• Thursday, May 16 from 6-9 p.m., on the West Palm Beach Waterfront. 100 Clematis St. West Palm Beach, FL 33401
David “Gator” Bressmer is a country music singer-songwriter. He currently resides in Canton, Georgia, but still considers Greenacres, Florida his hometown. Bressmer’s rocking country mix of heart-warming and funny song lyrics, along with true country and honky-tonk song style, make him an up-and-comer in the country music world. Gator has amassed a following of fans of all ages in Georgia and Florida. He has opened for Confederate Railroad, Bellamy Brothers, Perfect Stranger, David Ball, Jeff Bates, Little Texas and Tracy Lawrence. Clematis by Night concert goers are encouraged to bring out their boots for this country special.
Clematis by Night has been West Palm Beach’s favorite Thursday night tradition for more than 20 years. During Clematis by Night, “Where the Party Begins,” guests will enjoy live music, food and drink specials and the hottest local social scene, creating an unmatched seaside happy hour setting. For more information, please visit Wpb.org/events or follow the City of West Palm Beach on Facebook @CityofWPB, on Twitter @westpalmbch or on Instagram @westpalmbch.
Waterfront guests will experience the phenomenon of “The Mightiest Band in the Land” when Mighty Quinn performs their favorite rock and roll classics at Clematis by Night. This South Florida-based, high-energy, interactive band is guaranteed to bring a recommended daily allowance of great rock and roll from yesterday and today – from Guns N’ Roses to Green Day.
Clematis by Night has been West Palm Beach’s favorite Thursday night tradition for more than 20 years. During Clematis by Night, “Where the Party Begins,” guests will enjoy live music, food and drink specials and the hottest local social scene, creating an unmatched seaside happy hour setting. For more information, please visit Wpb.org/events or follow the City of West Palm Beach on Facebook @CityofWPB, on Twitter @westpalmbch or on Instagram @westpalmbch.
I want to introduce you to our shiny new articles for this month! First, I recommend reading about the launch of the Barbuto & Johansson law firm in Wellington in our “AW Spotlight” story. Anthony Barbuto and Carly Johansson are talented attorneys, making a difference in the lives of their clients.
Don’t forget that Mother’s Day is just around the corner. I recently began working at Levenger, an upscale office supplies company headquartered in Delray Beach, FL. Levenger has some great Mother’s Day gifts that I’d love you to see. Shop their Mother’s Day Gift Guide. Here’s my favorite Levenger product, a place to put all your great ideas in a notecard bleacher. Here’s a coupon code, just for you at AroundWellington, so you can take $20 off your order of $100 or more (expires May 31st): AW2019
I’d like to invite you to our monthly networking mixers, aimed at small business owners and open to the public. We meet the first Thursday of every month at Village Music & Café in Wellington from 6pm to 7:30pm, presented by AroundWellington.com and Banzai Wellness. Our next mixer is June 6th. RSVP to editor@aroundwellington.com. Looking forward to seeing you there! (Pictured here are the participants of our May 2nd mixer).
Every month our dessert tasting team Frannie and Dani bring you delectable and hilarious videos about their latest sweet treat. This month check out “Le Macaron – Ooh, La La,” so French, so yummy. Visit their page “Yummy Treats.”
Want to expose your kids or grandkids to some great cultural experiences without having to take international trips? Our travel writer Terri Marshall has some excellent ideas to share in “Travel Tip: Cultural Experiences for Kids” in “Travel with Terri.”
So I wish I was as wise as our Teen Talk writer when I was a teen. But no, I was busy making plenty of mistakes. Read her article about feeling complete, with or without being in a relationship in “Teen Talk.” She writes, “Teens shouldn’t feel the need to be in a relationship they don’t want or feel uncomfortable because of the pressures that society and media portray.”
I could go on! But let me just give you a taste of this month’s articles, so you can go and explore for yourself. Just click around and read our latest articles. Thanks for being a part of AroundWellington!
