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Happy weekend, Orlando!
In today’s happening-today edition: EPCOT flower and garden festival, NAMIWalks 20th anniversary, Wantilan luau, and more. + events worth checking out today & tomorrow.
From today’s sponsor, FinanceBuzz: Many Florida drivers end up paying higher auto insurance premiums because they don’t shop around enough. The same driver with the same car can get wildly different quotes from different insurers, so it truly pays to compare. Their free tool makes it easy.*
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📰 In the news
Springtime magic in bloom: EPCOT’s International Flower and Garden Festival is underway, featuring Monsters University topiaries with Mike Wazowski and Sulley, plus outdoor kitchens, live entertainment, and floral displays through June 1 — get all the festival details.
Citywide culinary gems await: Skip the parks and taste Orlando’s diverse dining, from Bacán’s art-filled room at Lake Nona Wave Hotel to Coro’s contemporary Latin menu and Kadence’s intimate sushi counter in Audubon Park — discover the featured restaurants.
Uniting for mental wellness: NAMIWalks turns 20 on May 2 at Cranes Roost Park in Altamonte Springs, aiming to raise $250,000 for NAMI Central Florida and is seeking local sponsors and food trucks — see how to get involved.
Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.*
Gold & silver are hot: Last year was gold’s best year since 1979. Silver did even better, climbing nearly 150%… and analysts expect the momentum to continue. Curious about precious metal investing? GoldCo has a helpful guide that covers everything you need to know. It’s free — and definitely worth a read.*
Highlights this week:
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💎 Local business spotlight
Fries with a kick: When a fry craving hits, Pig Floyd’s Urban Barbakoa delivers crispy French fries and Mexican Street Corn Fries loaded with cilantro aioli, cotija, and chives. Salty, creamy, just a little messy… equal parts snack and meal, and a dangerously good ‘just one more bite’ situation.
Fresh-face fix, anyone? When the mirror feels extra honest, Windermere Medical Spa & Laser Institute brings skilled injectors and calm, personalized plans for subtle, natural refreshes. Expect smoother, brighter vibes that look like you slept, hydrated, and mindfully cared for your skin… without the drama.
Chase chains this week: Bill Frederick Park At Turkey Lake serves breezy lakeside lines, shady fairways, and enough technical bite to keep scores honest. Bring a couple extra discs (the lake has opinions), then squeeze in a relaxed after work loop or stretch it into a weekend session with friends.
These aren’t ads or sponsored placements, just some cool nearby spots we think are worth a visit.
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🫶 We got your back
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Last call for the CVS Epic Beauty Sale: Today’s your last chance to save on all sorts of self-care products at CVS, including makeup, beauty tools, skin care, hair masks, moisturizers, and more from all your favorite brands. *Shop the sale before it ends →
Paying full price is officially optional: Blu Dot just marked down dozens of their best sofas, beds, dining tables, outdoor pieces, and lighting by as much as 60%. Not because something’s wrong with them, but because every great design eventually has to make room for the next one. The deals change daily, so it’s always a new adventure. *See what’s on sale today →
Most people have no idea what’s happening inside their body: Not because the data doesn’t exist, but because no one’s collecting it. Routine annual checkups miss things like body composition, biological age, and the biomarkers that can help predict long-term patterns. The good news? HumeHealth offers tools to help you track all of that at home for less than the cost of a specialist visit. *Use code NEW20 to save 20% →
Something in your house is about to break: It might be your AC, your water heater, your fridge… doesn’t matter. Every major appliance has an expiration date, and when it goes, you’ll be staring down a repair bill that can climb into the thousands fast. An AHS home warranty covers these types of surprises + *select plans are $150 off right now →
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📆 Around town today & tomorrow
Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →
All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.
🧹 March 2026 Community Clean Up @ Walgreens | Saturday (3/14) at 9:00 AM – Spring cleaning season calls for a neighborhood spruce-up, we’re rolling out to Walgreens at 2550 N Hiawassee Rd for a Pine Hills clean sweep. They bring gloves, bags, and cold drinks, you bring the can-do. Think cardio, civic pride, and quality neighbor time.
🌼 29th Annual Plant Sale @ Harry P. Leu Gardens | Saturday (3/14) at 9:00 AM – Spring is calling, and Leu Gardens’ 29th annual plant sale is back with free admission all weekend and 50-plus Florida growers to tempt your resolve. Stroll the 50-acre oasis, snag privacy-making bamboo, exotic specimens, and those impulse herbs you swear you’ll keep alive.
🌿 15th Annual Florida Herbal Conference @ Bill Frederick Park At Turkey Lake | Saturday (3/14) at 9:00 AM – Herbalists, curious dabblers, and anyone who sniffs rosemary for sport, this one’s for you. Learn from a keynote and teachers, swap know-how with herbal kin, browse vendors for apothecary treats, then dance and sing with Aire & Sol under the Florida sky.
🍿 Storytime Cinema: Meet the Robinsons @ Orlando Science Center | Saturday (3/14) at 11:30 AM – Orlando Science Center is spinning up Meet the Robinsons, a G-rated family movie that doubles as curiosity fuel. Time-travel hijinks, inventive kids, and screen time that counts as STEM, plus blessed AC and moderate sound, so bring earmuffs if your crew is sensitive.
🌺 Wantilan Luau @ Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando | Saturday (3/14) at 6:00 PM – Skip the flight and get your island fix at this weekly luau, all-you-can-eat buffet, pit-roasted pig, live music, the whole coconut. Hula and fire dancers bring the heat. Eat like you mean it, then pretend your hips remember.
🍀 Beemo @ Crooked Can Brewing Company (Winter Garden) | Saturday (3/14) at 6:00 PM – Live music, pints, and kilts at Crooked Can’s Celtic Festival, with local favorites Beemo back on stage. It is free, so bring a lawn chair, the neighbor who finds their Irish side every March, and your jig-adjacent shuffle. Expect singalongs, and prime Plant Street people-watching.
🏒 Orlando Solar Bears vs Greenville Swamp Rabbits: Hockey Fights Cancer @ Kia Center | Sunday (3/15) at 3:00 PM – Grab your sweater weather excuse and head downtown as the Solar Bears scrap with the Swamp Rabbits for Hockey Fights Cancer. Expect big hits, purple jerseys, and the rare chance to heckle the refs while supporting a cause that actually matters.
Live music & entertainment:
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
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📻 Orlando report
Weather forecast
Today – High: 80°F – Low: 66°F – Precip: 53%
A chance of rain showers between 9am and 11am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. East northeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible. Later: A chance of rain showers before 8pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. East wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
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Tomorrow – High: 85°F – Low: 67°F – Precip: 79%
Showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 85. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Later: Showers and thunderstorms before 8pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8pm and 11pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 11pm and 2am, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
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On a 0.31-acre corner lot in Lancaster Park, this Downtown Orlando pool home blends brick-lined street charm with easy modern living. A kitchen with 10-foot ceilings anchors flow, and the primary suite enjoys a private balcony. Outside, a Badu Swim Jet pool, waterfall spa, cabana with pool bath, and summer kitchen set the vibe, plus 3-car garage and EV charging.
Take a peek inside →
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