Welcome to Thursday Morning, Orlando!
I’m ready for another glorious upcoming weekend, and hope you are too. I keep saying this, but enjoy another jam-packed issue below. Lots of groovy things to do!
Now, in today’s issue:
- Ring That Bell
- Barkchella
- Mrs. Roper Romp
- + lots of weekend recs
Did a neighbor forward this to you? Subscribe here.
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. Check out tons of open Orlando area jobs at the Orlando Signal Job Board, right here.
⚡ Full circle: Dinner Club returns to Milk District
We launched Orlando Signal Dinner Club in the Milk District back in October. Now we're coming back to this neighborhood, and ready to do it again.
Wednesday, April 29th in the evening! You know the drill: quick quiz, five matched locals at your table, mystery restaurant drop that morning, after-party text sent mid-meal.
First-timers welcome. All Orlando locals encouraged. Anyone looking to meet cool people and eat great food, you're in.
Mark your calendar and lock in your spot.
👉 Get more info, and reserve your seat, right here!
3 QUICK NEWS BITS ⏲️
Ring That Bell
Imagine finishing a four-year degree only to realize you want to do something completely different, but can't afford to start over. Per Scholas Orlando was built for exactly that moment. Free IT training, done in as little as 12 to 15 weeks. No tuition. No debt. No catch.
The nonprofit just scored $50,000 in Orange County CDBG funding to spread the word to even more people who could use a break.
The curriculum covers cybersecurity, cloud computing, software engineering, and more, and it works: 80 percent of graduates nationally land full-time tech jobs within a year. 🔥
The best part? When that first offer letter arrives, graduates come back to campus and ring a bell. Hard.
👉 Check out the Per Scholas Orlando program, right here.
The Voice Before the Siren
Before the sirens, before the boots hit the floor, before any of the dramatic stuff happens, there's a dispatcher picking up the phone and immediately getting to work.
This week, the Orlando Fire Department is throwing well-deserved flowers at its Public Safety Telecommunicators during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, April 12th–18th.
In 2025, OFD dispatchers fielded over 64,000 emergency calls, about 177 a day, spinning up more than 143,000 Fire and EMS responses.
They juggle panicked callers, radio channels, and split-second decisions like it's just another Tuesday. Because for them, it often is.
They're the original multitaskers. And this week, Orlando's saying thank you.
Know a Soon-to-Be Mom Who Could Use a Little Support?
Here's something worth sharing.
This Saturday, the Foundation for a Healthier West Orange and the Maternal Health Collaborative are throwing open the doors for Healthy Beginnings for Moms. It’s a one-day event packed with free and affordable prenatal care resources, all in one place.
From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1200 E. Plant Street in Winter Garden, pregnant moms get one-on-one guidance, help finding a doctor or midwife, prenatal vitamins, baby essentials, and connections to community resources, no matter their insurance or budget.
Pass this along. A simple forward could make all the difference. Registration is required.
👉 Click/tap here for all the info, and registration!
WEEKEND SPOT HIGHLIGHT 🔦
Clermont Art & Jazz Fest
Source: Clermont Art & Jazz Fest
📍Waterfront Park. 330 3rd St, Clermont, FL 34711. Map to this location.
🕐 Saturday, April 18th & Sunday, April 19th, 3 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Good music. Great art. Zero excuses to stay home.
Waterfront Park is throwing open its gates for Clermont's first-ever Art & Jazz Fest, two days packed with world-class performers including Ghost-Note, Walter Beasley, Keiko Matsui, and Barbara King.
Browse original artwork from local and regional artists, hunt down your new favorite food vendor, and soak in the kind of atmosphere that makes you forget what day it is. Come for the jazz. Stay for everything else.
👉 Check It Out
TOP 3 FUN RECS FOR THE WEEKEND 🍊
Barkchella
Source: BarkHaven
📍BarkHaven. 724 Brookhaven Dr, Orlando, FL 32803. Map to this location.
🕐 Saturday, April 18th, 5 p.m. - Late
Barkchella is back, and this time, the night runs long.
This Saturday, BarkHaven reopens its gates for a sunset-to-night, rave-style music festival featuring live sets from CHYMERA and CHASENSPACE, a full foam party, and high-energy festival production built for both humans and their dogs.
