WEST PALM BEACH, FL – Avocado Grill’s Executive Chef/Owner Julien Gremaud, now a busy father of two, understands how important moms are — to their kids and their partners. He wants to make sure every mom, grandmother, sister and aunt feels extra love on their special day starting with a complimentary glass of bubbly.
“Sundays are always Brunch-Days, but on May 14th we are planning several surprises to make things memorable for our moms. We’ll have specials on our a la carte menu and a DJ spinning tunes to add to the day’s fun,” says Chef Gremaud, who will likely be spotted DJ’ing a song or two.
Mother’s Day specials will include a Crab and Coconut Empanada topped with luscious crab meat and a tangy cilantro lime vinaigrette. The ever-popular Lobster Benedict will also make a reappearance just in time for mom’s special day.
Reservations for the Mother’s Day Sunday brunchare highly encouraged. Visit www.avocadogrillwpb.com to book via OpenTable or call (561) 623-0822.
The Avocado Experience
The hip, vibrant Avocado Grill in Downtown West Palm Beach is located at 125 Datura Street, just steps from the Intracoastal Waterway. The restaurant features artisanal, farm-to-table small plates showcasing coastal-fresh seafood, vegan and vegetarian options, house made desserts, and handcrafted cocktails. Watch for Owner/Chef Julien Gremaud in the kitchen, behind the turntable during Sunday brunch, hosting sold-out, A-list events featuring Food Network star chefs, or volunteering his time to help support causes close to his heart.
(WEST PALM BEACH, FLA) – The bar (and bricks) were stacked high for this year’s FIRST LEGO League of South Florida! The 2022-2023 season theme was energy, which challenged FIRST teams to reimagine the future of sustainable energy and power their ideas forward with Florida to Power & Light (FPL) as the superpowered season sponsor. Closing the season, students proudly represented the Cox Science Center and Aquarium league and sponsor The Stiles-Nicholson Foundation at the FIRST LEGO League State Championship at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, FL.
“We are so proud of how much this league has grown in their talents, problem solving and as a unit,” said Cox Science Center and Aquarium President and CEO, Kate Arrizza. “Serving as the home site for these robot competitions to take place has been nothing short of fun and encouraging for rising generations.”
FIRST is the world’s leading youth-serving nonprofit advancing STEM education. Through a suite of inclusive, team-based robotics programs, FIRST has a proven impact on learning, interest and skill-building inside and outside of the classroom. For 30 years, students from all walks of life have developed self-confidence in STEM and valuable, real-world skills through FIRST that open pathways to a better future.
“This has been an exciting season and a testament to how youth robotics is a great gateway to a future in STEM,” said CSCA Board Vice Chair and sponsor, Dr. David Nicholson. “However, to keep them motivated and inspired we need volunteers from all backgrounds and abilities to build an all-embracing and stimulating environment.”
To date, there are 1,862 volunteers and 1,609 mentors in FIRST Florida competitions. By participating and having supportive mentors, FIRSTcompetitors are nearly twice as likely to show gains in STEM identity and over two times likely to show increase interest in a STEM career.
Cox Science Center and Aquarium’s current indoor/outdoor venue features more than 100 hands-on educational exhibits, a 10,000-gallon fresh and saltwater aquarium, digital planetarium, Pre-K focused “Discovery Center,” 18-hole conservation-themed Mini-Golf Course and quarter-mile-long outdoor science trail. One of its celebrated displays includes “Journey Through the Human Brain,” a permanent exhibit that features the most advanced neuroscience research in the world. The Cox Amphitheater hosts daily live science shows, seasonal laser shows, and special event programming. The Center took on a new name at the end of 2021 when leadership announced a $20 million gift from Palm Beachers, Howard and Wendy Cox, to launch a transformative capital campaign.
As of 2022, Cox Science Center and Aquarium earned the highest Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency rating on GuideStar in tandem with its perfect Charity Navigator score. The Platinum Seal of Transparency indicates that the Center shares clear and important information with the public about its goals, strategies, capabilities, achievements and progress indicators that highlight how it’s advancing its mission.
Interested in becoming a coach and inspiring competitors? Sign up for the next cycle of competitions by visiting firstinspires.org/robotics/fllor call 561-832-1988 for more details.
(West Palm Beach, FL – April 17, 2023) As the host of four major plant sales throughout the year, Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden is inviting gardening fans to its annual Spring Plant Festival & Sale, April 29-30.
