Thursday, October 22nd, 2026 - The Boat Show opens Wednesday and takes over seven waterfront venues through the weekend, so this is the week to plan around it. Tonight, five of the actual cast members from Hocus Pocus take questions at The Parker. Saturday is packed: Wicked Manors, an estate auction with Andy Warhol prints, Blake Shelton, and a run of Halloween festivals across the county. Halloween itself lands next Saturday, with a new documentary at Bonnet House asking whether the estate is really named for alligators wearing lily pads, and a dive boat off Pompano running an underwater pumpkin-carving contest.ššš
Stuff You Wonāt Want To Miss This Week:
ā TOP PICK THIS WEEK: Wednesday through Sunday - hours vary by day | Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show across Bahia Mar, the Broward County Convention Center, Pier Sixty-Six, Las Olas Marina, Hall of Fame Marina, and Superyacht Village. The worldās largest in-water boat show, more than 1,300 boats on display. General admission from $48/day; children under 6 free with an adult. Insider Tip: thereās no box office on-site, buy tickets online before you go.
TONIGHT - 7:30pm | Itās Just a Bunch of Hocus Pocus at Wells Hall, The Parker. An unofficial fan event (not affiliated with Disney): a drag tribute show plus a live Q&A with five of the filmās actual cast members, including Jason Marsden and Vinessa Shaw. 18+.
TONIGHT - noon | No Tricks, Just Treasures, a one-day online auction from Williamson Auction Gallery, Hollywood. Royal Albert dinnerware, 1990s special-edition Barbie dolls, and a lot of DC Comics Batman comics.
TONIGHT - 6-8pm | Oldies Music Singo & Dance Show at the Herb Skolnick Center, Pompano Beach. $9 covers bingo cards, refreshments, and prizes, then dancing.
Friday Night - 7:30pm | The Wilburys, A Traveling Tribute at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center. $45+.
Friday Night - 7:30pm | The Vampire Circus at Wells Hall, The Parker. Count Dracula opens a traveling circus in 19th-century Bohemia as cover for a plot of world domination, with international acrobats and contortionists.
Friday and Saturday - 7pm | The Mystery of Edwin Drood at the Miniaci Performing Arts Center, NSU, Davie. A Tony-winning musical built on Dickensās unfinished novel, performed by North Broward Prep students. The audience votes on who the murderer is and how it ends.
Friday - 5-9pm | Boo Bash at ArtsPark, ArtsPark at Young Circle, Hollywood. Free; childrenās activities and music from 5pm, a costume fashion show at 7pm, then a movie night at 8pm.
Friday Night - 6:30-8:30pm | Monster Mash Dance at Community Park, Pompano Beach. Free; games, dancing, and a costume contest.
Friday - 5:30-7:30pm | Parkland Halloween Festival at the Equestrian Center, Temple Park. Free; trick-or-trunks and live entertainment, built for young children.
Friday Night - 7pm | Teddy Swims: The Ugly Tour at Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise.
Saturday - 11am | Nightmare on Auction Street, a 500+ lot online auction from Elite Estate Liquidators, Lauderhill. Andy Warhol prints, a two-volume Churchill biography, and a run of Third Reich reference books.
Saturday Night - 8pm | Blake Shelton at Hard Rock Live, Hollywood. From $105.
Saturday Night - 7:30pm | Jessica Kirson at Wells Hall, The Parker.
Saturday Night, also Sunday - 7:30pm Sat, 1pm and 6:30pm Sun | Miami City Ballet: American Rhythms at the Au-Rene Theater, Broward Center. The company opens its season with a Balanchine classic and a world premiere by Patricia Delgado and composer Emily Estefan, both Miami natives.
Saturday - Revolution Live | Wargasm (UK), with Scene Queen and Bailey Spinn.
Saturday Night - 7pm | Sombr at Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise.
Saturday - 4-9pm | Boo Bash but this one at Community Park, Pompano Beach. Free; a Toddler Zone, petting zoo, hay rides, and a pie-eating contest.
Saturday Night - 6-11pm | Red Gala 2026 at Pier Sixty-Six. Goo Goo Dolls headline this charity gala benefiting Joe DiMaggio Childrenās Hospital Foundation.
Saturday Night - 6-10pm | Margateās Fall Festival at Margate Sports Complex. Free; a costume contest, a haunted house, and pony rides.
Saturday Night - 8pm-2am | Hollyweird Festival on Hollywood Blvd between 19th and 20th Ave. Free admission; one of the largest Halloween street festivals in Broward.
Saturday Morning - 10-11am | Art as Medicine: Lessons from the Gilded Age at NSU Art Museum. Free for members, $16 non-members.
Saturday Night - 7-9pm | Elaina the Poet: Bringz the Jazz Holiday Special at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center. $23+.
