[🌞 #FFFTL] Free Movie, Free Art, Free Wellness, And One Very Good Dog

Your neighborhood just got more interesting (and one local legend needs saving)

Apr 23, 2026

Thursday, April 23rd, 2026 - This week is stacked: a free outdoor movie under the stars, a Spanish guitar duo on the New River, artsy kids workshops, a Motown block party, and a chorus singing Imagine at Sunshine Cathedral. If you have not heard about Bob’s News and Books, read the featured article. The most Fort Lauderdale story in a long time.

Stuff You Won’t Want To Miss:

Thursday | Ottmar Liebert and Luna Negra. New Flamenco / Spanish guitar. Romantic, atmospheric. Perfect date night. Tickets via Ticketmaster.
Also Thursday | The Rush Tribute Project. Part of the Cleveland Clinic Rock Series. Rush tribute for the classic rock crowd. Tickets via Ticketmaster.
Friday Night | Movie on the Lawn: The Secret Life of Pets. Bring a blanket, bring the kids, bring the dog. Outdoor screening of the beloved animated film. FREE.
Friday | Art@Night: Garden Party. Monthly outdoor arts gathering with garden setting. Good for adults and teens.
Also Friday | Candlelight: Queen vs. ABBA. Live string ensemble plays Queen vs. ABBA by candlelight. Sophisticated, all-ages, visually stunning. From $26.50.
Saturday | Huizenga Park x lululemon Wellness Day. Outdoor wellness event in partnership with lululemon. Movement, mindfulness, community vibes. Easy Saturday morning activity. FREE.
Saturday | Fire Museum Open House. Located in the beautifully restored 1927 Fire Station No. 3, the Fort Lauderdale Fire and Safety Museum honors our city’s firefighters
Also Saturday | City of North Lauderdale Mayor Community Fun Night: Motown Edition. Mayor-hosted community night featuring Motown music. Classic, family-friendly, all-ages. Free community event.
Or on Saturday | The Office! A Musical Parody (still running). Running through May 3.
Sunday Morning | MADD Dash Fort Lauderdale 5K. Thousands of walkers, runners, strollers, wheelchair athletes, dogs and supporters of all ages will come together in downtown Fort Lauderdale to take steps to raise awareness and funds to end impaired driving for good.
Sunday | Kids Creative Studio. Hands-on art-making for kids. Pompano Beach arts programming.
Also Sunday | NSU Art Museum: FREE Fort Lauderdale Neighbor Day. FREE for Fort Lauderdale residents with proof of address/ID. World-class contemporary art.
Or on Sunday | Plantation Walk 2nd Annual Autism Awareness Car and Truck Show. 2nd annual event for Autism Awareness Month. Family-friendly, free, community-centered. All types of vehicles displayed. FREE.
This Weekend | Miami Maker’s Faire. A full weekend of robots, inventions, art, technology, and hands-on activities for the whole family. Meet other incredible makers, explore interactive exhibits, and discover the future of innovation.
Monday | Broward Women Chorus Spring Concert: Imagine. Choral spring concert at a beloved Fort Lauderdale institution.

😉 Hey - quick question. Did we miss anything? Each week we do our research but you might know of an event, an organization, or a local business that deserves some love here in our weekly basket of goodies. Just hit reply to this email and let us know!

Featured Fort Lauderdale

End of an Era: The Last Stand of Bob’s News & Books

If you’ve lived in Fort Lauderdale for more than five minutes, you know the neon sign at 1515 S. Andrews Ave. For over 50 years, Bob’s News & Books has been the “last stop before the airport” and a defiant survivor in a world that went digital decades ago.

But according to a recent report by the Sun Sentinel, this local landmark is officially on the clock. Broward Health has placed Bob’s—along with 11 other neighboring properties—on its acquisition list to make room for a massive hospital expansion.

Why Bob’s is “Wonderfully Weird”

Walking into Bob’s isn’t just about buying a paper; it’s an assault on the senses. It is one of the last places in Florida where you can find a glossy fashion magazine from Italy, a banned 1950s novel, a pack of imported cigars, and a lucky scratch-off ticket in a single trip.

Three Generations of Grit: Originally purchased in 1975 by Seth Cohen and his family, the shop has stayed in the family for three generations. Current owner Erin Steinberg has been working those narrow, jam-packed aisles since 1996.
The “Outlaw” Aesthetic: While most bookstores look like libraries, Bob’s looks like a rebellious time capsule. They famously embrace their “edgy” side, featuring large signs for banned books, a massive adult section behind the curtain, and an inventory that includes everything from Newtonian mathematics to vintage maps.
The Neighborhood Hub: Before the nurses at Broward Health start their shifts, they’re at Bob’s grabbing snacks. Before travelers hit FLL, they’re at Bob’s grabbing a “Foreign News” print. It is a fusion of a smoke shop, a high-brow literary archive, and a neighborhood convenience store.

What Happens Now?

The Tampa Bay Times once called Bob’s “one of Florida’s last newsstands,” and they weren’t exaggerating. As print distribution was slashed and other newsstands folded, Bob’s survived by “going into survival mode”—adding beer coolers and snacks to keep the lights on while maintaining their massive collection of rare titles.

With Broward Health moving forward with their expansion plans, the question isn’t just about a building being torn down—it’s about losing a piece of Fort Lauderdale’s “anti-corporate” soul.

Our Take: Whether you go for the “I Read Banned Books” T-shirts, the obscure magazines, or just the nostalgic smell of old paper, now is the time to visit. We might be watching the final chapter of a story that’s been written one daily edition at a time for half a century.

