Welcome to Thursday Morning, Orlando!
I’ve heard Lake Eola has some new residents. Apparently, the little cygnets hatched a few days ago. Wishing them a long, happy life!
Now, in today’s issue:
- Here’s a Hall Pass
- Family Luau
- Really Free Market
- + 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.
3 4 QUICK NEWS BITS ⏲️
Here’s a Hall Pass to Cheat on Your Regular Coffee Spot
Eleven local coffee shops. Five dollars at every single one. All month long. Yes, really.
The Orlando Spring Coffee Crawl runs through all of May, and your digital Crawl Pass is basically a golden ticket, unlocking a $5 welcome credit at each stop. Walk in, order whatever calls your name, tap "Redeem," and pay the difference. That's it.
No rigid routes. No scheduled meetups. Just you, your taste buds, and a very good excuse to finally try that café you've driven past past for months.
Eleven shops. One month. Zero reasons to drink the same coffee twice.
☕️ Check out the list of 11 participating spots in the crawl, right here.
Break a Leg, Winter Garden!
Winter Garden's Garden Theatre is coming back, baby, and the community couldn't be more ready for it. The historic venue went dark without warning in late 2024 when its former operator buckled under financial pressure, leaving a town full of theatre lovers with nowhere to go.
But the wait is finally over. City commissioners tapped DNA Event Creative as the theatre's shiny new presenting partner, with the handoff happening as the final approval is imminent. The lineup? A crowd-pleasing mix of plays, films, concerts, camps, and downtown performances, all city-approved to keep the fun family-friendly.
Curtain up, Winter Garden. You've earned it.
(Learn a lot more about Winter Garden's favorite theatre making its return with Stephanie Rodriguez, right here)
Bigger Net, Shallow Funds
Florida just threw more kids a lifeline, literally. The governor signed legislation last week expanding the state's swimming lesson voucher program to children up to age 7, nearly doubling the previous cutoff of 4 years old.
It's a timely move as drowning is the leading cause of accidental death among Florida children ages 1 to 4, and kids in the 1-to-7 range accounted for nearly 20% of the state's drowning deaths in 2024.
Lawmakers, inspired by families who lived through drowning tragedies, designed the bill around prevention. Hospitals and birth centers will now be required to put drowning safety information directly in new parents' hands.
One issue, though. The program is still badly under-funded. Last fiscal year, only 4,945 of 16,663 voucher applications were awarded. More kids qualify now, but the pool of funding hasn't gotten any deeper.
(Dive deeper into Florida's push to get more kids swimming with Marian Summerall, right here)
Fork Yeah, as Mount Dora Taste Hits a Milestone
Mount Dora's most delicious night of the year is turning 25, and it's celebrating in style.
The 25th Annual Mount Dora Taste hits Sunset Park this Saturday, from 6:30–10:00 p.m..
Twenty-five local heavy-hitters: think Goblin Market, Mavis Jerk Shack, KKO Chocolate, Lakeside Inn, and Pisces Rising, are bringing their absolute best for one epic evening of bites, sips, and bragging rights.
Vote for your favorites across five People's Choice Award categories. Dance to Blender Live Music. Eat everything.
700-800 guests can't be wrong. Can you?
🔥 Get all the deets, right here.
WEEKEND SPOT HIGHLIGHT 🔦
Longwood Free Family Luau
Source: Aloha Productions
📍Reiter Park. 311 W Warren Ave, Longwood, FL 32750. Map to this location.
🕐 Saturday, May 2nd, 4 p.m.
Reiter Park becomes the place to be when the Longwood Luau rolls in. Fire knife performers, live Hawaiian music, and hula dancers take over in a free, open-to-all celebration.
Kids stay busy with bounce houses, face painting, and games, while tropical drinks and Hawaiian food keep everyone fueled.
Best part? It won't cost you a thing.
👉 Check It Out
TOP 3 FUN RECS FOR THE WEEKEND 🍊
Really Free Market
Source: The Really, Really Free Market of Orlando
📍Festival Park. 2911 E Robinson St, Orlando, FL 32803. Map to this location.
🕐 Saturday, May 2nd from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
At Orlando's Really Free Market, "free" isn't a marketing trick, it's the whole point.
No bartering. No trades. No pressure. Just neighbors gathering under the trees at Festival Park to give what they can and take what they need.
Bring items, offer a (free) skill. Live music, dog nail trims, resume help, yoga, or simply show up empty-handed. Whatever you bring, take the leftovers home.
