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It’s Now Time To Bring Out Your Dancin’ And Walkin’ Shoes And Head To “Meet Me On The Promenade” A Two Night-One Day Fest To Explore Downtown Boca’s Best October 21-22, 2011

Posted by JON A KAYE on October 12, 2011 at 13:55 in Business Announcements

Downtown Boca puts out the celebratory welcome mat and invites residents and visitors to “come early, stay late…where something for everyone awaits” on October 21-22, 2011 when the destination debuts its inaugural Meet Me On The Promenade: Downtown Boca, a free and open-to-the-public two night-one day fest featuring the Downtown destination’s best. The event will open with a street-filling “Official” Downtown Boca Bop community line dance, family friendly activities and live entertainment at Sanborn Square on Friday, October 21st.  On Saturday, October 22nd the event kicks-off with the American Cancer Society’s 10th Annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk that is routed to take the more than 6,000 participants throughout Downtown Boca followed by a day and night filled with exciting programming and arts showcases, attractions, family and pet friendly activities, live entertainment, and a Promenade “Dancin’ In The Streets” party.

 The festival-style event celebrates the recent completion of the City of Boca Raton CRA’s $5 million enhancement program and new Downtown Boca Pedestrian Promenade that has created a new destination hub at its centrally located Sanborn Square Park. The new reconstructed paved streets and widened sidewalks strengthen the physical and experiential connection and enhance and promote walkability between south and north ends of Downtown Boca.  With the strategic installation of new pop-up bollards that can easily be raised to close off the streets around Sanborn Square, the new hub provides yet another great outdoor event locale in Downtown Boca for private and commercial rentals and community activities.

 To share the new “sense of ‘walkable’ space and place” and showcase the eclectic live-work-play-stay features of Boca's new generation Downtown for all generations, Meet Me On The Promenade event programming is designed for discovering all there is to see and do along the newly paved Downtown Boca Pedestrian Promenade and the areas and businesses that it connects on East Palmetto Park Road, S.E. First Street, N.E. First Avenue, Boca Raton Road, from Mizner Park to Royal Palm Place. 

 Friday night festivities open at 6 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony launched by the debut of a community line dance: the Official Downtown Boca Bop that is being choreographed, produced and led by the award-winning Fred Astaire Dance Studio based in Downtown Boca and feature celebrity dance leaders. An open-to-the-public dress rehearsal for all those who want to participate in the line dance debut begins at 5 p.m. with group line-up to begin at 5:30 p.m.  It will be followed by live entertainment and family activities in and around Sanborn.

 

 Saturday morning kicks off with the American Cancer Society’s 10th Annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk that begins at the Mizner Park Amphitheater and takes walkers through the new Downtown Boca Promenade and the north and south ends of the Downtown destination.  Following the walk, attendee should head to one of three Downtown Boca information booths where they can register to participate in the event’s “Sip & Stroll Around Downtown Boca” self-guided discovery tour program that will help attendees to easily navigate through Downtown Boca's community’s assets: dining, shopping, that fashion, culture, family fun, living, and nightlife and all the Meet Me On The Promenade scheduled activities and programming, entertainment, retail and dining discounts, and giveaway offerings.

 

 The “walk-friendly” event schedule features plenty of live entertainment; family-friendly activities; sports programming; a classic and exotic car show; nonprofit and cultural showcases; a Health-Full Community pavilion; an Art Attack Artists & Crafters Village Art Expo; Boca Raton GreenMarket; food tastings, demos and special Promenade weekend menus; trunk shows; the first annual "Picture Downtown Boca" open photography competition exhibition presented by South Florida Sunrise in association with the Boca Raton Museum of Art and Multi Image Group; art gallery shows and auctions; guided and self-walking tours of Historic Downtown Boca hosted by the Boca Raton Historical Society; Celebrate Art! free afternoon at the Boca Raton Museum of Art; ArtScape interactive activities and entertainment at Mizner Park; Segway tours; the popular Gourmet Truck Expo; “chances to win”  and two nighttime “Dancin’ In The Streets” parties are just a few of the offerings.  There will be Segway tours throughout the Downtown Boca community on Saturday. Participating retailers and restaurants will be extending evening hours. Plenty of free parking and complimentary trolley transportation provided during event hours.

