Spent Friday evening enjoying a wonderful time in Las Olas. Had some great food and drink met some…read moreinteresting folks and overall had a great time. The Las Olas Festival was an experience, lots of great food from local restaurants and some independent providers. We tried something from almost everywhere and it was truly an experience. I am sharing just a few videos from the event but places like YOLO, The Wildly, La Marialita Rum and so much more. This was a great experience and I recommend when it comes by next year, you check it out as well.

Enjoyed the festival but it will be my last year. The 1/2 hour VIP early entrance is not long…read moreenough because by the time I went down one side of the event the gates opened and the line at the tents were prohibitive (So Long) to wait for a taste or drink.

They always do a good job with this festival. This year is a bit different because there's a lot of…read moreconstruction going on in the area so lanes of commercial are down to 1 lane from A1A a few blocks west. Sidewalks are out because of a decorative paver sidewalk going in. There's plenty of vendors with something for everyone. Artwork, jewelry, yard art and other craft and gift ideas. All of the artists are in their booths and most are happy to tell you about their craft or handmade works. Don't forget to pay the meters. You can either use the pay by phone app or use one of the nearby meter stations. I got 2hrs for $1.05, not bad. Bring a hat and stay hydrated, it's hot out there folks. Tip for the day- be careful walking, there are sidewalks out, loose pavers and deep crevices along the street, one of which my foot found it's way into and was cut badly, to the point of needing paramedics...

From the owner: Producers of the nation's finest outdoor street craft festivals.read more

This is a really nice little arts and crafts festival, situated at the end of Commercial Blvd, by…read morethe beach. The street is blocked off for several blocks for the booths. Parking was $10 for the day in a nearby lot. There was a great variety of booths from gorgeous orchids (one came home with me) to puzzle pins of all descriptions which promoted autism awareness. We were with a friend who is speech pathologist and they even had several choices done specifically for that profession! There were booths of all kinds of fun, handcrafted jewelry, from karat gold rings to funky ear cuffs and jewelry made from bottle glass, booths of cool beachwear and others with fine arts. There was pretty much something for everyone. Frozen lemonade and hotdog vendors were on hand for snack attacks, but the festival was situated in an area full of great restaurants, so you could eat and cool off. Although it's not a huge festival, the variety and quality of goods offered was very nice. I'll definitely plan on going next year.

This was an amazing event, never experience this kind of setting before love the lights with the…read moredecorations the Asians knows how to entertain. The concessions stands was awesome I ate until I was fulled I love this so much..I even went to china..which was a trip of a lifetime (bucket list) ...I love this and hopefully you will enjoy this as well.

The Chinese Lantern Festival in China has unimaginable HUGE light displays, children running around…read morewith lanterns on a stick, and of course FIREWORKS. With a huge opportunity to bring culture to the South Florida community, it was largely missed. Checking in seemed disorganized but once in you walk through a tunnel of dolphins. Spitting you out to the craft section. Prices were as low as 2.00 all the way up to 500.00 with oriental rug stitching. The craft section also serves as the they're for the puppet show. This I thought was charming especially since the team of actors have been putting on shadow puppet shows for over 50 years. Than there's a small beer and wine stall along with an off brand food vendor ran by event staff and Chan's restaurant. All vendors were serving generic Chinese food. Which is a shame for such a rich culinary culture. The loop than puts you to small playgrounds and the King Fu theatre and over to a dinosaur ride section that has nothing to do with the Chinese Lantern Festival. Than it's to the light displays that wraps around the lake. All displays were cute but no where near the displays that could be accomplished. At 20.00 a person the Kung Fu show and Shadow Puppet Show ended up being the two small options worth any time or resources spent at this event.

This is my first time attending this annual event and I loved it! The free Dania Beach Arts &…read moreSeafood Celebration is held annually in Frost Park. Since parking there is limited, there is additional parking next door at the Dania Beach Casino. Put on by the Dania Beach Community Redevelopment Agency the festival melds food, art, and entertainment. Entertainment included live musicians performing on the stage and sand sculpting. There were food tents and trucks set up selling all kinds of seafood but also fair food. The art side of the festival featured artists selling works in drawing, fiber, glass, jewelry, leather, acrylic, oil, watercolor, and photography. There were also arts and crafts, artisan food, and plant vendors. Local community groups and businesses also had booths passing out information, swag, and samples. I won a free hat from the casino! Many people brought chairs and set up for the day on the field or under the shade of the trees. On the last night of the festival there was a concert featuring a Queen cover band. Held over the entire weekend there was more than enough to keep you occupied for several hours. This is a great family and dog friendly event.

