[đ #FFFTL] ZimSculpt's Last Day, Peppa Pig Live, and Why Flagler Village Is Becoming Fort Lauderdale's Hottest Spot
Free world-class jazz on Pompano Beach this weekend, plus the "Woodstock of eating" is now open in Flagler Village and the 150-artist sculpture show at Bonnet House closes Sunday
Thursday, April 15th, 2026 - In addition to this weekâs newsletter, we also want to share a local guide we created. Our Acton friends (owners from around the world) are coming to town this week, so we created a curated guide for them (and you). Do you see anything we missed that should have been mentioned?
Also, there is another post we wrote last week that might be of interest, especially to any of you who are economically-minded or who read the Centrini Research that caused such a stir earlier this year. Turns out⊠trust (not just attention) is all you need.
Stuff You Wonât Want To Miss:
Wednesday | Grace Kelly Quartet â Gold Coast Jazz 20th Anniversary. Grammy-nominated musician Grace Kelly celebrates her 20th anniversary as a performer with an intimate jazz set at the Broward Center â a rare date-night gem. (April 15th).
Also Wednesday | The Office! A Musical Parody. The Dunder Mifflin gang takes to the stage in this fan-adored comedy parody â catch it at the Broward Center's Off Center Series. Not your average night out.
Friday | Las Olas Wine & Food Festival â 30th Anniversary. (Adults 21+ only) Fort Lauderdale's longest-running charitable food festival closes out four blocks of Las Olas with 40+ restaurants, 200 wines and spirits, and a 90s-themed VIP lounge â all benefiting the American Lung Association. Great date night.
Friday, ONLY April 17th - 7:00pm | The AI Docï»ż at Savor Cinema. ï»żA father-to-be grapples with the explosive risks and revolutionary potential of AI and the world his child will inherit. Audiences will be confronted with a stark wake-up call that explores the existential dangers and extraordinary promise of this rapidly rising technology.
Friday | Peppa Pig: My First Concert. Peppa and her family bounce, splash, and sing their way onto The Parker stage â the perfect first live concert experience for your littlest family members.
Saturday | Jazz Fest Pompano Beach (FREE â 5th Annual). Two FREE days of world-class jazz, Grammy winners, South Florida talent, and a beachside culinary village on Pompano Beach's oceanfront â 1pm to 10pm both days. Don't miss it.
Saturday | Downtown Hollywood ArtWalk. Explore local galleries, meet artists, and enjoy live music winding through the streets of downtown Hollywood every third Saturday evening â free and wonderfully family-friendly.
Saturday | BCL Earth Day Fun Day â Broward County Library. Join the Broward County Library for their 4th annual Earth Day Fun Day â beach cleanup, conservation awareness activities, and crafts for all ages. Participants earn service hours. Registration required.
Saturday | SAVOR SoFLO Food & Wine Festival. Hollywood Beach transforms into a 25,000+ sq ft culinary playground with 40+ top chefs, unlimited tastings, craft beers, and fine wines right behind the Margaritaville Resort â this is the weekend splurge.
Saturday | Relay For Life â Broward County. Join your Broward neighbors for the American Cancer Society's inspiring community walkathon â an uplifting evening of collective hope and action against cancer.
Sunday | ZimSculpt at Bonnet House Museum & Gardens (LAST DAY). Don't miss the final day to see 2,000+ hand-carved Zimbabwean stone sculptures spread across Bonnet House's gorgeous 35-acre estate â two live artists have been carving on-site all season. LAST DAY.
Till The End of The Month | HAIRSPRAY. The beloved Broadway musical about big hair, bigger dreams, and the fight for integration comes to life at the Broward Center courtesy of Slow Burn Theatre Co. â running through April 26.
đâ 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
Worldâs Aquatic Treasure Is Hiding in Plain Sight
Fort Lauderdale is the âVenice of America,â famous for its stunning coastline and world-class boating. Youâve likely driven past the iconic towers of the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) a thousand times while looking for beach parking.
That building isnât just a local poolâit is the worldâs only museum dedicated entirely to the history of aquatic sports. Nestled right in our backyard is a global landmark housing over 60,000 artifacts, spanning everything from the evolution of synchronized swimming to the high-intensity world of water polo.
The facility is a titan in the sporting world, having hosted Olympic Trials and prestigious World Championships. Yet, despite its international fame, most Fort Lauderdale residents have never stepped foot inside. With two Olympic-size pools and interactive exhibits, itâs one of the cityâs best-kept secrets for a family day outâespecially since admission is free for children under 12.
Next time youâre at the beach, skip the souvenir shops and dive into a piece of global history that belongs to Fort Lauderdale.