 

 Meet Me On The Promenade is a perfect example of successful public/private partnership supported by the connectivity and collaboration Downtown Boca business and lifestyle offerings. It is hosted by the Boca Raton CRA, developed/implemented by the City's branding and marketing consultants,produced by City staff, supported by the connectivity, participation and collaboration of Downtown Boca businesses, and completely underwritten by community stakeholders and partners who understand the important impact a vibrant Downtown community has on lifestyle and economic benefits for an entire community and destination.

Programming partners to date include: Fred Astaire Dance Studio-Boca Raton, Cruz-N-America, Gourmet Truck Expo, Art Attack, Boca Raton Children’s Museum, Boca Raton Historical Society, Boca Raton Museum of Art, South Florida Sunrise, Multi-Image Group,  Allianz Championship, Junior League of Boca Raton, Peter Blum Family YMCA of Boca Raton, South Florida Parenting, Boca Raton Concours d’ Elegance/Boys & Girls Club of Broward County,  bocaparent.com,  Habitat For Humanity, Beehive Fitness, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton Travel & Cruises, Rotary Club of Boca Raton "Future Stars", and Segway Tours of Delray Beach.

Founding sponsors of Meet Me On The Promenade include Premier sponsors: Boca Raton Resort & Club (Friday Night Host), Verizon Wireless Cellular Sales South Florida (Downtown Boca Segway Tours Sponsor), and Office Depot (Small Business Partner); Gold sponsors: Office Depot Foundation (Family Zone Host), Boca Raton Regional Hospital (Welcome Bag Sponsor), HSBC Bank, Ram Realty Services (Art Attack Artists & Crafters Village Art Expo Sponsor), Investments Limited/Royal Palm Place (Trolley Sponsor), GGP/Mizner Park (Trolley Sponsor), Penn Florida Companies (Welcome Center Host), Fred Astaire Dance Studio-Boca Raton (Official Downtown Boca Dance Studio and Presenter of the Official Downtown Boca Bop Line Dance), Kaye Communications, Inc. (Programming Development Partner and A Sip & Stroll Presenting Sponsor), Multi-Image Group (Official AV Sponsor)  Boca Raton Museum of Art and South Florida Sunrise (Presenter of "Picture Downtown Boca" Photography Competition); Silver sponsors: Coldwell Banker Residential (A Sip & Stroll Presenting Sponsor), Comerica Bank (A Presenting Sponsor of Cruz-N-Downtown Boca), HubGARAGE.com (A Presenting Sponsor of Cruz-N-Downtown Boca), Allianz Championship (Sports Zone Sponsor), Dr. Peter S. Wohlgemuth, D.M.D., P.A. (Health-Full Community Pavilion), Sheehan Autoplex, American Fine Wine Competition, Palm Beach Outdoor Cinema Events (Programming Sponsor), Tucci’s Fire N Coal Pizza (VIP Tent), LivingFLA.com, and Bocaraton.com; “Friends of Downtown Boca” sponsors: Habitat For Humanity (Programming Sponsor), Kimley-Horn & Associates, and Boca Raton Travel & Cruises. 

 

Community Partners to date include: Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce, Palm Beach County Convention & Visitors Bureau, and American Cancer Society-South Palm Beach Unit. Media sponsors includes but is not limited to Forum Publications and its City Link, South Florida Parenting and Boca Piquant publications; WRMF Radio; Boca Raton Tribune, bocaparent.com, South Florida Sunrise, Coastal Star, and Boca Observer.