What a blast! I was very surprised by how great this event was. I really wasn't expecting much…read moreother than a few vendors, a tiny stage, and maybe a food truck but man oh man was I wrong!! There were many local artisans selling jewelry, crafts, and artwork at reasonable prices. All of the tents provided some shade which was so necessary because it was extremely warm! There were plenty of incredible options for food as well. Of course, a great variety of seafood was available but there were also options for Greek food and other varieties. The music stage was so much bigger than I thought it was going to be and had incredible talent on it throughout the day. The Foreigner cover band was excellent! My favorite part of the event was the chef showcase! Local chefs from the area prepped a few dishes live for the audience. They shared their cooking techniques, tips, and tricks and once the dishes were done they shared tastes of each dish with the crowd. It was so entertaining and everything was delicious!

Today was the perfect day for this event. The weather and temperature were both perfect and the…read morefestival was great. If you like art. This is a place to visit.there is so much to see. You get to talk to some of the artists here. That was cool. I advice to wear good shoes. The fair is in a great location. It is surrounded by galleries, shops and restaurants. It is a lot of fun. I also got to hear some talented musicians play. They had a vendor giving away pineapple popsicles and other things. I love free stuff. I was dropped off here. This area has some street parking and garages a few blocks away. The traffic was crazy. I recommend to get dropped off like I did.

The Las Olas art fair is a yearly event that promotes exhibits of professional and amatuer artists…read moreto the crowds who will curiously browse and hopefully purchase (price negotiations are encouraged). With such of a variety of multi-cultural art, it provided a fun experience for the five hours. The eateries were extremely busy offering food and drink to the crowds which we took a break to indulge. Parking was tight but availabe at $4.00 an hour near Las Olas Blvd. Baptist Health provided free ice pops and fans to the crowds and even bowls of water for the dogs. Fun times and cant wait to do it again next year.

I ended up here by accident but it turned out to be a happy one. I was actually vising a different…read morenearby cultural institution when I spotted the Fort Lauderdale Greek Festival presented by St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church. On a whim I decided to check it out and I am happy to report that i had a great time. It was right before the cold front was moving down from the north so it was a gray and drizzly day but the festivities helped to brighten it up. Parking was available for free in Holiday Park across the street. It was just a short walk over but there was even closer parking for $20 in the Art Serve parking lot. Admission at the gate was $5 cash or card. This year was the 46th year of this annual festival so they really know what they are doing. The church has secured a number of local partners to support them. The festival was created to share the traditions of Greece with the Ft. Lauderdale community. You could take a free tour of the church, listen to a lecture and authentic Greek music, take in a Greek cooking demonstration, shop the bazaar and Greek Grocery store, view a traditional folk dance, and possibly my favorite, indulge in the decadent food and drinks. The festival menu included spanakopita, tiropita, cheese saganaki, loukaniko, ribs on the grill, shish kabob, Greek fries, gyro sandwiches, souvlaki sandwiches, moussaka, pastitsio, roasted chicken, braised lamb shank, stuffed peppers, butter beans, Greek salad, rice, and lemon potatoes. Make sure to save room for dessert because the choices included kourambiedes, almond crescent cookies, diples, katafi, baklava, kok, ekmek katifi, pasta flora, rice pudding, galaltoboureko, koulourakia, tsoureki, ravani, karithopita, and melomakarona. As the weather turned colder throughout the day, the loukoumades, a fried Greek donut drenched in syrup and sprinkled with powdered sugar, cinnamon, and walnuts paired perfectly with a strong Greek coffee that warmed me up. Of course I had to leave with a few pastries to take home. I thought all of the food offerings were reasonably priced for festival food. I also appreciated that they don't require you to first purchase tickets which are turned in for food like a lot of other festivals. I was easily able to Apple Pay everything I wanted with no leftover or wasted tickets. After eating I enjoyed watching the children dance as people threw money up in the air around them to support their lessons and costumes. There were so many vendors to shop from selling Greek jewelry, accessories, beauty products, wine, and more. They also had carnival rides for the kids. I was really impressed with how large the festival was and how friendly and welcoming all of the volunteers were. The Ft. Lauderdale Greek Festival is a wonderful experience for all ages.

