is pet-friendly. Wristbands can be purchased at the gate or in advance through Great Scott Farms’ ticketing page. Click HERE for more information.
