Disney gives major update on what to expect from its Epcot overhaul, but some projects remain in limbo
After announcing a major multiyear overhaul of Epcot at last year’s D23 Expo, this year’s major speed bumps have led to adjustments to the ambitious plans. Now, many fans speculate that all or some of those projects are canceled. During a virtual D23 event earlier this month, Disney confirmed that at least some of the…
Despite downplaying Black Friday, retailers may still end the year on a positive note
This terrible, horrible year may end on an unexpected high note for retailers. Many have seen a boost in sales. New data from the National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade association, project holiday sales growth by as much as 5.2 percent over last year, despite this year’s ongoing pandemic and related economic hardships.…
Arcimoto and the City of Orlando partner for up for municipal fleet pilot program of electric vehicles
Electric-car manufacturer Arcimoto and the city of Orlando have announced a new partnership to try out a municipal fleet of electric vehicles. Several departments in the city – including the Orlando Fire Department, Police Department, Code Enforcement Division and Parking Enforcement – will road-test zero-emission Arcimoto vehicles by using them in their daily duties for 90 days. This pilot…
Family of a Florida Publix employee who died of COVID-19 files wrongful death suit against the grocery chain
The family of a Florida Publix employee who died of COVID-19 in April has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Lakeland-based grocery chain. The family is seeking around $30,000 in damages. As first reported by the Tampa Bay Times, relatives of Gerardo Gutierrez – who was a deli employee at a Miami Beach store – have filed suit…
DJ X, K5 and more bring Orlando’s 1990s dance music glory back to Ace Cafe on Saturday
Thanks to the Ace Cafe, the hallowed spirit of legendary dance club the Edge lives on at its original location. Rewind, the latest dance music event there happening Saturday, Nov. 28, once again kicks it classic with a bill of DJs topped notably by big names from Orlando’s golden era of house music like breaks…
Legal Public Notices 11/25 issue
Orlando Legals Legal Public Notices ALL ABOARD STORAGE NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE Personal property of the following tenants will be sold at public sale to the highest bidder to satisfy a rental lien in accordance with Florida Statutes, Sections: A83.801 – 83.809. All units are assumed to contain general household goods unless otherwise indicated. Viewing of…
Kadence team’s new venture: Opening a Filipino restaurant in the old Dandelion space
Oh, the food news today just keeps getting better. Earlier, we told you about Chicken Fire’s planned opening next month in the Coytown Shopping Center. Now we can tell you that the talents behind Kadence, the superlative sushi spot in Audubon Park, will open a Filipino restaurant called Kaya next year in the space that…
Orlando Philharmonic announces slate of outdoor holiday shows to close out 2020
The Orlando Philharmonic has announced their slate of holiday shows set to finish out the year, and they’re all outdoors – which is like a nice lil’ early gift. The Phil will go on a sort of mini-tour, taking over Festival Park, Winter Park’s Central Park, the Plaza Live’s new outdoor stage, and the Apopka Amphitheater during the…
Orlando Americana prince Jordan Foley plays free show at Will’s Pub on Black Friday
Jordan Foley is one of the area’s preeminent new voices in Americana right now. Even when solo as we first saw him way back in 2018, he’s a powerhouse of soul and twang. On Friday, Nov. 27, Foley and local musician Tyler Hood perform at Will’s Pub. Music starts early at 7 p.m. There’s no…
Snowcat Ridge, Florida’s new snow park, suffers snow shortage
Florida’s first ever snow park is temporarily closing an attraction after underestimating the amount of snow it needed. SnowCat Ridge Park, which opened in Dade City on Nov. 20, announced this week via Facebook that due to an overwhelming number of guests, its Arctic Igloo attraction didn’t have enough snow to accommodate guests. Because of…
Orange County Public Library’s ‘Random Fandom Week’ virtual events has something for the hidden nerd in you
In early December the Orange County Public Library is going to be bustling with (virtual) activity, as “Random Fandom Week” kicks off, a delightfully scattershot collection of online programming which caters to pop-culture obsessions of every stripe. From Dec. 6-12, Random Fandom Week presents programs on everything from making Baby Yoda memes to a Baby-Sitters…
Chicken Fire, the super hot Nashville hot chicken food truck, is opening a brick and mortar space very soon
It’s been one of the hottest (literally and figuratively) food-truck operations of the past year and, now, after stints at A La Cart, East End Market and Barley & Vine, it’s FINALLY getting a permanent home. Chicken Fire (Instagram | Facebook), Kwame Boakye’s Nashville hot chicken concept, will open in the space at 2425 E.…
