While Maitland is busy telling golf cart owners to get off its roads, Sanford is traveling in the opposite direction. Historic Downtown Sanford is hosting CartFest (Website), a three-day golf cart festival running July 24–26.
The inaugural Sanford Lifestyle CartFest, powered by Trojan Battery Company, is billed as a celebration of golf cart culture: custom builds, live music, food trucks, a vendor expo, and a grand finale cruise through downtown on Sunday. On Saturday, the main event day, streets close for the CartFest Golf Cart Show, where carts compete for awards including Best Custom Build, Best Audio, Tallest Cart, and a People’s Choice — with $1,000 going to Best of Show.
Registration is open now. Showcase registration for visitors (which enters your cart in the competition) runs $50 and includes an event shirt, challenge coin, welcome drink, and a temporary golf cart permit valid for the weekend. Non-showcase registration is $40 for visitors who want to come cruise and watch without competing.
The contrast with Maitland is pretty stark. Maitland has banned golf carts from all city streets, sidewalks, and trails, giving owners until August 11 to comply or face fines around $158. The only legal path forward there is converting to a state-registered low-speed vehicle. Sanford, meanwhile, is closing its streets to celebrate the things.
CartFest registration and more info at sanfordmainstreet.com/cartfest.
