Welcome to Thursday Morning, Orlando!
Alright, Internet fam. I present to you, our illustrious newsletter filled with fun and eats for your weekend ahead. Enjoy it!
Now, in today’s issue:
- Fork in the Road
- Dubsdread
- Summer Concert
- + 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 QUICK NEWS BITS ⏲️
$400 Rent Turned Into a Family Reunion
For fourteen years, one retired couple lived with a ceiling that leaked like clockwork and mold creeping across their walls, asthma and all.
Then this June, their luck flipped: The Enclave at Canopy Park popped up nearby, complete with granite counters, in-unit laundry, rent starting at just $400 a month for income-qualified residents, thanks to county and state subsidies that keep prices tied to what folks actually earn.
Turns out they weren't the only ones ready to trade grime for granite. Central Florida rents have climbed to $1,600 for a mere one-bedroom, way outpacing what most paychecks can handle, so Orange County's been pouring millions into new units to close the gap.
The couple loved their new digs so much, they recruited the whole family. Now four retired households live practically on top of each other: swapping meals, guitar riffs, and daily check-ins like it's summer camp for grown-ups.
(Learn more about the family that turned one lucky break into a four-household reunion with Michael Cuglietta, right here)
Fork in the Road
Mount Dora just won a prize, and it's delicious.
The lakeside Central Florida town of roughly 15,000 just snagged a No. 3 ranking in USA TODAY's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards for Best Small Town Food Scene, and now it's ready to show off.
From July 25th through August 2nd, the Mount Dora Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting the area's first-ever Restaurant Week, giving hungry visitors and locals an excuse to eat their way through 27 restaurants spanning Mount Dora, Tavares, and Eustis.
👉 Menus are rolling out, so start making your list.
Orlando Braces for the Exemption Squeeze
Orlando's piggy bank might be about to get a lot lighter.
During a City Council discussion last week, officials weighed what happens if voters supersize the state's homestead exemption this November, from $50,000 up to $250,000 by 2028.
The city could kiss $30-35 million goodbye in year one, then another $45-50 million the next, adding up to a possible $85 million gap.
Cue the belt-tightening: a hiring freeze is on the table, though nine new police officers and 37 firefighters for a shiny new Lake Nona station are still safe.
Also floated: a rainy-day "reform" fund and a campaign to remind residents what their tax dollars actually pay for.
(Get a lot more info about Orlando's plan to weather the tax exemption hit with Joe Mario Pedersen, right here)
WEEKEND SPOT HIGHLIGHT 🔦
Dubsdread Christmas in July Market
Source: Tap Room at Dubsdread
📍Tap Room at Dubsdread. 549 W Par St, Orlando, FL 32804. Map to this location.
🕐 Saturday, July 25th, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m..
There's something delightfully absurd about sipping a mimosa surrounded by holiday décor when it's 90 degrees outside, and that's exactly what makes the Christmas in July Market at Historic Dubsdread worth showing up for.
Now in its second year, Events by Dubsdread is bringing local vendors, light bites, and festive finds back indoors this Saturday.
Your $15 ticket includes a mimosa, lite bites, and a shopping bag. The AC is on. The holiday spirit is optional, but contagious.
👉 Check It Out
TOP 3 FUN RECS FOR THE WEEKEND 🍊
Summer Concert- R&B / Soul
Source: The Plaza Live
📍The Plaza Live. 425 N Bumby Ave, Orlando, FL 32803. Map to this location.
🕐 Friday, July 24th, 7 p.m.
No algorithm. No shuffle button. Just real voices, real energy, and a room full of people who came to feel something.
R&B Soul Night is bringing Orlando's own Chelz Danielle, Mica Yui, and Pluto Pazzo to the stage for a night packed with rhythm, good vibes, and the kind of live music that makes you forget your phone exists.
Grab your crew. This one's worth leaving the couch for.
