Harry Harrell and Gary Torrence’s mighty Southern pit-stop Tom Jenkins’ Bar-B-Q survived for 36 years on Federal Highway in the shadow of Fort Lauderdale’s ever-rising skyline.
But on Dec. 21, the longtime friends and pitmasters will permanently close their barbecue house at 1236 S. Federal Highway, known for heaping portions of St. Louis-style ribs, juicy chopped pork and smoky chicken, collard greens and mac and cheese, Harrell told the South Florida Sun Sentinel on Thursday. He said they plan to sell the building and land.
Calling their retirement “bittersweet,” Harrell, 65, said the tension of “skyrocketing” food prices, catering orders eroded by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the higher costs of labor and insurance convinced them to retire.
“Things have just gotten so much tougher,” he said. “Two years ago, me and [my partner] Gary looked at each other and realized, ‘We’re about to turn 65 — how long do we keep doing this?’ We got to a point where we wanted to step aside.”
Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel
Pitmaster Marquis Curry has worked at Tom Jenkins’ Bar-B-Que for 23 years. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
This week, the barbecue duo posted their Dec. 21 closing date in goodbye messages taped to Tom Jenkins’ front door and cash register, which Harrell said triggered a flurry of “shocked phone calls” from longtime customers.
The message states: “After two years of careful planning … we have decided to retire and close the doors of Tom Jenkins Bar-B-Q. We want to thank all our customers for all these years of loyal support. … This has been a journey full of love blessed by God and we are certainly grateful.”
Harrell and Torrence, Omega Psi Phi fraternity roommates at Florida A&M University, at first picked careers that bore no resemblance to barbecuing. Harrell majored in computer science and worked at IBM for 13 years as a computer programmer and systems engineer, while Torrence majored in electrical engineering, designing computer chips for eight years before becoming a middle-school math teacher in Broward County.
Together, they created a barbecue sauce — a palate-pleasing blend of sweetness and vinegar — that friends and family clamored for at every gathering. This convinced them to start a business.
However, banks kept rejecting their loan applications because “restaurants then and still do have a risky 90% failure rate,” Harrell said.
“We weren’t into climbing the corporate ladder,” he said. “We’re just kind of entrepreneurs at heart, so we started small, building up a clientele, and thankfully our plan worked.”
Michael F McElroy / Sun Sentinel
Tom Jenkins became a massive fan favorite for its ribs, chopped pork and smoky chicken, slow-cooked in the restaurant’s 6-by-10-foot pit. (Michael F. McElroy/South Florida Sun Sentinel file)
In 1989, while still working their 9-to-5 jobs, they opened an 8-by-12-foot barbecue trailer on Federal Highway, in the parking lot of the Inn N Out Oil Change. In 1995, they crossed the street and transformed The Straw Hat, a country and western bar, into the 40-seat Tom Jenkins, named after one of Torrence’s favorite uncles. The restaurant opened for business in 1996.
“That was always the inside joke between us,” Harrell recalled with a laugh. “We had these STEM degrees working with electricity, and here we are now cooking with wood. Go figure.”
Through the years, Tom Jenkins became a massive fan favorite for its three top-sellers — ribs, chopped pork and smoky chicken — slow-cooked over red oak in the restaurant’s 6-by-10-foot pit. And they became just as noteworthy for their sides, including potato salad, cole slaw, baked beans, corn on the cob, french fries and onion rings.
Tom Jenkins’ shack has earned decades of praise in local publications, most recently from the Sun Sentinel, whose readers named it the Best Barbecue in 2011 and made it a finalist in the Best of South Florida Dining series last year.
However, the restaurant’s fortunes turned sour when the pandemic obliterated its office catering business, which accounted for 35% of sales, Harrell said. Then, just as their catering business rebounded in recent years, the cost of food, labor and liability insurance soared.
The sign on the door says it all. Tom Jenkins’ Bar-B-Q in Fort Lauderdale is closing its doors. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
“In-person dining didn’t make up for the loss in catering,” he said. “Restaurants don’t work like gas stations. When oil goes up, gas goes up, and people are used to it. But you can only charge so much for a pork sandwich. If pork prices go up, the menu price stays the same, and we just ate the difference.”
Harrell insists that the recent rise of nearby barbecue competitors — Fat Boyz Barbecue a half-mile north, Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse downtown and all-you-can-eat Gen Korean BBQ on Las Olas Boulevard — did not factor into the decision to retire.
“We were never concerned about competition, not to sound arrogant,” he said. “That’s our IBM training: Never disparage anybody else. We just want to present the best product we can, and we knew it could stand up to anyone else’s product.”
‘Silent Bones’ by Val McDermid; Atlantic Crime; 448 pages; $28
“Silent Bones,” the eighth novel in Val McDermid’s Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie series, is a master class in Scottish cold case investigation and politics in a tightly wound plot.
Karen and her Historic Case Unit are called to an unusual crime scene. Human remains are found when a section of Scotland’s M73 highway collapses after a mudslide caused by torrential winter rainstorms. The skeleton was identified as investigative journalist Sam Nimmo, the prime suspect in the murder of his pregnant girlfriend, who had vanished shortly after the crime 11 years ago.
The team, including Daisy Mortimer and Jason “The Mint” Murray, also becomes involved with another case that had been ruled accidental. Drew Jamieson insists he has evidence that his brother, Tom, didn’t fall from Edinburgh’s Scotsman Steps about five years before, but was pushed.
(Atlantic Crime/Courtesy)
Various motives may be related to the murder of Sam, whose in-depth reporting uncovered corruption, fraud and assault involving politicians and businesspeople. His stories on Scotland’s independence uncover more graft. Tom, who managed the nearby Scott Monument Hotel, seemed to have no enemies, though he’d recently had a public disagreement with the hotel’s sommelier, who was angry Tom quit their football club to join an elite, secretive book group with a murky history.
The author realistically draws together the plots, avoiding coincidences and combining believable clues with solid police insight in “Silent Bones.” Her storytelling prowess shows characters who continue to sharpen their investigative skills while juggling personal lives.
McDermid’s various series and standalones have put her in the top tier of mystery writers. “Silent Bones” continues her solid reputation.
Christina Kovac’s “Watch Us Fall” is an intriguing psychological thriller. (Tina Krohn/Courtesy)
Read about ‘The Sweeties’
‘Watch Us Fall’ by Christina Kovac; Simon & Schuster; 272 pages; $28
Female friendship, obsession and parental issues fuel “Watch Us Fall,” Christina Kovac’s intriguing psychological thriller.
Four women — Lucy, Addie, Penelope and Estella — best friends since college, where they first became roommates, still live together as post-grads in a lovely yet decaying townhouse in the middle of Georgetown. They call themselves “The Sweeties” as they build careers, date and deepen their friendship. The four are so tightly united, especially Lucy and Addie, that an acquaintance called them “a cult.”