Florida heat applies. Hydrate accordingly.
👉 Get more info, right here
The Great Gatsby
Source: Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.
📍Steinmetz Hall. 445 S Magnolia Ave, Orlando, FL 32801. Map to this location.
🕐 Thursday, April 30th through Sunday, May 3rd, 7:30 p.m. & 2:00 p.m.
There's a reason The Great Gatsby never quite leaves us, it's a story about wanting something so badly you build your entire life around it.
Orlando Ballet brings that obsession to the stage, accompanied live by the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. War hero Jay Gatsby returns to reclaim Daisy, only to watch his dream crack under the weight of love triangles, shattered loyalties, and dark deception. Dazzling costumes.
Cinematic staging. Music that hits you in the chest. This is Gatsby on a grand scale.
👉 Get the full details
The Baldwin Park Walking Tour
Source: Orlando Foundation for Architecture
📍Grace Hopper Hall. 1913 Meeting Pl, Orlando, FL 32814. Map to this location.
🕐 Saturday, May 2nd, 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
A Saturday Morning Worth Lacing Up Your Shoes For
Baldwin Park didn't happen by accident. The Orlando community built on the former Naval Training Center was shaped by deliberate planning and a clear vision. This Saturday, you'll hear about it from the people who made it happen.
The morning begins at 8:30 AM with a presentation on Baldwin Park's history and design principles, followed by a guided walking tour. Bagels and OJ served! Wear comfortable shoes.
👉 Check it out, right here
THIS WEEKENDS HAPPENINGS 🎭 🥁
Presented by CFCArts Community Choir: Some songs don't just play, they take you somewhere.
Road Trip: USA traces America's musical soul from corner to corner. Broadway, the blues, jazz, country roads, and rock 'n' roll that shook a nation. Folk. Pop. Gospel. All of it, live.
NEXT Thursday, May 7th at 7:30 p.m. and Friday, May 8th at 7:30 p.m., 300 singers and Symphony Orchestra members roll into Northland Church with theatrical lighting, dynamic visuals, and music that built America.
Come as you are. Leave ready for the open road.
Tap/Click here for more info & grab tix
Multi-Day
Best of Both Worlds Rave | Sat & Sun | City District | More
Lake Nona Arts Takes the Stage | Sat & Sun | Lake Nona | More
Brick Fan Event Orlando – A LEGO® Fan Expo | Sat & Sun | I-Drive | More
UCF Knights Baseball vs. Arizona State Sun Devils Baseball | Fri, Sat, Sun | UCF | More
Friday
Lunch & Learn – Lue Gim Gong: A Chinese American Pioneer and the Citrus Wizard of Florida | 12 p.m. | City District | More
Fishbone - In Your Face 40th Anniversary | 6 p.m. | City District | More
Nicole Henry | 7 & 9 p.m. | City District | More
Armand Hammer | 7 p.m. | City District | More
World Music Festival: John O’Leary’s Projeto Brasileiro | 7:30 p.m. | Wadeview Park | More
Alejandro Sanz | 8 p.m. | City District | More
Nü Values Night | 8 p.m. | Mills 50 | More
Jessica Kirson | 8 p.m. | I-Drive | More
Matt Mathews | 7 & 9:30 p.m. | City District | More
Saturday
Bynx presents: Kristen Warren | 8 p.m. | City District | More
The Milk Run 5K fueled by TG Lee Dairy | 7:30 a.m. | Milk District | More
Contemporary Trends in Companion Planting | 9:45 a.m. | Winter Park | More
Art Workshop: Automatic Drawing | 11 a.m. | Maitland | More
Hit the Lights, Major League | 5 p.m. | City District | More
Dapper Derby Day hosted by UCP | 5 p.m. | I-Drive | More
Deke Dickerson | 6 p.m. | Mills 50 | More
Rocket 88, 24 Hour Karate People | 9 p.m. | Mills 50 | More
Sunday
Orlando Storm vs. Birmingham Stallions | 4 p.m. | City District | More
Christian Johnson | 6 p.m. | I-Drive | More
Uada and Mortiis, Rome, Wraith Knight | 6 p.m. | Winter Park | More
Orlando City B vs. Crown Legacy FC | 7 p.m. | Kissimmee | More
David Lee Roth | 8 p.m. | I-Drive | More
🎭 Have an event to share?Submit it here.
THANKS!
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🌟 Know a community superstar? Tell me about them, right here.
We’ll see you on Monday.
My Best,
Philip - Publisher, Orlando Signal
