Winter Park’s Full Sail University opens smart technology lab for students
Full Sail University unveiled a new laboratory in May that gives students the opportunity to work hands-on with smart appliances and augmented reality. Students can showcase the apps they’ve created on a touchscreen wall, or on an Apple TV or Android TV set up in a living room area with Z Wave smart lighting. They’ll also be able…
Orlando’s Orchid Garden and Ballroom event venues to close in the fall
The Ballroom at Church Street and the neighboring Orchid Garden, two of Orlando’s most popular event venues for weddings, receptions and other events, will be closing this fall. Final events will take place on Nov. 3, according to a Facebook post from the Ballroom at Church Street. Puff n’ Stuff catering, which operates the two…
Rainbow Kitten Surprise announce Orlando return this fall
Colorful alt-folk stars Rainbow Kitten Surprise have extended their upcoming North American fall tour with a small handful of shows, and one of the beneficiaries will be Orlando. This September headlining show will be their first in the City Beautiful since their two shows here in 2018, at the Beacham and then the inaugural Florida…
20 free concerts happening in Orlando this week
Wednesday, May 29: The Daniel Heitz Band 10:30 p.m. at Tanqueray’s, 100 S. Orange Ave. Eugene Snowden’s Ten Pints of Truth 10 p.m. at Lil Indies, 1036 N. Mills Ave. AAMF x Aero: Whales 10 pm at Aero, 60 N. Orange Ave. Thursday, May 30:Leisure Chief 10:30 p.m. at Tanqueray’s, 100 S. Orange Ave. Golf…
Florida open-government advocates sue over Cabinet meeting held in Israel
A Tallahassee judge on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit brought against Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet by open-government advocates, who made a last-ditch effort to stop a Cabinet meeting in Israel because they argue it will violate the state’s open-meeting laws. The lawsuit, filed by the First Amendment Foundation and four major news organizations,…
OneBlood announces June blood drive to honor Pulse shooting victims
In honor of those affected by the June 2016 mass shooting that claimed 49 lives at the gay nightclub Pulse, OneBlood announced Tuesday it will hold a remembrance blood drive next month in their honor. The drive will take place on select Big Red Buses and donation centers from June 4 through June 27, according…
Pink Sweat$ defies contemporary R&B expectations at the Social
Scoping the Cam’ron and Prince-inspired wardrobe of fast-rising Philly R&B supremo Pink Sweat$, 24/7 clad in his namesake hue, you might be surprised to learn that the young musician started his career as a songwriter and producer. Preferring the privacy of behind-the-scenes heavy lifting, he wrote for artists from varied genres – Florida Georgia Line,…
Florida dance music royalty gathers to pay respects to DJ D-Xtreme at Ace Cafe
Just a few months ago, we were talking up the big Devotion dance party that revived one of the most significant chapters of Orlando music history by dropping a hall-of-fame lineup from house music’s golden age back onto the old site of the world-famous Edge nightclub. Tragically, however, one of that era’s most defining local…
Orlando’s Teak Neighborhood Grill gets a shoutout from the Travel Channel for its ‘world-class burger’
Teak Neighborhood Grill recently earned a place in the wider food world after the Travel Channel included it among its list of “50 States of Burgers.” Teak offers more than 30 burgers and 60 craft beers, and their menu is still growing, according to a press release from the restaurant. “We are extremely humbled and…
A&H Maitland lets you do your own printmaking at an all-day Culture Pop party
Celebrate the opening of the A&H’s summer exhibit, Pressed Editions: Experimental Contemporary Prints, with an all-day art festival at the Art & History Museums – Maitland. Browse through the craft market and learn how to make your own prints at printmaking demonstrations and workshops. Take a break from the heat in the museum and check…
Gun reform groups encourage supporters to Wear Orange for a day at Gaston Edwards Park
Sponsored by Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action, two groups advocating for common sense gun reform, Orlando Wear Orange is a community event that both honors victims of gun violence and raises awareness of proposed legislation that would help create a safer future. The event is family-friendly, with bounce houses, face painting and…
Now that Airbnb is relisting West bank properties, DeSantis wants to remove them from Florida’s sanctions list