FREE Family Fun Day on Lake Wellington, Saturday, May 11
Join us for Wellington’s “Lakeside Family Fun Days” on Saturday, May 11th on Lake Wellington, located behind the Wellington Community Center (12150 Forest Hill Boulevard).
The event will feature a variety of FREE activities for the entire family to enjoy between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Attendees will also have an opportunity to visit with Courtyard Animal Hospital, Humana, and the Wellington Community Services Department.
The schedule of activities for Saturday, May 11th includes:
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Kayaking, paddle boarding, an inflatable slide, rock wall, face painting, lawn games, fishing, food trucks, vendors, kids activities, class demos with Wellington Community Center instructors, Plaster Time Crafts (first 200 participants), and strider bike demos and obstacle course with Okeeheelee BMX
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – Costumed Characters Enjoy photo opportunities and a scavenger hunt with “Pearl” the Mermaid and Captain James the Pirate
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/enews.
For information about other Wellington programs, events, activities, and updates, please visit www.wellingtonfl.gov or watch WellingtonTV for the latest happenings.
Living in the same city as Mickey Mouse, my grandkids are well-acquainted with theme parks and fictional characters. That’s fun, of course. But I like to introduce cultural experiences for kids into our travel together. International travel isn’t always an option. And with a country as vast as the USA, each region has its own unique cultural flavor. Whether it’s the food, music, crafts or a unique lifestyle, there are numerous opportunities to connect with local culture. Here are some of my favorites.
Gullah Sweetgrass Basket Weaving
Experiencing the craft of the Gullah Culture
Charleston and the low-country area of South Carolina played an integral role in the Atlantic slave trade. African-Americans in these areas are descendants of enslaved black people who often worked in isolation from white people on large plantations. That separation allowed them to maintain their language and much of their cultural identity. These are the Gullah people.
Sweetgrass basket weaving is the most visible living remnant of Gullah culture in the Charleston area. The basket-making technique was born in Sierra Leone, where many enslaved Africans were taken from before arriving in the Americas. Sweetgrass is a fine-bladed, sweet-smelling perennial that grows in the moist, sandy soils near oceans and marshes. During our recent stay at the Wild Dunes Resort just north of Charleston, the grandkids and I joined a sweetgrass basket weaving class with Mrs. Sarah Edwards-Hammond of Charleston Sweetgrass Baskets. As she helped us turn the raw sweetgrass material into baskets, she introduced us to the Gullah culture and language—a priceless experience for all of us. www.facebook.com/Charleston-Sweet-Grass-Baskets-by-Sarah/
Taos Pueblo
Celebrating the Native American Culture
Native American culture thrives amid the rugged landscapes of New Mexico. Inhabited for over 1,000 years, Taos Pueblo is the only living Native American community to receive the designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site and a National Historic Site. The Pueblo is made entirely of adobe. It’s a striking structure comprised of many individual homes, built side-by-side in layers with common walls.
Today, 150 Native Americans live within the walls of the Pueblo with over 1,900 Taos Indians living on the surrounding Taos Pueblo lands. While the Pueblo evokes the feeling of an open-air history museum, it is actually a living working community. Its residents still speak the native language, Tiwa, and follow traditions which include no electricity or running water within the Pueblo walls. At the annual Taos Pueblo Powwow—a gathering of spiritual leaders and tribal members—costumed dancers, singers and other ceremonies provide a glimpse into the intriguing story of these remarkable Native Americans. www.taospueblo.com/
Floyd Friday Nights Photo: Courtesy of VisitFloydVa.com
Music that brings people together
Music has a way of bringing people together across all types of cultures. Nowhere is this more evident than in the tiny town of Floyd, Virginia. It’s a stop on The Crooked Road—Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail that traverses 333 miles through the Blue Ridge Mountains. Time your visit for Friday night and stop in at the Floyd Country Store. Farmers, aging hippies, parents, teens and children flood the dance floor to kick up their heels to the toe-tapping tunes. Traditional Appalachian music reigns with some gospel and bluegrass added into the mix. www.visitfloydva.com
African Drumming Lesson at Animal Kingdom Lodge
Discovering Africa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Not everything on Disney property is make-believe. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge brings the African culture to life without the necessity of a passport. Here the Disney characters have been pushed to the background and the African continent takes center stage. Roaming the property, giraffes, zebras, ostriches and other African species provide a sample safari. Many of the employees are part of a cultural work exchange program. These cultural representatives are eager to share stories of their homeland. The lodge is home to the largest collection of African art outside of its home continent and artisans can often be seen demonstrating their crafts in the lobby.