Then Addie, the unofficial leader, begins an intense relationship with the charming, wealthy Josh Egan, whose career as a television journalist is on the rise, with him poised to go national. Josh’s charismatic personality seems inherited from his father, a presidential candidate who was killed in a plane accident while on the campaign trail when Josh was 13.
(Simon & Schuster/Courtesy)
Addie and Josh’s relationship begins intensely, with him obsessed with her, but ends abruptly. Addie believes Josh attacked her on a remote walking trail during her morning run, leaving her bruised and bloodied. Addie refuses to report the attack to the police as she becomes less sure that the assailant was Josh, who had recently been acting erratically. Days later, Josh disappears, missing his chance to anchor the evening news. Josh is too ambitious to ever miss work, especially the chance to anchor. So Lucy begins her own investigation into what happened to Josh.
The Sweeties are the heart of “Watch Us Fall,” with each woman’s personality a strong component. But Kovac’s increased focus on Josh, his complicated background and family issues add insight to the women’s choices.
Filmmakers working in and out of the studio system managed to make bold, personal, wildly imaginative and singular works. Some of them even broke through to the mainstream — how extraordinary that “Sinners” is among the highest earning of the year in North America, alongside all those “safe” sequels, reboots and known brands? Most, however, are more likely destined for cult classic status.
Hollywood as we know it is undergoing seismic changes, with yet another studio, Warner Bros., staring down a possible merger. This an industry that’s always under threat, though, and always seems to figure something out. If anything, 2025 was also a year in which audiences showed that they still crave the theatrical experience, whether it was to shout “chicken jockey” at the screen or, despite all logic and polling otherwise, help “KPop Demon Hunters” unofficially top the box office charts two months after hitting Netflix.
More than a few greats were woefully underseen as well. But in a year which also saw the deaths of cinema icons like David Lynch, Robert Redford, Diane Keaton and Gene Hackman, it’s good to remember that box office and awards are just temporary measurements. The films are the things that last.
Here are The Associated Press’ Film Writers Lindsey Bahr and Jake Coyle’s picks for the best movies of 2025:
Lindsey Bahr’s top movies of 2025
1. “One Battle After Another”
Paul Thomas Anderson took us on ride of the year with “One Battle After Another,” which is so many things — a clever farce, a frenetic thrill ride, a poignant drama about single parenting, a buddy comedy — it’s nearly impossible to describe compellingly or coherently. The performances are excellent from lead to smallest supporting character, the vision is ambitious and singular, and the payoff is a great time and a reminder of an experience that can only really happen at the movies. (In theaters)
2. “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”
Mary Bronstein turned her own domestic nightmare into a raw and surreal cinematic expression of maternal exhaustion and madness in “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.” Anchored by an utterly fearless performance from Rose Byrne, Bronstein’s film is an exposed nerve come to life, existential dread manifested. Plus Conan O’Brien and A$AP Rocky. (Available for digital rental)
3. “Marty Supreme”
Great filmmakers can make anything exciting, like, say, the adventures of a broke table tennis player, and true SOB Marty Mauser, in mid-century New York. Josh Safdie and his cowriter and editor Ronald Bronstein (Mary’s husband) built an enormously entertaining, white-knuckle spectacle of ambition and ego giving us the defining Timothée Chalamet performance we’ve been waiting for. (In theaters Dec. 25)
4. “Sentimental Value”
The ghosts of the past and things unsaid linger in cracks and floorboards of the quiet home at the heart of Joachim Trier’s latest, a textured and mature portrait of family, grief, forgiveness and the loneliness of a life in the arts. With a moving turn from Stellan Skarsgård as an acclaimed filmmaker trying to reconnect with the daughters he cast aside for his career, it’s also surprisingly funny in its deft exploration of how difficult it can be to express love to those who matter most, even for artists. (In theaters)
5. “The Naked Gun”
Finally, a great studio comedy and in the most unlikely of packages: A self-consciously shameless reboot/sequel/remake that stands on its own through Akiva Schaffer’s total commitment to absolute silliness. Only “Hamnet” elicited more tears. (Streaming on Paramount+)
6. “Sinners”
Another deeply personal, go-for-broke film that (in this case) only Ryan Coogler could have made, “Sinners” is the bluesy, vampire, gangster musical we never knew we needed. Vibrantly filmed and told, with an extraordinary ensemble cast (and two Michael B. Jordans), its surface pleasures alone are worth celebrating, but every frame is also imbued with history and symbolism adding up to one of the most profound and original thrillers to grace our movie screens. (Streaming on HBO Max)
7. “Sound of Falling”
Past and present also blur in Mascha Schilinski’s haunting and ethereal second feature. It’s both disorienting and transfixing in telling the stories of four young women, in four different times, on the same North German farm, somehow both coming-of-age and ghost story at once. (Wide release in theaters Jan. 16)
8. “It Was Just an Accident”
Tense, devastating and even a darkly funny, Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi sets up an enthralling moral conundrum in his first film since his own imprisonment. What does justice look like after imprisonment and torture? What should they do to the man who did it? How can they be sure they even have the right guy? (In theaters)
9. “The Voice of Hind Rajab”
Kaouther Ben Hania also confronted modern atrocities using the language of cinematic storytelling, and the real audio of a young girl’s call for help, in “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” a shattering document of the Israel-Hamas war, set entirely inside the dispatch center of the Palestine Red Crescent Society rescue service. (In theaters Dec. 17)
10. “Urchin,” “The Chronology of Water” and “Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight”
Three wonderful films this year came from familiar faces, all making their feature debuts. Harris Dickinson channeled the social realism of Ken Loach and Mike Leigh to tell a compassionate but clear-eyed story about the cycles of homelessness in “Urchin.” Kristen Stewart proved to be as bold behind the camera as she is in front of it with “The Chronology of Water,” an utterly electric and alive memory piece of trauma and inspiration. And Embeth Davidtz, drawing on her own experience, confronted a thorny story about the Rhodesian bush war fearlessly and with grace. (“Urchin” is available to rent or buy. “The Chronology of Water” is in select theaters this week, expanding in January. “Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight” is available to rent or buy.)
Also: “Hedda,” “My Father’s Shadow,” “The Secret Agent,” “The Testament of Ann Lee,” “Blue Moon,” “The Ballad of Wallis Island,” “The Mastermind,” “2000 Meters to Andriivka,” “Splitsville,” “Sorry, Baby,” “Presence,” “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl.”
