Welcome to Thursday Morning, Orlando!
Word on the street is Beefy King on Bumby Ave just rolled out a PUMPKIN PIE MILKSHAKE. If it’s anything like their elite cherry milkshake, then it will be a fantastic upcoming weekend.
Now, in today’s issue:
- Peace Begins in the Park
- The Greatest Gatsby
- Havana Hop
- + lots of weekend recs
Did a friend forward this to you? Subscribe here.
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.
3 QUICK NEWS BITS ⏲️
Peace Begins in the Park
Friendship bracelets. Drumming circles. Free ice cream. And yes, a human peace sign.
On September 19, the Peace and Justice Institute is throwing its 18th annual Peace Day in the Park, a free, feel-good morning at Winter Park's Central Park from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Think live music from headliner Chevalier Lovett, a parade of multicultural performers, yoga on the grass, spoken-word poetry, and a Human Library where real neighbors show up to share their stories.
Eighteen years in, the formula is delightfully simple: get people together, give them something to experience side by side, and let community do the rest.
🍦 Oh, and save room. Free ice cream hits at noon, right here.
Orlando's Wallet Is Open, But the Tax Rate Stays Put
For the 13th year running, Orlando is keeping its property tax rate exactly where it is. Mayor Dyer and the City Council are rolling out a $1.88 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2026/2027.
We’re talking 44 new police and fire first responders, freshly paved roads across 900 miles of streets, smoother sidewalks stretching 1,200 miles, and 123 parks kept in fighting shape across the city.
There's one curveball, though. Florida's Amendment 3 hits the November ballot and could yank up to $50 million annually from city coffers by 2030.
Orlando isn't waiting around, it's already freezing non-public-safety hires and stashing savings into a brand-new Budget Stabilization Fund. Consider it the city's rainy day umbrella, already open.
🧠 Curious how Orlando property taxes get divvied up? Here ya go.
Red-Light Cameras Are Watching, And Cashing In
Orlando's red-light cameras caught 60,000 violations and hauled in $7 million between July 2025 and June. Cha-ching. But are the roads actually safer?
State law splits the pot: half to Florida, half to the city. Kissimmee pocketed $1.2 million of its $2.3 million haul; Belle Isle kept roughly half of nearly $1 million.
And with 55 more cameras headed to Central Florida, already Florida's most-watched region, the tickets aren't slowing down anytime soon.
Crash numbers, though? Basically, a shrug.
Drivers are split: some swear the cameras clean up behavior, others just want the cash reinvested wisely.
The cameras, naturally, have no opinion.
(Dive deeper into who's really winning at these intersections with Jarell Baker and Stefan Ayanian, right here)
WEEKEND SPOT HIGHLIGHT 🔦
The Greatest Gatsby Experience
Source: German American Society of Central Florida
📍German American Society of Central Florida. 381 Orange Ln, Casselberry, FL 32707. Map to this location.
🕐 Saturday, September 19th, 6 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Dust off your pearls and polish your spats. The German American Speakeasy is throwing it back to 1924.
The Great Gatsby Dinner Dance means a chef-crafted dinner by Chef Alex, killer live music from The Ramblers, a full 14-piece 1920s band, and a dance floor that won't quit.
Dress the part, bring your best moves, and show up ready for a night worth bragging about.
Doors open 5:30 PM, band kicks off at 7 PM. Free parking. A portion of proceeds benefits Band Preservation Inc.
👉 Check It Out
TOP 3 FUN RECS FOR THE WEEKEND 🍊
Amber Brooke Farms Fall Festival
Source: Amber Brooke Farms
📍Amber Brooke Farms. 36111 County Rd 44A, Eustis, FL 32736. Map to this location.
🕐 Saturday, September 19th through November 22nd
Amber Brooke Farms is proof that Florida CAN do fall, and honestly, it does it pretty well.
Just outside Mount Dora and Eustis, the 6th Annual Fall Festival brings the full lineup: pumpkins, sunflower and zinnia fields, a Sunn Hemp Maze, tractor rides, a petting zoo, 18+ kids' activities, live music every weekend, and food ranging from smash burgers to apple cider donuts.
Admission covers it all (except food, obviously). Come hungry. Stay all day.
👉 Get more info, right here
Orlando Mural Fest
Source: Downtown Arts District / CityArts
📍City Arts. 39 S Magnolia Ave, Orlando, FL 32801. Map to this location.
🕐 Saturday, September 19th, 2 p.m. - 10 p.m.
There's something quietly extraordinary about watching a blank wall become a world, and this weekend, Downtown Orlando becomes the canvas.
Today (Thursday), The Orlando Mural Festival, kicks off with a free opening reception at CityArts featuring studio work from past muralists at 6-9 p.m. at City Arts.
The street party continues on Saturday with live muralists painting in real time, art vendors, food trucks, and DJ performances.
The walls are waiting.
👉 Check It Out
Havana Hop
Source: Orlando Family Stage
📍Orlando Family Stage. 1001 E Princeton St, Orlando, FL 32803. Map to this location.
🕐 Saturday, September 19th, 10:30 a.m. & 2 p.m.
Yeila dreams of stardom, but stage fright keeps stealing the mic.
Sent by her mother to visit her grandmother in Cuba, this young hip-hop lover discovers something unexpected: her roots.
Through salsa rhythms, family stories, and the wisdom of remarkable women across three generations, Yeila learns that confidence isn't built on perfection, it's built on belonging.
Havana Hop is a high-energy, audience-participation theatrical experience celebrating culture, identity, and the quiet courage it takes to finally step into your own spotlight.
👉 Get the full details
THIS WEEKENDS HAPPENINGS 🎭 🥁
Multi-day
Opening Night: Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue | Sat & Sun | City District | More
Hispanic Heritage Weekend | Fri, Sat, Sun | Lake Nona | More
BRUCE BRUCE: Cool Since Day One Tour | Fri, Sat, Sun | More
Friday
🔥 PARK(ing) Day Orlando | 4:30 pm | City District | More
Marvin “Smitty” Smith Octet | 7:00 pm | Wadeview Park | More
CuBop! Sextet with Marco Bojorquez | 8:00 pm | Maitland | More
Modest Mouse | 7:00 pm | Lake Buena Vista | More
Pablo Aragona Quintet | 7:00 pm | City District | More
Nitzer Ebb in Orlando | 7:00 pm | City District | More
Make a Stop Motion Movie | 3:30 pm | South Creek | More
Connective Tissue by Hanna Washburn | 10:00 am | UCF | More
Saturday
🔥 Hope For The Community Health & Wellness Fair | 10:00 | Washington Shores | More
PROST! ProstFest | 12:00 pm | Milk District | More
Golden Girls Gone Wild Pub Crawl | 3:00 pm | Curry Ford West | More
Free Access Day: Heritage Day | 10:00 am | City District | More
United Groove | 9:00 pm | Mills 50 | More
Lee DeWyze | 6 & 8:30 pm | City District | More
Pertinence "The Untimely Timing of Divine Timing" Tour in Orlando | 7:00 pm | Mills 50 | More
Sunday
Franco’s Flop Fest | 12:00 pm | Baldwin Park | More
Maitland Stage Band: Honoring the Legacy of Big Band Music | 3:00 pm | Maitland | More
ESSENCE: A Special Rhythm & Soul Sunday Funday Experience | 7:00 pm | City District | More
Orlando City B vs. Atlanta United 2 | 2:00 pm | Kissimmee | More
Pets on the Promenade – Fall Edition at Sunset Walk | 12:00 pm | Kissimmee | More
Lè Bean's Breakfast Social | 10:00 am | City District | 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
