Welcome to Thursday Morning, Orlando!

Happy EARLY Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there, grandmothers, Mrs. Orlando Signal, soon-to-be moms, dog moms, cat moms, bearded dragon moms…you get the idea. As the k00l kids like to say: you. are. the. bomb!

Now onto today’s Orlando Signal (weekend fun) issue:

• Micro-transit

• Second Helpings

• Pants on Fire

• + lots of weekend recs

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Let’s roll!

- Philip

3 QUICK NEWS BITS ⏲️

Tap, Ride, Save: How Seminole County Is Reinventing Public Transit

Seminole County may be throwing out the old-school bus playbook for a zippy new micro-transit system that'll save a cool $9 million yearly!

Commissioner Amy Lockhart isn't mincing words about the current Lynx situation - it's a headache on wheels.

The fresh approach brings six-passenger vans right to your doorstep with just a tap on your phone. No more weather-beaten bus stops or watching three buses pass before yours arrives!

Major routes along SR-434, Semoran Boulevard, and U.S. 17-92 will stick around for the traditionalists.

Smart pricing means discounts for those who need it most, plus perks for SunRail connections. A three-month transition period ensures nobody gets left at the curb.

(Learn a lot more about this micro-transit initiative with Cheryn Stone, right here)

Splash of Creativity: Two Decades of Water-Wise Art!

Orange County Utilities and OCPS recently threw a splash-tastic party celebrating 20 years of their Water Conservation Calendar, where kid artists reign supreme!

The 2025 edition features 13 eye-popping masterpieces alongside six honorable mentions, from dazzling Earth portraits to whimsical sea creatures. At the jubilant ceremony, pint-sized environmental heroes took center stage while proud families cheered.

Elementary kiddos submitted colorful drawings while the older crowd got hands-on painting rain barrels….talk about functional art! Born in 2005, this creative tradition made April's Conservation Month way more fun than a lecture ever could.

These young Picassos aren't just making pretty pictures, they're splashing their way toward a water-wise future!

☀️ Check out the creativity these kids exhibited, right here.

Second Helpings: Orlando Chefs' Budget Cooking Program Sizzles in Year Two"

Central Florida's "Get Cooking" program is spicing up dinner tables across four Orlando schools for its second straight year, turning kitchen novices into $20 (family of 4!) meal maestros through Valencia College's virtual cooking classes.

The recipe for success? Nearly 800 families served since March 2024, with 80 joining the monthly culinary party! Local food wizards Wendy Lopez, Bruno Fonseca, and Matt Hinckley sprinkle in heritage-inspired dishes, while Kroger Delivery, 4Roots Farm, Florida Blue, and the Orlando Magic provide the ingredient magic.

Program chef-in-chief Stacie Archer celebrates that families now whip up home-cooked meals 3.5 times weekly (up from a measly 1.4). Their thoughtfully packed grocery bags even include water needing for boiling, no detail too small!

With waiting lists simmering, they're cooking up plans to feed 100 families monthly by year's end.

🍽️ Check out this program, right here.

(Learn a ton more about “Getting Cooking’s” second year with Amy Drew Thompson, right here)

🙋 Trivia Time

WEEKEND SPOT HIGHLIGHT 🔦

Spring Studio Show 2025

📍Art & History Museums of Maitland. 231 W Packwood Ave, Maitland, FL 32751. Map to this location.

🕐 Friday, May 9th, 6:30 p.m.

Lose yourself in the Maitland Art Center's garden wonderland with Don Soledad's melodies filling the air.

Explore open studios and classrooms while Danielle Thomas and Dan L. Hess grill complimentary dogs (veggie options too!).

Bring your own picnic setup…they'll handle the bar. Perfect for friends, dates, or Mother's Day celebrations! Browse instructor-made gifts while strolling our artistic haven. Admission?

Absolutely GRATIS, though donations fuel our community programs.

[Check It Out]

TOP 3 FUN RECS FOR THE WEEKEND 🍊

Route 66

📍The Winter Park Playhouse. 711 Orange Avenue Suite C Winter Park, FL 32789. Map to this location.

🕐 Saturday, May 10th, 7:30 p.m.

