[🌞 #FFFTL→H!L] Where to Watch The Fireworks, and Everything Else Worth Doing Between Now and The Holiday

Plus... nearly twenty different options to make your Fourth of July celebration magnificent

Jun 25, 2026

Thursday, June 25th, 2026 - Hey Lauderdale - Ain’t no-one got time to dig through ten Instagram accounts to plan the weekend. Here’s the full rundown of what's worth your time this week, plus your complete July 4th game plan across Broward. Five minutes, and you're the most plugged-in person at the cookout. 👇👇👇

Stuff You Won’t Want To Miss This Week:

Friday Night 8pm | Monthly Movie On Lawn at Huizenga. The live-action Lilo & Stitch will on the big screen, along with a Tiki Bar, Polynesian dancers, and face-painting. Come early. The first 100 to arrive get free popcorn for the movie.
Also Friday 7pm | Starlight Musicals at Holiday Park. Taking a break over the holiday weekend. But you have two great shows before and after. 6/26 Sabor Latino; 7/3 No Concert; 7/10 The Pitbull of Blues.
Friday 7pm | Team Boxing League: Nashville vs. Miami. The hometown Miami Assassins fight the Nashville Smash in a team-format boxing card. A cheap, loud night out if you’ve never seen live boxing.
Friday and Saturday 8pm | Matt Rife at Hard Rock Live. The work-the-crowd comedian has two nights in Hollywood. I’ve been seeing this guy on social media. He can get pretty crazy.
Friday to Sunday 9am | Southwest Ranches estate sale. Remington bronzes, a one-of-a-kind carved chair, Lladro figurines, and gently used designer bags. The kind of haul people drive across the county for. Bring cash and your own muscle.
Saturday 7pm | ‘Haunting On The River’ Ghost Tour Like Never Before. Join Tim Arnwine and his paranormal team at History Fort Lauderdale and discover what it takes to be a true paranormal investigator.
Saturday 5–10:30pm | Red, White & Booze Block Party. Kick off the holiday week early at Gulf Stream Distillery with cocktails and a street-party feel. A good way to scope out a local distillery most newcomers walk right past.
Saturday 5:30pm | World Cup Watch Party at Amerant Bank Arena. Watch Colombia vs. Portugal on the big screen with free admission and free parking, plus food trucks and games outside. Grab tickets ahead; the opener sold out.
Saturday 3–7pm | Flamingo Flea at Marina Village. Browse handmade and vintage goods on the water, then grab a drink from the two-story boat bar with a DJ going. Free to walk in.
Saturday and Sunday Noon–8pm | Smorgasburg South Florida. Close to 50 food vendors in one Flagler Village lot, everything from dumplings to birria. Free to walk in, so go hungry and graze.
Sunday Noon–5pm | NSU Art Museum Neighbor Day. Get into the city’s main art museum free for the afternoon. A no-cost way to spend a hot Sunday somewhere with good air conditioning and real art.
Sundays (both Jun 28 & Jul 5) Noon–4pm | Sunny Side Up Market. Every Sunday at Huizenga Plaza you’ll find local makers, farmers, and seafood with a DJ spinning. Dog-friendly and right downtown.
Tue Jun 30, Thu–Fri Jul 2–3 · 8pm | Ariana Grande at Amerant Bank Arena. Three nights in Sunrise on the Eternal Sunshine tour, so you have options if one date sells out. The arena show everyone will be talking about next week.
Wednesday 8pm | Ratones Paranoicos at Hard Rock Live. The Argentine rock legends bring their Stones-flavored sound to Hollywood on a Wednesday. Worth a midweek night out if you grew up on this stuff.
Thursday, Jul 2 · 11am–7pm | NSU Art Museum Free First Thursday. Free admission with late hours, so you can swing by after work. Catch the VR immersive art and the new Frantz Zephirin Haitian-painting show while you’re there.
Through Sun, Jul 5 · daily | FIFA Fan Festival Miami. The official World Cup fan zone at Bayfront Park is in its final days: big-screen matches, live stages, food. Worth the drive south while it’s still running.
Fri–Sat, Jul 3–4 · 9am | Oakland Park art & Swarovski estate sale. The listing names Dali and Rembrandt artwork, boxed Swarovski crystal, and mid-century furniture. Cash or Zelle, wraps by 1pm, so go early. A genuine "didn’t know that was here" find on a holiday morning.
Tuesday Evenings | Mermaid Tails & Cocktails at the Wreck Bar. Watch a retro underwater mermaid show through the portholes of a below-deck bar. One of the strangest, most "only here" nights in town.
Daily at MODS | The Science of Guinness World Records. Test yourself against real world records at the Museum of Discovery and Science. A solid air-conditioned plan when it’s too hot to be outside.

