Welcome to Monday Morning in Orlando
Well, today is announcement day. Some of ya’ll may have heard already, but let’s tell everyone!
When I launched OS just over two years ago, the primary goal was to enlighten, inform, and entertain through story-telling, and humor. Based on your feedback, y'all are digging it, too.
As an extension, I have a desire to connect readers to Orlando, and each other in different ways. Our foodie tours and experiences are loved, but I've wanted to add another dimension.
Scroll down a little to see the big news. 👇
In today’s issue: 👇
- When Orlando Got Gloriously Absurd
- Art²
- Garni Café
- ….and much more
Did someone forward this email to you? If so, subscribe here.
Let’s dive in!
- Philip
P.S. 🍲 Want some hawt community sourced foodie recommendations? Check out the Orlando Signal Restaurant Guide, right here.
⚡ Announcing: Orlando Signal Dinner Club
Making new friends as an adult is weirdly hard. We're fixing that.
Here's the deal: take a quick quiz. Get matched with five other OS readers based on your interests, food preferences, what matters to you, your budget, and whether you want to meet people just like you or completely different from you.
Meet for dinner on Wednesday, October 29th at 6:30 PM at a mystery Milk District restaurant. We’ll reveal and send you rhe exact location that morning. Then after dinner, all tables optionally regroup at a nearby spot for drinks, games, or just good conversation.
Newbies: Just moved here? This is your shortcut to finding your people.
Oldbies: We tend to isolate as we get older. Same routines, same circles. This is your nudge to break out and remember how fun new people are.
Want to bring your spouse or best friend? Fill out the quiz, invite them, we’ll send them a link, and they've got 12 hours to book so you're seated together.
Logistics: Just 16 bucks to book a seat (supports OS), you pay for your meal, we orchestrate everything else.
Get more info, and start the quiz. 👇
🫵 Take the Quiz & Grab Your Seat →
ORLANDO REWIND ⏪
When Orlando Got Gloriously Absurd
For over a decade, downtown Orlando hosted what may have been America's most delightfully ridiculous parade. The Queen Kumquat Sashay was pure, beautiful chaos, "a parade for people who would not be permitted in any other parade."
Orlando Sentinel columnist Bob Morris launched it in 1986 after deciding the Citrus Bowl Parade was too boring and the city needed "a spirit of foolishness, an appreciation of the absurd, and the guts to go against the forces of stodginess."
Somehow, City Hall said yes.
The first parade drew 30,000 people. Soon, crowds hit 40,000, bigger than the parade it was mocking!
The lineup was spectacular: the World's Worst Marching Band (Disney musicians butchering songs on purpose), the Grizzly Bear Artificial Insemination Team (guys with plungers), and Longfellow the Cockroach, a 2.4-inch Madagascar hissing roach who actually served as grand marshal.
The parade perished after Morris left the Sentinel in the mid-1990s. But the lesson stuck: nothing brings a community together quite like being magnificently ridiculous.
(Learn a ton more about this quirky Queen Kumquat Sashay with Whitney Broadaway, right here)
THE SQUEEZE 🍊
Orange County Gets Nutty for a Good Cause
Orange County's 2025 Peanut Butter Challenge runs through October 31st, and things are about to get deliciously charitable.
Last year's drive collected nearly 4,000 jars, over 5,000 pounds, proving this community knows how to spread the love.
The partnership between UF/IFAS Extension and Florida A&M University Cooperative Extension highlights why peanut butter reigns supreme: shelf-stable, protein-packed, and perfect for supporting Florida's $119 million peanut industry, which ranks third nationally.
County Extension Director Kevin Camm emphasizes that every jar dropped at locations across Orange County directly helps local families before the holidays.
Whether you're team creamy or crunchy, toss an extra jar in your cart and join the fun.
🥜 Get the list of drop-off locations and learn more, right here.
Food, Murals, and Good Times: Inside Orlando's New Hangout, Art²
Last Saturday, Orlando's downtown got a serious upgrade. Art² burst onto the scene as the city's newest playground for foodies and art lovers alike. Following Friday's ribbon-cutting with Mayor Buddy Dyer, this urban hotspot opened October 11th and sits at the intersection of Orange Avenue and Robinson Street.
Operated by À La Cart, Art² serves up flavor from fan-favorites like Phat Ash Bakes and Red Panda Noodle alongside fresh faces including Culinary Collective and Eighty Twenty. Eye-popping murals, Sitki Dogan's "Urban Mirage 1" and SKIP's time-traveling "Step into the Past," celebrate Orlando's 150th birthday in style.
Funded by the City's Community Redevelopment Agency, Art² is where great food meets killer art, and Orlando's creative spirit comes out to play.
Local Cops Get a Compassionate Alternative: $150K Shelter Expansion
Orlando's city council just dropped $150,000 on an alternate solution: give cops a better option than jail when they encounter homeless folks after dark.
The Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida is expanding its overnight emergency shelter program, and not a moment too soon.
Demand has absolutely skyrocketed, 111 people needed emergency beds in just the first three months of 2025, nearly matching all of last year's 161.
