Fresh, Fun and Free: Don’t Miss the West Palm Beach Green Market Every Saturday!

February 13, 2013 by

Imagine walking beneath a vibrant canopy of orchids along the streets line byt the glistening Intercostal waters. Your senses will be filled with splashes of yellow sunflowers, rainbows of fruits and vegetables, smells of fresh baked goods and the sound of local music filling the air. This is just an idea of some of the sensations you’ll experience at the West Palm Beach Green Market. If you haven’t been to it on a Saturday yet, it is safe to say you’re missing out. It is held at 101 South Flagler Drive on the West Palm Beach Waterfront. Over 60 vendors represent their farm garden-fresh produce, hand made art and vivacious flowers at the Green Market.  If you have some great ideas to add to the market or want to be a vendor there is room for you too!  The market has built its reputation on its gracious vendors, bustling atmosphere and celebrated produce.

Italian and Spanish open-air markets have inspired the origin of the market. Started in October of 1994 by the former Mayor of West Palm Beach, when it was authorized it as one of the City’s Community Events.  Now locals and visitors alike anticipate the Green Market season. Green Market has a mission to provide the local society with the best in locally grown fruits, vegetables and agriculture. The market and its vendor also have a vision of supporting locally grown crops, helping to stimulate agricultural development, and backing the value added and specialty products.

A FRESH OUTLOOK!

Come check out the Green Market’s first year-round season. The market kicked off in October of 2012 and will continue until April of 2013. You can come visit the market every Saturday from 9am to 2pm. The second part of the season will begin in May and continue to September 2013, from 9am to 12pm. Bring your friends and family to enjoy the garden-fresh fruits and vegetables, hot meals including Spanish, American and European cuisine, live music, the tropical native flowers and freshly baked breads and pastries. Parking is available in the Banyan Street garage. If you haven’t seen it for yourself, move it to the top of your list! The Green Market is just one of south Florida’s most precious events!

For more information about the West Palm Beach Green Market, please call Green Market Manager, Katrina Resch 561-822-1520.

Filed Under: Jupiter-Events-2013, YEAR OF OPERATION 2011

February 16, 17 and 18: The 28th Annual ArtiGras Fine Arts Festival

February 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment

THIS WEEKEND, February 16, 17 and 18, at the Abacoa Town Center in Jupiter is the 28th annual ArtiGras Fine Arts Festival.  ArtiGras has claimed the slogan, “the premier fine arts festival of the Palm Beaches.” Since it’s beginning almost 28 years ago this energetic, art festival in years past you know how much it has grown. ArtiGras used to be a small, resident show for local artists, now a nationally recognized, fine art festival!

This year, ArtiGras earned a place on the Sunshine Artist Magazine  “Top 100 List” of fine art festivals in the nation at #54. ArtiGras attracted over 150,000 art collectors and art lovers to their recent events and this year they await high numbers as well. ArtiGras is anticipating having 300 artists, 1,200 volunteers and 85,000 patrons spread out among 2.2 miles and 3 days of non-stop fun. The 300 fine artists are broken up into 14 different categories including: ceramics, sculpture, digital art, mixed media, painting, photography and more. Any style, preference or imagination can be pleased here.

Some of the events to take place include a variety of live music from pop, rock, country and jazz, local groups including gymnastics teams, theater performances and tons of unique vendors. Those at ArtiGras say, “You can’t have a great festival without great food!” and they’ve certainly got that covered. The food and beverage vendors range in a variety of styles from American to Asian, Latin to Italian. There is even a “Beer Garden” shaded by umbrellas, where can you sit and enjoy a cold beer and listen to the live music.

ArtiGras has also dedicated time and energy to making the festival a blast for kids. Youngsters love coming to ArtiGras for its plethora of events and activities designed just for them. The young artists of our area have their own gallery where they will compete with their art. These new artists, grades K-12, enter their own pieces and for display allowing all of the patrons to enjoy. Winners will be showcased on the main stage on February 18 and their schools will benefit as well. The winners will make their schools proud by earning them money for specialty, art supplies. Tiny Treasures Children’s Art Boutique is another exciting place for the kids. The special kid’s only tent, where no adults are allowed and kids can buy their own art pieces, is a unique enclave for the kids. The proceeds of this tent will go to Quantum House, a supportive home that helps families whose children are going through treatments for serious, medical conditions.

If you have not had the opportunity to visit an ArtiGras Festival, do not miss your chance this weekend! This event is fun for people of all ages. Tickets are available at the Gardens Mall Information Desk for $6 or can be purchased at the gate for $10 (children 12 and under are free).

For more information visit the ArtiGras official website.

 

Filed Under: Jupiter-Events-2013 Tagged With: ,

Texting, Driving Ban Bill

December 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Republican Sen. Nancy Detert has proposed a new measure known as (SB52) to the Senate in the state capital of Tallahassee, that will ban any one operating a motor vehicle from texting or reading text, emails, or any other electronic message. It states that this will be a secondary offense which means that an officer could only ticket someone for this offense if they have stopped them for some other traffic violation. The thought is that if an officer sees someone texting and driving they can’t just go pull them over, but if an officer sees someone running a stop sign or speeding and texting they can tack on an additional fine to the other violation. However drivers would still be able to read safety related information, weather alerts, and navigational information without being penalized. The bill also states that texting and driving will be a non-moving violation that carries a $30 fine.

Detert has tried to sponsor this proposal the past two years with no avail, even though the bill has bipartisan support. Lawmakers will be back in full session during the month of March, bills can be submitted now with committee meetings on any proposed legislation starting in early December. This bill was the first to be proposed for the coming year; however the bill has not yet been referred to committee.

Florida like many other states has been urged by the National Transportation Safety Board to ban the use of texting or talking while operating a motor vehicle. The NTSB has stated that every year almost 4000 highway deaths are caused or contributed by the use of cellphones, stating that this information was taken from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data. They also stated that nearly a quarter of Americans drivers admit to occasionally using a cellphone while operating a motor vehicle.

The magnificent beautiful scenery of South Florida and its surrounding areas can be distracting on its own. The sparkling turquoise blue water of the Atlantic Ocean meandering through the Jupiter Inlet can pull even the best drivers eyes away from the road for a moment; don’t let a text message take your attention off the road. Pull over and take a minute to take in the beautiful tropical setting, and to read your text or email.

Filed Under: Jupiter Events, Jupiter-Events-2013 Tagged With: