The 17^th Annual Festival of the Arts Boca, presented by the Schmidt Family Centre for the Arts,  returns to the Mizner Park Amphitheater, 590 Plaza Real in Boca Raton, with a celebration of the arts through performances, lectures, and conversations from March 3-12.

“From the Young People’s Chorus of New York City and Young Singers of the Palm Beaches to the winner of our Young Artist Competition, flutist Kara Ravaschieri, this year’s program highlights our mission of promoting the spirit and talent of our youth,” said Joanna Marie Kaye, executive director of the Festival of the Arts Boca. She adds that everyone can attend worry-free: “The audience will continue to enjoy our open-air tented venue with ample, well-spaced seat placement.”

The Festival opens on Friday, March 3 at 7:30 p.m. with Disney’s classic film Fantasia, remastered and projected on a giant screen and accompanied by Festival Orchestra Boca playing the soundtrack, conducted by Constantine Kitsopoulos, Festival Music Director.

Returning to the Festival is the legendary three-time Grammy award-winning musician Sergio Mendes and Brasil 2023, in an exclusive South Florida performance, and the very popular A Night at the Ballet: From Tchaikovsky to the Rolling Stones, with an all-star cast performing the most beloved classical ballets and new works set to contemporary music. Nicole Henry: Time to Love Again, will showcase one of our most acclaimed jazz singers in a new concert featuring her newly released CD, accompanied by a seven-piece band.

The spotlight on young performers includes Voices Rise: The Young People’s Chorus of New York City in a joint performance with the Young Singers of the Palm Beaches and Broadway star Christina Maxwell; Scheherazade and Solos, an enchanted evening centered around Rimsky-Korsakov’s romantic favorite Scheherazade and two inspiring young soloists, flutist Kara Ravaschieri (winner of the Festival’s Young Artist Competition) and violinist Hina Khuong-Huu, with Festival Orchestra Boca conducted by Music Director Constantine Kitsopoulos; and the Rotary Club Future Stars Competition featuring South Florida’s top high school singers and dancers.
 

The Authors & Ideas program features Lynne Olson, our era’s foremost chronicler of World War II politics and diplomacy, presenting WWII: Women in the Resistance, discussing one of the most crucial and effective spy networks during that time; 90 minutes with the inimitable Fran Lebowitz, author, actress and social commentator; and Charles Fishman, one of our most respected and engaging journalists discussing The Big Splash, how water is the foremost global challenge and an exploration of possible solutions.

Established in 2007, Festival of the Arts BOCA was designed to promote the cultural arts and to enrich the quality of life of the residents of Boca Raton, North Broward and Palm Beach County through an extraordinary series of performing arts events and lectures every March. The Festival has received numerous awards, most recently being named the No. 1 cultural event in the “Top 10 Florida Events for 2022” by Social Magazine.

Tickets for the 17^th Annual Festival of the Arts Boca range from $15 to $150 per person and are available at festivalboca.org or by calling 561-757-4762 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Virtual tickets to the Authors & Ideas events are available for $10. Admission to the Rotary Club Future Stars Competition is free.

By Rachel Galvin

If you have lived in Deerfield Beach for awhile, you cannot wait for February because it means Pioneer Days is coming. It means a parade down Hillsboro Boulevard and plenty of arts and crafts vendors and entertainment on the beach.

This year, the event will take place February 18 and 19 and they are bringing back the bonfire on Sunday night from 6 to 9 p.m. The Festival of the Arts, held on the beach, will host over 100 vendors, live music, food trucks & more.

The poster for the Festival of the Arts (on left) was created by Barbara Allen. There was a contest and she was the lucky winner. Allen is a photographer and digital artist living in Pompano.

Are you ready for the parade? The floats and bands, and other participants.  will line up at St. Ambrose Catholic School. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. and will go East on Hillsboro Boulevard, North on AIA, past the pier then South along the beach. Please be aware of road closures. The theme is Parading Through the Decades. They have yet to announce their Grand Marshal for the parade.