How Will You Celebrate Your July Fourth?

We are a little over a week out from the Independence Day Celebrations. Happy 250th birthday to the old U. S. of A. If you don’t already have plans, here’s some of the fun you can add to your holiday:

Fort Lauderdale Beach will be alive all afternoon and evening, with the Walker Hayes concert at 7:30pm, a Drone Show at 8:45pm, and what is promised to be a spectacular 250th-worthy fireworks at 9pm. Here’s the full schedule for the day.
Before the bash on the beach, come join the ‘picnic in the park’ (at Huizenga Park). Mr. Smashburger will be offering $2.50 burgers and hotdogs to celebrate the 250th. There will be games, live music, and giveaways.
Hollywood Star-Spangled Spectacular. The pick if you want toes in the sand and the Broadwalk within reach. A DJ at 5, live band at 7, offshore fireworks at 9. Pack a picnic for the marked beach zones. A1A closes to incoming cars from 8pm.
Pompano Beach Fireworks Spectacular. Set up near the Fisher Family Pier; the 9pm fireworks launch from a barge offshore, so the view stays clear down the beach. A Beach Boys tribute plays from 5.
Deerfield Beach 4th of July. Best if drones are your thing. Four bands play the beach from 4, then drones fly over the water at 9 instead of fireworks.
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Fourth of July. The small-town day: a morning parade down El Mar Drive, family stuff at El Prado Park till 2, then fireworks at 9.
Coral Springs Fourth of July. A roomy inland park party at Mullins with the Remix Band, lawn games, and free parking. Fireworks go around 8:30, earlier than the beach shows, so you will get home sooner.
Plantation 4th of July. A true all-day inland plan: a morning parade down Broward Blvd, then a kids zone, concert, and Zambelli fireworks at Central Park at night.
Sunrise Fourth of July. Two parts: a Sunset Strip parade in the morning, then an evening at Amerant Bank Arena with live bands from 6 and a fireworks finale. The arena gives you an AC break from the July heat.
Pembroke Pines Fourth of July. A no-fuss evening at the Pines Rec Center grounds: live band and DJ from 6, fireworks at 9. The easy choice for southwest Broward if a beach drive sounds like a headache.
Miramar Independence Day. Gates open early at 4:30 for a DJ dance party leading to 9pm fireworks at Miramar Regional Park.
Margate Fourth of July Extravaganza. The most packed single-town day: a 9am parade, a 1–4pm pool party at the Calypso Cove waterpark, and fireworks at 9 at Margate Blvd and 441.
Tamarac All-American Celebration. A free, easygoing evening at the Sports Complex with the band Extasy, bounce houses, and a vendor hall before the fireworks.
Seminole Casino Coconut Creek Fireworks & Drone Show. Food trucks and bars open at 7, then both a drone show and fireworks at 9:30, the latest start of the night. Head to the rooftop parking garage for the best view and an easy exit.
Davie Fun on the 4th. Davie pairs a drone show at 9 with fireworks right after. One catch: it’s residents-only with pre-registration, so this one’s for folks who live in town, not a drop-in.
Freedom Fest at Gulfstream Park. For something that isn’t a beach: horse racing, the Village shops and restaurants, family activities, and a trackside fireworks show to close the night.
July 3rd · 6pm | Weston Hometown Fireworks. It runs a night early, so you can do Weston on the 3rd and still catch a beach show on the 4th. DJ and a live band from 6, fireworks to finish, with the city marking its 30th year.
Another July 3rd | Oakland Park All-American Picnic. A relaxed July 3 picnic at Centennial Park with live music and a library ribbon-cutting, not a fireworks night.
Wed–Sun, Jul 1–5 | Wilton Manors 4th of July Weekend. A multi-day LGBTQ-focused weekend on and around Wilton Drive (parties in the park, circuit events), not a single fireworks show. Worth flagging for readers who want the scene more than the sparklers.

😉 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

Our city of Fort Lauderdale was featured in Forbes, and by our own Jenni Morejon (a regular reader of this newsletter). If you recognize the name but don’t know the background, Jenni is the President and CEO of Fort Lauderdale’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA). Among other things, they are the folks who are getting the highest accolades for the newly redeveloped Huizenga Park, which is now seeing over 25,000 visitors each month.

The basic premise of the Forbes Feature is that while Miami and West Palm Beach are getting headlines for their billionaire benefactors, the magic of Fort Lauderdale development as a city was laid out years ago by our billionaire (founder of three different publicly traded companies) H. Wayne Huizenga.

The quiet but compelling growth and development of Fort Lauderdale reminds me of the age-old aphorism, that "Confidence is silent. Insecurities are loud." And Fort Lauderdale is quietly winning.

So... You Think You Know South Florida

You probably already know... the good ‘ole U. S. of A. turns 250 years young next week.