Jake Coyle’s top movies of 2025
1. “One Battle After Another”
For a movie that feels so enthrallingly of the moment, Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest is curiously out of time. The echoes of the Black Panther and Weather Underground movements seem to belong to another era. Yet Anderson’s scruffy opus makes its own history and its own resistance. Key, I think, is that both the forces of oppression and counterculture in the film are lost in rituals and code words. It’s about finding your own grammar of struggle. And it’s also about how unstoppable Teyana Taylor is. (In theaters)
2. “No Other Choice”
In Park Chan-wook’s masterful, midnight-black comedy, a newly out-of-work man (Lee Byung-hun) decides his best option to get a leg up on similarly qualified job applicants is to kill them, one by one. It’s an ingenious narrative (from Donald E. Westlake’s 1997 novel, previously adapted by Costa-Gavras) that Park extrapolates in increasingly profound ways. Park, the Korean director of “Oldboy” and “Decision to Leave,” remains at the height of his diabolical powers. (In theaters Dec. 25)
3. “It Was Just an Accident”
Jafar Panahi has made a lot of great films, many of them in extraordinary circumstances. All of them, despite the hardships they document and exist in, are also playful and entertaining. So see his latest not just because it’s an important Iranian film, shot through with pain and fury, and made by one of the most courageous filmmakers on the planet, but because it’s gripping and funny and human. (In theaters)
4. “Marty Supreme”
The annals of great New York movies have a new one. Josh Safdie’s picaresque pingpong epic, starring Timothée Chalamet as a tireless striver, is the giddiest, most breathless movie of the year. And I’m not just saying that in the hope that a Chalamet-induced table tennis resurgence displaces pickleball. (In theaters Dec. 25)
5. “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”
Underestimate Rian Johnson’s whodunits at your peril. The latest chapter in the endlessly entertaining adventures of Benoit Blanc may be the best of the bunch. It’s certainly the most moving one. And it’s got Josh O’Connor, who put his stamp on the movie year in a handful of standout performances — most especially this and in Kelly Reichardt’s flawless portrait of a very flawed man, “The Mastermind.” (In theaters; on Netflix Dec. 12)
6. “April”
Easily the most haunting movie of the year. Georgian filmmaker Dea Kulumbegashvili’s second film is about a solitary obstetrician, Nina (an extraordinary Ia Sukhitashvili), who traverses the country’s dark countryside serving women while enduring oppressive vilification. The pitiless plight of Nina, who absorbs and carries all the pain around her, will stay with me for a very long time. (Not yet available for digital rental)
7. “Sinners”
Swaggering big-screen genre mashups like this don’t come along too often. Hollywood is desperate for more of them. It should start with whatever Ryan Coogler wants. (Streaming on HBO Max)
8. “Secret Mall Apartment”
The hook of this gem of a documentary is a goofy one: In 2003, eight young Rhode Islanders built and often lived in a hidden space within a Providence mall for years. But when director Jeremy Workman digs into the stranger-than-fiction story, he reveals much more than a prank, uncovering something thoughtful and inspiring about art and commerce and community. (Available for digital rental)
9. “Blue Moon”
What extraordinarily good company Ethan Hawke’s Lorenz Hart is in Richard Linklater’s delightful and melancholy chamber drama, one of two excellent films in 2025 from the director, along with the French New Wave ode “Nouvelle Vague.” From the first monologue at Sardi’s the night his former songwriting partner, Richard Rodgers, is opening “Oklahoma!,” Hart’s wit is warming to the soul. I’d have sat by the bar with him (as “Blue Moon” makes you feel you’re doing) for hours more. (In theaters)
10. “Afternoons of Solitude”
Albert Serra’s documentary close-up of bullfighting makes no overt judgment of the Spanish corridas. Instead, it stays rigorously trained on one bullfighter, Andrés Roca Rey, and the bulls he faces in the ring. It comes close to a purely cinematic experience. In tight compositions, Serra documents a persisting ritual and the sheer spectacle of the blood sport. (Available for digital rental)
Also: “Caught by the Tides,” “One of Them Days,” “Eephus,” “My Father’s Shadow,” “The Testament of Ann Lee,” “Cloud,” “Sentimental Value,” “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl,” “Bugonia,” “Sorry, Baby”
Temple Beth El of West Palm Beach has a lot to celebrate in 2026.
The oldest conservative synagogue in Palm Beach County officially was established in 1926, marking 100 years since its inception. To commemorate this centennial milestone, Beth El is pulling out all the stops — and they aren’t waiting until the new year to get started.
Events will begin during Hanukkah this year and conclude during Hanukkah 2026.
The Maccabeats are performing at Temple Beth El of West Palm Beach on Flagler Drive on Dec. 22, 2025. (Temple Beth El of West Palm Beach/Courtesy)
Starting off strong, the temple will host internationally acclaimed musician Matisyahu on Thursday, Dec. 18, from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The temple promises an intimate performance with a Q&A session to follow. Admission is free, but advanced registration is required. For an elevated experience, VIP packages are available for $360 and include a meet-and-greet with the singer, catered reception and premium seating. To register, visit bethelwpb.com/100/Matisyahu.
On Dec. 25 at 4 p.m., the Jewish a cappella group, The Maccabeats, will perform holiday hits great for all ages. Tickets start at $36 for children age 12 and younger and $54 for adults, with an optional add-on for a post-performance dinner. Tickets can be purchased at bethelwpb.com/100/Maccabeats.
As the new year begins, community members can look forward to a show by comedian and actor Michael Rapaport on Feb. 5, and a gala celebration on March 1.
“Reaching our 100th year is not only a celebration of our past, but a commitment to the vibrant Jewish future we continue to build together,” said Temple Beth El Rabbi Alan Bell. “We look forward to welcoming the entire community to join us as we honor a century of light, faith and resilience.”
For more information on the 100th anniversary, visit bethelwpb.com/100.
We’ve been celebrating with shows, parades, tree lightings and pop-up bars since well before Thanksgiving, but now’s the time to really kick things into holiday overdrive.
Our vibe is more tropical paradise than winter wonderland, of course, but that just means we get to experience festivities with a Sunshine State twist — palm trees wrapped in twinkling lights, faux snow, lit-up boat tours and underwater photos with Santa.
Below is our city-by-city guide to holiday events for a merry and bright season in Broward and Palm Beach counties. (We also have a roundup of Hanukkah festivals and menorah lightings throughout South Florida, courtesy of the Jewish Journal. Click here to check it out!)
BROWARD COUNTY
Coconut Creek
Drive through the 31st annual Holiday Fantasy of Lights at Tradewinds Park & Stables from 6 to 10 p.m. daily through Jan. 3. To see 3 miles of larger-than-life illuminated displays, enter through the park’s north entrance, at 3600 W. Sample Road. Tickets are $29.49 per car or $61.49 for large vehicles/buses. A portion of ticket sales benefit Gilda’s Club South Florida. The event also serves as a Toys for Tots donation drop-off site. Visit holidaylightsdrivethru.com.
Coral Springs
Celebrate the season’s start at the Light Up the Lawn tree-lighting ceremony from 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 6 at City Hall, 9500 W. Sample Road. Enjoy cookies, snow flurries, roaming entertainment and food trucks. Trackless train rides will be available to residents who register in advance. Free admission. Visit coralsprings.gov.
The city’s Holiday Parade will march down Sample Road from 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 10 with schools, businesses and organizations participating. Line up at 9500 W. Sample Road to watch as the parade steps off, featuring a Parade of Cultures theme. Santa and Mrs. Claus will ride down the road to close out the parade. Free. Visit coralsprings.gov.
