The birds are coming, and they’re flocking to a downtown Orlando rooftop near you.
With the support of the City of Orlando’s Downtown Development Board, United Arts of Central Florida and Creative City Project, Orlando is set to host several massive neon-colored inflatable pigeons on the rooftops of downtown buildings.
The 16-foot-tall, “thought-provoking” inflatables are part of an effort by the city to enhance urban vibrancy, support local businesses and invite a deeper connection with urban wildlife and the environment.
The installation comes from the mind of local artist and Bungalower editor-in-chief Brendan O’Connor. “Big City Birds” will be the second installment of Creative City Project’s collab with DTOLive, the project aiming to bring artistic experiences to downtown Orlando, with more than 800 installations and performances happening through June 2025. The locations set to host DTOLive experiences stretch about a two-mile radius from City Hall to the North Quarter district.
The installation hearkens back to a city public arts project that took over downtown Orlando back in 2002: LizArt. That creepy-crawly takeover saw dozens of 7-foot fiberglass (and well-dressed) lizards dot high-profile areas in downtown for just over a year to raise money for citywide cultural programs.
The pigeons take flight Thursday, Aug. 15, at 10:30 a.m. at the following locations:
- 30 S. Orange Ave.
- Stagger Inn at 100 E. Central Blvd.
- Wall Street Cantina at 19 N. Orange Ave.
- Aero Rooftop Bar & Lounge at 60 N. Orange Ave.
- Taco Kat at 11 S. Court St.
- Casey’s on Central at 50 E. Central Blvd.
“Big City Birds” will be on display and staring down passersby through Oct. 17.