While traveling in Israel this week, Gov. Ron DeSantis has twice said Florida should lift economic sanctions on the home-sharing platform Airbnb after the company reversed course on a move to delist about 200 West Bank properties. Early this year, the governor said the company’s policy to remove listings in the West Bank, an area…
Orlando middle schooler Kaylan Patel places among top 10 in the National Geography Bee
Kaylan Patel, a seventh-grader at Windermere Preparatory School in Lake Butler, placed among the top 10 in the National Geography Bee last week. The National Geography Bee is an annual competition designed to promote geographic knowledge among young students in the U.S, according to the National Geographic Society, which sponsors the event. It began with over…
Florida dark synth pioneer the Viirus returns for a show at Stonewall
Give credit where credit is due: The Viirus is one of the most underrated and overlooked legacy figures in Florida’s minimal/dark synth scene. Emerging from Gainesville’s vibrant and eclectic experimental underground in 2007, Adam Batley’s solo electronic project the Viirus was delving into the unexplored depths of the synth world with a heavy classic EBM…
Ariana Grande postpones this week’s Orlando and Tampa concerts
thank u, next (november)
Navy pilots report UFO sightings in airspace between Florida and Virginia
From the summer of 2014 to March 2015, five U.S. military pilots claimed to have seen strange, unidentified flying objects in the sky between Florida and Virginia’s airspace, the New York Times reported over the weekend. Sightings of the mysterious objects, which the pilots claimed were moving at hypersonic speeds, included a near-collision between one…
Florida Department of Health says Pasco County measles case has been ‘ruled out’
As the nation copes with its largest measles outbreak in more than two decades, a third measles case was supposedly reported in Florida. That’s not true, says the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County. “The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County has determined there have been no cases of measles in 2019,” the…
Former Florida Sen. Bill Nelson joins NASA advisory committee
Bill Nelson, the former astronaut–turned-senator, is getting active again in the space arena, most recently as the newest member of NASA’s Advisory Committee. NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine tweeted on Tuesday he’s “proud to announce that Sen. Bill Nelson, an astronaut, will be joining us next week as one of the newest members of the @NASA…
Satanic Temple doc ‘Hail Satan?’ gets a one-week engagement at Enzian starting this week
Florida Film Festival hit Hail Satan?, a documentary by director Penny Lane about the rise of the Satanic Temple, returns to the Enzian for a weeklong engagement starting this Friday, May 31. The Satanic Temple – recently granted tax-exempt status by the IRS on religious grounds – prides itself on its political activist stunts, and…
Orlando hip-hop luminary AMiAM to headline the library’s next Melrose in the Mix live session
The organizers at the downtown library’s monthly Melrose in the Mix music events aren’t afraid of mix things up during their free performance/recording sessions, hosting everyone from E-Turn to Terri Binion. This weekend’s event will be no different with local hip-hop producer Swamburger bringing in Orlando MC AMiAM, also a part of heavyweight local rappers…
See Ally Brooke, lovelytheband and more at Red Hot and Boom in Altamonte Springs July 3
With Independence Day approaching, are you at all wondering where you can combine fireworks and live music à la the classic Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups commercials? Whatever your plans on the big day, you might want to consider driving a few minutes up I-4 to pregame and take in the 24th annual Red Hot & Boom…
Floridians can enjoy license-free fishing weekends in June
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is offering unlicensed anglers the chance to cast a line as part of National Fishing and Boating Week during the first two weekends of June. Those interested in trying out freshwater fishing for the first time, or just for the first time in the state, have the opportunity…
Orange-Osecola state attorney Aramis Ayala won’t seek re-election, cites opposition to death penalty
In a video posted to her office’s Facebook page Tuesday morning, Aramis Ayala announced she will not seek re-election as state attorney for Orange and Osceola counties next year. Ayala, who became Florida’s first African American state attorney when elected in 2016, is the chief prosecutor for Florida’s Ninth Judicial Circuit. In the three-minute video,…