Davie
The Lighting of the Greens Festival will feature entertainment, visits with Santa and other children’s activities from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 6 at Bamford Sports Complex, 3801 S. Pine Island Road. There will also be a Jingle Bell Horse Parade. Free admission. Visit davie-fl.gov.
Light displays are the stars of Deerfield Beach’s Ocean Way Holiday event. (Scott Luxor/South Florida Sun Sentinel file)
Deerfield Beach
Entertainment, Santa and children’s activities will highlight Ocean Way Holiday from 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Main Beach Parking Lot, 149 SE 21st Ave. Watch as the street is lit for the season. Free admission. Visit deerfield-beach.com.
Make a splash with Scuba Santa from 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 13 at Peggy Noland Aquatics Complex, 501 SE Sixth Ave. Don your swimsuit, or a holiday outfit you don’t mind getting wet, for an underwater photo with ol’ St. Nick. Cost is $2 per household. Visit deerfield-beach.com to register.
Fort Lauderdale
Set sail on Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi’s Holiday Lights Cruise from Dec. 4 through Jan. 3. Choose from nightly departures at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. from the Riverside Hotel/Stranahan House Museum stop at 335 SE Sixth Ave. The 90-minute cruise includes musical entertainment, holiday decor and beverages available for purchase. Rides are $45 for adults, $15 for children age 4 and older, and free for guests younger than 3. No cruises on Dec. 13, 24 or 25. Visit watertaxi.com.
The city of Fort Lauderdale has two holiday lighting events planned this month:
Light Up Sistrunk from 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 5, with a holiday tree, bands, entertainment, a toy giveaway, health fair, food trucks, kids’ zone with Santa, bounce houses, slides, arts and crafts, and a teen area with a DJ and activities. The celebration takes place along Sistrunk Boulevard between northwest Ninth and 11th avenues. Free admission.
Light Up Carter Park from 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 12 , with a holiday tree, plus performances from local artists, bounce houses, train rides, face painters, holiday crafts and giveaways. The park is at 1450 W. Sunrise Blvd. Free admission.
Explore Bonnet House’s decorations during Holiday Magic, which takes place over five days in December at the Fort Lauderdale attraction. (Eduardo Schneider/Courtesy)
Holiday Magic, the fundraiser for Bonnet House Museum & Gardens (900 N. Birch Road) is returning for the season. There will be a Holiday Jingle & Mingle VIP Reception on Dec. 5, Whimsical Wonderland for families on Dec. 6 and Evening Experiences with music and drinks from Dec. 10-12. Trees, wreaths and centerpieces throughout the house will be for sale. Times and ticket prices vary. Visit bonnethouse.org.
Check out Seas & Greetings at The LOOP (Las Olas Oceanside Park), 3000 E. Las Olas Blvd., with markets, concerts and themed weekends throughout December. Max’s Mutt Parade (Dec. 6), Candyland Family Fun Day (Dec. 14) and Christmas By The Sea weekend (Dec. 20-21) are some of the featured events. Free admission. Visit theloopflb.com/events.
Get ready to catch some candy with Santa on the Beach when he arrives at 12:30 p.m. Dec. 9 at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park, 1100 Seabreeze Blvd. Free. Visit parks.fortlauderdale.gov.
The Historic Stranahan House Museum, 335 SE Sixth Ave., is getting into the holiday spirit with Victorian Christmas Tours. The 40-minute tours take place from 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 16 to 20. Learn about holiday traditions and how Fort Lauderdale pioneers celebrated the season. Tickets are $30. Visit stranahanhouse.org/victorian-christmas-tours.
Join the Fort Lauderdale Jingle Bell Jog at 8 a.m. Dec. 21 at Las Olas Oceanside Park, 3000 E. Las Olas Blvd. All participants receive a Santa suit costume and a pair of jingle bells for their running shoes, and all finishers get a holiday-themed medal. Registration is $45 plus a $5 fee at jinglebelljog.net (price increases after Dec. 5).
Kim D. Harris speaks about the principles of Kwanzaa during a previous Kwanzaa Ujamaa Celebration at Bass Park in Fort Lauderdale. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
The Kwanzaa Ujamaa Celebration at Provident Park, 1412 NW Sixth St., will have entertainment and cultural activities from 2 to 5 p.m. Dec. 29. Ujamaa is the fourth principle of Kwanzaa and means cooperative economics. Free admission. Visit parks.fortlauderdale.gov/special-events.
Hallandale Beach
Visit with Santa during Holiday in the Park from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 5 at Peter Bluesten Park, 501 SE First Ave. Children’s activities, holiday crafts, performances, music, inflatables, amusements and food trucks are part of the lineup. Purchase a $5 wrist band for unlimited access to amusements and inflatables. Visit cohb.org/holiday.
Hollywood
The city is having multiple events this season. Both offer free admission. Visit hollywoodfl.org.
The Candy Cane Parade steps off at 7 p.m. Dec. 6 on the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk, at Missouri Street, and heads south to Harrison Street with dozens of lighted floats, bands and decorated vehicles. A free concert by Making Faces will take place at the Hollywood Beach Theatre after the parade. Bringing an unwrapped toy to donate to the Hollywood Fire Rescue Toy Drive.
Celebrate Christmas Near the Beach, a family holiday celebration, from 4 to 9 p.m. Dec. 13 at ArtsPark at Young Circle, 1 Young Circle. The 40-foot lighted Christmas tree will be the focal point. There will also be musical and dance performances, a live nativity, St. Nick’s arrival and photos, giveaways and prizes, and a vendor marketplace.
Support the Hollywood Women’s Club at SantaCon, a pub crawl starting at 7 p.m. Dec. 13 at Mickey Byrne’s Irish Pub, 1921 Hollywood Blvd. Participating venues downtown will have food and drink specials. Visit santacon.info/hollywood-fl/.
Lauderhill
A Winter Wonderland will pop up at Westwind Park (4550 NW 82nd Ave.) from 6 to 10 p.m. Dec. 19, featuring food trucks, free seasonal treats, holiday-themed activities and train rides. Take a photo with Santa and his friends, take part in a Holiday Sweater Contest and watch a family friendly Holiday Movie in the Park. Free admission. Visit lauderhill-fl.gov.
Santa Claus meets a festivalgoer in Margate during a previous Winter Festival. (City of Margate/Courtesy)
Margate
The city’s Winter Festival is in a new location this year from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 19 at the Margate Sports Complex, 1695 Banks Road. Activities include snow slides and piles, bounce houses and photos with Santa. Free admission. Visit margatefl.com.
North Lauderdale
The city’s Holiday Parade begins at 4 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Boulevard of Champions. The procession will head north on Southwest 64th Terrace, west on Kimberly Boulevard and north on Rock Island Road until reaching City Hall, 701 SW 71st Ave. Free. Visit nlauderdale.org.