Following the parade, there will be an awards ceremony at the beach. 

The fun on the beach starts at 10 a.m. and runs until 10 p.m. on Saturday and 6 p.m. on Sunday. 

ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE

Saturday, Feb. 18

The Clean Slate Band, noon to 2 p.m.

Play It Again- The Luke Bryan Tribute Band, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

The Real Deal, 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Nostalijah, 6 to 7 p.m.

TBA, 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 19

Big City Dogs Band, noon to 2 p.m.

The Foreigner Experience – The Ultimate Tribute to Foreigner, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

The Chili Poppers – The ultimate Red Hot Chili Peppers Tribute experience, 4 to 5:45 p.m.

For more information, visit https://www.deerfield-beach.com/1179/Pioneer-Days. ABOVE BANDS & TIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.

A personal note:

Yes, Pioneer Days holds a special place in this reporter’s heart. When we had Observer TV, I was out there interviewing people on the parade route. Jim Lusk from our office, who passed away last year, was always making sure to secure entertainers to help out the parade yearly. He brought in the Star Wars characters, Back to the Future actor impersonators, as well as a police car with a fake dog in the back that he loved. He also hosted the little league team, putting them on our Observer float, which he built every year, and serving them breakfast in the morning before the parade. The paper was a frequent sponsor of the team and also went out and took pictures of the games. Jim also helped build other floats or get trucks for people to use.

The Observer, when it was still in print, used to create a special section every year for Pioneer Days (and before that, it was Founders Days and, of course, before that, it was Cracker Days). The section wrapped around the regular newspaper and had information on bands, a message from the mayor, info. on the grand marshal, road closures and more. Many of us collaborated on that, although near the end, I was doing the bulk of it. It was quite an undertaking. The section was as long as the paper itself. 

Our graphic designers, when we had two of them — Leslie and Patrick — had a contest to design different ideas for the cover and then we all would vote on the winner. We had some great designs through the years.

I hope to be able to someday put all of those issues up online. In the meantime, here is one I had easy access to. It is the 2013 version: https://issuu.com/observernewspaperonline/docs/02-16-12__founders__days_

By Rachel Galvin

If you are a car enthusiast, you should know about the Cool Wheels Car Show. It happens every year and takes over the park at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield. This year’s event took place on Jan. 15.

The event benefits the Young Automotive Training Center (YATC). This  tuition-free nine-month program was created in 1984 by automotive giant Jim Moran. It teaches disadvantaged youth in basic automotive repair, academic remediation, job readiness and life management skills.

More than 1,000 classic and sports cars were on display in the park for this year’s show. Guests could take a look while listening to live music by Smokin Renegade, a Tribute to Boston and Styx. DJs Scott The Music Man, Lance Kohn and Eugene the human percolator were also there to provide some good tunes. In addition, there were food trucks and tents with merchandise and more.

Over 115 trophies and cash prizes were awarded. Gift bags and t-shirts were given to the first 300 cars to arrive at the event.

Coolest of Show – 1st Place went to John Pellicone for his 1969 Pontiac GTO. Second Place went to Michael Merlo for his 1957 Chevy Nomad. Third Place went to Walter Goldscheck for his 1968 Dodge Coronet.

For more information on YATC, visit https://yatc.org.

Making a difference: Gail Schmidt, Raihaana Ali, Claire Riccardi, Glenn Payne and Kurt Schmidt, were among those behind the opening of Nina’s Place.

By Rachel Galvin

A long line of people waited patiently on Saturday, Jan. 7 for the opening of Nina’s Place: A Free Community Market & Pantry.  The epitome of community helping community, this new endeavor allows people who are in need of sustenance, who may be down on their luck, to shop at no charge for items to add to their own cupboards. They also have a pantry for those who are unhoused.

Located at Zion Lutheran Church, 959 Southeast 6th Ave. in Deerfield Beach, the pantry and market are named for Nina McClelland, a longtime advocate for public health, a pioneer in drinking water and a leader in STEM and academia. Her aunt and uncle, the late Fern & Nick Mervos, were long-time members of the church, and in their memory, Nina made a significant bequest to Zion in her estate.

