Animationland

Meet Tracey the pencil dog and her quirky crew: Rooth, Drop, Inky, Uno, and Kari, as they whisk visitors through the wonderfully weird world...

Welcome to Thursday Morning, Orlando!

Break out the jackets, fam, because tonight is downright frigid! True story, I recently had to break down and buy a real jacket! I’m traveling north in the near future, and all I had was a fleece pull-over which is insufficient for 30-degree weather!

Now, in today’s issue:

Cardboard Canoe Regatta
Manatees at Night
Animationland
+ lots of weekend recs

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Let’s roll!

- Philip

P.S. Want some hawt community sourced foodie recommendations? Check out the Orlando Signal Restaurant Guide, right here.

P.P.S. Loving the Signal? Contribute here!

👋 ORLANDO: Making friends as an adult is weirdly hard. We're making it easier!

The first Orlando Signal Dinner Club of 2026 is locked in!

Meet other recent movers and long-time Orlando locals over dinner on Wednesday, January 28th in Winter Park.

Get seated with five people at a great restaurant. Then, mid-dinner, we'll text everyone the mystery after-gathering spot nearby where all tables re-group to continue the fun.

No awkward networking. Just good food, solid conversation, and an easy way to meet people who also thought, "yeah, I should probably get out more this year."

New Year's resolution: try something new? This counts. Start the brief quiz below.

👉 Reserve your seat now!

3 QUICK NEWS BITS ⏲️
Kelly Park's Cardboard Canoe Regatta: A Spectator's Delight

Talk about a “boatload” of fun. Har har!

On Saturday, spectators at Rock Springs can watch an absurd engineering challenge unfold: sixteen teams frantically building floating vessels using only cardboard and duct tape, then racing them across the spring's chilly 68-degree waters.

Kelly Park's Cardboard Canoe Regatta offers front-row seats to creative chaos from 8:30 a.m. to noon as teams construct their doomed watercraft. The real entertainment begins at 1 p.m. when races, and inevitable spectacular sinkings, commence.

Past years have featured competitors in inflatable T. rex costumes and canoes decorated with sharks and alligators. Prizes celebrate the race winner, crowd favorite, and most glorious failure.

Catch all the mayhem at 400 E. Kelly Park Road in Apopka for the price of regular park admission.

🔥 Check out the regatta right here, or check out Kelly Park specifically, right there.

Construction Season is Coming in Hot!

Orlando city officials just dropped the details on several exciting projects from the DTO Action Plan during a packed town hall that had residents and business owners buzzing with anticipation.

Thanks to funding from the Community Redevelopment Agency, five cool initiatives are about to shake things up:

Creating The Canopy park beneath I-4
Giving Church Street a fresh makeover with lush landscaping
Flipping Magnolia Avenue to two-way traffic starting late January
Building a stunning Lake Eola gateway
Crafting a cozy 4,400 square foot pocket park at 30 S. Orange Avenue

City leaders promise the planning marathon is finally done and construction crews are ready to roll.

Locals are pumped about the upgrades, especially the potential to welcome families and restore Church Street's legendary vibe!

A Photographer's Love Letter to Orlando's Music Scene

Hannah Howells has been capturing live music since she was young, but forget the stage, she's hunting for the real magic. The crowd energy, the pre-show buzz, those perfect connections sparking in dim corners.

Her exhibition Silence is a Symphony, named after a banger by Tampa's Novely, runs today, January 15th through February 14th, at CityArts in downtown Orlando. Expect shots of everyone from Twenty One Pilots to local heroes like Flowers for Emily and 0 Miles Per Hour.

It's not just about the bands. It's about the fans, the friends, and the whole beautiful chaos that makes Orlando's music scene worth documenting.

🔥 Check out Silence is a Symphony, right here.

(Learn more about the Hannah Howells journey with Chloe Greenberg, right here)

WEEKEND SPOT HIGHLIGHT 🔦
The Historic Town of Eatonville's 49th Annual MLK Parade and Celebration

Source: Historic Town of Eatonville

📍The Historic Town of Eatonville Town Hall. 307 E Kennedy Blvd, Eatonville, FL 32751/ Map to this location.

🕐 Saturday, January 17th, 2 - 6 p.m.

For nearly half a century, the Historic Town of Eatonville has gathered to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with something truly special.

The 49th Annual MLK Parade brings colorful floats, live music, and genuine community connection to life.

It's where neighbors wave from sidewalks, kids climb on shoulders for a better view, and Dr. King's legacy becomes more than words, it becomes the energy of people coming together.

Head out for this inspiring, in-person celebration.

👉 Check It Out

TOP 3 FUN RECS FOR THE WEEKEND 🍊
Park After Dark - Manatees at Night

Source: Friends of Blue Spring State Park

📍Blue Spring State Park. 2100 W French Ave, Orange City, FL 32763. Map to this location.

🕐 Friday, January 16th, 5:30 p.m.

Kick things off with a Nature Journaling Class and fun crafts before the sun dips. Pack a picnic dinner and catch the sunset show, then get ready for the real adventure.

As darkness falls, hit the boardwalk to hear manatees breathing and snoring below, yes, snoring! Spot glowing gator eyes, decode mysterious night sounds, and pick the brains of helpful volunteers stationed throughout.

Park entry is 4 bucks for solo visitors, 6 bucks for up to eight. Don't miss this after-dark nature party!

👉 Get more info, right here

Paranormal Cirque Specter

Source: Cirque Italia

📍Oviedo Mall. 1700 Oviedo Mall Boulevard, Oviedo, FL 32765. Map to this location.

🕐 Friday, January 16th through Monday, January 19th 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Multiple show times.

Paranormal Cirque lands at Oviedo Mall this weekend, and it's nothing like the circus you remember. This is entertainment for those who crave the bold, the intense, the unforgettable.

Performed under a striking Black & White Striped Big Top Tent, this show isn't for kids: no one under 13 admitted, ages 13-17 need an adult. If you've been debating, decide now. This weekend only.

👉 Get the full details

Animationland

Source: Historical Society of Central Florida, Inc

📍Orange County Regional History Center. 65 E Central Blvd, Orlando, FL 32801. Map to this location.

🕐 Opens Saturday, January 17th, 11 a.m.

Meet Tracey the pencil dog and her quirky crew: Rooth, Drop, Inky, Uno, and Kari, as they whisk visitors through the wonderfully weird world of animation at the History Center. Dive into storyboarding, sketching, and stop-motion filmmaking while uncovering how animated magic happens.

Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida spotlights the studio that thrived at Disney-MGM Studios from 1989 to 2004, where local artists brought Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Mulan, and Lilo & Stitch to life.

Bonus: Orlando Collected extends through January 19! Think of it as a double feature, one looking back at how a city grew and evolved, the other exploring how stories themselves are built and shared.