A new report by Smartest Dollar shows that the Avon Park-Sebring metro area lags behind the national average when it comes to the most new businesses per capita. The analysis shows that locally, we saw some 1,592 new business applications last year – which was 15.73 percent increase.
That’s slightly behind the national average of 16.18 percent. That being said, local averages dwarfed national figures when it came to one, and two year changes in new business applications.
The Avon Park-Sebring area was up more than 46-percent over the previous year, with a two-year increase of better than 84-percent.
One of the big local tourist attractions will come to Highlands County tomorrow, as the Highlands Art League hosts their 55th annual Fine Arts & Crafts Festival. The streets in downtown Sebring will be closed off, as vendors pack the Historic Circle with all manner of paintings, pottery, jewelry, home decor and unique hand-made items.
There also will be food vendors and music from the "Outta Hand Band."
One of the the Highlights of the festival will be the "Emerging Artists," juried art competition featuring the work of Highlands County students.
Somewhere between 5,000 and 20,000 visitors come in for the event, depending on the weather.
This is a weekend area bargain hunters look forward to all year long. It’s the 15th Annual 39-mile Scenic Highway Yard Sale. The route runs up Alternate 27 from Frostproof to Haines City. Garage and yard sales dot the roadway along the Lake Wales Ridge with all manner of items from antiques, to curios, to clothing, tools, toys, musical instruments … and … junk.
It will run from roughly 8am until 3pm – or whenever people set up and tear down.