Pitbull puts on a free concert at the fairgrounds in honor of OPD officer Kevin Valencia
Unless you’re a lucky so-and-so who hasn’t had to drive on I-4 for the past few months, you probably already know that the only living being to hold both the Mr. 305 and the Mr. Worldwide titles, Pitbull, is performing a free concert at the fairgrounds in honor of OPD officer Kevin Valencia, who was…
Celine brings Loud & Proud tour to downtown for Big Gay Weekend
It’s Orlando’s Big Gay Weekend, which means there are tons of LGBT-friendly events down at the parks and at Parliament House. But if you want to celebrate downtown, you’ll want to check out the Loud and Proud tour, which brings LGBT EDM artists like Kandy and Skyler Madison to the decks for a night of…
Free Daps combine improv comedy and hip-hop at SAK Comedy Lab
Ever watch an improv troupe come up with wacky sketches on the spot after given a few simple premises and thought, “Sure, but why don’t they rhyme?” That seems to be the inspiration for local freestyle hip-hop comedy troupe Free Daps. The group combines off-the-dome verbal gymnastics with sharp wit to elicit laughs. And maybe…
Asteria Music Festival and Aero kick off a new dance night Wednesday with Israeli DJ Whales
The Asteria Arts and Music Festival teams up with rooftop bar Aero for a new series of events this week. Amateur and semi-pro dance music producers can bring their own USB stick filled with their preferred tracks and compete for a place in the spotlight at further events. Plus, they’ll receive a digital sample pack…
Silver Spurs Rodeo celebrates 75 years of bull-riding, bronco-busting fun
Sometimes, you need to just kick back a cold beer and watch a guy in a cowboy hat wrestle a bull to the ground. For that, the Silver Spurs Rodeo has you covered. The rodeo bills itself as “the largest rodeo east of the Mississippi,” and it celebrates 75 years of bull riding and steer…
Gov. DeSantis and Florida contingent to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu
A meeting next week in Jerusalem with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will conclude Gov. Ron DeSantis’ first international trade mission, according to the governor’s office. A contingent of about 100 people from Florida, including government officials, businesspeople, lobbyists, religious leaders and academics, will participate in a series of business meetings and receptions, according to an…
Hundreds rally in downtown Orlando to protest abortion bans
In response to the anti-abortion measures passed in states like Alabama and Missouri in recent weeks, demonstrators gathered Sunday in downtown Orlando to send a clear message to state lawmakers: her body, her rights. Hundreds attended, as the march circled Lake Eola Park before it wandered up Central Boulevard and down Orange Avenue, ending in…
About 220,000 Florida kids ages 5 through 18 can’t get the mental health care they need
Florida has an estimated 400,000 children who need behavioral-health services, but 55 percent of them don’t get any treatment, members of a health-care panel were told Thursday. That translates to 220,000 children across the state, or about one child in every classroom, health official Jeffrey Brosco told members of the Florida Healthy Kids Corp. Board…
Downtown mural part of the women’s soccer ‘Everywhere Campaign’
As the U.S Women’s National Soccer team goes for their fourth World Cup this summer in France, fans in Orlando will be able to participate in their “Everywhere Campaign.” In 11 cities, local female artists have painted murals of the 23 members of the 2019 World Cup team. Orlando’s mural has been painted on the…
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs bill outlawing child sex dolls
On Thursday Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law legislation that bans the sale or possession of child-like sex dolls after it unanimously passed the Florida Legislature. SB 160, sponsored by state Sen. Lauren Book, D-Plantation, “prohibits a person from knowingly having in his or her possession, custody, or control an obscene, child-like sex doll.” State Rep. Michael…
Orlando officer won’t be charged with manslaughter for Colonial Plaza shooting, prosecutors say
State prosecutors have declined to pursue charges against Officer Anthony Wongshue of the Orlando Police Department, after he was indicted on a manslaughter charge stemming from a May 2018 shooting at Colonial Plaza. Wongshue, a 16-year veteran of law enforcement, was notified of his indictment and opted to turn himself into authorities on May 16,…
Fringe 2019 Review: ‘Are You Lovin’ It?’