 

PROGRAMMING* HIGHLIGHTS:

FRIDAY NIGHT: OCTOBER 21, 2011-HOSTED BY BOCA RATON RESORT & CLUB                                
5 p.m.-Dress Rehearsal For Street-Filling Downtown Boca Bop   
6 p.m.-Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Begins Followed by The Debut of The Downtown Boca Bop   
Until 10 p.m.-Live Entertainment

Opening night festivities sponsored by Boca Raton Resort & Club, include:

 

  • Official ribbon-cutting ceremony to dedicate the newly renovated “Pedestrian Promenade”

 

  • Debut of the “official” Downtown Boca Bop Community Line Dance, choreographed and presented by the Fred Astaire Dance Studio-Boca Raton is open to everyone who wants to line dance with the community through the streets of the Promenade! School With The Most Participants Will Receive $500 Prize

 

Downtown Boca invites all area residents, businesses (large and small) and their employees, business associations, nonprofit memberships, schools and university student bodies, sports teams and cheerleaders to don their organizations’ branded t-shirts and come out and show their spirit and support of Downtown Boca by participating in the Official Downtown Boca line dance choreographed, produced and presented by Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Downtown Boca. Hundreds are expected to join in and be part of this fun, family friendly opening ceremony in and about Sanborn Square — at the heart of the Promenade — as together they dance to “I Like It” by Enrique Iglesias through Sanborn Square and the Promenade led by the Fred Astaire Dance Studio instructors and celebrity dance leaders.

 

Video lessons are posted to downtownboca.org, Downtown Boca Facebook, YouTube and www.bocadance.com with practice sessions to be held at various hot spots throughout Downtown Boca. Live entertainment and interactive family activities will follow in Sanborn Square. Downtown Boca Bop Line Up and Dress Rehearsal begins at 5:00 p.m. with ribbon-cutting festivities for the new Pedestrian Promenade and community line dance to begin promptly at 6 p.m. SPECIAL NOTE:  A $500 prize will be given to the school with the most participation; must have at least 25 students, parents, teachers and supporters wearing their school shirts to be eligible. To register groups, businesses and organizations in advance for premium positions, visit www.downtownboca.org and click on the Promenade icon.

 

 

  • Live music by the band BulleTt playing “rock with a little bit of soul”

 

 

  • Retail and dining discounts, special menus and cocktails, and extended hours at participating Downtown Boca shops and restaurants

 

 

  • Plenty of free parking with complimentary trolley transportation at various stops throughout Downtown Boca from Royal Palm Place to Mizner Park

 

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2011: A FULL DAY & NIGHT FEST OF DOWNTOWN BOCA’S BEST                                                           7:30 a.m.-Registration for American Cancer Society’s 10th Annual Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk                              at Mizner Park Amphitheater  
10 a.m. to 10 p.m.-Meet Me On The Promenade: Downtown Boca Festival Throughout Downtown Boca

“COME EARLY” PRE-EVENT PROGRAMMING:

 

 

  • Boca Raton GreenMarket at Royal Palm Place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. organized by the Boca Raton Children’s Museum is dedicated to local food production and consumption...produce that travels from farm direct to the dining table…and through the process supports the Florida agricultural industry and South Florida economy. Available for purchase will be fresh locally-grown fruits and vegetables as become available in their individual growing seasons—along with fresh herbs, soaps & lotions, juices, potted orchids, ocean shells, fresh cut flowers, assorted variety of plants, fresh baked goods, prepared foods, oils & vinegars, gourmet foods, hydroponic and organic foods, fresh fish and seafood, fresh pasta, doggie treats. 

 

Official “Meet Me On The Promenade” Programming Begins at 10 a.m.

 

 

  • Downtown Boca Information Centers hosted by Premier Sponsor Office Depot at Sanborn Square, Palmetto Park Road, and Royal Palm Place, all sponsored open at 10 a.m.