Oakland Park
The city’s two-day Holiday Village is coming to Jaco Pastorius Park, 4000 N. Dixie Highway, from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Dec. 5 and 1 to 9 p.m. Dec. 6. Write letters to Santa, shop the Artisans & Crafters Market, participate in the Christmas tree-decorating competition and ugly T-shirt and sweater contest, skate on artificial ice, ride the carousel and slide, and enjoy entertainment from bands, a DJ, a choir and dance schools. The lighting of the 40-foot-tall Christmas tree is set for 6:30 p.m. Dec. 5. Free admission. Visit oaklandparkfl.gov.
Parkland
Light Up the Park will have food, performances, children’s activities and an ugly sweater contest from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 12 at Pine Trails Park Amphitheatre, 10561 Trails End. Free admission. Visit cityofparkland.org.
Plantation
Light Up City Hall, 400 NW 73rd Ave., from 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 6 with selfies with Santa, ice skating, snow, vocal groups, food trucks, crafts, announcement of the winner of the “There’s Snow Place Like Plantation” contest and photo ops. Free. Visit plantation.org.
Members of the Pompano Beach Piranhas swim team wave from their “Nightmare Before Christmas”-themed float during a previous year’s Yuletide on Atlantic Parade in Pompano Beach. (Sun Sentinel file photo)
Pompano Beach
The city’s Merry Moments 2025 continues its season of celebrations with the following events, among others. For a full lineup, visit pompanobeachfl.gov/events.
The Yuletide on Atlantic parade on Dec. 4 will march from Riverside Drive, heading west on Atlantic Boulevard and ending at Southeast 24th Avenue. Hours are 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Rain date is Dec. 11. Free.
Make arts and crafts at the Old Town Untapped & Holiday Tree Lighting from 6 to 10 p.m. Bailey Contemporary Arts, 41 NE First St. Among the activities, guests can meet Santa and get their faces painted. Free admission.
Black Nativity, an African American telling of the Nativity story, will be at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6 at Pompano Beach Cultural Center, 50 W. Atlantic Blvd. Tickets are $25.
Sunrise
Light Up the Holidays with music and a seasonal display from 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 6 at Sunrise Amphitheater, 10770 W. Oakland Park Blvd. Grab a free cup of hot chocolate, watch the drone show at 8:40 p.m., take a photo with Santa and play in the snow. Free. Visit sunrisefl.gov.
Tamarac
The city has planned multiple holiday events (one’s even for your pets!). For more details, visit community.tamarac.gov.
Santa and Rudolph will visit Winter Wonderland at 6 p.m. Dec. 14 at the Tamarac Park Baseball Fields, 7501 N. University Drive. Among the highlights are games, food trucks, photo opportunities and bounce houses. Free admission.
Bring your four-legged friends to the Paws with Claus Holiday Paw-ty from 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 13 at Gary B. Jones Park for People and Pups, 8101 Southgate Blvd. Get your photo taken with Santa Paws and join the Holiday Hounds contest. The event will include pet adoptions. Free admission.
Wilton Manors
The city will offer the following free events. For details, Visit wiltonmanors.gov.
The Holiday Lighting Ceremony kicks off the holiday season at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 4 at Flippen Park, 2109 Wilton Drive, with the lighting of a Hanukkah menorah, Kwanzaa kinara and Christmas tree. There will also be music, food and vendors.
Head to the Colohatchee Park Boat Ramp, 1975 NE 15th Ave., at 5 p.m. Dec. 10 for Santa by Sea, a city tradition. St. Nick will sail around the city with his elves to spread holiday cheer. Boaters can arrive 30 minutes before his departure to join Santa’s entourage.
PALM BEACH COUNTY
Boca Raton
Wags in WonderlandParty: Santa Paws allows families to celebrate the holidays with their pets from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at DRIFT at the Boca Raton Marriott, 5150 Town Center Circle. Greet Santa Paws and take photos, join the dog costume contest and meet adoptable dogs from Tri-County Animal Rescue, which benefits from the event. General admission is $10. Visit eventbrite.com.
The Boynton Beach Community High School marching band performs during the 52nd annual Boynton Beach Holiday Parade in 2023. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel file)
Boynton Beach
The city is planning the following activities for the season:
Polar Express is the theme of this year’s 54th annualHoliday Tree Lighting from 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 5 at Centennial Park & Amphitheater, 120 E. Ocean Ave. Event highlights include school choruses, dance troupes, a drum line, food vendors, a holiday market, crafts, face painting, photo opportunities, a Ferris wheel, trackless train, character meet-and-greets and drone show. Free admission. Visit Facebook.com.
The Holiday Parade returns with decorated floats, marching bands and dance groups from 4 to 6 p.m. Dec. 6 along 100 E. Ocean Ave. Santa will make an appearance along the route. Free. Visit Facebook.com.
Blue Lights & Holiday Nights returns from 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Boynton Beach Police Department, 2100 High Ridge Road, with gifts available on a first-come, first-served basis. Other activities include a meet-and-greet with Santa and Mrs. Claus, photo opportunities, cookie decorating, a letters to Santa writing station, face painting, bounce house, music and holiday entertainment, a bike raffle and a Chick-fil-A food truck. Free admission. Visit Facebook.com.
Delray Beach
The city’s Holiday Village returns Dec. 4 and will be open nightly through Jan. 1. Enjoy a carousel, ice skating rink, mini golf and Santa’s House. Visit delraybeachfl.gov.
The Delray Beach Holiday Parade “Festival of Lights” on Dec. 13 will go along Atlantic Avenue from the Intracoastal Bridge to Northwest Fifth Avenue. Hours: 6-9 p.m. See more than 70 floats, marching bands, dance teams and other groups. Free. Visit downtowndelraybeach.com.
Runners wear Santa costumes during the 2023 Delray Beach Jingle Bell Jog 5K race. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Lace up your sneakers for the Delray Beach Jingle Bell Jog 5K, set for 7:30 a.m. Dec. 20 at Anchor Park, 340 S. Ocean Blvd. Participants will receive a Santa suit costume and a pair of jingle bells for their running shoes. All finishers receive a holiday-themed medal. Registration is $45 (price increases after Dec. 5). An Elf Dash ($20) will start at 8:45 a.m. Visit jinglebelljog.net.
Join a Kwanzaa Celebration recognizing African heritage and culture from 2 to 5 p.m. Dec. 26 at the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum, 170 NW Fifth Ave., with music, gift making, storytelling and art activities. Free admission. Visit spadymuseum.com/events.
The kinara holds seven candles, each representing one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa, is showcased during the Spady Museum’s celebration in Delray Beach in 2023. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel file)
Greenacres
Holiday in the Park, a tree-lighting ceremony, will kick off the city’s centennial celebration from 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 12 at Samuel J. Ferreri Community Park, 2905 Jog Road. A second event will take place at the park from 3 to 9 p.m. Dec. 13 in honor of Greenacres’ 100th anniversary. Watch the skies for a drone show at 6:45 p.m. On both days, there will be free carnival rides (for Greenacres residents only), an ice skating rink, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, games, inflatables, food and craft vendors, carolers, school performances and other activities. Free admission. Visit greenacresfl.gov.