“Whether one is an avid gardener or a budding beginner, the Mounts Spring Plant Festival & Sale offers something for everyone,” says Mounts Curator-DirectorRochelleWolberg. “This is the perfect weekend for people of all ages to come out and take advantage of the numerous unique and rare horticultural offerings available at our beautiful 20-acre oasis, located just minutes from downtown West Palm Beach,”
Visitors can shop for a wide variety of ornamentals, orchids, succulents, aroids, cactus, bonsai, butterfly/native plants, hoyas, shrubs, fruit and flowering trees, herbs, garden accessories, and much more, from stunning displays by dozens of high quality growers from throughout Florida.
One highlight of the weekend will be a special presentation by one of America’s top orchids growers: Michael Coronado, Production/Growing Manager and Vice President of R.F. Orchids in Homestead, FL. An avid orchid hunter with more than 45 years of experience, he will share his expertise on which orchids grow best in South Florida. This “don’t-miss” event will be Saturday, April 29, from 11 am to noon.
“In addition, the Mounts Botanical Garden Nursery and Vintage Garden Thrift Shop will be open with a great selection of plants and unique treasures for home and garden,” adds Wolberg.
April 29-30
Spring Plant Sale
+ Saturday: members-only preview 8:00 am to 9:00 am; open to the public 9 am to 4 pm (last entry 3:30 pm)
+ Sunday: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm (last entry at 2:30 pm)
FREE for Mounts members; $15 nonmembers (adults); $12 (seniors 65+, college students and military with ID); $7 (ages 6-17); free for children under 6 and AHS Reciprocal Admission Program members. Tickets are nonrefundable. Admissions is by credit/debit card ONLY; no cash.
+ Xain’s World – exotic tropical plants, rare fruit trees
+ Ying Zhou – handmade pottery
A list of vendors and a location map will be posted the week of the sale on Mounts Botanical Garden’s free mobile garden guide on Bloomberg Connects.
Mounts Botanical Garden & Bloomberg Connects
Explore Anytime, Anywhere with New Mobile Garden Guide
Visitors can now explore Mounts Botanical Garden anytime from anywhere across the globe with the new Mobile Garden Guide. Recently launched in partnership with Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and cultural app created by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the guide is designed to elevate and enrich the visitor experience by making it easy to discover more of what people love before, during, and after their visit to the Garden. Multi-media content includes maps and information on Mounts Botanical’s 25 display gardens, art in the garden, and current and upcoming exhibitions, as well as an ever-growing spectrum of new photo, audio, and video content available exclusively via the app. To learn more and download the app, visit www.mounts.org/mobile-garden-guide/ [mounts.org].
About Mounts Botanical Garden of Palm Beach County:
With a mission to inspire and educate through nature, Mounts Botanical Garden is Palm Beach County’s oldest and largest botanical garden. Visitors to this 20-acre tropical oasis will see an acclaimed collection of 25 unique garden areas containing more than 7,000 species of tropical and sub-tropical plants, including Florida natives, exotic and tropical fruit trees, herbs, palms, roses, cactus, bromeliads and much more. Mounts Botanical Garden is part of the Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Department, in partnership with the University of Florida and the non-profit Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden. This project is sponsored in part by The Board of County Commissioners, the Tourist Development Council, and the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County. Mounts Botanical is located at 531 North Military Trail in West Palm Beach. For more information, please visit www.mounts.org.
(South Florida – April 19, 2023) Gary Schweikhart, board president of the Carbonell Awards, South Florida’s Theatre & Arts Honors, today announced that the 46th annual awards ceremony will be held on Monday, November 13 at 7:30 pm at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center at 3800 NW 11th Place, Lauderhill, FL 33311.
Hundreds of actors, musicians, performers, writers, directors, backstage technicians, producers, reviewers, designers, specialty artists, and diehard theater fans are expected to attend the glittery, entertainment-packed event that is South Florida’s version of Broadway’s Tony Awards®.
At this year’s Carbonell Ceremony—which organizers promise to be “twice as fun, half as long, and always audible”—awards will be presented in 20 competitive categories, along with several Special Awards including the prestigious George Abbott Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts.
The talented and experienced team that will be producing, writing, and directing this year’s Carbonell Awards Ceremony are:
++ Michael McKeever, the award-winning playwright, actor, and designer, whose plays (Daniel’s Husband, Mr. Parker, The Code, Suite Surrender, 37 Postcards, Stuff,Melt, etc.) have been produced around the world. He has been honored with numerous Carbonell and Silver Palm Awards, is the recipient of the prestigious George Abbott Award for Outstanding Artistic Achievement, and is co-founder of Zoetic Stage.
