ORLANDO, Fla. – Ten years after the Pulse nightclub shooting killed 49 people, Orlando is honoring the victims with a week of remembrance events and a city hall update on the long-awaited permanent memorial.
On Monday, the City of Orlando will display prayer ribbons created by Massachusetts-based artist Jay Critchley in front of City Hall at 400 South Orange Avenue. The ribbons, which carry messages of support from around the world, will remain on display through Sunday.
While those ribbons go up, the Orlando City Council holds a 10 a.m. workshop to hear the latest on construction of the permanent Pulse memorial.
Last month, the Pulse Advisory Board reviewed new renderings after the city announced it reached the 60 percent design phase. The visitor center is taking shape, featuring a timeline of how events unfolded the morning of June 12, 2016 — though the design has drawn some scrutiny.
Construction is scheduled to begin in September, with an expected completion in late 2027.
Art exhibition opens Thursday
A new exhibition, “Created in Community: Portraits of Pulse”, opens Thursday at the Terrace Gallery inside City Hall and runs through Aug. 23.
The collection features 49 collaborative portraits — one for each life taken — designed as paint-by-number works by local artist Jeff Sonksen and completed in 2017 by families, friends, and community members. Some portraits were intentionally left unfinished.
The collection was acquired by the Orange County Regional History Center in 2024 after traveling to Chicago.
Remembrance ceremony set for Friday
The Annual Pulse Remembrance Ceremony is set to take place on Friday at 5:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 311 South Magnolia Avenue.
The evening includes musical performances from local cultural artists and the Orlando Gay Chorus, a special presentation by City of Orlando Poet Laureate Camara Gaither, and participation from the Angel Action Wings volunteer group.
The ceremony will close with a candlelight vigil and the reading of all 49 names.
“Ten years later, we continue to carry the memories of the 49 lives taken in our hearts,” Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said in a news release. “Orlando stands united in love, resilience and remembrance, and remains committed to honoring their legacy through continued unity and support.”
For a full schedule of events, click here.
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