The Springs River Festival doesn’t officially take place until April 5-7, but the final preparations are beginning to take shape. There is now little more than a month until the start of the Festival. The Festival staff, busy as they are, work with the intended outcome of yet another successful Festival, which means an extensive list of shows and activities that are well worth seeing.

    The Springs River Festival is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to producing a family-oriented, quality event that offers other local nonprofits an opportunity to raise funds and awareness for their programs and services.

    As a first-time vendor, the Miami Northside Lions Club will be selling Cheesecake Etc. cheesecakes and key lime pies as their fundraiser to make known their activities.

    “We have our booth, tables and lights. We’re ready to go,” said Miami Northside Lions Club president Bob Mezyk. “We’re a nonprofit organization just like the Miami Springs Lions Club engaged in fundraising projects to improve sight and prevent blindness. I thought it would be great to participate at this year’s Springs River Festival by selling quality desserts.”

    Cheesecake may have been invented by the Greeks, but it has been an Italian favorite for centuries. Today there are dozens of cheesecake varieties the world over and at Cheesecake Etc. you’ll love them all!

    The most magnificent opportunities come into our lives when we least expect it.

    This is true for Cheesecake Etc. Dessert at 400 Swallow Drive in Miami Springs, and new owners Orlando Irsula and sons Milo and Erick.

    Orlando Irsula talked about how he wanted to buy a business that would attract both of his sons to Miami and one they would get excited about. As they narrowed their choices, they found Cheesecake Etc.

    “We tasted the product and thought it was excellent,” Orlando said. “The original owners had it successful for 30-plus years. The previous owner was one person and tried to do the best he could.

    “Lucky for us the employees that we have are great employees. By having them we are able to focus on the marketing part of it.

    “I’m really excited about the prospects and look forward to having both my sons here. As a father it’s like a dream come true. You have to pinch me every day because I’m happy to be alive and get to enjoy all of this.”

    Milo, along with his wife and son, moved to Miami Springs from North Carolina. They both are schoolteachers. This gave him the opportunity to be in a family business and for her to be a stay-at-home mom.

    Milo shared how he loves to cook. How he loves to cook savory. How he really loves to cook for himself.

    “It was a transition for me to get into sweets,” he said. “I think this opportunity affords me to be able to think outside the box. I’m not classically trained. I’m looking at it with fresh eyes and I’ve come up with some new flavors.

    “I made a salted caramel with pecans cheesecake, which I think is very good. The dulce de leche is great! Passion fruit! Bacon with maple glaze! Mojito with rum! I’ve made some pretty bizarre ones. I’ve made a strawberry chipotle cheesecake so that you get some sweet and some heat. I think it’s fantastic.

    “I actually want to make savory cheesecakes. I’m so open-minded. I’m willing to try anything. I’ve added 25 different flavors … But our famous Key Lime Pie rocks my world.

    “It’s an indulgence, a guilty pleasure. I want to make it a little less guilty.”

    Erick shared how he just got here after living seven years in Peru and how excited he is about this family venture.

    “We started with this fantastic product — that’s our base — and we want to expand it to other things for the more curious people. So many people have had cheesecakes in the world, but now we want to give them something different to try. I think we’re a good team to take that on.

    “I was actually trained and schooled to be a chief. I started my travels exploring the world and trying to learn new foods. I want to integrate that so that people can enjoy other things.

    “We are really happy about the neighborhood. Milo is so happy that he moved in.”

    Cheesecake Etc. Dessert has a life of its own. Orlando Irsula and sons Milo and Erick will continue to provide the highest quality products from their family to you.

    So to ensure the Springs River Festival is every bit as good as you deserve it to be, make sure you are there to see as much of it as possible!