 

  • “Sip & Stroll Around Downtown Boca” Self Discovery Tour of Downtown Boca’s Shopping, Dining, Entertainment, Attractions sponsored by Coldwell Banker Residential and Kaye Communications, Inc. that easily “maps out” all Downtown Boca has to offer at Meet Me On The Promenade Saturday. To participate, attendees must register for Sip & Stroll at one of the Downtown Boca Information Centers where the first 3,000 participants will receive Downtown Boca eco-friendly welcome bags sponsored by Boca Raton Regional Hospital. Registrants will receive a customized map and details of the special event programming and activities offered from Royal Palm Place to Mizner Park, including live entertainment; Family Zone; Sports Zone; impressive showcases of exotic and classic cars; speed boat displays; an arts and crafts expo showcase and other arts programming; art gallery showings and auctions; Boca Raton GreenMarket; trunk shows and retail showcases; art gallery events; demos; dance lessons; travel and car giveaways; special weekend discounts; tastings, dining specials and pre fixe menus; chances to win; and more.

 

A sampling of Sip & Stoll stops:

  • Boca Raton Travel & Cruises' "Money Machine" at its agency on Palmetto Park Road that will be stocked with cash, cruise discounts, onboard savings, logo gifts, coupons for travel discounts and more. In addition, each person that registers gets "chance-to-win" tickets for a Celebrity Cruises International cruise for two!
  • Luxury Cars of Boca in Royal Palm Place for a chance to win a Honda Insight EX fully loaded Hybrid. Tickets are $100 each; only 350 tickets will be sold with proceeds to benefit the American Cancer Society. Drawing to be held on Saturday, October 22nd at 8 p.m. in the showroom.
  • Fred Astaire Dance Studio to learn a new dance step each half hour from Noon to 5 p.m.
  • Gallery 22 by Yaacov Heller will be hosting live auctions on Friday evening and Saturday featuring sculpture, jewelry and collectables from World Class artists; will also be web-streamed to an internet based collectors community. Gallery 22 is partnering with Red Carpet Auction Enterprises (www.redcarpetae.com); musicians from the Boca Raton Symphonia will be performing in the sculpture garden adjacent to Gallery 22 along with a Future Star vocalist. Light refreshments will be served. A percentage of the proceeds will benefit the Boca Raton Symphonia and The Rotary Club of Boca Raton.
  • Lemongrass Asian Bistro will be featuring cultural performances of Thai dances, demos of fruit carvings, games, drawings to win.
  • Holloway’s Irish Pub will feature Irish dancers on Friday night with Walt Rooney from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. and karaoke from 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. on Saturday night.
  • Habitat For Humanity tent for lessons on “designing on a dime”
  • D. Stern Jeweler will present a chance to win a custom one-of-a-kind 18 karat gold commemorative Downtown Boca pendant/charm with chain.

 

  • Boca Raton Museum of Art is offering free admission from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. as part of its Celebrate Art! event giving guests the opportunity to explore the museum’s permanent collection and temporary exhibitions plus a series of fun art-making and museum-related activities for children, including paper crafts, mural design, treasure hunts, word games, and mini tours of the museum.
  • Truluck’s will be offering a special Meet Me On The Promenade Pre-Fixe Menu on Friday and Saturday for $39 per person, and the first 250 people will get cupcakes.
  • Chop’s Lobster Bar will feature a happy hour and additional live entertainment from              5 p.m. to 8 p.m.       