👉 Get more info, right here
Sing a Song All Night Long
Source: Kia Center
📍Kia Center. 400 W Church St, Orlando, FL 32801. Map to this location.
🕐 Saturday, July 25th, 7 p.m.
Before Lionel Richie became the voice behind "Hello" and "All Night Long," he was sharpening his craft with the Commodores. That foundation built one of music's most enduring solo careers, Grammy Awards, global acclaim, and songs that still fill every dance floor.
Earth, Wind & Fire brought their own legacy: a Grammy-winning fusion of R&B, funk, soul, jazz, and rock that produced timeless classics like "September" and "Shining Star."
When these two share a stage, the set-list practically plays itself, and nobody's leaving early.
👉 Check It Out
Patriotism on Plant: A Musical Journey Celebrating America's 250th
Source: Winter Garden Heritage Foundation
📍Garden Theatre. 160 W Plant St, Winter Garden, FL 34787. Map to this location.
🕐 Saturday, July 25th, 7 p.m. and Sunday, July 26th at 2:00 p.m.
Much different from fireworks and speeches. This weekend, Opera Orlando takes the stage at Winter Garden's historic Garden Theatre on Plant Street to tell America's 250-year story the way it deserves: through music, memory, and live human voice.
Presented by the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation, Patriotism on Plant weaves patriotic music across every era with cinematic historical footage, and pauses to honor the veterans whose sacrifice shaped this nation.
👉 Get the full details
THIS WEEKENDS HAPPENINGS 🎭 🥁
Presented by Presented by CFCArts Youth Theatre Summer Camps:
Shrek the Musical KIDS
This weekend, Shrek the Musical KIDS arrives at the Trinity Preparatory School Auditorium in Winter Park.
Follow Shrek and a ragtag crew of fairytale misfits on a quest to rescue a princess, and find where they truly belong. Funny, heartfelt, and carrying a message bigger than any magic spell, this is one fairy tale that earns its happy ending.
Three performances only:
📅 Friday, July 24th at 7 p.m. | Saturday, July 25th at 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.
Tap/Click here for more info & grab tix
Multi-day
Orlando Science Center Open Late for Stellar Nights | Sat & Sun | City District | More
Namaste & Play at Boxi | Fri, Sat, Sun | Lake Nona | More
Friday
The Blue Theory Orchestra | 8:00 pm | Winter Park | More
Opening Reception: US | 8:30 pm | Maitland | More
Destin Conrad | 7 & 9 pm | City District | More
Urban Kiz Matching The Music Series w/Matrix of Movement | 7:00 pm | Oviedo | More
K-Pop Rave | 9:00 pm | Winter Park | More
Mike Pinto | 8:00 pm | Sanford | More
Villains & Vixens | 8:00 pm | Kissimmee | More
Saturday
International Vegan Food Festival | 2:00 pm | Arts District | More
Greetings From Bearadise Market | 2:00 pm | I-Drive | More
Wayfinder's Island Market | 11:00 am | Clermont | More
R&B Wing Festival | 12:00 pm | Milk District | More
Belmont "Between You & Me 10 Year Anniversary Tour" | 6:00 pm | City District | More
Qveen Herby - Isle of Qveen Tour | 8:00 pm | Lake Buena Vista | More
Little Creatives & Me | 10:00 am | Maitland | More
Red, White, & Scoop | 10:00 am | Kissimmee | More
Sunday
Lemon Drop & Seafood Festival | 4:00 pm | Arts District | More
Speed Friending | 7:00 pm | Winter Garden | More
Orlando City B vs. Huntsville City FC | 7:00 pm | Kissimmee | More
Peruvian Fest Orlando | 12:00 pm | City District | More
Workshop: Automatic Drawing | 11:00 am | Maitland | More
Exotic Cars & Coffee | 10:00 am | Kissimmee | More
🎭 Have an event to share?Submit it here.
THANKS!
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We’ll see you on Monday.
My Best,
Philip - Publisher, Orlando Signal