++ Stuart Meltzer, the founding artistic director of Zoetic Stage, has received 20 Carbonell Award nominations, winning numerous times for Best Director and for Best New Work for his play The Goldberg Variations. Among his award-winning productions as director are Sweeney Toddand The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (both in 2019), Wrongful Death and Other Circus Acts (2018), Passion(2017), Clark Gable Slept Here (2015), and more. He is also the recipient of six Silver Palm Awards.
The team of McKeever and Meltzer has previously produced and directed numerous Carbonell Award Ceremonies, including six times between 2010 and 2016.
Tickets for the 2023 Carbonell Awards Ceremony will be $37 each (including a $7 service charge). New this year, and as a great opportunity for South Florida’s theater community to support local emerging talent, $5 of every ticket sold will go directly to fund the three Jack Zink Memorial Student Scholarships and will be matched 100 percent by an anonymous donor. The selection of scholarship recipients is based on talent, experience and demonstrated commitment to theater and/or journalism, with one winner from each of the three area counties (Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach) receiving a $2,000 scholarship. This year’s scholarship recipients will be announced next month.
About The Carbonell Awards
The Carbonell Awards fosters the artistic growth of professional theater in South Florida by celebrating the diversity of our theater artists, providing educational scholarships, and building audience appreciation and civic pride by highlighting achievements of our theater community. More than 20 professional theater companies in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties participate in the awards process every year. The Carbonell Awards also celebrate the accomplishments of local artistic leaders by presenting several Special Awards.
Along with New York’s Drama Desk and Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson Awards, the Carbonell Awards are among the nation’s senior regional arts awards and predate others, including Washington, D.C.’s Helen Hayes Awards. The Carbonell Awards are named after Manuel Carbonell, an internationally renowned sculptor, who designed the original solid bronze and marble award in 1976, the signature trophy that is given annually to Carbonell Award winners. Over the last 45 years, the Carbonell family has donated more than $250,000 in awards. For more information, please visit www.carbonellawards.org.
Delray Beach, Fla. – April 18, 2023 – Summer is upon South Florida, and as the weather heats up, so does the programming at the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum. Two community events are planned to bring people together to enjoy music, history and culture.
During the summer months, the museum will continue to offer its Ride & Remember City Tour (transportation and guide provided) and Step-On City Tour (guide provided) for those wanting an interactive, immersive history lesson on Delray Beach’s cultural neighborhoods. Visit https://www.spadymarketplace.org/historical-tour or call 561-279-8883 to book either tour.
The museum will also offer tours of its permanent exhibition, “Strong Communities Emerging: The Development of Coastal Communities,” which invites visitors to learn how newly freed citizens made their way to this region for a new start. In spite of the obstacles that follow them to their new home, they thrive and leave a legacy of strong communities that endure today. Their stories will be told through photos, oral histories and narratives shared by the docent on a guided tour. Cost: Free to enter gallery; $20 for guided tour; no reservations needed.
What’s Upcoming
Saturday, May 20, 2023; 4-8 p.m. Family Reunion Freedom Day Gospel Concert, featuring J. Sharp Band
Spady Cultural Heritage Museum170 NW Fifth Avenue Delray Beach, FL 33444
Celebrate the communion of family – whether it’s your biological, communal, or cultural family – at this FREE event in the backyard of the Spady Museum. Family members can have their photos taken together, while children splash around in water play, and elders and Spady staff share the stories behind the many historical displays. Consider it a Family Reunion for all!
Tuesday, May 30, 2023; 6-8 p.m. Sip and See at Spady: “Sick and Tired”
This program was born out of the need to continue the enriching conversations sparked by tours of the Spady Museum’s exhibits. The history of the Black citizens of Delray Beach, Palm Beach County and the State of Florida and how that history connects to the wider narrative of American history are broad topics that can require more time than a museum tour will allow. Sip and See at Spady is a monthly, 2-hour, social gathering that provides additional time to continue discussion of selected topics supplemented by scholars, documentaries, live presentations, publications and other source material.
Saturday, June 17, 2023; 6-8 p.m.; 7 p.m. concert begins A Juneteeth Celebration: An Evening with Donna Singer and the Diamond Jazz Orchestra Paying Tribute to Count Basie
Spady Cultural Heritage Museum170 NW Fifth Avenue Delray Beach, FL 33444
In recognition of Juneteenth, Donna Singer and the 18-piece Diamond Jazz Orchestra will pay tribute to Count Basie, Duke Ellington and other big band greats. The museum will open beforehand for exhibit viewing. Guests will be encouraged to dance during the concert. All proceeds from this benefit concert, in honor of the Juneteenth holiday, will go toward underwriting programming and events of the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum. Tickets are $50 per person; $80 per couple. Rain or Shine.