I’ve never visited Tokyo Disneyland, nor have I ever ingested psychedelic mushrooms. However, I’m pretty sure that if I were to try doing both simultaneously, it would be remarkably similar to the experience of seeing Are You Lovin’ It?, the savagely surreal satire of fast-food capitalism from Japan’s Theater Gumbo. A bowing business card-obsessed salaryman,…
Fringe 2019 Review: ‘Pollywood’
I was traumatized as a child by badly singing “Eat It” in front of my entire elementary school, and I’ve never been a fan of crowdfunding. So when I say that Polly Esther won me over with her her high-octane monologue about making a GoFundMe-supported cross-continental pilgrimage to witness Weird Al Yankovic’s Hollywood Walk of…
Fringe 2019 Review: ‘You Belong Here’
Master monologist Martin Dockery has been bringing his tangled tales of acid-soaked bicycle trips, religious theme parks, and radioactive fallout zones, to Orlando Fringe for a decade. This latest one-man marvel takes audiences along on his most dangerous journey yet: fatherhood. Dockery arrives appearing unusually dapper in a suit and tie, clutching a coffee mug…
Fringe 2019 Review: ‘Spare the Rod’
The national tour of Hamilton hit Orlando earlier this year, but if you couldn’t get ticket for that mega-hyped show, Paris Crayton III is here to prove that you don’t need to be a Founding Father to find fertile material for a rap musical in your fraught upbringing. Paris was a precocious youngster, obsessed with…
Potentially record-setting heat wave to hit Florida on Memorial Day weekend
Just in the nick of time for Memorial Day weekend, The Weather Channel is reporting a heat wave that’s projected to build across the southeastern U.S. in the coming days – and it may shatter May records. Orlando isn’t projected to bear the worst of the heat wave (thankfully), though the weekend high projected to…
Gov. Ron DeSantis signs bill banning Florida agencies from releasing photos, video or audio recorded during mass shootings
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Thursday that bans state government agencies from releasing all recordings of acts of mass violence to the public. That means photos, video and audio recordings of mass shootings, such as what we witnessed on social media during the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in February 2018, or other…
GateHouse layoffs affects Lakeland Ledger, maybe 200 jobs nationwide
Several Florida newspapers — including the Lakeland Ledger — are seeing staff shake-ups as part of nationwide changes at publications owned by GateHouse Media. Thursday’s news that five were laid off at the Ledger comes three months after the Ledger let go its entertainment reporter, Paul Catala. According to Lkld Now, positions cut in Lakeland…
Orlando ranked as one of the top destinations worldwide to celebrate Pride in 2019
HomeToGo, the world’s largest vacation rental search engine, ranked Orlando as one of the top destinations to celebrate Pride in 2019 in its annual Pride Index. Orlando ranked 9th in the U.S. and 46th in the world. The ranking includes 50 cities from 22 countries around the world. HomeToGo researched five factors to determine the…
Florida Reps. Stephanie Murphy, Michael Waltz will file bill to require official public notice of election hacking
U.S. Reps. Stephanie Murphy and Michael Waltz announced Thursday they will file a bill that would require federal officials to give notice to Congress and state and local officials when our elections have been tampered with. The Achieving Lasting Electoral Reforms on Transparency and Security Act – or the ALERTS Act – is the Florida…
Hip-hop and freestyle DJ legend Frankie Cutlass to spin in Orlando in June
If you can’t make his Memorial Day weekend blowout at the Hard Rock Hotel in Daytona, fear not, legendary DJ Frankie Cutlass will be making a rare appearance in Orlando next month as well. Cutlass came of creative age – quite literally, as he started DJing at the age of 12 – in New York…
Polar Express Train Ride returns to Central Florida this holiday season
The Polar Express Train Ride will return to Central Florida for its third holiday season this Christmas. The ride – a theatrical re-creation of the Warner Brothers animated film – will operate Nov. 15 through Dec. 30 out of the Tavares train station. Neil Bagaus, a representative from the Orlando Northwestern Railway, said he was…
Visit Florida cut 44 of its 135 staff members yesterday
Visit Florida cut one-third of its staff Thursday, slashing its payroll after the state Legislature cut funding for the tourism agency by 34 percent. With a Leon County Sheriff’s Office patrol car parked outside its Tallahassee headquarters on Thursday afternoon, Visit Florida fired 44 of the agency’s 135 workers. The move cut $3.65 million from…
11 miles of I-95 in Florida has reopened, but may be shut down again
A portion of Interstate 95 that stretches from northern Jacksonville to Yulee, where the highway intersects State Road 200, has been reopened after a closure caused by a wildfire. The Florida Highway Patrol has stated, however, that closures could resume later if conditions worsen. Memorial Day traffic may be affected. The fire began on Wednesday and…
‘Florida Man’ uses alligator to shotgun a beer while cranking Skynyrd
For some odd reason, people love to film themselves abusing animals. A video of uncertain age (recently uploaded to Instagram by @504ollie) shows an unidentified man on a boat holding a gator by the neck, using its open mouth to puncture a can of Michelob Ultra. The man then slams the beer and tosses the…
Fringe 2019 Reviews: ‘Girl’ and ‘Show of Force’
Girl With shows like Hoodies and Commencement, producer/director Beth Marshall has earned her reputation for bringing hard-hitting, timely fare to the often-frivolous Fringe. Her latest offering may be her most difficult – and most necessary – to watch, because Megan Mostyn-Brown’s girl depicts in agonizing detail how young women are abused and discarded daily in…
Terri Binion puts serious spotlight on Florida songwriters with debut of ‘Duets’ series
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Duets with Terri Binion and Jordan Foley, Will’s Pub, May 22 Few treat the songwriter tradition with as much respect as Orlando Americana queen Terri Binion. That care isn’t just limited to her own distinguished work. Inspired by what she saw as host of the quiet indoor stage at Mike Dunn’s Folk…
Fringe 2019 Reviews: ‘The Agony and the Ivories’ & ‘Junnk’
The Agony and the Ivories Bill Larkin is (according to his catchy personal TV theme song) a “gay balding asthmatic making dreams come true.” That pretty much sums up this hilarious singing stand-up comic and 1990s-era SAK performer, whose gently manic musical monologues play like a marvelously misanthropic mashup of Larry David and Tom Lehrer.…
Fringe 2019 Reviews: ‘Horseface’ and ‘Blind to Happiness’
Horseface Nearly 30 years after her first Orlando appearance, veteran international Fringe performer Alex Dallas returns with Horseface, a topical solo dramedy for the #MeToo era that manages to wring big laughs — along with a few gut-wrenching gasps — from subjects like manspreading, unwanted masturbation, and secret porn collections. This is the kind of…
Reedy Creek firefighters say they need help responding to Disney World incidents
The union representing Reedy Creek Fire Department says it needs a few extra hands to respond to the growing number of guests at Disney World. WKMG reported the firefighters’ plea for the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the governing jurisdiction for the land owned by Disney, to increase their support earlier today. With the launch of…
Atomic Revolutionary Wrestling returns to Orlando this summer with the Wham Bam Slam
Cocoa Beach’s upstart independent promotion Atomic Revolutionary Wrestling has announced a return to Orlando for the first time in over a year with this summer’s Wham Bam Slam 3, featuring Sabu, a veteran wrestler who has worked for ECW, WWE, TNA and numerous Japanese promotions during his decades-long career. The card also includes matches from:…
Data says houses are more valuable in Orlando’s gay neighborhoods
The value of a home in Audubon Park and Coytown, which have the highest rates of same-sex households in Orlando, is about 27% higher than the rest of the area, according to data from the American Community Survey recently analyzed by Zillow. All over the nation, homes in these so-called “gayborhoods” tend to be the more expensive…
Two Florida beaches named ‘Best in America’ by Dr. Beach
Dr. Beach’s annual list of the best beaches in the country is here, and Florida makes the cut, as it consistently has over the past two decades. Using factors like noise levels, traffic, smell, general access, algae in the water, rip currents and beach slopes, the 2019 Top 10 Beaches named two well-known patches of…
Uber opts to not launch Jump bikes in Orlando after all
Uber Jump bikes aren’t coming to the City Beautiful, the company says. The latest bike-sharing option had already been approved by city officials. It would have joined Lime, which has placed roughly 500 battery-assisted bikes around town since its launch last year, and Hopr, which launched last year as well and has around 250 pedal-pusher…
Florida-based Disney workers will be eligible to attend UCF for free in the fall semester
On Thursday, Disney announced it’s adding the University of Central Florida to its Disney Aspire education investment program, which provides 100 percent free tuition to eligible employees and Disney cast members. The Disney Aspire program originally launched in August. Roughly 40 percent of the company’s 85,000 full-time and part-time hourly employees with at least 90…
Florida drivers can now buy E-Pass toll transponder good in 18 states
The new E-Pass Xtra transponder will give drivers access to the toll systems in 18 states, including most of the East Coast, and is now available for purchase online. The portable transponder helps manage a single account for toll systems in eligible states, such as SunPass, PeachPass and I-PASS. Drivers will be able to pay…
There’s an online petition to disbar the Clearwater lawyer who left a raccoon to die 20 miles offshore
A new petition is calling for Clearwater lawyer Thomas Cope to be disbarred, following a viral video showing himself and others yelling “So long, sucker,” to a raccoon that they left 20 miles offshore to die. The online petition, started by petition site CareTeam2, currently has over 80,000 signatures of its 85,000 goal. “As a…
Central Florida brewery Marker 48 honors Brooksville’s UFO history with a limited release beer
Weeki Wachee’s Marker 48 Brewing honors a local legend – literally – this weekend with the third annual release of a limited-batch beer, the John Reeves Incident. A hazy IPA made with Citra, Belma and Idaho Gem hops, the beer clocks in at 6.5 percent ABV. It’s named after John Reeves, a Brooksville man who…