The opening of Nina’s included an early morning ribbon cutting with the president of the church council, Dr. Robin Larson, cutting the ribbon, and many of the people who helped to create the market and pantry were on hand, including members of the church and their partners from Deerfield Beach Community Cares, Flipany and others. 

They had expected about 50 families to show up but they realized they had almost 200. “I am concerned we do not have enough,” said Joel Smith, president & CEO of Deerfield Beach Community Cares. He was right. A mere two hours later, they were completely out of produce and many other products so he found himself making a grocery run to Walmart.

Besides produce, they had plenty of other types of canned products, pasta, baked goods, hygiene items, baby items like diapers and more. 

Because of limited supply, Smith said, they decided on operating on a point system. Everybody gets 20 points to use however they like. A can of tomato sauce might be one point and the pasta another, a potato might be one point but it is two for one, etc. 

Asked how this got started, Smith said, “The church has been incredibly gracious to Deerfield Beach Community Cares. Over time, they gave us an office. But in conversations, we realized you can’t change a person’s soul if they are hungry. If struggling to survive, those needs come first. Zion said, you know what, we have a room [to create a pantry].” From there, they worked with the church, the city and other organizations like Child Services Council of Broward County and Flipany to make the pantry and market a reality.

Dr. Robin Larson, president of the Zion Lutheran Church Council, and Joel Smith, founder & CEO of Deerfield Beach Community Cares, cut the ribbon to Nina’s Place.

They continue to look for partnerships and plan on getting food every week for those who register online and come in. They are looking for relationships right now with places like Publix and Costco.

Claire Riccardi, is the community ambassador for Nina’s Place. She has been working hard to secure those types of partnerships. “I go out to restaurants, markets, food locations, all establishments for all supplies that are needed whether its canned foods, supplies, local distributors.”

What they do bring in is high-quality but economical food. “They don’t have cheap stuff here. They have good quality products people can take home,” said City Manager Dave Santucci, who stopped by in the morning.

“This is a dream come true,” said Gail Schmidt, VP of the Zion Lutheran Church Council.

Shopping…

They plan on having some special events geared toward the homeless on the last Saturday of January, February and March. Not only will those who attend receive a backpack of hygiene and other supplies, but they hope to have clothing available, showers and other organizations on hand to help with much-needed services. This is still in the planning stages.

The hours for the pantry and marketplace are Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (subject to change). They also have a partnership with Door Dash to deliver to those who are unable to physically make it to the market.

More about Deerfield Beach Community Cares

Deerfield Beach Community Cares has some other events coming up, including an 8-week bike club for kids, including riding, going on field trips, like to BMX area, learning bike repair and safety, riding in an obstacle course and more. Kids get a free bike at the end. They also will have a free makeover for Valentines Day for the first 15 women who register online. See what else they are up to on their website, which is https://dfbcommunitycares.org.

To find out more about the pantry and market, including how you can register and how you can donate, visit https://ninasplacedfb.org. The pantry/ marketplace is located at 969 SE 6 Ave, Deerfield Beach.

WWII exhibit within museum

Mary Csar, executive director of The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum (SBRHM), has confirmed that, in celebration of the recent opening of the new Boca Raton Brightline Station, the nonprofit organization is now offering two new special benefits for visitors:

FREE Fun Saturdays for Everyone

Starting tomorrow and on the first Saturday of every month in 2023, The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum is offering FREE Fun Saturdays, waiving the regular admission fee ($12 adults, $8 students and seniors, free for members and children 4 years old and under) for all visitors from 10 am to 4 pm. Fun activities will include a Museum Hunt for kids with prizes. Whether people of all ages come in a car or on Brightline or by walking, this is the perfect no-cost opportunity to enjoy the museum’s exciting and interactive exhibits that document the growth and development of Boca Raton from a small farming town to the sophisticated internationally known city it is today.