Dogs welcome. Not required, but honestly, why wouldn't you?
👉 Get more info, right here
Ceramics Workshop @ City Arts
Source: Toasted Earth Ceramics
📍City Arts. 39 S Magnolia Ave, Orlando, FL 32801. Map to this location.
🕐 Saturday, April 18th, 3:30 p.m. - 6 p.m.
There's something deeply satisfying about a piece of pottery you made yourself, especially when it earns a permanent spot on your kitchen counter.
Toasted Earth Ceramics Co. is hosting a hands-on workshop at CityArts in Downtown Orlando, where you'll craft a matching spoon rest and herb stripper from scratch.
No experience needed. Decorate however you like using underglaze. Clay, color, and both firings included.
👉 Get the full details
Mrs. Roper Romp Mills 50
Source: The Center
📍Mills 50. 942 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803. Map to this location.
🕐 Saturday, April 18th, 7 p.m. - 2 a.m.
Dust off your boldest caftan, stack on the chunky gold jewelry, and tease that orange-red wig to new heights.
The Mrs. Roper Romp is coming to Mills 50. Inspired by Three's Company's most iconic housewife, this spirited bar crawl hits 15+ Orlando pubs and bars for a night of pure, committed camp.
Dress the part: flowing prints, feathered slippers, oversized earrings, and most importantly, Helen Roper's signature unshakeable joy.
Come knock.
👉 Check it out, right here
THIS WEEKENDS HAPPENINGS 🎭 🥁
Friday
History After Dark: ’90s Night! | 5 p.m. | City District | More
The Art of Luce Sky | 6 p.m. | Mills 50 | More
Composition Studio Recital | 8 p.m. | UCF | More
Canaan Cox | 7 p.m. | Mills 50 | More
Month of Jazz: Ryan Devlin Quartet | 7:30 p.m. | Wadeview Park | More
Allan Vache Swingtet | 8 p.m. | Winter Park | More
The R&B Lovers Tour | 8 p.m. | UCF | More
16th Annual Earth Fest & Arbor Day Celebration | 10 a.m. | Casselberry | More
Saturday
🔥Vegan Day Party | 12 p.m. | I-Drive | More
Crayola After Dark | 6:30 p.m. | OBT | More
Stifel Stars on Ice | 7 p.m. | City District | More
The Salsa Social | 6 p.m. | Apopka | More
Collective Coachella | 12 p.m. | Avalon Park | More
Minnie Evans: Draw or Die | 2 p.m. | Mills 50 | More
Caroline Kingsbury | 6 p.m. | Downtown | More
Northvale, Good Night Moon, Five Cent Wish | 7 p.m. | Mills 50 | More
Funny Business Comedy | 7 p.m. | I-Drive | More
Mountain Grass Unit | 7 p.m. | City District | More
Orlando City SC vs. Houston Dynamo | 7:30 p.m. | City District | More
Month of Jazz: Florida Man Big Band | 7:30 p.m. | SoDo | More
Sunday
🔥 Yom HaShoah Commemoration | 2 p.m. | Maitland | More
Earth Day Cleanup | 9 a.m. | City District | More
Sunday Social: Second Chapter Binding | 10 a.m. | Ivanhoe Village | More
MSO: The Many Faces of Shostakovich | 3 p.m. | Winter Park | More
Operax: Operetta Meets Bruschetta | 5 & 7:30 p.m. | City District | More
Street66 Band | 5 p.m. | College Park | More
Jean Wilder and Runner's High with Margo Maybach | 6 p.m. | Audubon Park | More
Immortal Acts | 6 p.m. | City District | More
Math Rock Spring Break 2026 | 7 p.m. | Mills 50 | More
Orlando Valkyries vs San Diego Mojo | 3 p.m. | UCF | More
Orlando City B vs. Carolina Core FC | 7 p.m. | Kissimmee | More
🎭 Have an event to share?Submit it here.
THANKS!
🧠Interested in reaching smart Orlando readers like you? Grow with us right here.
🌟 Know a community superstar? Tell me about them, right here.
We’ll see you on Monday.
My Best,
Philip - Publisher, Orlando Signal