Depeche Mode tribute act Strangelove to play music to the masses at the Social next month
“Good evening, Pasadena!” Expect to hear an introduction along those lines, along with the soaring strings of “Pimpf,” when touring Depeche Mode tribute act Strangelove hit town next month. From what we’ve seen, the Los Angeles band have the look and sound of Basildon’s favorite sons down pat, and they play a set that goes from…
Op-ed: Prison inmates and released felons deserve to vote just like other citizens
Should Americans caught up in the justice system be stripped of their right to vote? Senator Bernie Sanders catapulted the issue into the spotlight when he declared his unequivocal support for the voting rights of prison inmates at a recent town hall. “I think the right to vote is inherent to our democracy,” he said.…
One Nation Under a Groove tour brings George Clinton, Fishbone and more to Orlando in August
Orlando, are you ready to get down just for the funk of it this summer? The One Nation Under a Groove package tour is set to bring a heavy contingent of funk ambassadors to the City Beautiful in late August, led by the icon George Clinton and his Parliament Funkadelic Collective. Joining Clinton and co.…
New pizza and pasta joint Due Amici opening in College Park
Just what College Park needs: another Italian restaurant. You can’t swing a dead gatto without hitting one — Adriatico, Armando’s, Ragazzi’s, Tornatore’s and Trevi Pasta all vie for the neighborhood’s seemingly staid palates and, soon, they’ll have one more restaurant to feast on. Due Amici will move into the corner space that housed Kingfish Bistro,…
On the day the state executes a serial killer, here’s a look at Florida’s death penalty by the numbers
Serial killer Bobby Joe Long is scheduled to be executed at 6 p.m. Thursday at Florida State Prison for the 1984 murder of Michelle Simms in Hillsborough County. Long would be the first Death Row inmate executed since Gov. Ron DeSantis took office in January. But Florida has a long history of executions after the…
Orlando City soccer fans can take advantage of an additional SunRail run after Friday’s match
On Friday, after the match against the visiting L.A. Galaxy, Orlando City fans can take advantage of a special SunRail late train service. A train leaves southbound from the Church Street Station platform at 10:30 p.m., making stops at Orlando Health, Sand Lake Road, Meadow Woods, Tupperware, Kissimmee, and Poinciana. This special run is in addition to…
Florida sheriffs sign on to help ICE catch undocumented immigrants
The number of Florida sheriffs who have signed agreements to participate in federal programs designed to catch undocumented immigrants in county jails has tripled. Since the May 6 launch of an initiative known as the Warrant Service Officer program, 10 local law-enforcement agencies have signed contracts that will soon allow their corrections officers to be…
Livestream of Orlando Shakes children’s production reaches thousands of students statewide
The live stream of Orlando Shakes’ production of Jack and the Beanstalk reached 4,663 students across the state, many of them in Title 1 schools. The live stream by local company Skystorm Productions was broadcast to schools in 18 counties in Florida, and included a live talkback with the cast and crew after the show.…
Three new exhibits to open at the Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg this June
The Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg is opening three new exhibits this June, and they are worth the drive for Orlando art lovers. The museum will showcase a selection of “rarely seen” cast bronzes from their permanent collection June 6 through Nov. 2 in Bronzes From the Vault. Salvador Dalí was commissioned to create the…
Silent auctions at Mad Cow Theatre in downtown Orlando held over
Theater-goers in Central Florida have a second chance to bid on select items from the silent auction at Mad Cow’s Black and White Bash, the theater’s annual fundraiser. Prizes up for auction include a book of Edgar Allen Poe’s poetry from 1858, a walk-on role in Mad Cow’s Production of Memphis and a package of…
Torque drum & bass throws a daytime party to celebrate Memorial Day at the Henao Center
Memorial Day weekend means a lot of us get to enjoy an extra day off this weekend. Torque, the drum & bass party collective, capitalizes on that with a daytime party at the Henao Center on Monday. Groove to sets from the likes of Saxxon, Random Movement, DJ SUV, Spikey Tee and more while checking…
Dust off your drinking game skills to compete in Beer Olympics at Barley & Vine
Summery patio bar Barley & Vine (OK, they have an interior too, but it’s smaller than the outdoor space) hosts Central 28 and Florida Avenue Brewing this weekend for a competition that you’ve been training for your whole life. Compete in five different events, from flip cup to beer pong to cornhole, to claim glory…
Terribly Wrong returns to Will’s Pub for a night of dark dance music from ‘Kurt Rambus’
Veteran Orlando DJ Nigel John brings back his Kurt Rambus alter ego for a night of underrepresented dance music at Will’s Pub. The vibe brings together darker, groovier electronic sounds with some wicked jungle and breakbeat, “forging a bridge between mechanical and funky,” as our own Bao Le-Huu describes it. Support for this iteration comes…
The Doubleclicks log in to Cloak & Blaster for a night of nerdy folk