Sippin’ Santa pop-up holiday cocktail bar opens in Celebration this week
Much like holiday film Home Alone got a sequel, so Orlando’s holiday-themed pop-up bar Miracle on Orange is getting a companion in Sippin’ Santa this year. Set to take over 360 American Bistro & Bar in Celebration on Friday, Nov. 27, Sippin’ Santa will be serving up holiday cheer with a tiki twist from a specialty…
Collective Soul to play NYE show at Kissimmee’s the Promenade on Sunset Walk
Kissimmee’s the Promenade at Sunset Walk has announced a big New Year’s Eve rock show headlined by1990s alt-rockers Collective Soul and Cheap Trick’s Robin Zander. Yes, this year. Starting at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 31, there’s going to be a full day of music with the two headliners, Latin Ambition, DJ Scotty B, and…
City National Bank and Food Share partner for Orlando food distribution event this Tuesday
City National Bank of Florida and Farm Share are partnering for a food distribution event this week, ahead of the holidays. CNB, which has Central Florida locations in downtown Orlando and Winter Park, and the nonprofit Farm Share will be giving out free food to those in need on Tuesday, Nov. 24. Starting at 10…
Electric Daisy Carnival will return to Orlando in 2021
It’s baaaaack! Electric Daisy Carnival has announced an Orlando return next year, for better or for worse. Celebrating 25 years of the venerable (heh) dance fest, EDC Orlando will go down at Tinker Field in downtown Friday, Nov. 12, through Sunday, Nov. 14, 2021. “2021 will mark EDC’s 10th year in Orlando, and I’m so…
Orlando, flex your public radio fandom during a virtual WMFE trivia night with Brendan Byrne
Orlando public radio station WMFE 90.7-FM will be throwing a virtual trivia night in December, hosted by WMFE space reporter Brendan Byrne and trivia master Tommy Conant. A mix of NPR quiz show “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!” – where guests are pressed on the big NPR scoops of the week – and the classic bar-trivia scenario, virtual…
F+D Woodfired Italian Kitchen to open third location in Winter Park
Local resto F&D Woodfired Italian Kitchen is on a red-hot (heh) roll, set to open a third location in Winter park. F&D will move into the spot formerly occupied by Rice and Beans Cocina Latina at 1965 Aloma Ave., joining F&D locations in Orlando’s Hourglass District and Longwood. F&D serves up Italian comfort fare of…
Johnny Wild and the Wildettes throw a ‘Retro Cocktail Party’ at Will’s Pub this week
Although it’s one of the city’s first venues to venture back into live music, Will’s Pub appears to be one of the most insistent about safety protocols like mandatory masks, limited capacity, seated events and whole-table ticketing. Seasoned locals like Kaleigh Baker have been anchoring the programming, as Will’s eases back in to regular concerts.…
Brightline and Walt Disney World announce partnership to build station at Disney Springs
Brightline and Walt Disney World announced a new agreement on Monday to construct a Brightline station at Disney Springs. The planned station at Walt Disney Resorts will connect Disney with existing and in-the-works Brightline hubs at Orlando International Airport, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Aventura, Boca Raton and Port Miami. Design plans for the Disney…
Florida man snatches back pet dog from jaws of alligator while chomping on cigar himself
saved the puppy from getting eaten by an alligator and never dropped his cigar, a true legend pic.twitter.com/ryRSfZqOsy — juan vidal (@itsjuanlove) November 22, 2020 A wildlife camera captured a man jumping into a pond, gabbing an alligator, ripping its jaws open, and pulling out his pet dog, all while never dropping his cigar. According…
Orange County Health Services expands free COVID-19 testing at Barnett Park to 7 days a week
Orange County Health Services is expanding the operating days of the drive-through coronavirus testing site at Barnett Park. Free testing will now be offered on Saturday and Sunday. Testing is now available to Orange County residents at no charge from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. (Though the facility will be closed on Thanksgiving Day.…
Orange County CARES Act portal for pandemic assistance to reopen next week for one of the last times
Orange County government will reopen the CARES Act portal for coronavirus pandemic assistance for another round of applications next week, and this will apparently be one of the very last times. The portal will reopen at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24, and accept 15,000 applications total before closing. Applicants are eligible for “a one-time payment of $1,000…
Tickets for these 15 big Frontyard Festival shows in downtown Orlando go on sale Friday
Tickets for the first group of Frontyard Festival shows go on sale Friday, and there’s everything from holiday music to jazz to Jason Isbell on offer. The al fresco Frontyard Festival, which takes over the lawn areas in front of downtown Orlando’s Dr. Phillips Center, will present six months’ worth of entertainment including music, dance…
Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts reopens for live performances Friday with new safety measures
Winter Park venue Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts was one of the first in the area to adapt with streaming live music content when quarantine first started getting real with a maiden pay-per-view concert by Orlando icons Beth McKee and Terri Binion back on March 20. That prophetic affair was the last live show I…
Florida Sen. Rick Scott tests positive for COVID-19
Florida Sen. Rick Scott announced on Friday morning that he has tested positive for COVID-19. Scott has been self-quarantining since last Saturday after being exposed to someone who had COVID-19 a week ago. He released an official statement this morning to confirm his positive test for COVID-19. After a number of negative test results throughout…
DeSantis ‘hopes’ yet-to-be-approved vaccines will be available in Florida in 3 to 6 weeks
In a five-minute video released Thursday, Gov. Ron DeSantis said his goal is to make yet-to-be-approved COVID-19 vaccines available to Florida residents who voluntarily agree to get inoculated and that he hopes the vaccines will be available in the next three to six weeks. Pfizer and Moderna have announced development of vaccines with 90 percent…
Get European with a new Chocolate Bretzel from an Orlando 7-Eleven
Convenience store chain 7-Eleven is diversifying their bakery selection and adding a touch of, ahem, “European class” with their new Chocolate Bretzel. This “Danish-originated croissant pastry,” filled with semi-sweet chocolate and chocolate cream custard and topped with chopped almonds, is now vying for space on the shelves amidst the familiar doughnuts, fritters and sundry other baked…
More details on Orlando’s Frontyard Festival: start date and Jason Isbell show in December
The Dr. Phillips Center released a ton of new details about their upcoming Frontyard Festival event series on Thursday. The socially distanced outdoor event will be kicking off in early December, and some blockbuster new acts were announced beyond the previous four headliners last week. Frontyard Festival commences a full six months of continuous programming…
Remembering Orlando music scene figure Eddie Foeller
The Orlando music community on Nov. 12 lost Eddie Foeller, a beloved figure whose scene footprint dates back to the early 1980s when he worked at legendary music store Murmur Records, a trendsetting bastion of cool in its day. [[Read more THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND columns]] From there, Foeller remained a deep scene player through the decades…
AdventHealth Orlando will be among first hospitals to receive COVID-19 vaccines
Multiple reports say that AdventHealth Orlando will be one of the first hospitals in Florida to administer COVID-19 vaccines. Tampa General Hospital, UF Health Jacksonville, Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood and Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami are the other four hospitals in Florida that will store the vaccine while they wait for final approval to…
Universal Orlando Resort reveals a big Black Friday family vacation bargain
Universal Orlando Resort unveiled an enviable Black Friday park getaway deal this week that won’t require you to line up up in a cold parking lot at 3 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving. On Friday, Nov. 27, the theme park faithful can virtually queue up to grab a four-day vacation at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach…
Orlando’s laid-off theme park workers are making magic for the holidays
Since March, Disney has laid off or furloughed thousands of creatives, and many have turned to side hustles to make ends meet. This holiday, you can support their endeavors by shopping from the Ear for Each Other group on Facebook, which showcases items made by former Disney employees. The COVID-19 pandemic has roiled Orlando’s workforce.…
Everyone hates ‘Hillbilly Elegy,’ ‘Dolly Parton Christmas’ is delightful, and Hulu resurrects ‘Animaniacs’
Plus 10 more streaming premieres bowing this week
Holidays 2020: Orlando’s best ways to eat, drink and be merry
Holiday events to take in around Orlando. Through Dec. 24 The Santa Workshop Experience $20. Icon Park, 8375 International Drive, thesantaworkshopexperience.com Nov. 18—29 Festival of Trees Annual holiday extravaganza – now 34 years young – turns the museum into a proverbial winter wonderland, full of glittering trees and holiday decor. This year’s theme is “Joy…
Make Thanksgiving dinner easy with tasty takeout from these Orlando standbys
Keep calm and carry out
‘Birth of an Artistic Director’ is required viewing for anyone invested in social justice and theater
After months of peering at performers through pixelated Brady Bunch boxes, I’d basically sworn off watching any more online plays. But just when I thought I was out, playwright Paris Crayton III pulled me back in with last weekend’s world premiere of Birth of an Artistic Director, a riveting dramedy that should be considered required…
WWII art mystery ‘The Last Vermeer,’ in theaters now, asks when it’s OK to cheat
Catfishing the fascists