Performer Donna Singer has wowed jazz lovers around the world through her recordings and live performances at festivals, concert halls and jazz clubs. Her European concerts include dates in Paris, Switzerland, Ireland, Italy and Wales. She has performed at the Metropolitan Opera Guild Recital Hall in Lincoln Center, Central Park’s Naumburg Bandshell and The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach. Learn more about Singer here: http://donna-singer.com/bio
For “An Evening with Donna Singer and the Diamond Jazz Orchestra Paying Tribute to Count Basie,” Singer said the audience should anticipate a night filled with inspiration, rhythm and above all else, dancing.
Q: What should the audience expect from the evening?
Singer: The music will be songs that Count Basie is well known for. He was a band leader, who inspired so many others, including Duke Ellington and Frank Sinatra, as well as a musician, so we will be focusing on his charts. We are paying tribute to the greatness of Count Basie.
Q: Where else have you performed this tribute?
Singer: I’ve been performing for more than 30 years, which includes formal training at The Julliard School. And I’ve been singing with Big Band orchestras since the 1990s in Fort Lauderdale. I decided to form the Diamond Orchestra, hand-picked by me, because I love singing with an orchestra and the ‘surroundness’ of that music. Since we came into being, this will be our sixth or seventh concert.
Q: Will there be anything different about this particular concert?
Singer: We plan to incorporate some instrumentals, arranged by Count Basie. For the first time, we are really going to feature the orchestra. Some songs Basie that arranged, I will be singing.
Q: Why the Spady Museum partnership?
A: We collaborated together at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast, then in partnership with Arts Garage, then again via Joan Cartwright, a mutual friend of mine and Museum Director Charlene Farrington. I wanted to do a fundraiser, so we designed this evening. Charlene was right there, loving the idea. We met each other’s energy.
ABOUT THE SPADY CULTURAL HERITAGE MUSEUM:
Opened in 2001, the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum is the only cultural center of its kind in Palm Beach County. Located at 170 NW Fifth Avenue in Delray Beach, it is dedicated to showcasing the contributions of African-, Caribbean- and Bahamian-Americans to Florida and the U.S. Programs include exhibitions, museum tours, and community events. Hours: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday; Mondays by appointment. Closed Sundays. Admission: $20; Members are free. For more information, call 561-279-8883 or visit www.spadymuseum.com
In preparation for the Atlantic hurricane season, Wellington invites the community to a FREE Hurricane Expo at the Wellington Community Center (12150 Forest Hill Boulevard) on Saturday, May 6th from 9 AM to 1 PM. Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with exhibitors and receive information on hurricane preparedness.
During the expo, attendees will learn about trusted sources of information during a storm, as well as how to prepare their families and home for severe weather.
The Expo will also feature 20 vendors and presentations covering important safety topics, including a preview of the upcoming hurricane season.
Presenters Include:
Florida Power & Light’s Ilan Kuafer
Allstate Insurance Homeowner’s Insurance Updates by Anne-Marie Batten
National Weather Service 2023 Hurricane Season Outlook by Robert Molleda, Warning Coordination Meteorologist
American Red Cross Palm Beach and Treasure Coast’s Eric Roby, Executive Director
Palm Beach County Emergency Management Shelters and Special Needs Registry by Michael Jankowski
Village of Wellington’s Flood Control Seminar by Jonathan Reinsvold, Village Engineer
The Expo will also have emergency vehicles on display from the American Red Cross and FPL along with an interactive photo booth. Free disaster supply kits will be provided while supplies last (sponsored by: Ceres Environmental Services, FPL, and Solid Waste Authority).
Stay up to date on events and activities coming up in Wellington by signing up for the monthly Play Wellington Newsletter at www.wellingtonfl.gov/PlayWellington.
As another way to stay informed on the latest news and updates from the Village, residents are invited to sign up for Wellington information and updates at www.wellingtonfl.gov/Newsletter.
Singer Island, Fla. (April 19, 2023) – Stay by the sea this Mother’s Day with a brunch and spa day at Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa. Treat mom to a delicious brunch buffet at 3800 Ocean Restaurant & Lounge and sumptuous spa treatments at the award-winning SiSpa.