Others Downtown Boca businesses in “Sip & Stroll Around Downtown Boca” include Royal Palm Place: Art Attack, Bennington Tobacconist, Biergarten, Boca Ballroom Boutique, Boca Raton Green Market, Brazelia Med Spa, Chops Lobster Bar, Deborah James, D’Vara Jewelers, Edward Jones, Floral & Hearty, Fred Astaire Dance Studio, Fiat Custom Design Framing, Yokohama, Gallery 22, Gamine Beauty Bar, Green Wave Body Waxing, Harry’s Designer Jewels, Holloway’s Irish Pub, Karen Lynne Gallery, Lemongrass Asian Bistro, Looking Sharp Eyewear and Care, LUCX Boutique, Luxury Cars of Boca, Mummaw & Associates, Private Tutoring Services/Royal Palm Academy , Royal Hair Salon, Inc. Rosario’s Ristorante, Runway International Design, Simply Perfect For The Home, Saquella Cafe, The Heart Painter Art Studio & Gifts, 'The Trade'  TiTiGirl Boutique, Tobi’s Grooming, Tropical Smoothie,  Federal Highway: Anatolia Mediterranean Cuisine, Boca Raton Florist , 4th Generation Organic Markets, Ovenella, Salon Monaco, Palmetto Park Road: Air & Sea Adventures, Boca Raton Travel & Cruises, Bristol Properties International, Cohen Window Fashions, Ego the Salon, HubGarage, Interface Talent and Network, La Stella’s, Mod Dog Salon, MTI Kitchen & Baths, Premier Real Estate, Pure Salon & Spa, T.re Fashion, Linda Alfieri Hair Replacement & Full Service Salon East Boca Raton Road: B E Design Associates, Bliss Designs, Pamela Farthing Stern Interiors, NE 1st Ave: Natures Symphony, Set The Table, Tucci’s Fire N Coal Pizza,

Mizner Plaza: Boca Skewers Mediterranean, Jonathan’s Corner, Robert Frank Salon, Mizner Park: Cheese Course, LF Boca, Orange Leaf, Racks Downtown Eatery and Tavern , Z Gallerie, Dubliner, D. Stern Jewelers, Swim N Sport, The Spice & Tea Exchange, Truluck’s, Visual Eyes at Mizner Park, and others. Check frequently for any Sip & Stroll additions. 

 

More than 150 classic and exotic cars and speed boats showcased by serious collectors and enthusiasts will span the Promenade and its connecting areas taking event attendees from Royal Palm Place to the south end of Mizner Park for a “don’t miss” experience.  The official show car is the one-of-a-kind 1974 DeTomaso Pantera with a 427 horsepower engine that was awarded the “Best in Show” at the 4th Barrett-Jackson of Palm Beach Cruise on April 3, 2011; others to be featured are valued up to $100,000.  Collectors interested in displaying their prized cars and get the chance to win cash prizes and trophies, can register at www.cruznamerica.com or by calling (561) 632-8252.

Car enthusiasts and serious collectors will also want to visit…the  Boca Raton Concours d'Elegance showcase featuring a collection of six classic automobiles valued up to $1 million             that will be available for auction during the February 2012 Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance           event to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Broward County. Among the cars on display will be 50th Anniversary Shelby Cobras 289 and 427.

  • The Ever Popular Gourmet Truck Expo will be pulling up throughout Downtown Boca with more than 20 choices of casual, on-the-go gourmet curbside dining, including favorites like Crepe Outdoors, Divan Bakery, Giuseppe’s Italian Sausage, Kona Ice, Papas Tapas, Big Kahuna, Dolci Peccati, Latin House Grill, Miso Hungry, Churromania, Red Koi and ShaoRoma.

 

 

  • Family Zone sponsored by Office Depot Foundation features an up-close view of the Number 14 Office Depot Chevrolet Impala driven by NASCAR Star Tony Stewart when attendees can have their photos taken with the car (and a life-size Tony Stewart cut-out) and receive a special picture frame to create an instant keepsake!  They will also get to register for the Office Depot Foundation Caring Connection – a simple way to find opportunities to volunteer in their community – plus get a free slap koozie and bottle of water! The Boca Raton Children’s Museum will take over 1/3 of the Family Zone at the southeast corner of Sanborn Park with displays and interactive programming that has been created by Museum Imagineer Adrian St. Cyr of Boston Tombs and Washington D.C. Spy Museum fame. Here children will be able to climb aboard the Pirate Ship, SS Mae Volen, with the background stage set by gigantic drawings of the Children’s Museum’s buildings.  Family entertainment will be all about pirates with a cannon shoot, face painting, games and other activities that include “pirate hat designing” sponsored by South Florida Parenting…aargh! Additional activities in the Museum area include a cell phone scavenger hunt in play with the Boca Raton Kiwanis Club, Hogwarths Confiscated Goods organized by Mae Volen Friends and CMN (Children’s Museum Network) and Uncle Willy and his gang of young broadcasters will conduct “Man on the Street” interviews through Sun Radio, the Museum’s event sponsor.