Saturday Night, also Sunday Afternoon - 8pm Sat, 2pm Sun | La Velada: An Alchemy of Past and Present at Aventura Arts & Cultural Center. Flamenco dancer Marta GƔlvez explores where flamenco tradition meets the present moment.
Saturday and Sunday - 10am-5pm, 11am-5pm | Broward Mall Spooktacular Craft & Vendor Market at Broward Mall, Plantation. Free entry; local vendors and handmade goods.
Sunday Afternoon - 2pm | December ā63: Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons Tribute at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center. $45+.
Sunday Afternoon - 3-7pm | Horse & Hound Costume Event at Sand & Spurs Equestrian Park, Pompano Beach. Costumed dogs and horses, hayrides, and a bounce house for children.
Sunday - 12-5pm | Free Fort Lauderdale Neighbor Day at NSU Art Museum. Free admission for Fort Lauderdale residents, the last Sunday of every month. Insider Tip: bring a photo ID or a utility bill with your Fort Lauderdale address, or youāll pay full price at the door.
Sunday Night - 8pm | Brand New at Hard Rock Live, Hollywood.
Also Sunday - 7pm | Katt Williams: Book Tour at Wells Hall, The Parker. A conversation on resilience and faith built around his new memoir; every ticket includes a copy of the book.
Monday Night - 5-9pm | Boos & Brews at Lauderhill. Free; Halloween-themed food trucks.
Monday Night - doors 6:30pm | CAKE at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center.
Tuesday Night - doors 7pm | The Linda Lindas at Culture Room, with Grace Bowers. From $54.
Tuesday Night - 7:30pm | David Sedaris at Wells Hall, The Parker. All-new, unpublished stories, with book signing before and after.
Wednesday - 12-1:30pm | Riverwalk Tunes on Top at Tunnel Top Plaza. Free; a midday live-music break with local artists.
SAVE THE DATES for Next Week
Thursday and Friday, Oct 29-30 - 8pm | Ed Sheeran: The Loop Tour at Hard Rock Live, Hollywood. From $185.
Thursday, Oct 29 - 6-10pm | Beaux Arts Presents: Stardust & Spurs at The Tower Club, 28th floor. A fundraising gala for NSU Art Museum, Western-meets-celestial dress code.
Friday, Oct 30 - 5:30pm and movies begin at 7pm | Halloween Double Feature at Huizenga Park. We (AAFTL) will also be there with our Thumb Buddy āmake and takeā station.
Friday, Oct 30 - activities 6pm, movie 7pm | Movie in the Graveyard at Sabal Pines Park, Coconut Creek. Free, no registration: a screening of Disneyās Coco, a Trunk or Treat, and free childrenās crafts.
Friday, Oct 30 - 7pm | Hockey Halloween: Winnipeg Jets at Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise.
Friday, Oct 30 - 6-11pm | Boos and Brews Halloween Bash at Tarpon River Brewing. Live music, contests and pumpkin carving. Free.
Friday, Oct 30 - 6-9pm | Boots and Ghouls Line Dancing Halloween Party at the E. Pat Larkins Center, Pompano Beach. $10 advance, $15 at the door. 18+.
Saturday, Oct 31 - 5-11pm | Wicked Manors: Masquerade of Mayhem on Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors. South Floridaās largest Halloween street party, 40,000+ attendees; proceeds benefit The Pride Center at Equality Park.
Saturday, Oct 31 - 11am-4pm | Bonnet House Halloween Fest at Bonnet House Museum & Gardens. $25 adults, $8 ages 6-17, free 5 and under. A costume runway, face painting, and a trick-or-treat trail.
Saturday, Oct 31 - departs 8:30am | Halloween Dive with South Florida Diving Headquarters, Pompano Beach. $90. An underwater costume contest and an underwater pumpkin-carving contest, judged on scariest, funniest, and most original. Insider Tip: arrive an hour early if youāre competing in the pumpkin-carving contest, gear and pumpkins get fitted before the boat leaves.
Saturday, Oct 31 - 6-8pm | HalloSCREAM 2026 at McNair Center, Pompano Beach. Free, all ages.
Our Ask: ort Lauderdale calls itself the Yachting Capital of the World, and the Boat Show is why. Going to buy or browse?
Featured Fort Lauderdale
A New Film Asks If Bonnet House Is Really Named For Alligators Wearing Lily Pads
A new 27-minute documentary, āHidden in Plain Sight,ā explores one of Fort Lauderdaleās oldest local legends: that Bonnet House got its name because alligators used to surface nearby wearing lily pads, or ābonnets,ā on their heads. Filmmakers Neil Goldberg and Frank Linero made the film, which traces the estateās history and its founders, artists Frederic Clay Bartlett and Evelyn Fortune Bartlett.