What’s your favorite Bob’s memory? Did you find a rare book there? Or maybe you’ve been buying your Sunday paper from the same counter for 30 years?

So... You Think You Know South Florida

You probably already know... we are called “Fort Lauderdale” because… the city started with a military fort as its first beginnings.

What you might not know... there were actually four different “Fort Lauderdale’s” because the early days were not so easy.

The Original (March 1838): Major William Lauderdale and his 200 Tennessee Volunteers built the first stockade at the fork of the New River (near present-day SW 9th Ave).
The Relocation (Feb 1839): After the first was destroyed, a second fort was built at Tarpon Bend.
The Beachfront (Sept 1839): The third and most famous fort was moved right to the beach—specifically where the Bahia Mar parking lot sits today.
The Final Stand: A smaller, final iteration existed before the military eventually abandoned the area in 1842.

And Major Lauderdale Only Spent One Month Here

Major William Lauderdale built a fort here in March 1838 during the Second Seminole War and stayed approximately one month.

It was the ultimate “short-term stay” success story. Major William Lauderdale arrived in March 1838, built the fort, and stayed approximately one month before departing for Fort Jupiter. The Seminoles reclaimed the land and destroyed the fort a few months later, but his name lived on.

Imagine spending 30 days in a swampy outpost and having a world-famous city named after you nearly 200 years later!

More Treats To Try

We don’t let just anyone sponsor this newsletter. Here’s who “made the cut” this week:

(Hit reply to this email if you want to reach over 1300+ local families for just $100)

👉 Buy YOUR OWN Classified Ad Here 👈
Huizenga Park — Free Programming - Downtown’s newly renovated 3.6-acre park offers free fitness classes, rotating food vendors, public art, and 150+ events this year.
Museum of Discovery & Science (MODS) - Home to the current HOCKEY: Faster Than Ever exhibit, the Everglades Airboat Adventure, river otters, and an IMAX theater — MODS is the go-to for a full day of hands-on science fun for all ages.
Smorgasburg South Florida - The “Woodstock of eating” has moved from Wynwood to Fort Lauderdale — 45+ food vendors, a floating boat bar, zero admission, every Saturday and Sunday noon to 8pm at 563 NE 2nd St in Flagler Village.
Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition - The world’s largest traveling reproduction of the Sistine Chapel ceiling is on display at Galleria Fort Lauderdale through June — an awe-inspiring immersive experience that’s a lot easier than flying to Rome.
Bonnet House Museum and Gardens. Come visit the historic estate, gardens, and tours in Fort Lauderdale.

Just hit reply to this email to get started. Work with us to reach over 1250+ Greater Fort Lauderdale families.

Quote Of The Week

“The right local questions and answers will be the right global ones.”
~ Wendell Berry

Wendell Berry is a poet and environmental activist.

Flotsam & Jetsam

Today’s selections are from the "Can You Believe This?" Corner.

Can you believe it? Part 1: Prego is Selling a Hockey Puck?

We’ve seen some strange news in Broward, but this one takes the (pasta) cake. Prego - the people who usually just help you get dinner on the table, just released a new gadget called the Connection Keeper.

It’s a hockey puck-shaped microphone designed to sit in the middle of your table. For $20, you get a bundle with a jar of sauce, a deck of conversation cards, and the device. But here is the kicker:

Zero Tech: No Wi-Fi, no Bluetooth, and no AI.
The Goal: It’s a “digital time capsule.” You hit record, put your phones away, and actually talk to your kids.
The Archive: You can plug it into your computer and even donate the audio to the Library of Congress to preserve your family’s history forever.

I don’t know if this is a sign that the AI apocalypse is upon us, or a heartening example of families getting back to the basics.

Can you believe it? Part 2: The $3 Digital Ghost

If the “pasta puck” was a return to basics, this next one is the reason people are scared of the future. A Chinese startup called Super Brain is turning grief into a high-tech subscription service.

For as little as $3, they will build an AI clone of a deceased loved one.

How it works: You upload photos, videos, and voice recordings. Their AI recreates the person’s face and speech patterns so accurately you can “video chat” with them.
The Scale: This isn’t a niche hobby; the “Grief Tech” industry is already worth billions of dollars. People are using it to get advice from late parents or “tuck in” children who have passed away.

We want to know where the Fort Lauderdale community stands on this tech divide. Cast your vote below:

Word Play Of The Week

“Under the Weather”

Feeling sick or unwell with a nautical origin. Sailors who were seasick went below deck to be sheltered from the weather. Entered common usage in the early 19th century. ~ Source

‘Under-The-Radar’ Openings Job Board

Here’s a new section that we are debuting this week with our transition to Substack.

MODS has three positions open (two PT and one FT) that might be of interest to folks in our community. There is an Early Childhood position, an Animal Husbandry position for their corals, and a Science Facilitator for their Turtle Walks. How cool are these jobs!
FIFA 2026 is looking for a Senior Content Manager. Because if you didn’t hear, football (no, not that football) is coming to South Florida in a big way.
TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY JOB FAIR - APRIL 29, 2026 10AM – 12PM Launch Your Future in IT Connect with hiring managers and explore advanced roles that match your expertise. Expand your professional network by attending this event.

Lastly… One Big Idea For Your Week

Tell Us How We Are Doing

Every week we are working to improve #FFFTL every week, both for your reading experience and to provide a cutting-edge media apprenticeship opportunity for our learners.

We want to hear from you. What do you love? What could we do better FOR YOU? And most importantly, what FTL businesses and experiences should we be highlighting?

Family Friendly Ft. Lauderdale

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