When you check in at the Lodge, you’ll get a schedule of “Cultural Immersion” activities. These range from the opportunity to play African instruments and drums to nightly African folktale storytelling around the fire pit at the Arusha Savanna Overlook. There’s no better way to drown out the typical Florida afternoon thunderstorms than by playing in a drum circle with the kids and grandkids. www.disneyworld.disney.go.com
Small Business Week is right around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than by highlighting the best small cities to start a small business? A painful number of small cities are constantly overshadowed in the media by big players like NYC, LA, Chicago, etc., despite offering better chances at business success.
That’s why the team at Go.Verizon.com just released our second annual report unveiling the best small cities to start a small business. In Florida, the city of Wellington ranked number 15 of the top 25 best cities in the nation to start a small business.
WHAT: Go.Verizon.com announced the release of our second annual “Best Small Cities for Small Businesses” report. We’ve all heard the phrase “small businesses are the backbone of the US economy,” and for good reason — small businesses make up 99.7% of US employer firms. But what about the cities they start in? Go.Verizon.com analysts dug deep into six factors relevant to small business owners to determine the top cities in our report.
HOW: Go.Verizon.com gathered data from small cities (as defined by the US Census) across the country. The elements we pulled indicate the financial climate of each city and an overview of its demographics. We based our ranking on six metrics: education level of the local workforce, in-city commute times, income per capita, broadband access, availability of SBA loans, and overall tax friendliness.
WHO: Go.Verizon.com is an authorized premium partner of Verizon.
WHEN: Small business week is May 5 to May 11, 2019.
(Delray Beach, FL, May 2, 2019) – From calligraphy to hand lettering to manga, art hobbies are having a huge resurgence. Levenger, known for its “Solutions for Serious Readers, Writers & Thinkers,” is launching a collection of art tools, just in time to keep up with their creative customers.
“We sell to lawyers, engineers, teachers, scientists, doctors, professors, writers—professional people of all types whom we sometimes refer to as the hyperliterate. Our customers read and write for their livings—and typically for pleasure, too. They look to Levenger for high-quality tools of their trade,” says Levenger Founder Steve Leveen in a recent blog. With art tools added into the mix, those creative customers will gain more options when it comes to journaling, hand lettering, drawing, painting and pursuing other graphic arts.
For the complete line of art tools (calligraphy pens, nibs, pens & markers, pencils & graphite and brushes), visit Levenger’s website.
About Levenger
Since 1987, the Levenger name has been synonymous with quality, craftsmanship and excellence. Levenger has become the place you can rely on for support in all manner of creative expression and productivity – at work and at home. With stores in Chicago and Tyson’s Corner in the Washington, DC area, Levenger brings luxury products to customers every day through their catalogs, website and retail locations. Levenger’s corporate office is located in Delray Beach, FL. For more information, visit Levenger.com and follow @Levenger on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. As founders Steve & Lori Leveen like to say, “We aren’t changing the world, our customers are.”
