What's On in Orlando
Events, markets, games, library and parks programs in and around Orlando, with times, prices and the organizer's own link.
Top story
Arts and exhibitions in Orlando: October 2026
Orlando arts this fall: Dracula at Orlando Shakes to Nov. 8, PlayFest from Oct. 30, the Resonate Festival Nov. 5-8 and a live-orchestra Nutcracker Nov. 19-20.
Coming up
The full month- Fri. Oct. 23 District 2 Fall Fest and Fall Festival
- Fri. Oct. 23 District 2 Fall Fest
- Now through Oct. 25 Gators, Ghosts and Goblins
- Sat. Oct. 24 Eolaween
- Sat. Oct. 24 Lake Nona Graveyard Smash
- Sun. Oct. 25 Barktoberfest
- Sun. Oct. 25 Fiesta Calle Orange
- Wed. Oct. 28 Rock-O-Ween Trunk or Treat
- Fri. Oct. 30 Sneakerween: Trunk-or-Treat Edition
- Fri. Oct. 30 PlayFest 2026: Their Eyes Were Watching God reading
- Sat. Oct. 31 Dog Day and Howl-O-Ween costume contests
- Sat. Oct. 31 Swerv Cars and Costumes
Plan your weekend
Fourth of July
Orlando Fourth of July fireworks 2026
Orlando's Fireworks at the Fountain fills Lake Eola Park on July 4; the 2026 show started at 9:10 p.m. after festivities from 4 p.m. 2027 details are not out.
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day in Orlando 2027: events and date ideas
Valentine's Day 2027 is a Sunday. Orlando Ballet's Alice in Wonderland runs Feb. 11-14, Lake Eola swan boats are open and Leu Gardens has date-friendly hours.
Spring break
Spring break in Orlando 2027: OCPS dates, camps and things to do
OCPS spring break is March 15-19, 2027, after a March 12 student holiday. City vacation-day camps, year-round pools, splash pads and an egg hunt March 20.
Halloween
Trick-or-treat hours in Orlando 2026
Halloween is Saturday, Oct. 31. Orlando sets no official trick-or-treat hours; sunset is 6:41 p.m. City trunk-or-treats, Eolaween and safety tips.
Christmas
Orlando tree lighting and Christmas parade 2026: Dec. 4
Orlando's tree lighting is Friday, Dec. 4, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Lake Eola, with Santa and the Merry Market. Jingle Eve in Ivanhoe Village is Nov. 21.
Easter
Easter in Orlando 2027: egg hunts, brunch and services
Easter is Sunday, March 28, 2027. The city's Engelwood egg hunt, brunch and carnival is March 20. Church services and Easter brunches are added as posted.
High school football
Orlando Friday night football 2026: schedules and scores
Where to find 2026 schedules, tickets and scores for Orlando's high school football teams: Boone, Dr. Phillips, Edgewater, Jones and Lake Nona.
Mother's Day
Mother's Day in Orlando 2027: brunch, events and markets
Mother's Day is Sunday, May 9, 2027. Leu Gardens let moms in free last year; Orlando Ballet's Moulin Rouge has a 2 p.m. show that day; Lake Eola market is on.
Fall festivals
Fall festivals and pumpkin patches in Orlando 2026
Orlando's fall lineup: Eolaween Oct. 24, the Engelwood fall festival Oct. 23, Fall Fiesta in the Park Nov. 7-8 and Nature in November with hayrides Nov. 14.
Memorial Day
Memorial Day in Orlando 2027: ceremonies, closings, trash
Memorial Day is Monday, May 31, 2027. Orlando's ceremonies are at Greenwood Cemetery, the VA Medical Center and the county courthouse. Trash pickup runs.
Halloween
Halloween events in Orlando 2026: Eolaween Oct. 24 and more
Eolaween Oct. 24, trunk-or-treats at city neighborhood centers, Leu Gardens Dog Day Oct. 31, Gatorland weekends and the Horror Nights and Howl-O-Scream haunts.
