The Orlando Shine Show

Brendan sat down with Shannon Fitzgerald, executive director of the Mennello Museum of American Art (Website), to talk about the museum's upcoming Indie-Folkfest (Website) scheduled for February 14.

Indie-Folkfest is a free, all-ages celebration of live music and local creative talent designed to activate the museum's outdoor spaces and deepen community engagement. Fitzgerald highlights the lineup of regional folk and acoustic performers and emphasized the inclusion of local artisans and makers, whose work will be featured alongside food vendors and interactive activities.

Fitzgerald said the event reflects the museum's broader mission to expand access to art and culture in Orlando, inviting residents and visitors alike to experience the museum in a relaxed, festive setting on Valentine's Day.

I recently spoke with Brendan Byrne (Instagram), host and Assistant News Director for Central Florida Public Media, and Jeff Sanford, vice president of engagement at the Orlando Science Center (Website), ahead of Science Night Live on Saturday, February 14, a special adults-only edition event that runs from 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. at the Orlando Science Center. The event pairs live science experiences with a more social evening atmosphere, complete with food, cash bars, and performances.

A highlight of the night will be a fireside chat at 8:30 p.m. featuring astronaut and artist Nicole Stott (Instagram) and Christina Korp (Instagram), known in the space community as the "Astronaut Wrangler." Brendan Byrne will moderate the conversation, which is expected to explore not just the scientific work of astronauts but also the creative and human aspects of space exploration, from how art and science intersect to the logistics of preparing astronauts for public engagement.

Byrne, who covers space and aeronautics for Central Florida Public Media and hosts the space-focused podcast Are We There Yet?, described the session as a chance to go "beyond the launch pad" and delve into the narratives that make space exploration resonate with the public.

Sanford explained that speaking with astronauts in a relaxed, live setting gives audiences a feel for the personal curiosity and creativity that fuel careers in STEM fields.

Science Night Live is a separately ticketed portion of Spark STEM Fest, which runs from February 14 through February 16 with a full slate of interactive exhibits, demonstrations, and hands-on experiences. Tickets to the adult evening and details on pricing are available through the Orlando Science Center's website.

A portion of this interview was shared in Episode 36 of "The Orlando Shine Show."

Episode 36 of "The Orlando Shine Show" was recorded at Vines by H (Website) on Restaurant Row, which opened roughly a month ago in the former Vines Grille and Wine Bar.

Topics this week include a rundown of the recent Ramen Rumble at Morimoto Asia, a foiled murder plot by two 14-year-old Lake Brantley High School girls who were trying to resurrect Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza, an update on the long-delayed Black Bean Deli location in Winter Garden, and Florida going English-only for driver's license testing.

Holler at this week's sponsors, Jim Hobart's Legacy Life Project, JustCallMoe.com, Orange County Library System, and the Orlando Science Center's upcoming Science Night Live on February 14.

Tune in to "The Orlando Shine Show" every Friday at 8 p.m. on Real Radio 104.1 FM or catch the podcast to keep up with all of the top headlines in Central Florida each week. Want to invite us to your restaurant or business for a future episode? Email us at [email protected]!

This interview with Shannon Fitzgerald, the Executive Director at Mennello Museum and Director of Public Art for the City of Orlando, was first featured in Episode 35 of "The Orlando Shine Show."

It features a discussion of the upcoming "Faith and Vision: Spirituality in Self-Taught Art," opening on Friday, February 6, and features a collection-based show focused on how self-taught artists translated belief, ritual, and lived environment into visual worlds.

Episode 35 of "The Orlando Shine Show" was recorded at Enzo's On The Lake (Website) in Longwood, with special guest Moe DeWitt from JustCallMoe.

Topics this week include an update on "Swan Gate" at Lake Eola Park, the recent hullabaloo at Orlando City Council between Regina Hill and Commissioner Shan Rose, the closing of Jon's favorite Thai restaurant, the possible demolition of the historic Lubbe House at Lake Eola, the snowballing of paid parking in Mills 50, OUC's concern of the upcoming coldsnap, and a new burger concept coming to Orlando International Airport courtesy of celebrity chef, Bobby Flay.

Holler at this week's sponsors, Jim Hobart's Legacy Life Project, JustCallMoe.com, Orange County Library System, and Orlando Magazine's February issue.

Tune in to "The Orlando Shine Show" every Friday at 8 p.m. on Real Radio 104.1 FM or catch the podcast to keep up with all of the top headlines in Central Florida each week. Want to invite us to your restaurant or business for a future episode? Email us at [email protected]!