Crafted by Roger Bean with Brian Baker's musical arrangements, this high-voltage journey follows four dynamic vocalists cruising from 1950s Chicago to California's surf-soaked shores.

Experience 34 road-trip anthems including "Dead Man's Curve," "King of the Road," and "Fun, Fun, Fun."

This coast-to-coast sensation celebrates America's legendary highway with unforgettable hits that defined a generation of asphalt adventurers!

[Get more info, right here]

Mother’s Day Celebration at Leu Gardens

📍Harry P. Leu Gardens, 1920 North Forest Avenue, Orlando, FL, 32803. Map to this location.

🕐 Sunday, May 11th, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Treat Mom to an unforgettable Mother's Day amid Orlando's most breathtaking gardens.

Be mesmerized by ORIGAMI IN THE GARDEN, massive metal sculptures inspired by master Origami artists that blend art with nature across 50 spectacular acres.

Explore the Historic Leu House Museum, then unwind with a picnic featuring Mom's favorite treats beneath flowering trees.

🔥 Best of all? Mom enters completely free on her special day!

[Check it out, right here]

Craig Ferguson - Pants on Fire Live

📍The Plaza Live. 425 N Bumby Ave, Orlando, FL 32803. Map to this location.

🕐 Sunday, May 11th, 7 p.m.

Glasgow-born Craig Ferguson blazed from punk drummer to Emmy-winning late-night host with irresistible charm.

After voicing Gobber in "How to Train Your Dragon 3" and penning his memoir "Riding the Elephant," this quick-witted Scotsman continues dazzling audiences.

Ferguson conquered American comedy, hosting "The Late Late Show" for ten years, winning a Peabody Award, and selling out Carnegie Hall with his stand-up.

Now a bestselling author and proud U.S. citizen, this multi-talented entertainer's journey remains as captivating as his infectious laugh.

[Get the full details]

MORE WEEKEND HAPPENINGS 🎭 🥁

Multi-Day

Weekends at the Winery | Sat 10 a.m. & Sun 11 a.m. | Clermont | More

Mother's Day at Boxi Park | Thur, Fri, Sat, Sun 12 p.m. | Lake Nona | More

Friday - 9th

🔥 “Meet the Artists” Reception | 9 a.m. | Casselberry | More

MVP: Most Valuable Prospects 12 | 5:30 p.m. | I-Drive | More

The Mother of All Baby Showers | 6 p.m. | Mills 50 | More

Static Dress | 6 p.m. | Downtown | More

Christopher Titus | 6 & 9 p.m. | I-Drive | More

Rosegarden Funeral Party, Trigger Discipline, and Stare Away | 7 p.m. | Winter Park | More

Alicia Lyman Photography - 30 Years of Rockstars and Stardust Closing Party | 7 p.m. | Mills 50 | More

Saturday - 10th

Saturday Exhibition Highlights Docent-Led Tour | 1 & 3 p.m. | Winter Park | More

Collective Corner x Oh Hey Cafe Mother's Day Pop-Up | 9 a.m. | College Park | More

Enzian Film Club: Rope | 11 a.m. | Maitland | More

Little Entrepreneur Fair | 12 p.m. | Curry Ford | More

68th Season Jazz Finale | 3 p.m. | Winter Park | More

2025 Unleashed. Uncorked. Unframed. | 6 p.m. | Winter Park | More

Jason Mewes at the Funny Bone | 5:30 & 8:30 | I-Drive | More

Fitz & the Tantrums | 7 p.m. | Downtown | More

Fusion Music Showcase | 7 p.m. | Downtown | More

Sunday - 11th

Bookbinding: Cork Cover, Long Stitch | 9:30 a.m. | Maitland | More

Mother's Day Brunch featuring Mamma Mia! | 10:30 a.m. | Maitland | More

Linocut Florals | 11 a.m. | Maitland | More

My Cousin Tiera | 5:30 p.m. | I-Drive | More

We Them Ones: Comedy Tour | 7 p.m. | UCF | More

Ximena Sariñana | 7 p.m. | Downtown | More

Volume VI: A Tribute to Disco Music and Culture | 8 p.m. | Mills 50 | More

THANKS!

🧠 Interested in reaching smart readers like you? Grow with us right here.

We’ll see you on Monday.

My Best,
Philip - Publisher, Orlando Signal