Together With:
Welcome to Thursday Morning, Orlando!
Hopefully, y’all are thawed out by this point and ready to charge into the weekend! Luckily for you, this issue is packed with tons o’ stuff. Have a great one, everybody.
Now, in today’s issue:
- The Anti-Theme Park
- Paws in the Park
- My Funny Valentine
- + lots of weekend recs
Was this newsletter forwarded 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.
☀️ TOGETHER WITH CFCArts
My Funny Valentine
Heading into Valentine's Day just got an upgrade: live music, unforgettable vibes.
CFCArts Big Band takes over the Pugh Theater February 5th-8th with My Funny Valentine, serving up romance with a side of saxophone solos.
- Want to twirl your sweetheart across the dance floor? Tonight the 5th & tomorrow the 6th are your nights.
- Prefer to sink into your seat and let the music sweep you away instead? Catch the concert experience Saturday, February 7th & Sunday, the 8th.
From Duke Ellington's smooth sophistication to Michael Bublé's modern charm, expect hits like "It Had to Be You," "Sway," and "La Vie En Rose."
Bring your date, bring your crew, and bring your dancing shoes (or not). Either way, love's in the air.
🖱️Tap/Click & Reserve Your Spots, Right Here
3 QUICK NEWS BITS ⏲️
The Anti-Theme Park: Sloth World Opens in Orlando's Busiest Corridor
Orlando's International Drive thrives on busyness and noise, but Sloth World plans to offer something refreshingly different when it opens in late February.
The 7,500-square-foot facility will house more than 40 sloths in a soundproof rainforest replica complete with artificial thunderstorms, humidity, and controlled temps that'll make the animals forget they're steps from tourist chaos.
Hour-long guided tours promise close encounters, but there's a catch: no sudden movements, touching, or flash photography.
The slowest mammals on Earth need their peace. Beyond the cuddle factor, the attraction aims to advance scientific understanding of these understudied creatures, while admission fees fund research.
Pre-sale tickets are available now for the late February opening. In a destination built on adrenaline, Sloth World is betting visitors will embrace the slow lane.
🦥 Curious? Check out SlothWorld, right here.
Sidewalk Masterpieces as Orlando's Debut Chalk Festival Arrives
This Friday and Saturday, more than 30 artists will turn City Hall Plaza at 400 S. Orange Avenue into a kaleidoscope of sidewalk art, some pieces flat as pancakes, others practically jumping off the pavement.
The DTOLive Chalk Art Festival runs 9am to 5pm both days, and it won't cost you a dime.
Backed by United Arts of Central Florida, the event invites you to wander among works-in-progress and chat up the artists. DTOLive's supplying the soundtrack, while City Beautiful Cafe keeps the snacks coming (have to purchase these).
It's temporary art banking on sunshine and curious feet, two things Orlando's got plenty of.
🎨 Check the Chalk Festival deets, right here.
Pairing Displaced Teachers with Displaced Kids
Some school doors plan to close across Orange County due to enrollment drops, leaving thousands of kids without classrooms and teachers without paychecks. Talk about a mess.
But a Winter Park tutoring center spotted something useful in all the chaos: why not pair up the displaced students with their displaced teachers?
The plan is simple. Small groups of five to ten kids meet weekly with certified educators using a solid curriculum. Parents pick how often their children attend, and teachers get to keep doing what they actually trained for.
The center's already talking with educators from closed campuses across the county, hoping to launch by February.
It won't fix everything, but it's better than watching everyone scatter.
(Learn lots more about this tutoring center solution with Jarell Baker, right here)
WEEKEND SPOT HIGHLIGHT 🔦
Paws in the Park 2026
Source: Pet Alliance Orlando
📍Lake Eola Park. 512 E Washington St, Orlando, FL 32801. Map to this location.
🕐 Saturday, February 7th, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
This Saturday, Lake Eola Park becomes tail-wagging central at Paws in the Park, the country's largest pet festival!
This free event brings live entertainment, food trucks, a beer garden, pup-friendly activities, and the legendary Pet Costume Contest.
All the fun supports Pet Alliance, Central Florida's oldest and largest animal welfare agency, caring for over 4,000 dogs and cats annually.
👉 Check It Out
TOP 3 FUN RECS FOR THE WEEKEND 🍊
Virginia Drive Live
Source: Ivanhoe Village, Inc.
📍Ivanhoe Village. 1412 Alden Rd, Orlando, FL 32803. Map to this location.
🕐 Saturday, February 7th, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
When the sun dips over central Orlando, Virginia Drive transforms.