Nerd-folk sibling act the Doubleclicks have achieved a certain level of internet – and real life! – fame from their delightful musical odes to topics like The Lord of the Rings and the benefits of having a cat to talk to at parties. In recent years, their songs have expanded in scope to cover social…
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announces election security review after learning of Russian breaches
Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling for a review of the state’s election systems following the FBI’s disclosure to state officials that Russian hackers successfully breached two counties’ election data during the 2016 election. “Public faith in our elections is the bedrock of our democracy and we must do everything within our power to preserve the…
Spoilers, obviously: Rubio compares Trump to a ‘Game of Thrones’ villain who committed genocide
It’s pretty difficult to have watched the last season of Game of Thrones and concluded that the power-hungry thirst of Emilia Clarke’s character Daenerys Targaryen is anything but horrifying, especially since her dragon literally roasts an entire city filled with millions of innocent people. But apparently Marco Rubio and his staff thinks this fictional war crime…
Florida has one of the highest uninsured rates for women of child-bearing age
Failure to to expand Medicaid in Florida means the Sunshine State has one of the highest uninsured rates for women of child-bearing age, according to a new report by the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. It says Medicaid expansion is helping to fill gaps in maternal health coverage, which experts say leads to…
Death metal pioneers Massacre play their only Florida date at Will’s Pub this week
Central Florida has blessed the world with more than its share of underground metal worthies – Obituary, Morbid Angel and Nocturnus, to name a few – but, for our money, one of the undisputed greats would have to be Massacre. Massacre, helmed by death metal OGs guitarist Rick Rozz and vocalist Kam Lee – also…
Dearest and friends go full dark no stars with Astral Blackout at the Nook on Robinson
When it comes to a total immersion live music experience, we’re all in. And we’ve heard some very intriguing things about what the organizers of the first (of what will hopefully be an event series) Astral Blackout have planned to do in order to create a truly “heavenly” musical experience at the Nook on Robinson.…
House panel approves full $200 million in funding for Florida Everglades restoration
Full funding for Everglades restoration projects is almost a reality. On Tuesday, the U.S. House Appropriations Committee approved the federal Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill, which allocates $200 million in federal funds to fully match the state’s funding of the project. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and the bipartisan Florida congressional delegation were instrumental in…
Orlando Urban Film Festival screens documentary about the Groveland Four
A documentary film on the Groveland Four – four black men who were falsely accused in 1949 of raping a white woman in Lake County – is one of the highlights of the Orlando Urban Film Festival this year. Seventy years ago, 17-year-old Norma Padgett accused Charles Greenlee, Walter Irvin, Samuel Shepherd and Ernest Thomas…
Massive Southern Box Food Hall coming to College Park’s Packing District
Visions for the massive, 202-acre Packing District are coming into focus. Back in March, the YMCA of Central Florida released designs of their 27,000-square-foot family center. Today, renderings for a 22,400-square-foot food hall were revealed by project architects DAP Design and by the looks of it, the food hall promises to be an absolute flippin’…
Second Harvest’s Chef’s Night serves up good karma and great food
If you’re going to stuff your face, it should at least A) do some good and B) be really, really good food. Second Harvest’s second Chef’s Night of 2019 fills the bill on both counts: A) proceeds benefit their culinary training program, which provides students the skills to obtain an entry-level position in the food…
Summer Guide 2019: Cool Orlando events
We heard a rumor once that the rest of the country actually looks forward to summer. Up there, they go outdoors, run around and only have to deal with a moderate amount of sweat. Down here, though, we know the true nature of summer: It’s oppressively hot, it sticks around way past its welcome, and…
Summer Guide 2019: Fourth of July fireworks and festivities
The Fourth of July is a peak time for summer fun. We’ve collected everything we could find about community gatherings to celebrate Independence Day, though our list of fireworks and hot dog mixers is sure to grow over the next few months. Be sure to keep an eye on our online calendar over the next…
Summer movies: Hollywood wants what’s left of your savings
We’re in the spendgame now
The hottest concerts to see between now and September
Summer Guide 2019
Orlando Outside Guide 2019: Get out there and revel in Central Florida summer’s hot, hot heat
I was born in Orlando in November and the temperature on record for that day and year was 81 degrees. Since then, I’ve loved every single thing about the sunshine, the bright sky, and the warmth of Orlando. If you’re someone who dreams of escaping the heat, skip to our Inside Guide. But if you’re…
Orlando Inside Guide 2019: Are you crazy? It’s like a million degrees out there!
