Welcome to Thursday Morning, Orlando!
Hopefully, the short week has been kind to you, bringing you back to a new weekend even faster. Without further delay, I present to you Thursday’s weekend fun issue!
Now, in today’s issue:
- Mosquito Nurseries
- Fix It! Don’t Pitch It
- Pitmasters & Pourers
- + lots of weekend recs
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Let’s roll!
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.
📗 October in Orlando, which is to say:
finally tolerable.
Picture a Wednesday evening on Sideward's patio. A beer, or something that isn't a beer. A signed novel about dragons that you may or may not have finished. And across from you, the woman who wrote it, answering whatever anybody feels like asking.
That's the inaugural Orlando Signal Book Club. We're reading Traveler of Heart by Orlando author Elle Kish. The book is about a grieving mom, a world of fae and dragons, and two weeks to get home.
We'll interview Elle live on Wednesday, October 21st, 6:30pm. Sideward Brewing, Milk District, then open the floor to whatever you feel like asking. Your ticket covers the signed paperback, the drink, and the evening itself.
Books go out shortly after grabbing a ticket today.
🖱️Tap/Click & Grab Your Seat, Right Here
3 QUICK NEWS BITS ⏲️
Don't Let Your Backyard Become a Mosquito Nursery
Two health advisories in quick succession. One for spiking West Nile virus activity, another for a homegrown dengue case has Orange County Mosquito Control stepping up patrols and rolling out targeted treatments across affected areas.
Turns out, the most powerful weapon against mosquitoes might be sitting in your backyard. Manager Steve Harrison says residents are the county's secret weapon, pointing out that even a teaspoon of standing water left for a week is basically a mosquito welcome mat.
Empty birdbaths, buckets, and pet dishes weekly. Also, make sure window screens don't have any sneaky gaps letting uninvited guests inside.
Weekly yard checks and EPA-approved repellent help, and residents who spot a mosquito problem can report it to the county by calling 407-836-3111 or 3-1-1.
Church Street May Get Its Groove Back
Somewhere between a street and a party venue, Church Street is about to become both.
Construction crews have taken over the blocks between Garland Avenue and Magnolia Avenue, kicking off the first chapter of the Church Street Festival Street project.
The makeover includes two 11-foot travel lanes, a curbless roadway where pedestrians and vehicles peacefully coexist, semi-pervious surfaces, and fresh landscaping.
The curbless design is the fun part, the street moonlights as a full-blown festival space whenever the city feels like it.
City leaders envision the finished corridor stretching all the way to Camping World Stadium. Phases 2 and 3 follow, with everything wrapped up by summer 2028.
(Dive deeper into the street that's about to pull double duty with Amy Russo, right here)
Server Farms and Suburban Alarms
Across Central Florida, a hot debate is bubbling up in city halls: could AI data centers tank your home's value?
Local real estate experts aren't ready to sound the alarm just yet. Homes sitting right next to a facility might take a small hit, but smartly spent tax revenue could balance things out.
Realtor.com crunched numbers across 43 zip codes nationwide and found prices behave pretty much the same whether a data center is next door or nowhere in sight, though bigger facilities on the horizon could change that story.
As for recent local value shifts? Experts point to broader market forces, not server farms. Some counties are eyeing moratoriums, but neighborhoods ultimately get the final vote.
(Dive deeper into what AI's newest neighbors mean for your home value with Rhian Lowndes, right here)
WEEKEND SPOT HIGHLIGHT 🔦
Fix It! Don’t Pitch it
Source: Natural Resources & Sustainability Department
📍Winter Park Community Center. 721 W New England Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789. Map to this location.
🕐 Saturday, September 12th, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Fix It! Don't Pitch It is returning for another edition, and your broken stuff is invited.
This beloved community repair workshop tackles small appliances, electronics, bicycles, jewelry, eyeglasses, watches, clothing, woodworking, and more.
Skilled volunteers handle it all.
A few things to know: items are inspected on a first-come, first-served basis, and each person is welcome to bring up to two items, so choose wisely.
👉 Check It Out
TOP 3 FUN RECS FOR THE WEEKEND 🍊
Vintage + Art Mart - 80’s Takeover
Source: Mystic Moon
📍Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company. 1300 Alden Rd, Orlando, FL 32803. Map to this location.