Episode 34 of "The Orlando Shine Show" was recorded at Tactical Brewing (Website), with special guest Jeff Stanford from Orlando Science Center (Website) to chat about this weekend's return of Science on Tap, one of our favorite annual beer festivals. You can use the code "SOTORLSHINE" to get $10 off your tickets for General Admission or VIP.

Topics this week include the upcoming Great Florida Cattle Drive caravan in Okeechobee, a woman suing an Orlando fertility center for their role in allegedly having her give birth to the wrong baby, changes coming to Magnolia Avenue in downtown Orlando, Austin's Coffee finally opening their new location on January 26, and lots of beer talk.

Holler at this week's sponsors, Orlando Science Center's Science on Tap, Jim Hobart's Legacy Life Project, JustCallMoe.com, Orange County Library System, and Orlando Magazine celebrating its 80th anniversary, January issue now available on stands near you.

Tune in to "The Orlando Shine Show" every Friday at 8 p.m. on Real Radio 104.1 FM or catch the podcast to keep up with all of the top headlines in Central Florida each week. Want to invite us to your restaurant or business for a future episode? Email us at [email protected]!

Former Greenwood Cemetery sexton Don Price recently partnered with a couple of friends to launch Resting Rainbow (Website), a new pet crematorium in Winter Garden, bringing decades of experience in end-of-life care into a different but closely related setting.

Price recently joined The Orlando Shine Show to talk about how the skills he developed working with grieving families translated naturally from people to pets.

Resting Rainbow is positioned as a locally run operation focused on transparency and care. And they do pickups.

Episode 32 of "The Orlando Shine Show" was recorded at Sophia's Trattoria (Website), a beautiful restaurant at Conrad Orlando at Evermore (Website), serving coastal-inspired Southern Italian cuisine. We even got to chat with Chef Stephen Ullrich about the inspiration for the menu and his impressive resume.

Topics this week include the release of Brendan's long-form report on the state of Orlando's swan program at Lake Eola, the return of the Great Florida Cattle Drive, Apopka defunding its Main Street Program as a result of last year's mural hullabaloo, a new Blue Man Group, and an interview snippet with Don Price, the former sextant of Greenwood Cemetery on his new business venture in Winter Garden.

Holler at this week's sponsors, Jim Hobart's Legacy Life Project, JustCallMoe.com, Orange County Library System, and Orlando Magazine celebrating its 80th anniversary, January issue now available on stands near you.

Tune in to "The Orlando Shine Show" every Friday at 8 p.m. on Real Radio 104.1 FM or catch the podcast to keep up with all of the top headlines in Central Florida each week. Want to invite us to your restaurant or business for a future episode? Email us at [email protected]!

Episode 32 of "The Orlando Shine Show" was recorded at Yamasan Sushi and Grill (Website), in Mills 50's Mills Park development (the one with the Fresh Market). This week, we were joined by former "Zombie House Flipping" alum and Yamasan junkie, Justin Stamper (Instagram).

Topics this week include an update from UCF that flamingos are native to Florida and deserve restoration dollars, Scottie's list of best-bet Winter Fringe productions, an Asian food festival coming to Orlando by way of New York, and a preview of a story Brendan is working on concerning swan deaths at Lake Eola Park.

Holler at this week's sponsors, Jim Hobart's Legacy Life Project, JustCallMoe.com, Orange County Library System, and Orlando Magazine celebrating its 80th anniversary, January issue now available on stands near you.

Tune in to "The Orlando Shine Show" every Friday at 8 p.m. on Real Radio 104.1 FM or catch the podcast to keep up with all of the top headlines in Central Florida each week. Want to invite us to your restaurant or business for a future episode? Email us at [email protected]!

Episode 30 of "The Orlando Shine Show" was recorded at The Castle Irih Pub (Website), in College Park.

Topics this week include Chili's last day at the Orlando International Airport, swan deaths at Lake Eola Park, the end of the East Coast hockey League strike, a Disney employee getting hit by a 400-pound runaway boulder, design differences between Brevard and Orange County's Brightline corridors, and SeaWorld's updates to its walker policy.

Holler at this week's sponsors, Jim Hobart's Legacy Life Project, JustCallMoe.com, Orange County Library System, and Orlando Magazine celebrating its 80th anniversary, January issue now available on stands near you.

Tune in to "The Orlando Shine Show" every Friday at 8 p.m. on Real Radio 104.1 FM or catch the podcast to keep up with all of the top headlines in Central Florida each week. Want to invite us to your restaurant or business for a future episode? Email us at [email protected]!