The Greek festival of Boca Raton was back again in 2026. My children absolutely love going here for…read morethe rides! And aside from it being fun, it's great to be able to get together with friends, family and the community to support the good folks at the church. They did a really nice job with the festival as usual. There's a carnival part which has a modest selection of rides and games and they also have vendors, folk dancing, a bar and tons of Greek food options, everything from feta topped fries to Souvlaki to saganaki. Desserts too! We tried a bunch of different items and they were all very tasty. The only downside this year was that the festival happened to take place on a weekend where it was absolutely freezing. We hung around for about 3 hours but had to spend most of our time in the tents because it was so windy and chilly. But there was dancing, entertainment and music inside, so we really didn't mind. Overall five stars. I hope they continue to have this cool festival in the future!

If it's the January in South Florida, start looking for the ads and signs for the Greek Festival…read more It's usually the 3rd or 4th weekend of January so clear your calendar, it's not to be missed. The Saint Mark Greek Orthodox Church on Yamato Road in Boca, transforms its grounds into one of the best festivals of all times and welcomes everyone from Thursday - Sunday. Parking at the church is $10 and there's free parking down the street at some of the other church parking lots. I've been going since I moved to Florida 25 years ago and have only missed a few years. Always took our boys and watched them grow from pushing them around in a stroller to riding the rides with them and eventually they drove themselves with their friends and would find us so we could eat together. Now, youngest is in college so I send pictures so he feels likes he's not missing out. The best food ever... it's a delicious eating frenzy...Gyro, Moussaka, Homemade Baklava, just to name a few, and plenty of Greek wine and Beer!! Don't forget to stop by the Saganaki booth to watch the show. The same guys have been working the flaming cheese and Loukaniko booth for years. Its so much fun and usually my first stop. Grab some food and a seat inside the tent and listen to music and watch the dancing. Volunteers from the church work hard all weekend and everyone is so nice. There's even a drive-thru if you just want to pick up food. A must stop is the church itself. it's beautiful and IMO one of the nicest in the world. You can take a tour or just walk in. The inside Sanctuary is magnificent. Until next year... when everyone is Greek for the weekend. OPA!

Anothe night or music food trucks and outside lawn sitting and enjoying music with dancing if you…read morechoose. This time entertainment was provided by Shane Duncan band. They performed a variety of music from al years and genres giving everyone a dance to enjoy a music they liked. Several food trucks to enjoy eats if preferred .

I was heading to the gym when my friend invited me to meet her at the community center for a night…read moreof music and food trucks. Working out versus food trucks? No contest. I love that my city always has fun events like this popping up everywhere. They already offer the Homegrown Concert Series which is a monthly free outdoor concert running from September to May. There is also Fluffy's Foodie Food Truck Friday held on the second and third Fridays of each month. The Groove and Grub combines both the concerts and food trucks of the previous two events. The event does change locations so check out the city website for details. The first two events were held at Sabal Pines Park at the north end of town. This event was in South Creek at the Community Center and the next one will be too on August 2nd. I was impressed with the number of food trucks they had. At some city events you might have only one or two but there was a wide variety. They had trucks serving Greek, Italian, and Asian food. There were at least 9 different trucks. They also had a beer and wine truck. After doing a walk around my friend and I decided on the Crepstick truck that was serving sweet and savory crepes on a stick. The musical entertainment for the evening was a Beatles tribute band. They had a few minor technical issues but played from 7 to 9 with a five minute intermission. The park behind the community center has a permanent band shell which is nice feature and there is playground close by for the kids too. This is a family friendly event that is great for all ages. I am definitely marking my calendar for the August Groove n Grub event.

In 2024, the theme was Misfit Toys. Not many people dressed up as such since (I guess, it's hard…read moreto find misfit outfits...LOL..). There were still many fun and daring costumes on the Drive. It rained a few times during the celebration, making the crowds a bit smaller this year. Still a fun time with live music, bars, costume contests and more.....