So... You Think You Know South Florida
You probably already know... That HAIRSPRAY is a high-energy, feel-good musical about Tracy Turnbladâs quest to integrate a TV dance show in 1962 Baltimore. Itâs a story of courage, catchy tunes, and the fight for equality that families have loved for decades. And playing at Fort Lauderdaleâs Slow Burn Theatre.
What you might not know... While Baltimore was dancing toward progress, Fort Lauderdale was fighting its own battle for the sand. Until 1962, Fort Lauderdale Beach was whites-only by law, and Black residents were relegated to a distant beach in Dania with no road access.
On July 4, 1961âjust one year before the setting of HAIRSPRAYâlocal NAACP leader Eula Johnson and Dr. Von D. Mizell led the first courageous âwade-insâ right here on our shores. They were met by KKK members carrying axes, but they refused to back down. The city sued to stop them and lost, leading to the legal desegregation of Browardâs beaches in 1962.
As HAIRSPRAY opens this week, itâs the perfect moment for families to talk about the real-life heroes who integrated our own âdance floorâ here in South Florida. Most locals still donât know this storyâletâs make sure the next generation does.
đ Learn more about the history of Floridaâs segregated beaches.
More Treats To Try
We donât let just anyone sponsor this newsletter. Hereâs who âmade the cutâ this week:
(Hit reply to this email if you want to reach over 1300+ local families for just $100)
đ Buy YOUR OWN Classified Ad Here đ
Smorgasburg South Florida - The âWoodstock of eatingâ has moved from Wynwood to Fort Lauderdale â 45+ food vendors, a floating boat bar, zero admission, every Saturday and Sunday noon to 8pm at 563 NE 2nd St in Flagler Village.
Michelangeloâs Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition - The worldâs largest traveling reproduction of the Sistine Chapel ceiling is on display at Galleria Fort Lauderdale through June â an awe-inspiring immersive experience thatâs a lot easier than flying to Rome.
Museum of Discovery & Science (MODS) - Home to the current HOCKEY: Faster Than Ever exhibit, the Everglades Airboat Adventure, river otters, and an IMAX theater â MODS is the go-to for a full day of hands-on science fun for all ages.
Water Taxi Fort Lauderdale - Hop on and off at 20+ stops along Fort Lauderdaleâs waterways â from Las Olas to Bahia Mar, the Intracoastal, and all the way to Hollywoodâs Margaritaville. All-day passes available; captains narrate the whole ride.
Huizenga Park â Free Programming - Downtownâs newly renovated 3.6-acre park offers free fitness classes, rotating food vendors, public art, and 150+ events this year
Just hit reply to this email to get started. Work with us to reach over 1250+ Greater Fort Lauderdale families.
Quote Of The Week
âThe sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.â
~ Jacques Cousteau, the French oceanographer, filmmaker, inventor, and environmentalist who revolutionized underwater exploration.
Flotsam & Jetsam
Did you know that parents these days are anxious about their adult childrenâs job prospects as they graduate and head into the working world?
How anxious?
Turns out some parents are spending as much as $50,000 (above and beyond the cost of University) to hire career coaches in the hopes that it will help their graduate land a position in challenging job markets.
And those are just the parents willing to shill out extra to help. Several studies have shown that between 20% (thatâs high for the low end) and 77% of Gen Z job seekers have brought their parents with them to a job interview, hoping to add extra oomph to their pitch. Really. đ
Let me share something you might not know about ActonâŠ
Our little school (and 300+ Actons worldwide) start apprenticeships at age 13. In fact, our Middle School studio (ages 11 to 15) just started this week, researching and writing their pitches for apprenticeships they will land this spring and summer.
By the time they graduate, they will have 5-6 real work experiences (no job shadows or ponying coffee), with hundreds of work hours and accountability to mentors already working in the fields they feel might be their calling.
And no parents involved. đ
Beats a $50k bill for trying to put your thumb on the scale doesnât it?
Word Play Of The Week
To "Jump the shark"
The moment something has clearly passed its peak quality or relevance.
Made famous by a 1977 Happy Days episode where Fonzie literally water-skied over a shark. TV critic Jon Hein coined the phrase in 1985. Fort Lauderdale note: our waters have real sharks â we're consistently in Florida's top shark-encounter zones. ~ âSource
âUnder-The-Radarâ Openings Job Board
Hereâs a new section that we are debuting this week with our transition to Substack.
Jellyfish Museum in Pompano Beach is HIRING! Cleaners, cashiers and tour guides. Please send resumes to info@jellyfish-museum.com.
Teaching Artist (Contract). Broward Center for the Performing Arts is currently recruiting creative and dynamic Teaching Artists interested in being part of our education programs.
Video Producer - InteleTravel, the worldâs largest and most established host agency, is looking for a Video Producer candidate to tell compelling stories of our brand, travel advisors, tools, and more through video and graphics.
Got a job or position you would like to post? Send us the details.
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?

