September 02, 2011

Downtown Boca Puts Out a “Celebratory" Community Welcome Mat with Its Inaugural “Meet Me On The Promenade” Two Night-One Day Fest to Showcase Downtown Boca’s Best October 21-22, 2011




Downtown Boca invites South Florida 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 an Official Downtown Boca Bop community line dance, family friendly activities and live entertainment at Sanborn Square on Friday, October 21st from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. On Saturday, October 22nd the event kicks-off at 8:30 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 at 10 a.m. with a day filled with exciting programming and arts showcases, attractions, family and pet friendly activities, live entertainment, and a Promenade “Dancin’ In The Streets” party to run from 6 p.m. through 10 p.m.
The festival-style event commemorates the recent completion of the $5 million construction of the Boca Raton CRA’s enhancement program and the 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 the 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 within Downtown Boca for both private and commercial rentals and community activities.
Showcasing 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 Promenade and the areas that it connects such as Palmetto Park Road, N.E. First Avenue, Boca Raton Road, Mizner Park and Royal Palm Place.  An on-going schedule of live entertainment; family-friendly activities; sports programming; a classic and exotic car show by Cruz-N-America; nonprofit and cultural showcases; a Health-Full Community pavilion; an Art Attack Artists & Crafters Village Art Expo; 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 andMulti Image Group; art gallery shows; guided and self-walking tours of Historic Downtown Boca hosted by the Boca Raton Historical Society; Gourmet Truck Expo; “chances to win”  and two nighttime “Dancin’ In The Streets” parties are just a few of the offerings. Participating shops and restaurants will be extending their hours into the late evening with plenty of free parking and complimentary trolley transportation sponsored by Investments Limited/Royal Palm Place and GGP/Mizner Park will be running during event hours.
Friday night festivities hosted by the Boca Raton Resort & Club opens with a ribbon-cutting ceremony launched by 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. It will be followed by live entertainment and family activities in and around Sanborn Square.
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.  Meet Me On The Promenade programming throughout the Downtown immediately follows the Walk.  A “Sip & Stroll Around Downtown Boca” self-guided tour program will help attendees to easily navigate through Downtown Boca’s community’s assets: dining, shopping, 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. Participating retailers and restaurants will remain open late, and trolleys will run continually during Meet Me On The Promenade activities. Verizon Wireless Cellular Sales-South Florida is sponsoring Segway tours throughout the Downtown Boca community as well.
IT TAKES VISION, CONNECTIVITY, AND COLLABORATION FOR COMMUNITY SUCCESS
“Meet Me On The Promenade is the perfect example of successful public/private partnership engagement as is hosted by the CRA; developed and 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,” said Boca Raton Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Chair and City Council Member Constance Scott.
She reported that to date 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), 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 (Programming Development Partner), Multi-Image Group (Official AV Sponsor);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), Boca Raton Museum of Art and South Florida Sunrise (Presenter of “Picture Downtown Boca” Photography Competition), Palm Beach Outdoor Cinema Events (Programming Sponsor), Tucci’s Fire N Coal Pizza (VIP Tent); “Friends of Downtown Boca” sponsors: Habitat For Humanity (Programming Sponsor). Community partners: 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 Piquantpublications; WRMF Radio; Boca Raton Tribune, bocaparent.com, South Florida Sunrise, Coastal Star, and Boca Observer.
“There are still plenty of ways to ‘be a part of it, in the heart of it’,” noted Boca Raton Downtown Manager Ruby Childers. “Great sponsorship and programming partnership opportunities are still available and encouraged. This event provides Downtown businesses, nonprofit organizations, schools and universities, and business friends of Downtown Boca the ability to share their missions, products and services with thousands while showing their support of Downtown Boca.” To learn more, visit www.downtownboca.org and click on the Meet Me On The Promenade logo to access the dedicated website section that provides event announcements and updates, brochures for downloading, participation opportunities, sponsorship options, registration forms, and more or contact Jon Kaye at Kaye Communications, Inc.– the official Marketing & PR firm for Downtown Boca — at jkaye@kcompr.com, 561-392-5166-office, or 561-756-3097-cell.
DETAILED PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS/ATTRACTIONS
Developed to share the various features, benefits, and advantages of living, working, playing and visiting Downtown Boca, Meet Me On The Promenade event programming includes:
FRIDAY NIGHT: OCTOBER 21, 2011-SPONSORED BY BOCA RATON RESORT & CLUB
Meet Me On The Promenade Opening Festivities Launches With Official Downtown Boca Bop Community Line Dance Presented by Fred Astaire Dance Studio-Boca Raton-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. Thousands are expected to join in the fun 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 through the Promenade led by the Fred Astaire Dance Studio instructors and celebrity dance leaders. Prior to the community dance, video lessons will be posted to downtownboca.org, Downtown Boca Facebook, and You Tube with some public 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 festivities and dance to begin promptly at 6 p.m. To register groups, businesses and organizations in advance for premium positions, visit www.downtownboca.org.
Performance By Teen Dance Troupe from Lake Worth Playhouse: “Thriller” by Michael Jackson and “Disturbia” by Rihanna.
Live Band Entertainment-BulleTt
Family Activities
Participating Retailers and Restaurants To Extend Hours
Special Promenade weekend discounts and menus
Plenty of Free Parking and Complimentary Trolley Transportation Throughout Promenade Locale

