Orlando

Charlotte – November 06, 2026 -- Used-car retailer EchoPark Automotive is putting Owen Wilson at the center of its largest single-brand marketing investment, with the first spots airing Nov. 8 during Sunday NFL broadcasts in EchoPark markets.

The campaign follows Wilson through the usual frustrations of buying and selling a car until he discovers EchoPark's approach. New store advertising shows him celebrating grand openings with a confetti cannon, all under the brand's "Every Car, Happy Owner" promise.

EchoPark claims lower prices and higher trade-in offers

According to the company, every vehicle goes through a 190-point inspection, more inspection points than leading national competitors. Vehicles are typically priced up to $3,000 below the competition, and offers to buy a shopper's current car can run up to $2,000 higher than competing offers.

Orlando – November 06, 2026 -- Hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year? A few prep steps before the turkey comes out can keep you from calling an emergency plumber the next morning. Yelp reports that searches for "emergency plumber" rise 46% on average the day after Thanksgiving, based on the last two years. Plumbers call that day "Brown Friday."

Frank Gay Services, a Central Florida home services company, has issued a checklist for hosts. Operations Manager Josh Geltz says most of these problems can be avoided with a little preparation and knowing what belongs down the drain.

Keep grease and scraps out of the kitchen sink

Turkey drippings, fats and oils can build up inside pipes and cause blockages. Let grease cool, collect it in a disposable container and put it in the trash.

Kissimmee – November 06, 2026 -- Golfers and pickleball players can sign up now for the 10th annual Hearts for St. Jude fundraiser, held February 20-23, 2027, at the Reunion Resort near Orlando, Florida. Proceeds go to cancer research at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Two tournaments and a gala fill the weekend

The 2027 schedule features expanded golf and pickleball tournaments on Sunday and Monday. A dinner gala follows on Sunday evening. The weekend ends Monday night with a musical performance and celebration by Seventh Heaven.

The event has raised more than $3.3 million

Since it began, the tournament and gala series, hosted by the nonprofit The Big Raise 501c3, has raised more than $3.3 million to fight childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The 2026 edition was the largest gathering and raise in the event's decade-long history.

BOSTON – November 06, 2026 -- Sports card collectors in Orlando can visit a new CardVault by Tom Brady store at ICON Park starting in mid-November. Pro Football Hall of Famer Charles Woodson and his business partner Jordan Edwards are teaming up with the retailer on the opening.

The Orlando shop will be CardVault's 21st location nationwide. A second store in the Woodson and Edwards collaboration follows in early 2027 at Hall of Fame Village in Canton, Ohio, the destination surrounding the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Two former Michigan teammates reunite

Brady and Woodson were teammates at the University of Michigan. Brady is a seven-time Super Bowl champion. Woodson is a Super Bowl champion, a nine-time Pro Bowler and the only primarily defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy.

ORLANDO – November 03, 2026 -- Orlando's holiday season runs from early November into January, with theme park parties, light displays and a free snowy festival. The city also made WalletHub's list of Best Warm-Weather Winter Holiday Destinations.

Theme parks start the season in early November

At Walt Disney World, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom runs on select nights from Nov. 8 to Dec. 22. Disney Jollywood Nights at Disney's Hollywood Studios runs on select nights from Nov. 7 to Jan. 5. EPCOT's International Festival of the Holidays runs Nov. 27 to Dec. 30 and includes a Candlelight Processional with celebrity narrators. Disney's Animal Kingdom adds hand-crafted animal puppets and a holiday edition of the Tree of Life Awakenings from Nov. 13 to Jan. 6.

MIAMI – November 02, 2026 -- Open enrollment for 2027 ACA health plans started Sunday, November 1, and runs through January 15, 2027, in states that use the federal Marketplace. Shoppers who want coverage starting January 1 should enroll by December 15.

New federal rules change how you sign up

Shoppers must now approve their agent through a one-time text or email link. People new to the Marketplace may also need to verify their identity.

A repayment rule applies starting with tax year 2026. Families who receive more premium tax credit than they qualify for must repay the full difference.

ORLANDO – October 30, 2026 -- SeaWorld's Christmas Celebration returns to its Orlando, San Diego and San Antonio parks from early November into early January, and it is included with park admission.

Orlando brings back its orca show Miracles from Nov. 6

SeaWorld Orlando's celebration runs Nov. 6 through Jan. 4 on select dates, with millions of lights and more decorations than ever before. Miracles pairs a holiday soundtrack with orcas, and Annual Pass Members get an exclusive presentation time.

O Wondrous Night retells the first Christmas with more than 30 carols, life-size puppets and live animals. The Sea of Trees dances around a 70-foot centerpiece across the lagoon, and guests can meet Rudolph in Rudolph's Christmas Town. Ice skating at Bayside Stadium, Dinner with Santa and the Sesame Street Christmas Breakfast cost extra. A New Year's Eve fireworks send-off follows on Dec. 31.

LOS ANGELES – October 29, 2026 -- Bluevua, maker of countertop reverse osmosis water filters that need no plumbing or installation, is sponsoring all 36 Orlando Solar Bears regular-season home games. It is the company's first partnership with a professional sports organization.

Sponsorship started with the October 18 home opener

The deal began with the team's home opener on October 18, 2026. Over the season, Bluevua will run in-arena branding, digital and social content, branded giveaways, fan events and community initiatives.

Inside the arena, the brand gets LED branding, a TV-visible dasherboard placement and a 30-second pre-game video on the center-hung video board. Online, Bluevua will appear in Solar Bears email features and social media content, plus a branded fan giveaway. It will also join select on-site and community activations around Orlando.

Munich – October 29, 2026 -- Orlando offers winter sun beyond the theme parks, with outdoor adventures, art festivals running from January 15 to March 1, and open-air dining, according to tourism board Visit Orlando.

Wekiva Springs and Gatorland put the adventure outdoors

Wekiva Springs State Park lets visitors swim in crystal-clear water, kayak and try stand-up paddling. At Gatorland, the Screamin' Gator Zip Line runs more than 300 meters over alligators and crocodiles.

The Harry P. Leu Gardens add a butterfly garden and about five kilometers of walking paths.

Two art festivals fill the winter calendar

The EPCOT International Festival of the Arts runs from January 15 to March 1. It combines visual art, food and performing arts.

IMMERSE Fest, held February 19-21, 2026, turns ten blocks of Downtown Orlando into an interactive art festival with live performances and immersive installations.

ORLANDO – October 29, 2026 -- Florida families facing food insecurity can get help with Thanksgiving dinner through The JOY FM's T-Shirts for Turkeys food drive, which Del-Air Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electric is sponsoring as presenting sponsor again this year.

Listeners, businesses and community groups collect turkeys and gift cards

The drive brings together The JOY FM listeners, community organizations and business partners. They collect turkeys, along with monetary or grocery gift card donations, so local families can enjoy a Thanksgiving meal. The radio station's Florida footprint includes Orlando, Tampa Bay, Jacksonville and Sarasota.

Del-Air became the drive's first presenting sponsor in 2025

In 2025, Del-Air became the first presenting sponsor in the drive's 21-year history. Employees across the company are taking part this year.