27 Blue Boxes are painted on sidewalks in Downtown Orlando. These boxes are for panhandlers and buskers. Busking is possible only during day light hours. Although set up for panhandlers, police often insist street performers must be confined to the blue boxes. Performing outside the boxes can result in 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. Using a map of the Downtown Core District, I am documenting each blue box with some of Orlando’s most unique performers.
Blue Box 10 on the corner of Orange Avenue and Robinson Street no longer show any signs of the original blue dotted lines that define the boxes. It must have been spray washed clean. The city ordinance however states that a performer can use the blue box even if the lines can not be seen.
Jeff Ferree who works at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater volunteered to juggle. He deftly juggled bowling pins but the crowning act came when he juggled spaghetti. He placed a message on Facebook announcing his performance and several of his friends showed up to watch. Drivers passing by also got to witness this spectacular performance. Juggling cooked spaghetti is a challenge, because you can wad the noodles up into balls to start, but those balls break apart in mid-flight becoming a sloppy mess of wet strands. Jeff tried wrapping the noodles around juggling balls but the same chaos ensued. The joy in the performance wasn’t his success, but the chaos and slop in the attempts.
This area where Jeff juggled has a nice grass covered empty lot and I have heard that food trucks might be able to set up shop there soon.This is only rumor however. I looked up the City’s policies on food trucks downtown, and it is not likely downtown workers will be offered the variety that food truck vendors would offer.
Which areas prohibit mobile food vending?
The City of Orlando cannot approve vending along International Drive or Semoran Boulevard; there are special zoning overlays that prohibit vendors.
The City prohibits the selling food or merchandise on city streets and sidewalks (Sec. 54.27).
The City prohibits sales of food and drink within public parks, recreation areas and facilities, except under concession agreement approved by the city council; these are requested at the City’s discretion.
The City prohibits vending, services and sales of goods on any public or private street, public parking lot or public property.
Special events with an 18A permit approved by the Police Department may include food vendors ancillary to events.
I did not find any city ordinance that prohibits the juggling of spaghetti.