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2011-A FULL DAY & NIGHT FEST OF DOWNTOWN BOCA’S BEST
MEET ME ON THE PROMENADE WELCOME CENTER-SANBORN SQUARE Hosted by Penn Florida Companies
DOWNTOWN BOCA INFORMATION BOOTHS-PALMETTO PARK ROAD, ROYAL PALM PLACE, SANBORN SQUARE
SIP & STROLL AROUND DOWNTOWN BOCA With Presenting Sponsors Including Coldwell Banker Residential
A self-guided tour that easily “maps out” all Downtown Boca has to offer at Meet Me On The Promenade Saturday; attendees must register for Sip & Stroll at one of the Downtown Boca Information Booths 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 and Sports Center; an impressive showcase of exotic and classic cars; speed boat displays; an arts and crafts expo showcase;  Boca Raton GreenMarket; trunk shows and retail showcases; art gallery events; demos; dance lesson; travel and car giveaways; special weekend discounts; tastings, dining specials and pre fixe menus; chances to win; and more.
Attendees will want to stop by 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 a “chance-to-win” ticket for a Celebrity Cruises International cruise for two! Those stopping by the Fred Astaire Dance Studio will learn a new dance step every half hour. Strollers will also want to stop by 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.
In the Sculpture Garden adjacent to Gallery 22, Yaacov Heller will be partnering with the Boca Symphonia and Rotary Club, in conjunction with DowntownBoca.org, for an event that will include sculpture, painting, live and silent auctions, and music.  They are planning exhibits all season long, one per month, in conjunction with music and entertainment in the Sculpture Garden.
CRUZ-N-DOWNTOWN BOCA EXOTIC & CLASSIC CAR SHOW Produced By Cruz-N-America and sponsored by Comerica Bankand HubGARAGE.com
More than 100 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.
There will even be more for car enthusiasts… Boca Raton Concours d’ Elegance will showcase a collection of six classic automobiles valued up to $1 million that will be available for auction during the February 2012 Concours d’ Elegance event to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Broward County.
FAMILY ZONE Presented By Office Depot Foundation
Centerpiece of the Family Zone will an exhibition presented by the Boca Raton Children’s Museum at the southeast corner of Sanborn Park 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 Services
Presented by Art Attack, located at Royal Palm Place in Downtown Boca, this special section of Meet Me On The Promenade held in the center of the event off Palmetto Park Road showcases 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.
SPORTS ZONE Presented By Allianz Championship
Complete with a driving range and golf tips by pros hosted by the Allianz Championship, fitness classes and activities hosted by Beehive Fitness and the Peter Blum Family YMCA, visits from South Florida sports team mascots, and more.
BOCA RATON GREENMARKET Presented by Boca Raton Children’s Museum At Royal Palm Place; Supported By Investments Limited And Other Sponsors

Showcased every Saturday at Royal Palm Place from October to May at the intersection of South Federal Highway and South Mizner Boulevard, Boca’s GreenMarket is dedicated   to local food production and consumption produce that travels from  farm direct to the dining table…and through the process supporting the Florida agricultural industry and the economy of our south Florida area. 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.
HEALTH-FULL COMMUNITY PAVILION
This showcase of health-full choices, services, products, demonstrations and heath checks and screenings by some of the area’s health and wellness organizations, will include the Community Blood Centers of South Florida Blood Mobile. To register as an exhibitor in this event section, click here.
COMMUNITY CORNER
Featuring a collection of the area’s meaningful nonprofit and community organizations and their missions, the Community Corner shares updates on nonprofit news and events, volunteer opportunities, initiatives and campaigns, and more.  To register, organizations should click here.
WALKING TOURS OF HISTORIC DOWNTOWN BOCA Presented by the Boca Raton Historical Society
Attendees can sign up for guided Boca Raton’s Historic Downtown at the Welcome Center-Sanborn Square.  Guided tours will be given on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. 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, you will learn about the people who built the buildings and who had businesses in the area. You 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.
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
Sponsored by South Florida Sunrise in association with the Boca Raton Museum of Art and Multi Image Group, this first time ever open photography competition focused on what is most distinctive, desirable, and memorable about Downtown Boca calls for entries from professional and amateur photographers as well as camera phone enthusiasts to present their vision of the people, places, experiences, and things in this unique South Florida locale. All entries will be continuously projected at venues throughout the Promenade and be in open competition via online voting to win Fan Favorite awards to be announced Saturday night, October 22nd. In addition to prizes, top vote getters will also be exhibited on the SouthFloridaSunrise.com and DowntownBoca.org web sites following the Promenade event.  Photographers are encouraged to visit www.downtownboca.orgto learn about what to see and do in Downtown Boca. Submit entries to “Picture Downtown Boca” and vote for the Fan Favorite online at SouthFloridaSunrise.com beginning Thursday, September 15. Entries close Friday, October 21st, at 3 p.m. Voting will conclude Saturday, October 22nd at 6 p.m.
DANCIN’ IN THE STREETS
Live Entertainment at Sanborn Square and other locations
Family Activities
Participating Retailers and Restaurants To Remain Open Late
Special Promenade weekend discounts and menus
Free Trolley Transportation Throughout Promenade Locale, including designated parking areas

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.  For sponsorship and programming planning, contact Jon A. Kaye, Kaye Communications, Inc., the official marketing and public relations firm for Downtown Boca, at 561-392-5166-office or 561-756-3099-cell or viajkaye@kcompr.com.
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