Summer camp
Summer in Orlando 2027: camps, city pools and splash pads
City summer camp ran June 1 to Aug. 7 in 2026, with sign-up opening April 4. City pools are free for residents; seasonal pools open June to Labor Day.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving in Orlando 2026: turkey trot, closings and trash
The Seniors First Turkey Trot starts at 8 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 26, at Lake Eola. No city garbage pickup Thanksgiving Day; City Hall is closed Nov. 26-27.
Black Friday
Black Friday and holiday shopping in Orlando 2026
Black Friday is Nov. 27 and Small Business Saturday Nov. 28. Downtown street parking is free Black Friday; the Merry Market returns Dec. 4 at Lake Eola.
Father's Day
Father's Day in Orlando 2027: events, car shows and brunch
Father's Day is Sunday, June 20, 2027. Last year Leu Gardens let dads in free and Dezerland Park held a free car show. Brunch and 2027 events added as posted.
Christmas
Holiday lights and Christmas events in Orlando 2026
Leu Gardens' Dazzling Nights runs Nov. 20 to Jan. 3, SeaWorld's Christmas Celebration from Nov. 6 and Gatorland's Ho-Down three December weekends.
Labor Day
Labor Day in Orlando 2027: events, closings and trash pickup
Labor Day is Monday, Sept. 6, 2027. City Hall closes, trash pickup runs as usual and the city's seasonal pools close for the year after the holiday.
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve in Orlando 2026: events, fireworks, closings
New Year's Eve is Thursday, Dec. 31. SeaWorld has fireworks; Florida law allows home fireworks Dec. 31 and Jan. 1; trash pickup runs on New Year's Day.
Brunch
Brunch in Orlando: 7 places with brunch hours from their own sites
Brunch in Orlando at seven restaurants, with days, hours and addresses from each one's own website: downtown, Colonialtown, Milk District, Baldwin Park.
Dogs
Dog-friendly Orlando: dog parks, trails, events and leash rules
Orlando's fenced dog parks at Park of the Americas, Constitution Green, Lake Druid and Luminary Green, county dog parks, trail leash rules and dog events.
Kids
Kids' activities in Orlando: playgrounds, splash pads, story times
Orlando with kids: city playgrounds, the Lake Lorna Doone splash pad, free museum days, story times and rainy-day picks, with hours from official pages.
Trails
Orlando walking and biking trails: loops, distances, trailheads
Orlando's trails: the Urban Trail, Cady Way and its 2.5-mile Lake Baldwin loop, the Lake Underhill Path, Shingle Creek, the Southeast Trail and the Little Econ.
Downtown Orlando
A guide to downtown Orlando: Lake Eola, districts, arts, parking
Downtown Orlando: Lake Eola Park, Thornton Park, Church Street, Creative Village and Parramore, with the arenas, theaters, museums, LYMMO and parking.
Live music
Live music and nightlife in Orlando: venues, bars, comedy
Orlando's music venues and nightlife with addresses and official links: Kia Center, Dr. Phillips Center, the Beacham, the Social, the Plaza Live and more.
Free
Free things to do in Orlando: parks, museums, markets, events
Free in Orlando: Lake Eola Park, Leu Gardens on the first Monday, the Mennello Museum on the second Sunday, city pools for residents, trails and free festivals.
Date night
Date night in Orlando: restaurants, theaters and late nights
Date night in Orlando: dinner hours from restaurants' own sites, the Dr. Phillips Center, comedy, swan boats, Leu Gardens' Dazzling Nights and Thornton Park.
Florida Classic
Florida Classic 2026 in Orlando: Nov. 21 kickoff, parking
FAMU plays Bethune-Cookman at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, at Camping World Stadium. Stadium lots are sold out; here are the shuttle, rideshare and bag rules.
