By Brenda Eubanks Burnette
Christmas is normally the brightest spot at the end of what can be a very long year for many of us. It signals not only the end of the year, but the beginning promises of a hopeful new year ahead.
One bright spot this year was the 100-year celebration of when the first Florida Citrus Queen was selected in Winter Haven. Alana Scheuerer of Coral Springs was crowned the 2024 Miss Florida Citrus, the Centennial Queen. We were able to reminisce with many of our “forever” Citrus Queens and talk about the highlights of their year of service.
There were many fond memories of another icon, the Orange Bird, which has seen a resurgence of interest since Disney brought the character back in 2012. How did he get his start? According to the book, “The First Fifty Years of The Florida Citrus Commission,” Disney representatives approached the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) with an offer to partner in the creation of Disney World in Orlando. The commission signed a letter of intent in 1967 to work with Disney, and the final contract was signed on October 22, 1969, with Governor Claude Kirk in attendance, along with “General Joseph Potter of Disney World, Mickey Mouse, and Richard (Dick) Pope of Cypress Gardens.”
The concept called for the FCC to sponsor a Sunshine Pavilion, which included the Tropical Serenade attraction and the Sunshine Tree Terrace, where citrus swirl and orange juice were sold. The Orange Bird was created specifically to represent Florida citrus at the pavilion and was featured in commercials with Anita Bryant. She told the Orange Bird’s story for Disney on a record album. It can be found on YouTube by searching Bryant Orange Bird.
The FCC ended its sponsorship of the pavilion in 1986, and the Orange Bird was eventually removed from the Disney character lineup. However, in 2004, Tokyo Disneyland introduced a line of Orange Bird merchandise in conjunction with their Orange Day on April 14, and he quickly became a hit in Japan. According to the Disney in Your Day blog, Disney brought the Orange Bird back to Disney World in 2012.
“On March 1, 2012, Disney World brought the citrus swirl back to the Sunshine Tree Terrace with the original recipe. This was followed by the exciting return of the Orange Bird on April 17, 2012. Disney had uncovered the original figurine of the Orange Bird from the Disney Archives and had him re-installed at the Sunshine Tree Terrace,” states the blog.
Today, you can still find the Orange Bird and citrus swirl dessert at Disney World, as well as Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival. There’s even an Orange Bird mural my son and I came across at Disney Springs!
In fact, according to Disney Parks Blog, this year’s Flavors of Florida food event at Disney Springs featured numerous citrus recipes, including an Orange-Hazelnut Petite Gâteau and an Orange Bird Dome Cake from Amorette’s Patisserie restaurant. That’s a food celebration worth taking nationally and an excellent way to end (or start!) the year — on an Orange Bird citrus sweet note!
Wishing you all the blessings of the season and the sweet sounds of friends and family to cherish in the years ahead!
Brenda Eubanks Burnette is executive director of the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame. Pieces of the Past is presented in partnership with Florida Southern College’s McKay Archives Center in Lakeland.
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