The Renaissance, South Florida-Style
The Renaissance, according to Wikipedia, lasted from roughly the 14th century to the 17th century, beginning in Italy and spreading to the rest of Europe in “a flowering of literature, science, art, religion, and politics, and a resurgence of learning…” Not surprisingly, this period in history when Europe made the transition from the dark ages into the modern era is a topic of great fascination for many people, especially the revelry and excess in costume and cuisine that marked the period.
Each year the Florida Renaissance Festival brings a taste of the Renaissance to Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach, and this year the celebration marks its 26th anniversary. Visiting kings and queens will all claim land for their respective countries, and the festival’s makeshift village will be packed with artisans and crafts people selling and demonstrating their wares, not to mention rides, nearly a dozen stages featuring continuous entertainment, and hearty food and drink of the time.
The festival runs from 10 a.m. to sunset for seven weekends, from Saturday, February 10 through Sunday, March 25, plus a School Day on Monday, February 12 and President’s Day, Monday, February 19. Admission is $25 for ages 12 and up, $12 for ages 6 to 11, and free for ages 5 and under. Group rates and season passes are also available. The park’s regular weekend and holiday gate entrance fee of $1.50 per person (children 5 and under free) will also be in effect.
The Buzz on Bees
As honeybee populations in North America and parts of Europe continue to decline sharply, bees remain a hot topic for discussion. The February installment of the popular
Lunch-and-Learn Nature Series for Adults, at Anne Kolb Nature Center in Hollywood, addresses the issue with a lecture on “Respecting Honeybees,” scheduled for Friday, February 9, from noon to 2 p.m. The speaker will be Dr. Bill Kern, an entomologist with the University of Florida. He’ll share his knowledge of honeybees and their importance to both our economy and our landscape, as well as information on beekeeping. Registration is required a week in advance of the program, with the suggested $10/person donation covering the lecture and a light lunch and benefitting the park’s busy-as-a-bee volunteer group, the
Friends of Anne Kolb. Call the nature center at 954-357-5161;
Anne Kolb is accessible via
Broward County Transit Routes #4 and #12.
If you’d like to see an active beehive in a park setting, visit the Tradewinds Micro-Apiary, which opened in April 2017 at Tradewinds Park & Stables in Coconut Creek. The apiary, the second such facility in Florida, provides protective housing for multiple hives, which are managed by the Urban Beekeepers and used for public education by the Broward Beekeepers Association, a nonprofit for the advancement of apiculture. For more information, call Tradewinds at 954-357-8870.
Support Your Parks!
The Parks Foundation of Broward County has planned a day full of family-oriented activities on Saturday, March 3, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Tradewinds Park & Stables (north side). The Second Annual Family Fun Day includes crafts, face painting, old-fashioned family games, music, food trucks, recreational and educational demonstrations, vendors, and more.
Families can also get aboard a model steam train for a ride around a scenic lake, and kids, less than 52 inches tall, can take a pony ride around the ring.
Fees: Event wristband is $5/person (children 2 and under free), plus the park's weekend gate entrance fee of $1.50/person (children 5 and under free) will be in effect. Event proceeds benefit Broward County Parks and Recreation. Model steam train rides are available for $1.50/person, and pony rides are $3 per ride (plus tax) or $9 for four rides (plus tax).
Donations to the Parks Foundation are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. A copy of the official registration (#CH45521) and financial information may be obtained from the Division of Consumer Services by calling toll-free (800-435-7352) within the state. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state.
Broward County Parks and Recreation Division proudly recognizes the Parks Foundation of Broward County as its official charitable partner.
Parent Camp
Five neighborhood parks located in the 33311 zip code of the Broward Municipal Services District (formerly unincorporated Fort Lauderdale) are offering a series of Parent Camps.
This month, parents can attend the February 7 “Report Card Celebration: Decoding Your Child’s Report Card (Part 2)” at Roosevelt Gardens Park and the February 21 “Dealing With Stress, Nurturing Parenting” at Lafayette Hart Park. FACE at the Park is our partner for the first evening, and Jack & Jill Children’s Center is the co-sponsor for the second night.
Both sessions are on Wednesdays starting at 5:30 p.m. Admission is free, and a light dinner will be provided. There will also be raffles at each event.
For further information, call Roosevelt Gardens at 954-357-8700 or Lafayette Hart at 954-357-7970. Lafayette Hart is accessible via Broward County Transit Routes #11 and #40; Roosevelt Gardens is accessible from Routes #11, #36, and #40.
Public Participation Forum
The Parks and Recreation Division invites the public to a Public Participation Forum, starting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 1, at T.Y. (Topeekeegee Yugnee) Park in Hollywood. This free meeting is the public’s opportunity to provide suggestions, voice concerns, and ask questions about recreational needs in the Broward County park system. The forum will be preceded by a special meeting of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board at 6 p.m. (The advisory board’s regular meetings are on designated Fridays at 7:30 a.m.) 
The Parks Foundation of Broward County is a 501 (c) (3) organization founded in 2014 in support of Broward County Parks and Recreation Division. The foundation welcomes individual memberships and corporate partnerships at all levels to help promote our parks and programs, preserve our natural areas, and provide more green space for our community. Donations are accepted at BrowardParksFoundation.org. 