Ivanhoe Village and Mills50 unite for Virginia Drive Live!, lining the street from Orange Avenue to Mills Avenue with local artists, retail vendors, food stalls, and musicians.
For $5, grab a wristband at Ten10 Brewing or near The Yard at Ivanhoe to unlock special deals at participating spots.
Every dollar flows directly back into Main Street programs supporting these business districts, a circular economy where attendees, vendors, and neighborhoods all win.
👉 Get more info, right here
Winter Park Arts Weekend: A tapestry of experiences
Source: City of Winter Park
📍Central Park. 251 S Park Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789. Map to this location.
🕐 Thursday-Sunday, February 5th-8th
Winter Park's about to get wonderfully artsy!
For four days, 24 Alliance organizations are throwing the ultimate cultural party across Central Park's Main Stage and venues citywide. The coolest part is you can literally weave community tapestries at spots around town, yes, actual weaving!
Catch Broadway's Jasmine Forsberg belting out hits with pianist Julian Bond (free!), dive into Dalouge Smith's interactive presentation, and get your hands dirty at Art in the Park.
Plus, tons of museums are free all weekend. Bring your creative energy!
👉 Get the full details
Lake Nona Live: Tribute Music Festival
Source: Lake Nona
📍The Lawn at Boxi Park. 6877 Tavistock Lakes Blvd, Orlando, FL 32827. Map to this location.
🕐 Saturday, February 7th, 1 p.m. - 11 p.m.
The Lawn at Boxi Park transforms into ten hours of nonstop music spanning every era on Saturday.
Lake Nona Live: Tribute Music Festival delivers performances from 1-11 p.m. that capture the energy of music's most beloved artists.
With a dedicated Kids Village, food vendors, and re-entry allowed throughout the day, families can arrive early or drop in anytime.
Bring lawn chairs and blankets. One stage, endless hits, unforgettable memories.
👉 Check it out, right here
MORE WEEKEND HAPPENINGS 🎭 🥁
THIS WEEKEND
🎺 Experience an unforgettable evening with a live big band.
The award-winning CFCArts Big Band serves up My Funny Valentine at the Pugh Theater at Dr. Phillips Center, complete with Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, Michael Bublé, and enough brass to make your heart flutter.
Feel like dancing? Come tonight (Thursday) and tomorrow night (Friday)
Want to sit back and soak it in? Saturday & Sunday are your nights.
Tap/Click here for more info & tix.
Multi-Day
Michael Yo | Fri & Sat | I-Drive | More
Silent Night | Fri & Sun | Downtown | More
Friday - 6th
🔥 The Janzen Boys - Folk/Country Concert in Orlando | 7 p.m. | Lake Formosa | More
Orlando Whiskey Festival | 7:30 p.m. | Lake Formosa | More
Love Your Library 2026 | 7 p.m. | Winter Park | More
Lunch & Learn – Behind the Glass: Disney’s Animation in Florida | 12 p.m. | Downtown | More
Norsekorea Presents: 15 Years | 6 p.m. | Mills 50 | More
Earlybirds Club | 6 p.m. | Downtown | More
Fox Stevenson | 6:30 p.m. | Downtown | More
Organ Recital - Colin MacKnight | 7:30 p.m. | Winter Park | More
I Love R&B: The Ultimate R&B Party Experience | 8 p.m. | Winter Park | More
Flying Horse Big Band Concert | 8 p.m. | I-Drive | More
Saturday - 7th
Bank of America Museums on Us | 10 a.m. | Downtown | More
History Alive: Soul of the Sunshine State | 10 a.m. | Downtown | More
Early Spring Family Day | 10 a.m. | Maitland | More
Orlando Magic v Utah Jazz | 7 p.m. | Downtown | More
International Chamber Music Festival: Project Alunir | 7:30 p.m. | Wadeview Park | More
Kayo Dot | 8 p.m. | Mills 50 | More
Sunday - 8th
Atomic Horrors: Monster Mart | 12 p.m. | Colonial | More
Vintage Valentines Market | 11 a.m. | Audubon Park | More
Made With Love: DIY Papermaking | 10 a.m. | Maitland | More
The Big Game Watch Party at Promenade at Sunset Walk | 2 p.m. | Kissimmee | More
Clarinet Candy! The Licorice Sticks with Rick Kissinger | 3 p.m. | Winter Park | More
Bloodshot Bill, Danny Flashback, S.M.O.P. | 4 p.m. | Mills 50 | More
Maitland Stage Band | 7:30 p.m. | Wadeview Park | More
Sex Mex, Bella Larson and the Scene Kids, Dunies, and Dr. Worries | 8 p.m. | Mills 50 | 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
