So there’s not much of a nip in the air most days, but the holidays in Boca Raton can dazzle nonetheless.
There are plenty of local traditions to get the family in the holiday spirit. Give the season a tropical twist at the boat parade. See the lights in Downtown Boca. Take in a performance of The Nutcracker.
You won’t miss the snow a bit. Here are some favorite holiday happenings for the family:
HOLIDAY LIGHTING EXTRAVAGANZA
The city of Boca Raton holds its annual tree lighting, with a live ice sculpture demonstration, Santa Claus, a big pile of “snow,” food, kiddie rides and other activities. Mayor Susan Whelchel flips the switch to light the holiday tree. Bring a new unwrapped gift to donate to the Spirit of Giving network. 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 23 at Mizner Park Amphitheater.
THE NUTCRACKER
Boca Ballet Theatre presents its annual performance of the holiday classic. Show times are 7 p.m. Nov. 23, 2 and 8 p.m. Nov. 24 and 2 p.m. Nov. 25. Tickets are $35 for adults; $25 for kids 17 and under. Call 561-995-0709.
You can also catch the Miami City Ballet production Dec. 14-16 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale. Call 877-929-7010 or visit browardcenter.org. HOLIDAY STREET PARADE
Entertainers and floats from organizations all over town cruise up Federal Highway in this annual parade. It runs from Southeast Eighth Street north to Mizner Park. Free. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5.
BREAKFAST WITH SANTA Enjoy a pancake breakfast, train rides, a visit with Santa, crafts and more. 8:30 a.m. to noon Dec. 8, Boca Raton Children’s Museum, 498 Crawford Blvd. Admission is $10; free for infants. Reserve in advance at 561-368-6875.
BOCA RATON BOAT PARADE
This floating holiday tradition runs along the Intracoastal Waterway, beginning at the C-15 canal on the Delray Beach border. Bleacher viewing at Red Reef and Silver Palm Parks. 6:30 p.m. Dec. 8.
KABBALAH FAMILY FUN CARNIVAL
The Kabbalah Center of Boca Raton presents a family celebration of Hanukkah, including astrology readings, a bounce house, face painting and more. Call 561-488-8826. 1 to 6 p.m. Dec. 9 at Mizner Park Amphitheater. Call 561-488-8826.
PICTURES WITH SANTA
Santa will be holding court at Town Center through Dec. 24. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Nov. 30; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday Dec. 1-23; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 21-22; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 24. Avoid the line and schedule an appointment online.
WORTH A DRIVE Some other sights worth seeing around South Florida:
HOLIDAY FANTASY OF LIGHTS Just a few minutes south, you can take a ride through a fabulous three-mile light display. It’s open 6 to 10 p.m. nightly through Jan. 5 at Tradewinds Park, 3600 W. Sample Rd., Coconut Creek. Admission is $13 a carload; $10 Monday-Wednesday.
WINTERFEST BOAT PARADE This is the big one, which goes up the New River and Intracoastal Waterway from Fort Lauderdale to Pompano Beach. You can watch from any place you can find along the banks of the waterways. Or you can buy grandstand seats in advance at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, Sunrise Boulevard and the Intracoastal. Grandstand tickets are $22 for adults; $18 for kids. Call 954-767-0686 or visit winterfestparade.com.
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The Palm Beach County School District is closing schools early on Oct. 25 and all day on Oct. 26 due to the expectation of high winds and rain from Hurricane Sandy. Here is the news release from the district:
Due to Hurricane Sandy, all Palm Beach County public schools will release students three hours early on Thursday, with no after school or evening activities, and all schools will be closed on Friday. Parents should note that students will be dropped off at their bus stops three hours earlier than normal on Thursday. School officials say their decisions are based on National Weather Service forecasts, which indicate that on Thursday afternoon, sustained winds are expected to reach 25 to 35 miles per hour with gusts up to 50 miles per hour late in the day. On Friday, the National Weather Service forecasts indicate sustained winds are expected to reach 35 to 45 miles per hour along coast with gusts to up 60 miles per hour. School officials say, as a safety precaution, they plan to avoid operating school buses if sustained winds are forecast to exceed 35 miles per hour, as student and staff safety is their highest priority. While the National Weather Service says the storm will remain well off shore as it passes Palm Beach County, it is forecasting 1 to 3 inches of rain Thursday and Friday.
Due to Hurricane Sandy, all Palm Beach County public schools will release students three hours early on Thursday, with no after school or evening activities, and all schools will be closed on Friday.
Parents should note that students will be dropped off at their bus stops three hours earlier than normal on Thursday.
School officials say their decisions are based on National Weather Service forecasts, which indicate that on Thursday afternoon, sustained winds are expected to reach 25 to 35 miles per hour with gusts up to 50 miles per hour late in the day.
On Friday, the National Weather Service forecasts indicate sustained winds are expected to reach 35 to 45 miles per hour along coast with gusts to up 60 miles per hour.
School officials say, as a safety precaution, they plan to avoid operating school buses if sustained winds are forecast to exceed 35 miles per hour, as student and staff safety is their highest priority.
While the National Weather Service says the storm will remain well off shore as it passes Palm Beach County, it is forecasting 1 to 3 inches of rain Thursday and Friday.