 

Bocaparent.com will be featuring Balloon Masterz who will not only be making fun hats and shapes, he puts on a show that mesmerizes “kids of all ages” as he creates large character versions that will be given away in a drawing every hour. The Junior League of Boca Raton will share gardening and cooking tips for kids, how families can participate in the organization’s Community Garden, and updates on its Kids In The Kitchen initiative.

 

 

  • Art Attack Artists & Crafters Village Art Expo Sponsored By Ram Realty, this special section of Meet Me On The Promenade held in the center of the event off Palmetto Park Road will showcase artisans and their distinctive art and crafts, ranging from paintings, furniture and sculpture to decorative tableware, photography, jewelry, fashion accessories and clothing. For more information, contact artattackboca@gmail.com or call 954-802-3799.

 

  • Segway Tours Throughout Downtown Boca hosted by Verizon Wireless Cellular Sales will open registration on a first-come, first-serve basis at the Verizon Wireless Cellular Sales Mobile Center at 10 a.m.

 

  • Historic Walking Tours Boca Raton’s Historic Downtown by the Boca Raton Historical Society & Museum with pre-registration for guided tours (scheduled at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.) available at the Welcome Center-Sanborn Square.  For those wanting to venture out on their own, a self-walking tour pamphlet will also be available at the Welcome Center and all Downtown Boca Information Booths. Boca Raton’s historic downtown is located along East Boca Raton Road from Sanborn Square to Mizner Boulevard. Built mostly in the Mid-Century architectural style and complimented by Mediterranean Revival neighboring structures, this one-block area once thrived as a daily shopping mecca for residents and as a social gathering place for the town. On the tour, attendees will learn about the people who built the buildings and who had businesses in the area. They will see the buildings that held the old post office, the first department store, one of the first appliance stores, the popular sundry and lunch hangout, barber shop, and the home of prominent citizens who built Town Hall and who began the Boca Pops. 

 

 

 

designed with families in mind, offering an afternoon of free family fun in which guests the opportunity to explore the museum’s permanent collection and temporary exhibitions and engage in a series of fun art-making and museum-related activities for children, including paper crafts, mural design, treasure hunts, word games, and mini tours of the museum.

 

  • ArtScape presented by Mizner Park from Noon to 8 p.m. is an interactive celebration of art featuring sidewalk painting, caricature artists, illustrators and an interactive creative workshop where artists of all ages and skill levels can color, draw, sketch and paint. The workshop, complete with paints, brushes, easels and a menu of art supplies will be free; live music. 

 

  • “Picture Downtown Boca” Projected Photography Exhibition developed by South Florida Sunrise in association with the Boca Raton Museum of Art and Multi Image Group, is the first time ever projected exhibition focused on what is most distinctive, desirable, and memorable about Downtown Boca. Continuously projected at venues and in Sanborn Square, it will feature entries from professional and amateur photographers as well as camera phone enthusiasts who present their vision of the people, places, experiences, and things in this unique South Florida locale.

 

  • Special Promenade Weekend Shopping Discounts And Dining Deals, Chances To Win Vacations, Gift Certificates, Jewelry, A Car, And More!

 

 

 

  • Plenty Of Free Parking With Complimentary Trolley Transportation At Various Stops Throughout Downtown Boca From Royal Palm Place To Mizner Park

 

For more information on Meet Me On The Promenade and ways to participate, visit www.downtownboca.org and click on Meet Me On The Promenade icon or contact Boca Raton CRA (Monday Through Friday) at 561-393-7782 and ask for Ruby Childers, Downtown Boca Manager, rchilders@myboca.us or Arlene Cheese, acheese@myboca.us.

 

*Programming subject to change.

 

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