What you might not know... Florida wasn’t one of the original 13 colonies.

It was actually invited, and said… ‘no thanks.’

While everyone up north was busy dumping tea in Boston Harbor and declaring independence, there were two more British colonies down here. East Florida, run out of St. Augustine, and West Florida, run out of Pensacola.

Britain picked them up from Spain in 1763, and both stayed loyal to King George. Both got invited to send delegates to the Continental Congress. Both passed. Must have watched the YouTube video and were won over by his winning personality.

Then it got personal. On August 11, 1776, word of the Declaration reached St. Augustine, and the locals were so steamed they built effigies of John Hancock and Samuel Adams, strung them up in the plaza, and set them on fire. Possibly that makes for the original Florida Man headline: it’s 95 degrees, let’s burn something.

This was no backwater, either. St. Augustine had the only stone fort south of the Chesapeake, the Castillo, which is still standing and waiting for you to visit today.

George Washington took the place seriously enough to write more than 80 letters about it and order five separate invasions. None of them stuck.

So this weekend, while everyone waves the flag, you can be the one at the cookout who mentions the two colonies that stayed loyal, threw a bonfire, and only became part of American later. (Spain took Florida back in 1783. The U.S. didn’t get it until 1821.)

Now you know. Happy 250th.

Source: Florida Historical Society

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 1400+ local families for just $100)

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Here’s a plug for the 14‑year‑old owner of Tater Tots Plushies, a mobile plush‑making business. She offers to bring a full bear‑stuffing experience directly to senior centers, adult day programs, birthdays, parties, school events, and so much more! Interested? Book with us here: linktr.ee/tatertotsplushies no party too big or too small!
Did you know you can take off season tours of the Miami Heat All Access Arena and facilities? Minimum group of 4 required. Tell Victoria you heard about it from us.
Urban Air Adventure Park Plantation offers the ultimate way to keep kids active all summer long and beat the heat and rain. For Summer Group Packages full of nonstop indoor adventure call or email today! Lea@elevatedvg.com or 561-831-4311 for fast turnaround.
Summer is getting hot and Brightline is offering deals on getting families to the closest water parks (Aventura, Boca, West Palm, or Orlando).

Just hit reply to this email to get started. Work with us to reach over 1300+ Greater Fort Lauderdale families.

Quote Of The Week

“Confidence and self-belief are contagious; they are not a matter of pure arrogance or overweening egotism, they are the sense of being part of a greater story others have not yet discovered and giving off an almost physical sense of invitation to join that story, that disarms and then changes potential enemies into allies.”

Poet David Whyte on the relationship between self-belief and confidence.

Flotsam & Jetsam

This Coming Week History Is Having It’s Moment (and a 250th Birthday!)

America turns 250 this week. Funny timing, because the best way to actually see the past right now isn’t a textbook. It’s AI, and it’s all over YouTube.

Here are three channels worth your time to time travel:

Majestic Studios rebuilds a single place in detail, so you can stand in ancient Rome or 1776 Baltimore.
The Entire History of Paris in 37 Minutes does the opposite: it fast-forwards one city from a Roman river town in 259 BC into the Paris you know.
And Chloe VS History sends an AI “time-traveling influencer” into the Black Death or the Titanic, reacting like she’s filming it for her followers.

Is it flawless history? No. AI fills the gaps, and sometimes fills them wrong. But for getting you to care about 1776? Hard to beat. Happy 250th. Go explore with a little time-travel adventures.

Word Play Of The Week

“The Stakes Are High”

The idiom “the stakes are high” means that a lot is at risk or there are significant consequences depending on the outcome of a situation. It implies that the potential rewards or losses are substantial, making the situation critical and the decisions or actions taken very important. Used figuratively since at least the early 19th century. ~ Source

‘Under-The-Radar’ Openings Job Board

Lot’s of folks offering cool positions here locally. Maybe there’s one for you or a friend?

Brewer at Funky Buddha Brewery, Oakland Park. Hands-on brewhouse role at Broward’s best-known craft brewery.
Social Programs Facilitator & Mentor. The Friendship Circle. A deeply rewarding community role. You will be designing dynamic social experiences, field trips, and events for children and adults with special needs, while also partnering with local businesses on Las Olas and beyond to create vocational training programs.
Temporary Museum Preparator at NSU Art Museum - installs/de-installs exhibitions: crating, carpentry, hanging shows.
Head Audio, Au-Rene Theater at the Broward Center. Lead sound engineer for the 2,600-seat flagship room.
Do you have a listing you would like to place here for next week? Hit reply and let us know.

Lastly… One Big Idea For Your Week

Who will you be this week? You are not the same person now. You get to choose.

Tell Us How We Are Doing

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