District Ready To Celebrate 50 Great Years

The Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District turned 50 this year and that's worth celebrating.

On Sunday, April 21, the District, in conjunction with the City of Boca Raton Recreation Services Department, is throwing a party and the entire Boca Raton community is invited.

“Whether it's preserving beaches, preserving green space, or creating some of the best parks in Florida, we've accomplished so much for the community in our first 50 years,” District Chair Erin Wright said. “We hope the community will celebrate with us.”

Fittingly, the 50th Anniversary Celebration will occur within one of the District's biggest accomplishments: Sugar Sand Park.

The community is encouraged to join us from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. outside the Community Center and carousel area of the park for food, music and fun. Admission is free.

Local favorites Mistah Lee's BBQ, Heavenly Churros, and Uptown Deli Cafe will be selling a variety of their specialties. Guitarist Frankie Luv provides the music.

Lawn games like cornhole and giant Connect Four will entertain children and adults. A stuff-a-plush station will afford the first 200 children the opportunity to build their own stuffed bear.

There will even be rides on the iconic carousel for children.

“We think the Boca Raton community deserves a fun afternoon,” Commissioner Steve Engel said. “We're really looking forward to celebrating with those we serve.”

The public is encouraged to park in the lot in front of Sugar Sand's Community Center. The remainder of Sugar Sand park will be open for normal Sunday activities.

The District began its Golden Anniversary Celebration earlier this month with the opening of an exhibit highlighting many of its accomplishments over the first 50 years. The exhibit resides within the Community Center, near the Willow Theatre, and includes the first public showing of the Native American artifacts discovered during the creation of Ocean Strand Park, a printout of the District's first operating budget, and more than 30 photographs.

The 50th anniversary exhibit runs through mid May, then will move to the Boca Raton Historical Society. Visitors are invited to enjoy the exhibit as part of Sunday's festivities.

Future 50th Anniversary events include a July 13 tree giveaway at Patch Reef Park and free carousel rides for children on Sundays in September.

An act of the Florida Legislature created what became the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District in March of 1974 as a means to help the City of Boca Raton purchase the Schine Tract – the future site of Red Reef Park and the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center.