Lantana
Take free photos with Santa during the city’s Winterfest event from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 12 at Lantana Town Hall, 500 Greynolds Circle. Other activities include face painting, balloon twisters, tree and menorah lightings and vendor giveaways. Free admission. Visit lantana.org.
Lake Worth Beach
The 59th annualLake Worth Beach Holiday Parade will bring its “Celebrating in Toyland” theme to the city’s downtown at 6 p.m. Dec. 13. The parade will head west from Lucerne Avenue and Federal Highway, turn south on J Street and east on Lake Avenue before turning north on Federal Highway. There will be floats, performers, marching bands and lights. Free. Visit Facebook.com.
Palm Springs
The village’s Holiday Tree Lighting will have food vendors, entertainment, a kids’ zone, ice skating rink and photos with Santa from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Village Hall Courtyard, 226 Cypress Lane. Bring a new toy to donate to the Palm Springs Police Department’s Stuff-A-Cruiser initiative. Free admission. Visit vpsfl.org.
Royal Palm Beach
The Winter Festival, from 2 to 9 p.m. Dec. 6 at Royal Palm Beach Commons Park (11600 Poinciana Blvd.), will feature a Taylor Swift Tribute and lighting of a 28-foot Christmas tree. Also on the schedule: dance and chorus groups, carnival rides, a skating rink, food vendors, bounce house, rock wall, crafts and photos with Santas. Free admission. Visit royalpalmbeachfl.gov.
Wellington
Two holiday events are planned in Wellington. Visit wellingtonfl.gov.
The Holiday Cultural Celebration & Tree Lighting begins at 5 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Wellington Amphitheater, 12100 Forest Hill Blvd., with food trucks and Lakeside Market vendors. The tree will be lit at 6 p.m., and the celebration continues until 9 p.m. Free admission.
The 41st annual Wellington Holiday Parade with this year’s theme, “Celebrating the Season Throughout the Years,” will step off at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 14 along Forest Hill Boulevard from Wellington Trace to Ken Adams Way. Judges will choose their favorite participants among floats, marching bands, characters, dance troupes and others. Before the parade, Holiday Park will set up at 10 a.m. at the Wellington Amphitheater, 12100 Forest Hill Blvd., with school chorus performances, vendors, photos with Santa and other activities. Free admission.
The 13th annual Wellington Jingle Bell Run5K will have awards for male and female overalls, age groups, Fastest Santa, Mrs. Claus and Elves, and a Stroller Division on Dec. 21 at the Village Park Athletics Complex, 11700 Pierson Road. Start time: 7 a.m. Participants will receive jingle bells to wear during the race. Bring an unwrapped toy to donate to the Hometown Holiday Toy Drive. Cost is $40 (increases after Dec. 20) at runsignup.com.
West Palm Beach
Sandi, the 35-foot, 700-ton holiday sand tree, makes its return to the Great Lawn, 100 N. Clematis St., from 6 to 10 p.m. Dec. 4 during the Clematis by Night holiday tree lighting. Sandi, along with Ferris (the 50-foot Ferris wheel), plus accompanying sand sculptures and a nightly light and music show are part of Holiday Paradise on display through Dec. 31. Ride Ferris for $5, take free photos with Santa, and shop at the Holiday Boutique in the Lake Pavillion until 9 p.m. Sound Society will perform. Free admission. Check out the city’s full lineup of seasonal events at wpb.org.
An Afrique Ngozi Dance & Drums Kwanzaa Performance will take place Dec. 27 on The Lawn at CityPlace, 700 S. Rosemary Ave., highlighting the principles of the cultural holiday through dance and rhythm. Participate in a craft and storytime. Hours are 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Free. Visit cityplace.com/kwanzaa.
Bring the family to a preholiday fest before lighting the candles at home, or light them together with other Jews during community-wide menorah lightings.
Celebrations start in the afternoon on Sunday and continue throughout the eight nights. So, whip out your favorite Hanukkah-themed sweaters, get your dreidels ready and prepare for a festive holiday.
Below, find holiday events happening throughout Broward and Palm Beach counties.
BROWARD COUNTY
Las Olas Chabad Jewish Center’s Grand Chanukah Festival
Start your celebrations early with the Grand Chanukah Festival on Las Olas. With everything from face painting and a petting zoo to mechanical rides and music, kids of all ages will enjoy the preholiday event. A menorah lighting is scheduled for 4 p.m.
WHEN: 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14
WHERE: Las Olas Chabad Jewish Center, 1302 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
COST: $25 for children ages 2-16 (includes unlimited rides), free for adults
Starting at 5 p.m., the Promenade at Coconut Creek will have feature entertainment (including fire jugglers!), traditional jelly donuts, and kids’ crafts before a communitywide candle lighting to commemorate the first night of Hannukah.
WHEN: 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14
WHERE: Promenade at Coconut Creek, 4467 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek
Kids reach for Hanukkah gelt thrown from a firetruck during a previous menorah lighting celebration at Las Olas Oceanside Park in Fort Lauderdale. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel file)
Head to Las Olas for a traditional menorah lighting. Hanukkah music will bring a festive air to the event, as community members recite blessings and join together to welcome in the Jewish holiday.
WHEN: 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14
WHERE: Las Olas Oceanside Park, 3000 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
Ishay Ribo and Avraham Fried perform during the 43rd annual South Florida Chassidic Chanukah Festival. (Chabad of South Broward/Courtesy)
Revel in the final night of Hanukkah with the South Florida Chanukah Festival, hosted by Chabad of South Broward. Billed as “South Florida’s largest Jewish concert,” the event features musicians such as Avraham Fried, Zusha and Joey Newcomb.
WHEN: 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21
WHERE: Rick Case Arena, 3051 Ray Ferrero Jr Blvd., Davie
The annual Mega Chanukah Street Fair at Chabad-Lubavitch of Greater Boynton Beach, seen here in 2024. (Beit Blumi Jewish Early Childhood Center/Courtesy)
Chabad of Greater Boynton Beach and its early childhood education program, Beit Blumi, will join forces to host the annual Mega Chanukah Street Fair. A boutique will be on-site for your last-minute shopping needs, plus an obstacle course, BMX bike show, petting zoo, rock climbing wall, carnival swings, and a large gelt drop for the kids.
WHEN: 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14
WHERE: Chabad-Lubavitch of Greater Boynton Beach, 10655 El Clair Ranch Road, Boynton Beach
B’nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton is celebrating the joy of the season with an event for all ages. A DJ-led dance party will be accompanied by Hanukkah characters, games and activities. There also will be holiday-inspired bites.
Children perform for the crowd during a menorah lighting ceremony on the first night of Hanukkah at Old School Square in Delray Beach last year. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel file)
Old School Square in Delray Beach will play host to this annual festival on the first night of Hanukkah. Join Chabad of East Delray and the city in celebrating, with sufganiyot, latkes and cotton candy, plus bounce houses, glitter tattoos and a giant bubble show following the 6 p.m. menorah lighting.
