OK – maybe we were tempting fate when we named 2016 the Worst Year Ever, because so far 2017 has been like, “Oh yeah? Hold my beer.” But despite the world going full dumpsterfire.gif in the last couple of weeks … months … whatever, this is the one issue of the year that is fully devoted to exploring and exposing all the things that make us love this damn town.

Pat yourselves on the back, everybody – musicians, artists, public servants, shop owners, athletes, curators, fashionistas, restaurateurs, bar owners, butchers, bakers, candlestick makers. And YOU – the thousands upon thousands of you who voted in this crazy contest. Have fun reading and debating the contents, and start gearing up for next year. Us, we’re off to have a drink and a lie-down.

Love, Orlando Weekly

This year’s Best of Orlando issue was written, edited, tallied, combined and compiled with the blood, sweat and tears of Monivette Cordeiro, Liv Jonse, Holly V. Kapherr, Faiyaz Kara, Seth Kubersky, Bao Le-Huu, Matthew Moyer, Thaddeus McCollum, Richard Reep, Moriah Russo, Matthew Weller and Jessica Bryce Young. Intern Virginia Vasquez did her best to check everyone’s work. Digital editor Colin Wolf has the Herculean task of wrangling it all onto our website.

Chris Tobar Rodriguez designed the issue, with the illustrations of Nathaniel Rios, who goes by 2NES UNOe in paint (see more of his work in Orlando at the WestArt District), and took photos, along with Yesenia Lima, Jeremy Reper, Lindsey Thompson and Rob Bartlett.

Ads were sold by Jeff Kruse, Leslie Egan, Scott Navarro, Jerrica Schwartz, Scott Spar and Dan Winkler. Production manager Melissa McHenry, with production designers Ian Jones and Daniel Rodriguez, put it all together. Hollie Mahadeo, Allysha Willson and Danielle Lebron organized and ably assisted on the sales, production and circulation teams, under the watchful eye of publisher Graham Jarrett. Ted Modeste and his team of drivers will deliver the issue all over Orlando. And Rachel Hoyle, Zackary Rowe and Brad Van De Bogert are planning the party of the year (tonight!) to celebrate the issue.