From noon to 5 p.m., meet for an exquisite brunch featuring an array of flavorful displays and decadent stations. The Raw Bar Station features Chili Con Limon Poached Shrimp, Local Oysters on the Half Shell, and Snow Crab Claws dressed in a Smoked Corn Remoulade. The Chef’s Carving Station serves a Roasted Garlic and Cherrywood Smoked Sea Salt-Encrusted Prime Rib, accompanied by a local IPA demi-glace with grain mustard and tarragon. The Artisanal Cheese and Charcuterie display is decorated with a selection of Roasted Nuts, Dried Fruit, and a Spring Vegetable Crudité. The omelet and waffle stations will satisfy all your breakfast cravings. Pastry Chef Kursten Restivo’s dessert station offers mom-approved sweet treats and delights. Brunch costs $115 for adults and $45 for children age 12 and under.
After brunch, locals can indulge in a mother-daughter spa day at SiSpa and enjoy access to the resort’s amenities,including the infinity pool, the lagoon pool, and the private beach, along with complimentary valet parking. Try SiSpa’s new Si-Of-Youth oxygen facial, available throughout the month of May. Starting at $268 per person, the facial uses a state-of-the-art Intraceuticals Topical Hyperbaric Oxygen System that produces therapeutic oxygen under hyperbaric pressure, and infuses a special serum of modified hyaluronic acid, essential vitamins, botanicals, antioxidants, and amino peptides into the skin. In less than an hour, mom will be left glowing with rehydrated, lifted, and plumped up skin!
The resort’s Journey to SiSpa package gifts moms and moms-to-be a memorable day of rest and relaxation. The experience begins with a welcome glass of champagne and a SiSpa teddy bear memento. It also features two signature 50-minute treatments per stay, including the Signature Swedish Massage, Aromatherapy Massage, a Hand, Foot, and Scalp Massage, a Prenatal Massage, a Signature Facial, a Transformation Facial, and a Resurfacing Pedicure. Guests are given an additional 20% discount on any regularly priced spa services.
Reservations for brunch at 3800 Ocean are required by calling (561) 340-1795. To book an appointment for SiSpa treatments, call (561) 340-1755. SiSpa prices exclude 20% gratuity.
Make it a memorable Mother’s Day on Singer Island!
Click the link below for a Word version of this press release and high resolution photos, courtesy of Michael Albanese.
About Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa
Rising 21 stories above a beautiful stretch of palm-fringed sand, Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa is the only all-suite beachfront property in Palm Beach County. Each of its 190 suites offers spacious and stylish condo-style living in surroundings that are equally ideal for family vacations, romantic getaways, and business travel. The décor is sleek and contemporary, with modern furnishings and a palette that evokes the sand, sea, and sky. Dining choices range from exceptional American regional cuisine to casual Caribbean fare. The resort’s award-winning SiSpa offers sea-inspired pampering and wellness therapies, while its boutique-style meeting space beautifully accommodates high-powered conferences, exquisite beach weddings, and sophisticated social events. Comfortably furnished outdoor spaces make the most of the Florida sun and sea breezes, inviting guests to relax poolside or gather for an evening of drinks and conversation by a fire pit. Operated by U.H. S.I., LLC under license from Marriott International, Inc. or one of its affiliates. For more information, visit palmbeachmarriottresort.com or connect online via Facebook and Instagram.
Boca Raton, FL (April 19, 2023)— The fourth and final concert of ‘Inspired, Naturally,’ the element-themed season of The SYMPHONIA, is Sunday, April 30 at 3 p.m. at Roberts Theater at Saint Andrew’s School in Boca Raton. Each concert within the series is inspired by one of the earth’s natural elements, with ‘WATER’ serving as the theme for this performance. The Symphonia’s Principal Conductor Alastair Willis will be closing out the season.
The concert repertoire includes:
ETHEL SMITH Overture to “The Wreckers” (arr Mark Buller)
DILORENZO Jabberwocky
BEETHOVEN Pastoral Symphony
Willis closes the season with Ethel Smyth’s overture to The Wreckers – a wildly romantic, stirring image of the sea and pirates; DiLorenzo’s Jabberwocky which is based on the nonsensical poem by Lewis Carroll and Beethoven’s glorious Pastoral Symphony. As one of The Symphonia’s most beloved conductors, Willis is noted for his strong podium presence, and engaging and attractive personality.
‘Inspired Naturally’ is the theme of The Symponia’s 2022-2023 concert season, featuring classic works that embody four natural elements, Fire, Earth, Wind and Water.
