Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer is set to deliver his 2026 State of the City Address on Friday, August 14, at 10:30 a.m. at The Plaza Live, 425 N. Bumby Avenue [GMap].
Doors open at 10 a.m., and the event is expected to run about an hour. Complimentary parking is available on-site, and the city is encouraging attendees to arrive 15 to 20 minutes early to find parking and a seat. RSVPs are encouraged but not required by August 10 for those attending in person. The speech will also stream live at orlando.gov/soc and on the city’s Facebook page for anyone who can’t attend (or if you’d rather be able to watch from your couch in your stretchy pants).
According to the event listing, this year’s address will focus on the public services and people who “keep Orlando moving forward,” along with the city’s shared investments and commitments for the future. The city hasn’t released specifics on what Dyer will cover, but recent addresses offer some clues about what could show up again this year.
Last year’s speech, marking Orlando’s 150th anniversary, leaned heavily on public safety data, touting a 50% drop in homicides, a 14% decrease in violent crime and a nearly 30% decrease in home burglaries, along with the city’s ongoing investment in police and fire. Dyer is likely to return to crime statistics again this year, especially if the numbers continue trending in the city’s favor.
Transportation and connectivity have been a staple of recent speeches, with Dyer floating ideas like “Air-lando,” a vision connecting Orlando International Airport, SunRail and Brightline. Given continued momentum on MCO’s strategic expansion plans and Brightline’s presence in the region, and the recent announcement of a new rich people air taxi hub at MCO, transportation infrastructure seems likely to make another appearance.
Given the recent coverage cycle, other possible talking points include the two-way-ification of downtown, the Church Street Festival Street initiative that totally won’t be a street party, the ongoing push for a Major League Baseball stadium with Tourist Tax Development Dollars, and the city’s response to the statewide property tax amendment debate.
It’s also worth watching whether Dyer, the city’s longest-serving mayor who has said his current term will be his last, uses this year’s address to begin framing his legacy or discuss what a transition might look like as his final term progresses.
Things he probably won’t talk about include the latest upheaval at the Orlando Fire Department, the historic preservation moratorium hullabaloo, downtown parking rate increases, and the future of the Lake Eola swan program.