THREE CATS. ONE RACE. GO WILD! Register now for the Big Cat 5K Race on Saturday, May 4th at 7:30AM. NEW THIS YEAR: finisher medals, vanity bibs, catnap for a cause, and FREE ZOO ENTRY for spectators! Net proceeds from this RUN/WALK help fund Palm Beach Zoo’s partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society. REGISTER NOW! Click here for more information
ROAR & POUR is back for summer 2019, the last Saturday of the month, May through August! The whole Zoo is open to explore with R&P admission starting at 4:30! It’s a WILD world after-hours with the Summer Grill & Tiki Bar which opens at 5:00 with beer and wine! Click here for more information
MAY 25: ABSOLUTE QUEEN ROCKS TRIBUTE BAND
JUNE 22: ELTON JOHN TRIBUTE BAND
JULY 27: PLAY IT AGAIN: A TRIBUTE TO LUKE BRYAN
AUG 24: NEVER STOP BELIEVIN’: A TRIBUTE TO JOURNEY
SUMMER ZOO CAMP: GO WILD at Summer Zoo Camp! Campers will experience up-close animal encounters, zoo keeping activities, animal habitat visits, behind-the-scenes tours, games, crafts, science experiments, carousel rides, and enriching conservation education activities.
Get up close and personal with the coolest animals in the world when you reserve your once-in-a-lifetime and exclusive experience! Meet capybara sisters, Wilbur the sloth, koalas Oz & Katerine, Aldabra tortoises, Giant anteaters, try our ‘creepy cool’ reptile experience, or mingle with flamingos! Click here for more info
About the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society
The Zoological Society of the Palm Beaches is home to over 550 animals and exists to inspire people to act on behalf of wildlife and the natural world. We advance our conservation mission through endangered species propagation, education and support of conservation initiatives in the field. Our commitment to sustainable business practices elevates our capacity to inspire others. The Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society is located at 1301 Summit Boulevard in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. For more information, visit www.palmbeachzoo.org
THE CITY OF WEST PALM BEACH TO HOST “iCONE-ic” SUMMER IN PARADISE
iCONE-ic-themed SIP, a tongue-in-cheek nod to Clematis St. Construction, to usher in Summer Fun
Cone-y Island maze rendering by Frank Navarrete
(West Palm Beach, FLA.) April 24, 2019 – The City of West Palm Beach may be occasionally iCONE-ic when dotted with construction or traffic cones, but our City is always iconic especially along its award-winning Clematis Street corridor. Visitors to the West Palm Beach waterfront can expect to see the fun spin on the word “iconic” throughout downtown during this year’s Summer in Paradise (SIP) campaign. The fifth annual campaign, which encourages visitors to take a ‘SIP’ of fun and free activities, will have a construction theme to embrace Phase II of the Clematis Streetscape project, which aims to create wider sidewalks with more shade trees to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment on our City’s most iconic street. Phase II improvements are scheduled to break ground on the 100 and 200 blocks of Clematis Street in mid-May, and Summer in Paradise programming runs from Thursday, June 6 – Thursday, August 1.
“It is an exciting time to be in the City of West Palm Beach,” said Mayor Keith A. James. “Our downtown is becoming more vibrant with the urban renaissance underway. While we work together with the community to make continued improvements, let’s have a little fun with the Clematis construction. The City’s events team has developed a full list of activities to encourage people to pardon our dust and come downtown.”
While the iconic orange traffic cone will signal road work ahead, it will also be a key image in the City’s branding and Summer in Paradise activations. Each activation plays on the word cone and activities include:
Cone-y Island | Open daily from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m., June 6 – August 1 on the Great Lawn
A summer-long maze created by nationally recognized prop master, Frank Navarrete, will be configured out of construction materials with interactive play zones, shade areas and water misters on the Great Lawn.
Cone Checkers | 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. daily and during special event hours through August 1
Come play checkers on a giant checker board with cones converted into checker pieces.
Cone in the Zone | Mondays – Sundays from June 9 – July 31
The Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach is hosting a fun, summer twist on ‘Elf on the Shelf’ inspired activation. The public is encouraged to come in and search the stacks to locate Mr. Coney McConerson, the Library’s decorated mini orange construction cone, who will be hiding in the Library all summer long. Find Coney, bring him to a customer service desk and win a prize!
Kid’s Cone Zone | During various events from June 6 – August 1
Big City of West Palm Beach trucks and construction vehicles will be on display for kids to touch and explore.