$2 Off Admission with a Brightline Ticket

The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum is also offering a $2 discount off the regular admission to anyone with a Brightline ticket. “This is our way to celebrate both the arrival of Brightline to Boca Raton and to encourage riders to explore all of the wonders—cultural, culinary, and retail—in Downtown Boca,” says Csar.

Located just north of Palmetto Park Road between Mizner Park and the city’s public library, the new Brightline Station is within easy walking-distance or a quick ride to The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum in historic Town Hall at 71 N. Federal Hwy.

For more information, please call 561.395.6766 or visit www.BocaHistory.org.

Boca West Children’s Foundation will celebrate $16 million raised for projects serving at-risk youth with “An Evening with Jay Leno,” on Sunday, January 8, 2023 at Boca West Country Club. The event will feature entertainment by acclaimed late night talk show host and stand-up comedian Jay Leno.

Event chairs are Michelle and Gary Gluckow. Honorary chairs are Yvonne and Don Ackerman.  The event will feature a cocktail hour, seated dinner, a live auction hosted by Neil Saffer, and a live drawing of the annual raffle.  Raffle prizes are two tickets and Pre-Game Hospitality Tailgate to Super Bowl LVII, seven to nine nights at the St. James Club & Villas in Antigua, and two nights at The Breakers Palm Beach including dinner and golf.

“We are delighted to commemorate our 13^th anniversary and the significant impact the Foundation has made in our community by supporting local children’s charities,” said Pamela Weinroth, Executive Director/COO of Boca West Children’s Foundation.  “Not only is Jay Leno one of America’s most acclaimed entertainers, he’s also very charity minded and gracious. Our guests love his performances, and we expect the event to sell out quickly.”

Sponsors as of now include Sally and Aubrey Strul, Mithun Family Foundation—Marcia and Doug Mithun, Aw Property Co., Sharyn and Stuart Frankel, Phyllis and Howard Boilen, The RADCO Companies, GL Homes, Hilary and Richard Cooper, Beth and Eric Schlager, Sky Alpha

Advisors, ApexOne, Integrated Dermatology, Bonaccord Capital Partners, Arcan Capital, Batmasian Family Foundation, Lennar, The Related Companies, Southern Management & Development, Shelly and Arthur Adler, Jane and Richard Zenker, Barbara and Dr. Donald Janower, Citi Private Bank, Florida Atlantic University Foundation, Advanced EV, Florida Power & Light, Marilyn and Leon Silverman, Pamela Higer-Polani–Attorney at Law, Aggie and Jeff Stoops and Cowen.

Funds raised at the gala will benefit at-risk children and their families in Palm Beach County.  The organization funds project-based programming at more than 30 local children’s organizations. Boca West Children’s Foundation volunteers give more than 45,000 hours of their time annually to its partner agencies with which the organization works. 

The Gala will start at 6 p.m.  The gala’s Steering Committee members include notable philanthropists and community leaders Jeri Caprio, Margi Cross, Sharon DiPietro, Beverly Fisher, Jan Fisher, Arlene Herson, Bonnie Kaye, Jon Kaye, Elizabeth Marchese, Joseph Marchese, Cecy Martinez, Marcia Mithun, Doug Mithun, Ed Moskowitz, Harriet Moskowitz, Linda Paton, Elena Peroulakis, Ted Peroulakis, Pamela Polani, Tammy Pompea, Charlie Pompea, Chuck Rosenblatt, Nancy Rosenblatt and Gloria Wank.

Tickets and Sponsorships

Gala tickets are $500 and can be purchased at
www.bocawestfoundation.org/evening-with-jay-leno/  Both tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available on the website. For more information, please contact BWCF directly at 561-488-6980 or foundation@bocawestcc.org.

Wondering when the big guy from the North Pole is coming your way? You can track him and his sleigh with the Santa Tracker! Here is the website: noradsanta.org.

You also visit the Google Santa Tracker and do a lot of other things besides just tracking Santa. There are games, you can put together puzzles, create a jam band, get Santa ready for his big trip and more. The website is located here: Google Santa Tracker

Merry Christmas!