WHEN: 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14
WHERE: Amphitheatre at Old School Square, 51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach
If you’re looking to spice up your nightly menorah routine, head to Juno Beach Town Center for the third night to light candles with the community and enjoy a sampling of traditional Hanukkah foods.
Kids dancing with Rock N’ Roll Rabbi David Paskin during the 2024 Hanukkah celebration. (Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County/Courtesy)
Join PJ Library and the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County for a festive fourth night at Boca Center. Start the evening with crafts and storytime at 5 p.m., followed by a candle lighting and live concert featuring Rock N’ Roll Rabbi David Paskin.
WHEN: 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 17
WHERE: Boca Center, 5150 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton
At this point, the holiday will be coming to a close, but the community celebrations continue! Head to CityPlace for a festive event featuring live music, doughnuts and latkes.
WHEN: 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19
WHERE: CityPlace, 700 S. Rosemary Ave., West Palm Beach
Close out the holiday at Delray Marketplace with its giant ice menorah. Sip on hot cocoa and apple cider while enjoying a Hebrew school choir and firetruck gelt drop. There will also be a Hanukkah-themed sensory play area for babies, bounce houses, latkes and doughnuts.
WHEN: 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21
WHERE: Delray Marketplace Amphitheater, 9025 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach
This is that heartwarming time of year when we would do well to look for opportunities to warm the hearts of others, because you just never know.
The 13th annual Dan Hosker Music Continuum returns on Sunday to raise money for music scholarships in the name of the Fort Lauderdale punk-rock guitarist who died in 2012, at age 46, from injuries sustained in a car accident. After his death, bandmates and friends threw themselves into creating an ongoing event to remember Hosker and his generous spirit.
In a cruel twist, one of those organizers, local musician and influential scene shaper Frank “Rat Bastard” Falestra was involved in his own traffic accident in November, which left him hospitalized with serious injuries.
Sunday’s DHMC show takes place at Tarpon River Brewing in Fort Lauderdale, an all-day music festival beginning at noon with dozens of top local musicians performing. In addition to the Hosker scholarships, the event will dedicate some proceeds to support Falestra’s recovery. Keep reading for more on the show.
THURSDAY
A war story:Florida Grand Opera will bring the powerful “Silent Night” to the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale this weekend for performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Saturday. This dramatic retelling of the 1914 Christmas Truce — when enemy combatants on the World War I battlefield paused to sing together, pray together and play soccer together on an extraordinary Christmas Eve — will be performed in three languages (with English and Spanish translations projected). The Pulitzer Prize-winning opera, featuring accompaniment by the FGO orchestra for the first time in 18 years, coincides with the official launch of FGO’s Voices of Wellness program, which supports the well-being of veterans, first responders and nurses. Tickets start at $25. Visit FGO.org.
Holiday lights: The Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi will resume its Holiday Lights Cruises on Thursday, offering views of the city’s festively illuminated waterways, with two 90-minute sailings at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. from the stop at the Riverside Hotel/Stranahan House Museum. Beer, wine and (canned) cocktails available for purchase. Tours are $45 for adults, $15 for children age 4 and older, and free for guests younger than 3. Holiday Lights Cruises take place through Jan. 3. Visit WaterTaxi.com.
Oh, the sights you’ll see on a Water Taxi Holiday Lights Cruise, which returns to Fort Lauderdale on Thursday. (Michael Laughlin/South Florida Sun Sentinel file)
Game night: Was it Col. Mustard in the library with the wrench? The touring production of the Broadway play “Clue,” the interactive murder mystery based on the 1985 film that was inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, continues its run at the Arsht Center in Miami through the weekend. Performances will be at 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 1 and 7 p.m. Sunday. Tickets start at $47.97 at ArshtCenter.org.
Thursday laughs: Comedian, author and musician Charlie Berens, best known as the creator of news-show spoof “The Manitowoc Minute,” comes to The Parker in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $41.30. Visit ParkerPlayhouse.com.
December drinks:Chops + Hops Axe Throwing Lodge, inside Sistrunk Marketplace in Fort Lauderdale, is one of those South Florida bars getting gussied up in holiday trimmings and trappings. From Thursday through Dec. 31, Chops + Hops will host the Winter Wonderland Pop-Up cocktail party, with a menu of seasonal sips such as the apple-cinnamon martini called Apple Sauced. You get the vibe. Visit ChopsAndHopsFL.com.
Miles ahead: I know artists. Fine people, who deserve our support. But the line between art and crass commerce at Art Basel is so annoyingly blurred — do I really need a Mapplethorpe wine stopper? But the annual art conclave also inspires locals to create refreshing moments of authenticity, such as Thursday’s celebration of Miles Davis at Dante’s HiFi+ in Miami. The listening bar, in collaboration with Montreux Jazz Festival Miami, will host an all-vinyl set of Miles Davis music from DJ and Dante’s co-owner Rich Medina, spinning from his personal collection on the bar’s Klipsch-powered system. Admission is first come, first served. Visit DantesHiFi.com.
FRIDAY
Byrne, baby, Byrne: Talking Heads frontman David Byrne is touring with his critically praised Kid Harpoon-produced album “Who Is the Sky?,” his ineffable joy again translated into a danceable musical elixir. The concept of his fall tour is “unlike anything I’ve done before,” he said on Instagram. “You’ll just have to come and experience what that involves.” Byrne will perform at The Fillmore Miami Beach on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Ticketmaster resale tickets are down to scattered pairs. Visit Ticketmaster.com.
Singer-songwriter David Byrne will bring music from the album “Who is the Sky?” to The Fillmore Miami Beach on Friday and Saturday. (Shervin Lainez/Courtesy)
Friday laughs: “Entourage” wise guy Jeremy Piven will perform four shows in two nights on the Palm Beach Improv stage at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets start at $48.88. The early shows on both nights are sold out, which says something about something. Visit Kravis.org. … Comedian and actor Whitney Cummings brings her Big Baby Tour (she’s a mom now) to The Parker in Fort Lauderdale on Friday at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $46.91. Visit ParkerPlayhouse.com.
On their toes:Ballet Palm Beach will present bouncy holiday favorite “The Nutcracker” at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach in performances at 7 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, and 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets start at $46. Visit Kravis.org.
Latin sounds: Salsa legends El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico and Grupo Niche will bring their tour to the Kaseya Center in Miami on Friday at 8 p.m. Remaining tickets start at $65.30. Visit Ticketmaster.com.
Seattle soul: Seattle-spawned, blue-eyed soul band The Dip will bring an irresistible energy to the Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale on Friday night on a tour supporting new album “Love Direction.” Doors open at 7:30 p.m. for a set by special guests Soulpax. General-admission tickets cost $40.35. Visit CultureRoom.net.
Friday tributes: Grateful Dead homage Dark Star Orchestra will play the War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $44. Visit FTLWarMemorial.com. … Nationally acclaimed, Wellington-raised Elvis tribute artist Matt Stone will bring his “Elvis: In Person” show to the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center on Friday at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $43.02 at Ticketmaster.com. … Tool tribute band Schism will be joined by The Pantera Experience at Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale on Friday. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $35.25 at Ticketmaster.com.