The forecast calls for a clearer day on Saturday, so maybe sports games and all the planned weekend Halloween activities will be OK. Sugar Sand Park moved Wednesday night’s Shriek Week activities indoors.
If you have plans to attend any events in the next couple of days, do call ahead to check for any changes.
If you need child care on Friday, the city is having its GAP program. Call 561-393-7807 for more info or follow Boca Raton Community Centers/Camps on Facebook.
Stay dry.
Last year's crowds at Meet Me on the Promenade festival.
UPDATED Oct. 25, 2012
The Meet Me on the Promenade street festival in Downtown Boca is back Oct. 27, with food, live entertainment, kids’ activities and more. The festivities planned for Friday night, Oct. 26, have been canceled due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy. Saturday’s events will go on as scheduled.
New this year: Costume contests for kids and pets, shop-to-shop trick-or-treating and a bike zone. Bicyclists can park Comerica Bank, Federal Highway and Palmetto Park Road, and also get bike safety checkups, giveaways and more.
The festival starts at 10 a.m., right behind the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk, which starts at 9 a.m. at the Mizner Park Amphitheater. (You can register for the walk here).
Meet Me on the Promenade continues until 10 p.m. with entertainment, a green market, car exhibits, artists and crafters expo, community resource booths and more. Halloween events for kids start after 3 p.m. Participating shops will be offering special deals, sidewalk sales and more.
Live performances include 11-year-old singer Mason Pace, the BeetleJuice Rock ‘N Roll Monster Revue and the band Shin Dig.
Admission is free. The festival takes over much of the downtown area around Sanborn Square and along Palmetto Park Road east of Federal Highway, as well as Mizner Park and Royal Palm Place. A trolley will be running throughout the area. LEARN MORE
Get all the details at DowntownBoca.org.
Find more family fun in Things to Do.
A recent Soundsation rehearsal.
Among the many great arts programs around Boca Raton, there is only one Glee-style show choir: Soundsation at Olympic Heights Community High School.
The 27-member ensemble is the only nationally competitive show choir in all of South Florida. Soundsation will open for Amber Leigh to kick off the Meet Me on the Promenade event Oct. 26 in Downtown Boca.
It will be one of the group’s many shows this year, featuring singing, dancing, glitzy costumes and a high-tech set.
Students audition to get into the show choir – or one of the school’s three other choruses. An 11-piece band joins them for some performances. (Olympic Heights also has a marching band, a jazz band, concert band, color guard and a theater program).
Brad Lister, in his eighth year at Olympic Heights, is the school’s director of vocal music and chair of the Performing and Fine Arts Department. (He is also an opera singer).
His choirs frequently perform throughout Florida, including at EPCOT. They have twice sung back-up for Kenny Rogers.
Show choir is not as popular in Florida, as in some other places, like the Midwest. The popularity of the Glee TV show has not brought more kids to it, Lister said, but “It makes it more socially acceptable for kids to be a part of it.”
It’s a big accomplishment to be able to sing well and dance to complicated choreography at the same time, Lister said, noting that many of the students also earn “superior” ratings in concert choir.
But it’s not all about singing and dancing when it comes to the academic benefits of performing arts.
Students gain confidence and self-esteem, performing in front of thousands of people. They learn time-management skills. Besides spending hours a week on choir rehearsals, many students also play a sport or participate in academic competitions. (Lister also coaches swimming.)
And to participate, they have to keep their grades up.
The parents are involved, too, building sets, altering costumes, bringing over meals during rehearsals – and raising money.
Lister said he figures Soundsation costs about $1,200 a student.
Parents organize candy sales, car washes and more to raise the money for costumes, travel to competitions and to pay the professional choreographer: Rob DiComandrea of New York, who has had an extensive stage career, and has done choreograhpy for musicals, commercials and theme parks.
Roseann Vineberg, whose daughter, Samantha, is student president of the choral department, said Soundsation is a great experience in team work.
“They’re always there for one another,” she said. “They push one another to do better.”
FIND OUT MORE
Soundsation will be the first act for the Meet Me on the Promenade event in Downtown Boca at 6 p.m. Oct. 26, opening for Amber Leigh. (Meet Me on the Promenade continues Oct. 27 with a full day of family-friendly activities. Get details at DowntownBoca.org.)
Olympic Heights Community High School is at 20101 Lyons Rd. It offers “choice” programs in early childhood teacher education; engineering and technology; finance; and tourism, hospitality and resort management. - CHARLENE PACENTI
Moms, for all you do, this one’s for you.
Join BocaParent for a Mom’s Night Out at Bloomingdale’s! 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 8.
Take a few hours off from chauffeuring, tutoring, cooking, cleaning, coaching and all the rest. It’s time to give yourself a break.
The Town Center store will treat us to makeovers from the beauty pros, using the newest colors of the season, and learn new tips and tricks for makeup application. Plus, the intimate apparel specialists will make it a truly uplifting evening with complimentary fittings. (Do you know most of us are wearing the wrong size?)
Light refreshments will be served. And you will not have to clean up afterward.
Admission is free, but please bring a package of disposable diapers to support the Junior League of Boca Raton Diaper Bank.
Bring a friend, too, and make some new ones.
RSVP to 561-394-2228 or editor@bocaparent.com.
See you there!