When other shelters close up shop, the Coalition rolls out cots in common areas, complete with hygiene kits, towels, and hot meals. The grant covers staff, security, and food for this exploding need, proving compassion beats criminalization any day.
(Learn more about this homeless shelter initiative with Michael Cuglietta, right here)
Orlando's New Storyteller: Camara Gaither Takes the Poet Laureate Stage
Move over, theme parks. Orlando's got a new kind of magic coming to town.
Mayor Buddy Dyer selected Camara Gaither as the city's third Poet Laureate last week, pending today's City Council approval.
Gaither rocks a dual identity: mental health therapist by day, commissioned spoken word poet always. She's crushed Florida slam competitions, represented Orlando on the national stage, and snagged multiple United Arts grants for bringing poetry to underserved communities.
The 2023 UCF Master of Social Work graduate blends both worlds beautifully, helping people discover freedom through the power of words.
Starting her four-year stint this month, Gaither will drop verses at city events and expand the "Words and Wonders" poetry contest launched by Orlando's first Poet Laureate, Susan Lilley.
TASTY NEWS 🧑🍳
Orlando Area Eateries Coming & Going
1️⃣ OPENING THIS WEEK: Taffer’s Tavern - Bar Rescue Star Opens Orlando Tavern
This Wednesday, Taffer's Tavern (Insta) opens at The Pointe, bringing the vision of Bar Rescue star Jon Taffer to life. Inspired by Old-World gathering places, This is a tavern with soul, featuring signature drinks, savory cuisine, and warm ambiance where strangers become friends.
#ORLANDOSIGNAL 📸
“Time to werk on Thursday’s newsletter, dad!”
📷 via @orlandosignal |📍Catistan
Tag @orlandosignal to get your photo featured in the newsletter!
FOODIE FIND, FORK YEAH! 🤩
Garni Café
📍6100 Wave Drive Orlando (second floor), Florida 32827. Map to this location.
Garni Café (Insta) is stealing hearts with its French-inspired brunch menu.
Tucked inside the Lake Nona Wave Hotel's second floor, this botanical paradise serves up magic: a decadent Croque Madame with tangy béchamel and fluffy French Toast topped with apple, vanilla whipped cream, and candied hazelnuts.
Executive Chef Guillaume Robin and Head Chef James Griffin bring Michelin-level expertise to every plate.
Easily one of Orlando's best brunches, worth planning a visit.
👉 Check out the menu right here 👈
Source: Garni Cafe. 👆Croque Madame
MORE PULP! 😎
Weekday things to check out
🎨 3rd Annual "itty bitty art" Expo
📅 Monday, October 6th - Friday, November 28th
📍 Historic Sanford Welcome Center, 230 E. First Street, Sanford
Exhibition of 100+ mini paintings available for purchase with People's Choice voting and free drawing to win artwork; Artist Reception October 23rd, 6-8 p.m.
👉 Tiny Treasures
🎨 Exhibition Opening: Breaking Tradition
📅 Tuesday, October 14th
📍 The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art
Exploration of opalescent glass and how artists like Tiffany and La Farge redefined American stained glass in the nineteenth century.
👉 Glass Innovation
🎮 Game & Hobby Night at The Burrow
📅 Tuesdays | 5-8pm
📍 The Burrow Cafe & Play, Mills area
Weekly gathering for games, crafts, reading, and relaxation with drink specials available
👉 Play Together
🎃 Halloween Spooktacular Magic Show
📅 Tuesday, October 14th - Thursday, October 31st
📍 WonderWorks, 9067 International Drive
Festive magic show with Halloween décor, spooky atmosphere, and performers in fun costumes throughout the season.
👉 Magical Spooks
🍔 Tasty Takeover in The Milk District
📅 Tuesdays | 6:30-10pm
📍 The Milk District – 2424 E Robinson St
Orlando's premier weekly food truck block party featuring diverse culinary offerings behind the shops and bars.
👉 Dine Alfresco
🏛️ Access for All at OMA
📅 Thursday, October 16th | 10am-8pm
📍 Orlando Museum of Art
Monthly community day with extended hours, live performances, sketching materials, and docent-led tours.
👉 Art Access
💀 16th Annual Día de los Muertos & Monster Party
📅 Thursday, October 16th | 6-10pm (exhibits 6-9pm)
📍 CityArts, 39 South Magnolia Avenue
Artist reception and street party blending Day of the Dead traditions with monster-themed Halloween art and cultural celebration.
👉 Spooky Celebration
🦢 Orlando Ballet Swan Lake
📅 Thursday, October 16th - Sunday, October 19th
📍 Steinmetz Hall, Dr. Phillips Center
Beloved ballet drama choreographed by Christopher Stowell with live performance by Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra.
👉 Classic Beauty
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THANKS!
✅ Want to connect with 19K+ curious Orlandoans for your business?, start a conversation here.
🌟 Know a community superstar? Tell me about them, right here.
Thanks for reading! I’ll see you again on Thursday’s weekend fun issue.
My Best,
Philip - Publisher, Orlando Signal