Nutcracker
The Nutcracker in Orlando 2026: Orlando Ballet Dec. 4-27
Orlando Ballet's Nutcracker runs Dec. 4-27 at Steinmetz Hall, with family matinees. Central Florida Ballet's Nutcracker Tale with live orchestra is Nov. 19-20.
Pride
Come Out With Pride Orlando: 2026 held Oct. 17, 2027 next
Come Out With Pride 2026 was Saturday, Oct. 17, at Lake Eola Park. The 2027 date is not announced yet; here is how the free festival, parade and closures work.
Fiesta in the Park
Fall Fiesta in the Park at Lake Eola: dates, parking, closures
The 55th Fall Fiesta in the Park is Nov. 7-8 at Lake Eola Park, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Free, family and pet friendly. Road closures and parking.
Veterans Day
Orlando Veterans Day Parade: Nov. 7 route and road closures
Orlando's 27th Veterans Day Parade is 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at Lake Nona Town Center. Veterans Way and Lake Nona Boulevard close 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Half marathon
OUC Orlando Half Marathon: dates, fees, expo and parking
The 50th OUC Orlando Half Marathon starts at 7:15 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, at Lake Eola; the Lake Eola 5K is Sunday, Dec. 6. Fees, expo, parking.
Restaurants
Where to eat in Orlando: lists by category
Ten alphabetical lists of places to eat inside Orlando city limits, from wings, pizza and tacos to sushi, bakeries and patios, each checked against the places' sites.
Wings
Where to get wings in Orlando: Kirkman Road, SoDo and Semoran
Five wing places at 12 locations inside Orlando city limits, on Kirkman Road, Semoran Boulevard, International Drive, Colonial Drive, Virginia Drive and SoDo.
Pizza
Where to get pizza in Orlando: downtown, MetroWest and Lake Nona
Sixteen pizza places inside Orlando city limits: downtown, Mills 50, SoDo, MetroWest and Kirkman Road, Sand Lake Road, Lake Nona and near the airport.
Mexican food
Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants in Orlando
Eleven Mexican and Tex-Mex places at 15 locations inside Orlando city limits: downtown, SoDo, College Park, East Colonial Drive, Kirkman Road and Semoran.
Barbecue
Where to get barbecue in Orlando: SoDo, Mills 50 and Semoran
Seven barbecue restaurants inside Orlando city limits: two in SoDo on South Orange Avenue, three on South Semoran Boulevard, one in Mills 50, one on Conroy Road.
Breakfast
Breakfast and coffee in Orlando: downtown, Mills 50 and Lake Nona
Twelve breakfast places and coffee shops at 14 locations inside Orlando city limits: downtown, Lake Eola, Mills 50, SoDo, Lake Nona and near the airport.
Burgers
Where to get burgers in Orlando: downtown, Baldwin Park and Millenia
Six burger places at nine locations inside Orlando city limits, from Lake Eola and Virginia Drive to Baldwin Park, Millenia, Semoran and International Drive.
Sushi
Sushi and Asian restaurants in Orlando: Mills 50 and beyond
Twenty-seven sushi, Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian and Filipino places inside Orlando city limits, most in Mills 50 on East Colonial Drive.
Ice cream
Ice cream and desserts in Orlando: Mills 50, Audubon Park, SoDo
Eight ice cream and dessert shops at nine locations inside Orlando city limits: Mills 50, Audubon Park's Corrine Drive, SoDo, Curry Ford Road and Lake Nona.
Bakeries
Bakeries in Orlando: Mills 50, Milk District and downtown
Nine bakeries at 10 locations inside Orlando city limits: Asian, Colombian, Puerto Rican and Vietnamese bakeries, cookie and bread shops, Mills 50 to downtown.
Patios
Patios and outdoor dining in Orlando: Lake Eola to Lake Nona
Six Orlando places at eight locations whose own sites say they have a patio or outdoor seating: Lake Eola, Creative Village, Mills 50, SoDo, Lake Nona.