Wicked Manors on the Drive is a Stunning Sight to See Each Year! They Close the Whole Drive Down…read morefor an October 31st Night Full of Stellar Halloween Costumes, Booze On Repeat, Scare Scenes, and Most of All FUN!! We have made this a Halloween Tradition to Spend Each Year on the Halloween Block Party of the Drive! Stages, Boozy Bar Booths, Loud Music, People Each & Every-Way, Sponsors, Food Trucks, and More are what to look forward to. Entrance Fee is a Donation of $5 to Wilton Manors. They Open the Block Party for Families at 5pm with Trick or Treat and a Halloween Kids Costume Contest at 6:30pm. Then the Night turns into an All-Out Adult Party with the Most Elaborate Up-Done Costumes you have seen! Each Year a Theme is Given to provide a Spooky Mix! 2017 ~Hero's & Icons~ 2018 ~Game Night~ 2019 ~7 Deadly Sins ~ Parking and Uber can be quite the Trouble as it is hard to get close to the Drive with either option. Find a Nearby Friend or be Prepared to get a bit of Exercise! Cash is Recommended to Bring- All Bars and Restaurants are Open but Containers are Permitted and Recommended as it can get Costly and Timely at these Events depending on your Consumption! Bring the Crazy's Out & Enjoy!

Boca BASH 2019 was another Year of Fun in the Sun!!!!…read more Located at Lake Boca! Complete with a Sandbar~ Food Boats~ ICE Boat~ Arrive By Water Only~ There is a Pick-Up Point for Dingy's to Transport People to Lake Boca at the Silver Palm Park along with Boat Ramp and Trailer Parking. This is a FuLL-ON Party Day in the Sun! Large Boat Raft-Ups along with Jet Skis, Paddle Boards, Floats, Motor Boats, Plus More Fill the Water! Arrive Early for the Best Spot! This Year the Party Started Getting Active at 10:30am with the Lake Bumping at 11:30am Until Sunset! The Day is Full of Sun- Booze- Hot Bodies- All Day Partying!! - Local Law Enforcement Monitors the Day Activities to keep everyone Safe! - Sea-Tow & Tow US are Always Nearby to Help! Remember what Happens at Boca BASH Stays at Boca Bash!! That is unless you get Caught On Camera ~ SMiLE! B)

GARLIC OVERDOSE…read more.. Paid $16.00 for entry into the event in the Old School Square off Atlantic Ave. Security was extremely tight for this type of venue but was welcomed. Noticed a few staffers dressed up as garlic, which set the tone for the day. The scent of fresh garlic blasted through my nasal cavity upon entering the field. Immediately saw several foodie booths and had to browse for the best sounding dish. The Garlic Candied Bacon Kabob and the Teriyaki Chicken Bowl with Garlic sauce were both fantastic but pricey at $20.00 each. Walked around with our treats browsing the artsy and "Cottage Food" booths while chatting with the vendors. A live eight piece band was playing popular rock n' roll tunes. There were a few Beef Jerky booths which provided samples of tasty beef like alligator, garlic and sweet & spicy. They offered a full liquor bar under a tent and the wife had Titos with lime then we went to a vintage airstream trailer that advertised Espresso and Cigars. We walked into the aluminum trailer and sat on the comfy couches and had Espresso for $5.00 and met the owners. The event had a decent amount of vendors and thankfully it not rain but $16.00 for entry before any money is spent on food and tchotchkes could easily burn a hole in your wallet to over the $75.00 threshold for a mere hour. Also, many vendors do not take cash. I will say that parking in the open lot was only $2.00 per hour which was appreciated. Fun time but not something I would do again so will wait for another theme event.

We were super excited to hear the Garlic Fest was coming back to Delray Beach, but sadly…read moredisappointed... So tickets were available for either an afternoon or an evening "session" and we opted for the evening, to enjoy a date night but ended up heading home early. It had rained earlier in the day and judging by the closed up tents, apparently more than half the vendors left and never bothered coming back. That wouldn't have been a big deal really, because most of the vendors we saw (open or closed) were the same mass produced products that seem to dominate every open air market in Delray. The garlic themed food vendors were okay, but pretty much everything was catered big batch food products and most were outrageously overpriced. $23 for a burger and fries? Gimme a break... Service was friendly and police presence substantial, but there's a lot better things you can spend your money on...

Another year to watch the Holiday parade. Found A spot a little ways by the library and walked over…read more. The parade theme Around the World . Many schools , companies, and city were presenting . Including the school I work at Coral Glades. A perfect breezy night for all to enjoy. I saw other familiar faces and companies too.