SnowCONE Saturdays |Weekly from noon – 2 p.m. from June 8 – July 27
Waterfront visitors can claim a free small snow cone on Saturdays throughout SIP, while supplies last. Location of snow cone giveaway will be announced weekly on the City’s social media pages.
Orange Out | Weekly on Fridays through July 26
Downtown employees are encouraged to wear “traffic cone” orange on Fridays to win prizes. The more out of their comfort “cone,” the bigger the reward!
Pop-up surprises all summer long, including dance performances, prize giveaways and artistic flares
“We want residents and visitors to get out of their comfort ‘cone’ and join us in embracing the construction and changes happening downtown,” said Mary Pinak, Community Events Manager for the City of West Palm Beach Department of Parks and Recreation. “We have constructed a bunch of events and activations to engage residents and visitors, and we are guaranteeing ‘funstruction’ this summer in downtown West Palm Beach.”
Summer fun will be anchored by the Summer in Paradise kickoff at Clematis by Night on Thursday, June 6 from 6 – 10 p.m. and the finale, the Clematis by Night Back to School Bash, on Thursday, August 1 from 6 – 9 p.m. The kickoff will include non-stop musical entertainment from four different bands playing back-to-back on two different stages. The bands will cover iconic tunes from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. City officials will open Cone-y Island, and actors from Take Heed Theater will introduce themselves for the first time as the “Clematis Cone Heads” – a posse of cones who will spread spontaneous cheer throughout Clematis Street during Summer in Paradise. The SIP finale will be a celebration of summer and a pep rally for the school year ahead, featuring DJs, games for kids and prizes for all to win.
Additional special Summer in Paradise dates include the Thursday, June 27 Clematis by Night where, in partnership with the City of West Palm Beach’s Summer in Paradise events, United Way of Palm Beach County will host its 90th Anniversary Celebration from 6 – 9 p.m. Residents and visitors are encouraged to come out and enjoy live music, food and games for the whole family to celebrate 90 years of providing access to the basics for those most in need. United Way will give out free T-shirts to the first 90 guests and free snow cones while supplies last.
Summer in Paradise activities will take place along the West Palm Beach waterfront at 101 N. Clematis Street, West Palm Beach, Florida. The two-month long promotion also includes twice the number of bands weekly at Clematis by Night from 6 – 9 p.m., monthly Screen on the Green movies on June 14 and July 12, and monthly Sunday on the Waterfront concerts on June 16 and July 21. For more information about Summer in Paradise and other waterfront events, visit wpb.org/events or call 561-822-1515. For more updates on the Clematis Streetscape project, please visit www.wpb.org or follow the City of West Palm Beach on Facebook @CityofWPB and on Twitter and Instagram @westpalmbch.
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Sponsors-to-date include: Discover The Palm Beaches, The Palm Beach Post, Palm Beach Daily News, Hilton West Palm Beach, WPBF News 25, 97.9 WRMF, SUNNY 107.9, 103.1 WIRK, X 102.3, Beatz 96.3, News Talk 850 WFTL & 640 The Hurricane Sports Radio, West Palm Beach Marriott, Jet Ride, Jimmy Johns, The Town of Palm Beach, Palm Beach Outlets, Best Western Palm Beach Lakes and Rosemary Square.
About the City of West Palm Beach’s Summer in Paradise:
“Summer in Paradise” is a partnership between the City of West Palm Beach Department of Parks and Recreation, West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority, Arts & Entertainment District, Visit Palm Beach, Palm Beach Outlets, SkyBike, Northwood Village, Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach, Historic Northwest Neighborhood, Cultural Council of Palm Beach County, and United Way Palm Beach County to showcase West Palm Beach as an international destination full of events, activities, art, entertainment, shopping, dining and overall fun. “Summer in Paradise” collectively includes two months of events and happenings in the Northwest Neighborhood, Northwood Village and Downtown West Palm Beach from June 6 – August 1.
Visit the Wellington Rotary Site and purchase a ticket.