It screens in the Caretakerās Cottage on Saturday, Oct 31, during Bonnet Houseās Halloween Fest. Hidden in Plain Sight Ā· Bonnet House Museum & Gardens
So... You Think You Know South Florida
You probably already knowā¦ there's good snorkeling to pick from and Lauderdale-by-the-Sea is a particular favorite.
What you might not know isā¦ that one of the reefs there is a 126-year-old shipwreck.
The British steamer Copenhagen left Philadelphia on May 20, 1900, with almost 5,000 tons of coal bound for Havana. Six days later, she struck the Pompano Dropoff reef and never came off. The inquiry blamed the captain for not taking proper soundings, but let him keep his license on the strength of his record. During World War II, Navy pilots used the wreck for target practice, and spent .50-caliber bullets are still down there.
Sheās a Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve since 1994 and on the National Register of Historic Places since 2001, sitting in about 25 feet of water, three-quarters of a mile off the beach.
Source: Wikipedia, Discover LBTS
More Treats To Try
We donāt let just anyone sponsor this newsletter. Hereās who āmade the cutā this week:
Have you tried Sweetwaters (NOW OPEN) in Huizenga Park? A neighborhood restaurant, right by the water. Think Bryant Park right here in downtown FTL.
Did you know you can come out and watch the Panthers practice? Or join a hockey league, take a skating lessonā¦ or just join a free skate?
SAVE THIS DATE: Sunday, November 8th - the first Families Serving Fort Lauderdale. Once a month, on a Sunday morning, we will partner with a different local nonprofit to learn about the important work they do and then roll up our sleeves (parents and children) for a meaningful, hands-on volunteer project. The goal is to help children develop a lifelong commitment to giving back, discover the joy of helping others, and see firsthand how they can make a difference in our community.
Nights of Fright Returns to Davie for 5 Terrifying Nights! Explore 20+ rooms of sheer terror at this indoor, air-conditioned attraction, plus enjoy live entertainment, a DJ, creepy treats, local vendors, raffles, and more! Bringing your little monsters? The Not-So-Scary Haunted House, from 5ā6 PM nightly, offers Halloween fun without ALL the frights! Join us October 23, 24, 25, 29 & 30 at 3801 S. Pine Island Road, Davie. FREE parking! Timed tickets are required. Last year SOLD OUT. More info: https://nightsoffrighthauntedhouse.com/nights-of-fright
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Just hit reply to this email to get started. Work with us to reach over 1500+ Greater Fort Lauderdale families.
Quote Of The Week
āA ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.ā
~ John A. Shedd, from his 1928 book of aphorisms, Salt from My Attic.
Seems like the right quotation with FLIBBS taking over the waterfront.
Flotsam & Jetsam
This weekās F&J was picked specifically for several our ābuildersā at Acton. We have a group of younger learners who, give them a bucket of LEGOS or sheets of paper, and they will go to town creating vehicles from the future.
So I thought it would be fun to show them examples of just how much creativity can be expressed in cardboard.
Iāve been following Cardboard Adventures online for several years now because Samual Wilde and teamā¦ are just amazing! You have to see these creations. Plus, you can buy kits and plans so you can get in on the action too.
Hereās a little teaser but checkout the full YouTube channel to see the full array of awesomeness.
Word Play Of The Week
āGraveyard shift.ā
Despite the popular story about watching cemeteries for people buried alive, the real origin is nautical: "graveyard watch" described a ship's midnight-to-4am shift as early as 1895, named for the quiet, lonely hours rather than any actual graveyard. ~ āSource
āUnder-The-Radarā Openings Job Board
Lots of folks offering cool positions here locally. Maybe thereās one for you or a friend?
Deckhand at Water Taxi of Fort Lauderdale. Assists the captain, sells tickets and concessions, and accumulates sea time toward your own captainās license.
Director of Business Development at MODS (Museum of Discovery and Science). Full time, developing partnerships and business growth for the museum.
Bartender at Xtreme Action Park. Now hiring, timed right alongside Nightmare Villageās run through Nov 1.
Licensed Horticulture Technician at Flamingo Gardens, Davie. Part time or full time, starting at $20/hr, at the 60-acre botanical garden and Everglades wildlife sanctuary.
Do you have a listing you would like to place here for next week? Hit reply and let us know.
Lastlyā¦ One Big Idea For Your Week
Curiosity is the key? We feel more heard and understood. And asking curious questions can be a gift to another, even someone you just met. Who will you get curious about this week?
Tell Us How We Are Doing
Every week we are working to make #H!L better for you and to provide a cutting-edge media apprenticeship opportunity for our learners.
Please share your feedback. What do you love? What could we do better FOR YOU? What FTL businesses and experiences should we be highlighting?