🕐 Saturday, September 12th, 5 p.m. - 9:00 p.m
Ivanhoe Park Brew is throwing an 80s-themed Vintage & Art Mart. Your biggest hair is officially required.
Expect curated vintage, Y2K finds, handmade goods, and local art, all set to an 80s soundtrack. Sip craft drinks from Ivanhoe Park Brew or grab a matcha from Couture Cart Collective.
Snag a free pair of alien antennas, enter the mystery raffle, and shop small all night long.
Tease that hair. Show up. Have fun. 🛸
👉 Get more info, right here
Pitmasters & Pourers
Source: City of Mount Dora
📍Elizabeth Evans Park. 100 N Donnelly St, Mt Dora, FL 32757. Map to this location.
🕐 Saturday, September 12th, 3 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Talk about a fantastic day trip. Pitmasters & Pourers is back along Lake Dora. This year, admission is free!
Come hungry for BBQ, bacon, cold beer, and food vendors, then stay for the show. The festival salutes veterans and first responders, features live wrestling with Monsters in the Morning personalities, and delivers live music from Thompson Square and Naome Bradshaw & The Dot Coms.
The night closes with 300 drones lighting up the sky. Don't miss it.
👉 Check It Out
Baldwin Park Fall Porch Sale
Source: Baldwin Park
📍Grace Hopper Hall. 1913 Meeting Pl, Orlando, FL 32814. Map to this location.
🕐 Saturday, September 12th, Kicking off at 8 a.m.
This is precisely what fall weekends are for, and one of Baldwin Park's beloved traditions is back this Saturday.
Browse multiple vendors at the community flea market inside Grace Hopper Hall in Corrine Commons, then wander the neighborhood where residents will be selling from their own porches and driveways.
Grab a map at the Baldwin Park Joint Committee tent. Goodwill will be on-site to haul away anything you don't buy!
👉 Get the full details
THIS WEEKENDS HAPPENINGS 🎭 🥁
Multi-day
Red, White & Remembrance September 11th Weekend | Fri, Sat, Sun | Lake Nona | More
🔥 House of Hearts: Wonderland Cabaret | Thurs & Fri 7 p.m. | I-Drive | More
Friday
Carl Fischer and the Sunshine City Brass, featuring Jeff Rupert | 8:00 pm | Winter Park | More
The Marshal Arts Envelope Show | 6:00 pm | Mills 50 | More
Gauri B Stand-Up Comedy | 7:00 pm | City District | More
Network, Distant Stations, Sárah Rogo Live at The Nook! | 7:00 pm | Milk District | More
Beemo | 8:00 pm | Edgewater | More
Javier Pérez | 6:30 pm | Kissimmee | More
City of Clermont September 11 Remembrance Ceremony | 10:00 am | Clermont | More
Saturday
Family Studio at the Rollins Museum of Art | 10:00 am | Winter Park | More
FAME The Musical | 2:30 & 8 pm | City District | More
Cocktail Class | 1:00 pm | Winter Park | More
Opening Reception for Thresholds by Mimi Hwang | 6:00 pm | Milk District | More
Latin Jazz and Art Festival | 5:00 pm | Casselberry | More
OCSC v Toronto FC - Community Heroes Night, pres. by Orlando Health | 7:30 pm | City District | More
House High | 7:00 pm | Mills 50 | More
Make & Take: Garden Mixology Mocktails Workshop | 11:30 am | College Park | More
Sunday
Czech Heritage Day | 1:00 pm | Winter Park | More
Grandparents’ Day Workshop: Hello Lighthouse | 1:00 pm | Mills 50 | More
Omar Courtz | 8:00 pm | City District | More
Music for the Macabre: Halloween in Concert | 3:00 pm | City District | More
Orlando Farmers Market | 10:00 am | City District | More
Orlando City B vs. Toronto FC II | 7:00 pm | Kissimmee | More
Sanford Food Truck Fiesta: Food Truck Battle! | 1:00 pm | Sanford | More
Orlando Literary Expo | 2:00 pm | E Colonial | 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
