October 2026 in The Villages: events, golf news, and the Savannah Center lineup

Halloween is the headliner this week. Halloween Across The Villages runs Saturday, October 31, from 6 to 10 p.m. at all four town squares: Spanish Springs, Lake Sumter Landing, Eastport, and Brownwood. Each square puts on its own themed celebration with live entertainment, costume contests, and festive drink specials. There is no ticket to buy, just a night out on the squares.

The weekly rhythm keeps going too. The Hometown Market sets up every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Brownwood Paddock Square, with fresh produce, handmade goods, and local vendors. And in early November the community turns to honoring veterans: Honoring Our Veterans runs November 8 through 11 with memorial services and community tributes across the community, and a Veterans Day golf cart parade is set for the morning of Sunday, November 8.

A newer one to watch: the Dragon Boat Rodeo, a first-year event on Saturday, November 14 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Central Lake at Eastport, with races put on by the Grand Masters Dragon Boat Club.

What this means for investors: the social calendar is a core part of why winter demand holds. Events give seasonal renters and future buyers reasons to book a season and reasons to come back, and an active town square is a dependable draw for the people who keep the rental model moving.

The biggest news is Legacy Place, a 700-acre mixed-use district along Florida's Turnpike near CR 470 and Central Parkway, at the community's new southern gateway. Announced by AdventHealth, Benderson Development, and The Villages, site work began around September 2026. The anchor is a new 80-bed AdventHealth acute-care hospital, with construction expected in 2027 and an opening targeted around 2030. For an investor, a hospital and a full retail and wellness district going in nearby is the kind of long-term infrastructure that supports demand and resale appeal.

The Eastport buildout, the fourth town square that opened in 2025, keeps adding reasons to visit. Oak & Stone opened there on October 6, 2026, joining Hotel Eastport and its Yamas restaurant and the Prime & Embers Steakhouse. Each new restaurant and shop gives the square more everyday traffic, and that traffic is part of what makes a neighborhood rental-friendly.

And the broader picture: The Villages was named the nation's top-selling master-planned community for 2025, with about 3,400 projected home sales, up about 6 percent (Zonda). The community keeps building southward, and every new village and town square extends the rental market.

Three courses have reopened this year after renovations. Heron Executive Golf Course reopened September 16, 2026, after a $1.081 million renovation, with tee times available from September 9. Havana Championship fully reopened in January 2026, and Bogart Executive reopened February 24, 2026.

Several courses are closed for renovation now, with reopening dates already announced. Redfish Run closed June 22, 2026, construction completed in September, and a reopening is planned for January 2027. Turtle Mound closed July 24, 2026, with a reopening planned for spring 2027. El Santiago Executive reopens Friday, November 20, 2026, after its renovation. Others remain closed with no date set: El Diablo Executive has been closed since May 12, 2026 for a complete renovation (new greens, tees, fairways, and drainage), Hill Top Executive has been closed since September 8, 2026 for new greens, drainage, and a putting green, Roosevelt Executive has been closed since September 26, 2026, and Yankee Clipper Executive has been closed since January 2026 for rest and rehabilitation.

On the horizon, Meadow View, a new 27-hole championship course, is described by The Villages as its newest course with opening details still pending.

What this means for investors: golf is one of the biggest amenities in The Villages, and course renovations are the community reinvesting in what draws renters and buyers. A closed course near a home is a short-term consideration for a season's rentals; a reopening, or a brand-new course, supports the long-term demand story.

The Savannah Center (1545 Buena Vista Blvd) is one of the community's premier venues for ticketed shows, and its calendar stays full through the season. Here is the current lineup, straight from The Villages Entertainment and Victory Productions:

Tickets are sold through The Villages Entertainment at thevillagesentertainment.com and through Victory Productions at victoryproductions.org, and can also be reached through thevillages.com/entertainment or by phone at 352-750-6084. Show dates and times can change, so check the official pages before you plan around one.

What this means for investors: a full entertainment calendar is part of the package that makes the winter rental market strong. The Savannah Center is a big draw for seasonal renters, and a venue with a steady show lineup is one more reason a renter books a season here instead of somewhere else.