The Coral Springs Holiday Parade is a beloved annual event in Coral Springs, Florida. The parade…read moretakes place at night and begins at Coral Springs Drive and travels down Sample Road and ends at City Hall. There is free parking in the city hall garage and city hall was open so people could use the restrooms. Outside of city hall were Disney princesses you could take your picture with and food and drink vendors. You could get hot chocolate or even a glass of wine if you so desired. This years parade theme was Lights, Camera, Selfie. Before the parade begins you can participate in the Coral Springs Holiday Mile Run along the parade route. Spectators are encouraged to bring their own chairs. The parade is approximately an hour long with over 60 participants including the police and fire departments, local school marching bands, dance troops, scouts, churches, businesses,and civic organizations. My favorites this year was the baby who just learned to walk and toddled down the entire route, the bagpipe players, the Star Wars Cosplayers, and the seemingly endless dance troop with the glow sticks. The parade ends with Santa and Mrs. Claus. The parade was canceled last year because of Covid. This year the parade organizers were determined to keep everyone safe after an SUV drove into a holiday parade in Wisconsin. Undercover officers, city personnel, and volunteers were deployed to make sure the parade ran smoothly. The top three parade entries receive a prize from the city. The city live streamed the event for anyone who couldn't make it to the parade. I really like this event because it brings the community together and I am always bound to run into someone I know. The city put out beautiful holiday decorations and the addition of the vendors was a nice touch. This is a really fun event which is why so many people make it a part of their holiday tradition.

What is now known as Deerfield Beach Pioneer Days was first celebrated in 1947 as Cracker Day in…read morePioneer Park. The Deerfield Beach Lions Club hosted a one day picnic with barbecued chicken, corn on the cob, and baked beans. It was held in the spring to celebrate the end of the vegetable growing season. As Deerfield Beach grew, the event was expanded over several days and featured a talent show and Miss Cracker contest. A group of citizens eventually took over and moved the event to the beach. In 2016, the City of Deerfield Beach took over running the event and renamed the festival, Pioneer Days. The 2024 Pioneer Days Festival is held on Saturday February 17th through Sunday February 18th. Parking can be difficult at the beach but you can park at the Cove Shopping Center and catch a free shuttle to the beach or walk. The event begins with a parade with the theme "Life's a Beach" at 10 AM on Saturday. At the beach there are arts and crafts, food, drinks, live entertainment, and kids activities. On Saturday night there are fireworks at the beach at 9 PM. Pioneer Days is Deerfield Beach's biggest celebration of the year.

If you are looking for something festive to do in Coconut Creek during the holiday season, this…read morelight show has been delighting the community for decades. Trade winds Park, Holiday Fantasy of Lights began in 1993 with a 1.2 mile route through the park highlighting 26 light displays. This year marks the 31st year of this event. I have attended it throughout the years, especially during my daughter's childhood but it has been a few years since I have gone. I do always enjoy seeing several of the light displays from Florida's Turnpike as I head south through Coconut Creek. The annual walk through event brought me back this year. On Friday night with a presale ticket you could walk the 3.4 mile loop through the light displays. While Friday was reserved for the walkers, Saturday and Sunday are for bike riders. The rest of the season it will only be open to cars. Tickets were $15 per adult and when you placed your order you could also donate to several worthy local charities. The night of the event there were food trucks and drink vendors. We started the route from the Butterfly World side of the park and headed underneath the Turnpike. From there the light displays started and they were really nice. In addition to traditional Christmas displays there were also fairytales, butterflies, trains, animals, and dinosaurs. They were all different sizes and some even had movement. It was nice to see so many couples and families out enjoying the event and posing for pictures. The walk is easy and the weather was spectacular. My favorite displays were the lighted tunnels, gingerbread house, candy cane lane, and reindeer farm. The event has definitely added more lights since the last time I was here with a mix of the new LED lights along with old favorites like the pink teddy bear, Walking allows you the time to really enjoy each display while the car is a good choice for less ambulatory people. The light show would be especially nice in a convertible. While not as high tech as some other holiday light displays, its strength is its charm. This was a great kick off to the holiday season and I enjoyed revisiting an old favorite.

Nice lights to look at, fun holiday activity. Not all of the lights were holiday related, but could…read morebe cool for kids. Love that they allow pets to come (although you stay inside of your car, so I would be surprised if they weren't allowed). Staff was very friendly and super easy to get in/pay.