We’re not telling you anything you don’t already know, but … it’s hot as balls outside right now. Apparently some people need reminding that temperatures over 95 degrees at 100 percent humidity can be harmful to the human body, as well as the will to live. That’s why we’ve put together this list of indoors…
Orlando’s Big Gay Weekend + GayDays 2019
Though the first weekend of June has colloquially been known as “Gay Days” for a few decades, the actual GayDays event has moved to the middle of August. The remaining groups have banded together under the name “Orlando’s Big Gay Weekend.” Thursday, May 30 Girls in Wonderland: Her Mix and Match Meet your next crew,…
‘Aladdin’ remake is simply unnecessary
‘Aladdin’ insane
On Screens in Orlando: Aladdin, BookSmart and more
Opening this week: Aladdin When Disney’s animated Aladdin premiered in 1992, a publicist called me to breathlessly extol its many virtues – except for one element not even she herself could countenance: “The parrot is played by that incredibly annoying comedian, Gilbert Gottfried.” I was amazed that somebody who was being paid to talk up…
Alabama’s abortion ban isn’t about abortion. It’s about control
Informed Dissent
Five-star general store Eola General leads a charge with local food products and damn fine eats
Eating good in the neighborhood
Savage Love: ‘Hard Feelings’
I keep running into the same issue with my best friend of five years. (She’s also my maid of honor at my upcoming wedding.) We’re both empaths – most of my friends are – and we’re both in therapy working on how to cope with that. I have severe anxiety that impacts my physical health,…
Gimme Shelter: Meet Eve!
Eve (A369184) is a friendly and affectionate 3-year-old girl. She does well around other cats and is looking for a purr-fect home to call hers! Adopt this striped cutie today. For the month of May, we are featuring the Cosmopawlitan promotion, where the adoption fees for both dogs and cats are $15. The adoption fees…
A new Japanese restaurant at Epcot, Guesthouse sister bar opening soon, plus more in local foodie news
OPENINGS: Look for Grounding Roots to open their second juice bar inside the Grove at Winter Park plaza on Aloma Avenue and Howell Branch Road June 9 … Disney announced that the space-themed restaurant they have planned for Epcot will open by the end of the year. The menu will feature “internationally inspired cuisine” and…
‘Weed grandma’ plans to sue, Orlando police officer arrested on manslaughter charge, and other news you may have missed last week
Gov. Ron DeSantis signs controversial ‘Billionaire Boulevard’ toll roads legislation: Last week, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that requires the state to build two new toll roads and extend a third toll road through parts of Florida: an extension of the Suncoast Parkway from the Tampa Bay area north of the Georgia border; an…
For better or worse, here are some of the 2019 Florida legislative session’s proposals that didn’t pass
It was another year of failed aspirations for some state lawmakers – for progressive wet-dream legislative goals and nightmarish conservative policy proposals alike. Had state Rep. Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero, gotten his wish with HB 7117, a bill he sponsored, Florida would have embarrassingly become the first state to regulate THC levels in medical marijuana. If…
‘Paging Dr. Double Stuf’
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