What an absolutely amazing event! The Ft. Lauderdale Greek Festival was such a fun, vibrant, and…read morememorable experience from start to finish. We loved watching the traditional dances and even learning a few steps ourselves--it really made you feel immersed in the culture. And the food... wow. Everything was incredible. From savory favorites like dolmades, saganaki, loukaniko, and lamb shank to the desserts (don't skip these!)--baklava, assorted Greek cookies, and authentic Greek coffee--it was all delicious and worth every bite. Beyond the food, there was so much to enjoy. Vendors, cooking classes, a carnival, and plenty to see and do for all ages made it a full-day experience. But the true standout for me was the church itself. It's absolutely stunning--each painting is beautiful and meaningful, and learning the stories behind them made the visit even more special. We loved every part of it and truly can't wait to go back next year. If you're on the fence, go--this festival is a must. An amazing time all around!

Another year to celebrate the anniversary of the City of Coconut Creek 1967- 2026 together with 250…read moreyears celebration of America . It began at 2 Pm and ended just after 800 with the fireworks show . Many vendors and tables to visit and purchase from locally. I did notice they decided to charge $20 for non residents for the rides to get a wristband and free for residents this year. There was a drama theatre show and some others which I missed. It did rain at one point and they had to clear the field because of the lightning alarms that went off. I was actually about to leave anyway for the day and return later in the evening for the "Hot Hits" band and fireworks show from Zambelli which is always amazing. They situated the tent to eat food and sit down towards the back so not in the middle of everything which was much better. I also noticed a fenced off area from the main stage which seemed weird since it was separated from each side so not many were dancing as it was in the years past and the rain in between put a little damper on it too. Something new this year was a cooking demonstration from the Chef and owner of the restaurant Setto Mezza showing how to make fresh mozzarella. There was a $5 admission for that tent which also included a sample too which was delicious The shuttle bus from casino was available as usual, if not you had to park in the neighborhood because closer parking is for vendors and officials . The regular carnival food was available to purchase throughout the day . Many vendors to visit during the day with some goodies too.

Another year at the annual butterfly festival, did not disappoint. Went early before the lines and…read moregot to enjoy all the rides. This year residents get to ride for free, non residents pay a $20 entrance fee if they want to go on the rides. The rainy weather put a pause on the events and rides but once it finish the show went on. The fireworks got cut 5 mins short due to the cloudy conditions and limited view of the lights. But overall great experience. See ya next year!

This year was the fourth annual Riverwalk Fall Festival. The event is held during the afternoon at…read moreEsplande Park along the New River. The street is shut down in front of the Museum of Discovery and Science. Parking can be found at the arts garage or the city lot next to Revolution Live. At the festival they have carnival games, competitions, face painting, train rides, live music, food trucks, photo opportunities, and shopping. The Museum of Discovery and Science puts on science demonstrations and community businesses handed out information and free swag. The event is free and well behaved dogs on a leash are welcome. This a great family event to welcome fall to South Florida. The weather even cooperated by dropping into the 80's. It may not feel like fall but we are experts at faking it.

The Coconut Creek Fall Harvest Festival is supposed to be an old fashioned country festival. It is…read moreheld every year at Sabal Pines Park. The Coconut Creek's Womens club has craft vendors selling a variety of items for holiday gift giving, police outreach, bounce houses, crafts, and children's activities, entertainment on the stage, photo opportunities, and food trucks. At night they had a huge blow up screen showing the FSU versus Notre Dame football game. Parking is always a pain when Coconut Creek holds a festival here and there are 3 good sized parking lots. They generally have a shuttle bus running from Monarch High School but I came later in the evening and they let me park on site. If you live in the surrounding Winston Park neighborhood you really luck out by being able to walk over. This festival is a great gathering point for the community of Coconut Creek. I don't think it's one of those type of events that draws a lot of people from outside of the community. The real fun of this event is that if you live here you are likely to bump into people you know so you can catch up with them. My friend in Parks and Recreation plans the events for the city so it was fun to run into her. I also saw some of my students who attend my school and other people I haven't seen in a while. This festival has a great hometown feel that reminds me why I love living in Coconut Creek so much.