Information on flex-subscriptions and single concert tickets and programs is available at thesymphonia.org, by calling 561-376-3848, or by emailing tickets@thesymphonia.org.
Pre-Concert Conversation:
A Pre-Concert Conversation hosted by David Kim will take place from 2-2:30 p.m., giving ticket holders an opportunity to learn more about the works to be performed that afternoon. Free for concert ticket holders.
About The SYMPHONIA
The mission of The Symphonia is to inspire, educate and engage the lives of our diverse South Florida community through extraordinary musical experiences. Founded in 2004 and recognized as the region’s premier chamber orchestra, The Symphonia’s annual concert series features a repertoire blending classic and contemporary works, showcasing compositions from diverse composers that can best be brought to life by a chamber-size ensemble.
The Symphonia takes great pride in its longstanding community partnerships, including its ‘Building a String Orchestra and Self-Esteem’ children’s program at the Boys & Girls Club in Delray Beach, and with the City of Boca Raton. Additional outreach programs include ‘Meet the Orchestra’ for kids 12 and under, and ‘Box Lunch It,’ a program that allows adult patrons to meet and learn from The Symphonia’s featured soloists and conductors in an intimate, casual environment. This past year, The Symphonia also launched a program to provide complimentary tickets to service organizations such as Boca Helping Hands, Lighthouse for the Blind, Wounded Veterans Relief Fund, and Schwedelson Special Need Department of the Jewish Community Center.
For more information, visit thesymphonia.org; follow on Instagram @TheSymphonia and on Facebook @SymphoniaBoca.
Story and photos by Alan Fabricant of Alfabphoto.com
On a warm sunny Sunday morning on the Derby grass field in Wellington 36 pairs of riders and horses participated in the $146,000 Bainbridge Companies Grand Prix CSI3* competition.
Eight went through the first round clear (within the time limit and no knockdowns).
During the jump off four went through clear.
Conor Swail of Ireland riding Casturano edged out his nearest competitor by less than one second.
For his first place finish he collected a check for $48,180.
Second place went to Kent Farrington of the USA aboard Orafina and received $29,200 for his efforts.
Ireland’s Jordan Coyle riding For Gold finished third and took home $21,900.
Multimedia arts celebration will honor May’s Mental Health Month through art, fashion and entertainment
West Palm Beach, FL–On the evening of May 5th, 2021, one hundred guests safely gathered at Delray Beach’s Arts Warehouse to celebrate the first “Express Yourself” Fashion Art Ball created by artist, journalist, and designer Deon C. Jefferson. The multimedia art and fashion evening showcased artwork inspired by mental health/behavioral health with a special concentration on COVID-19. The event was made possible through a grant from BeWellPBC, a countywide behavioral health initiative engaging residents, providers and systems to advance behavioral health and wellness.
Well, this year is the return of the Fashion Art Ball. This year’s event will be the signature event for the county-wide Get Your Green On Campaign. The GYGO campaign aims to raise awareness by creating visible support and fostering safe spaces to talk openly about mental health and trauma. Our sponsors for the Fashion Art Ball are BeWellPBC, NAMI of PBC, Healthier Delray Beach, Birth to 22, Palm Beach County Youth Services Department, United Way of PBC, and Children’s Services Council, just to name a few.
In 2021, mental health clothing brand Psyche Signature showcased their designs and sold them fresh off the runway after the show. Psyche Signature will be back to display their latest collection, along with creations from Deon C. Jefferson. One of the highlights of the event will be the artwork. For the last event, over 120 artists’ submissions were narrowed down to twenty-seven. This year’s sub-theme is SUPER – power, -hero, -visor, -ficial, -star, -supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, –or whatever it means to the artist. The art exhibition will be on view in the Back Room Gallery from May 5th – June 30th, 2023. There will also be various PBC organizations specializing in mental and behavioral health present with tables and information on their services.
Attendees can look forward to special performances from The Young Singers of The Palm Beaches, along with poetry from local artist Matthew Gibson. And so much more! There will also be special giveaways and a live DJ for dancing. Since the theme is Super, we are encouraging guests to wear their favorite superhero costume or create a new mental health superhero. Make sure to do your best, because the person who is “Best Expressed” will receive a special award. Each guest will pay no admission to attend. The event is free and open to the public.
“My vision was to marry fashion and the arts with mental health to see how we could be effective in raising awareness and open conversations,” said Jefferson. “It was beautiful to see so many people coming together to learn from one another and feel open and understood.”