SATURDAY
Poppy holidays:Mizner Park Amphitheater in Boca Raton will host the second annual Holiday Pops Concert, with The Symphonia conducted by the esteemed Jacomo Bairos, co-founder and artistic director of Miami’s adventurous Nu Deco Ensemble. They will be joined by the FAU Chamber Singers and Schola Cantorum of Florida. Gates open at 6 p.m. for a 7 p.m. performance. Some tickets are available, starting at $15. The holiday theme continues at the venue on Sunday with the annual FAU Tuba Christmas concert at 6 p.m. Admission is free. Visit MiznerAmp.com.
Saturday tribute:The Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton will host one of the region’s favorite tribute acts, Tony Monaco’s spot-on Billy Joel simulation Turnstiles, performing at 8 p.m. Saturday. Doors open at 6 p.m. Standing-room general admission tickets cost $44.40 at FunkyBiscuit.com.
Boynton Beach-based Tony Monaco and Turnstiles, a Billy Joel tribute band, return to The Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton on Saturday. (Jim Rassol/Contributor)
Holiday shopping: The effervescent Jamboree Flea sets up at 26 Degree Brewing Co. in Pompano Beach this weekend, filling the parking lot with more than 40 vendors from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Visit Facebook.com/thejamboreeflea.
New Bonamassa: A perennial South Florida favorite, blues-rock guitar maestro Joe Bonamassa brings the heat to Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Saturday at 8 p.m., a show sure to lean into his new album, “Breakthrough.” Tickets start at $60.75. Visit Ticketmaster.com.
Morning chocolate: The Chocoholics 5K will take place at 7:30 a.m. Saturday at Okeeheelee Park in West Palm Beach, with free chocolate and a limited-edition medal waiting for you at the finish line. Registration is $44+. The morning also includes the 400-meter Kids Choccy Dash at 9 a.m. ($25+). Visit Chocoholics5K.com.
SUNDAY
Easy riders: One of South Florida’s iconic holiday-season events, the 38th annual SFPC Toys in the Sun Run returns Sunday with the famous morning motorcycle ride culminating with an open-to-all festival featuring Grammy winner Gretchen Wilson, Soulicide, Southern Blood and others. The escorted ride will begin at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood (rider meet beginning at 8 a.m., with kickstands up at 9:30 a.m.) and ends at the festival site, Bergeron Green Glades Ranch in Weston, with gates open at 11 a.m. Participation in the ride starts at $30 per rider. Festival-only admission costs $30, and everyone attending must bring a new, unwrapped toy or pre-purchase one online. Proceeds from the ride and festival will benefit Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County and the Bergeron Everglades Foundation. Visit SFPCToyRun.com.
Sunday laughs: Emmy-winning comedian and actor John Mulaney (he’s everywhere, including “The Bear” and the upcoming John Madden biopic from David O. Russell) will bring his new Mister Whatever tour to Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Sunday at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $94.60 at Ticketmaster.com.
Local sounds: Another long-running event that allows South Florida to display its beneficent spirit, not to mention the rich diversity of the local music scene, the 13th annual Dan Hosker Music Continuum returns to Tarpon River Brewing in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Sunday at noon. As mentioned above, the free, family friendly event will be a fundraiser for Hosker music scholarships, with merchandise proceeds going to support Falestra’s recovery. The day’s soundtrack will be provided by some of the defining musicians of the past couple of decades in the region, among them John Camacho, The Lightworkers, Nil Lara, Les Norris, Nervous Monks, Shaved Hamster, Tongues of the Heartworm, and Mr. Entertainment & the Pookiesmackers. Admission is free. Visit Facebook.com/DanHoskerMusicContinuum.
Brothers, but no Bill: Sunday’s Broward Center concert by Bill Murray & His Blood Brothers has been postponed until Saturday, April 18, but Blood Brothers Albert Castiglia (of Wilton Manors) and Mike Zito will fill the void with a show at The Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton on Sunday at 3 p.m. General-admission, standing-room tickets cost $55.25 at FunkyBiscuit.com.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A doctor who pleaded guilty to selling ketamine to Matthew Perry was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison on Wednesday at an emotional hearing over the “Friends” star’s overdose death.
Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett handed down the sentence that included two years of probation and a $5,600 fine to 44-year-old Dr. Salvador Plasencia in a federal courtroom in Los Angeles.
The judge emphasized that Plasencia didn’t provide the ketamine that killed Perry, but told him, “You and others helped Mr. Perry on the road to such an ending by continuing to feed his ketamine addiction.”
“You exploited Mr. Perry’s addiction for your own profit,” she said.
Plasencia was led from the courtroom in handcuffs as his mother cried in the audience. He might have arranged a date to surrender, but his lawyers said he was prepared to do it today.
Perry’s family describes their grief
Perry’s mother, stepmother and two half sisters gave tearful victim impact statements before the sentencing.
“My brother’s death turned my world upside down,” sister Madeline Morrison said, crying. “It punched a crater in my life. His absence is everywhere.”
She talked about the broad effect of losing him.
“The world mourns my brother. He was everyone’s favorite friend,” Morrison said, adding “celebrities are not plastic dolls that you can take advantage of. They’re people. They’re human beings with families.”
FILE – Dr. Salvador Plasencia leaves federal court with his attorneys July 23, 2025 in Los Angeles, after pleading guilty to giving ketamine to Matthew Perry, leading up to the actor’s 2023 overdose death. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)
Perry struggled with addiction for years, dating back to his time on “Friends,” when he became one of the biggest stars of his generation as Chandler Bing. He starred alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004 on NBC’s megahit.
Who’s responsible for Perry’s death
Plasencia was the first person sentenced of the five defendants who have pleaded guilty in connection with Perry’s death at age 54 in 2023.
The doctor admitted to taking advantage of Perry, knowing he was a struggling addict. Plasencia texted another doctor that Perry was a “moron” who could be exploited for money, according to court filings.
Prosecutors had asked for three years in prison, while the defense sought just a day in prison plus probation.
Perry’s mother talked about the things he overcame in life and the strength he showed.
“I used to think he couldn’t die,” Suzanne Perry said as her husband, “Dateline” journalist Keith Morrison, stood at the podium with her.
“You called him a ‘moron,’” she said, addressing Plasencia. “There is nothing moronic about that man. He was even a successful drug addict.”
She spoke eloquently and apologized for rambling before getting tearful at the end, saying, “this was a bad thing you did!”
Plasencia apologizes to Perry’s family
Plasencia also spoke, moments after Suzanne Perry, breaking into tears as he imagined the day he would have to tell his now 2-year-old son “about the time I didn’t protect another mother’s son. It hurts me so much. I can’t believe I’m here.”
He apologized directly to Perry’s family. “I should have protected him,” he said.
Perry had been taking the surgical anesthetic ketamine legally as a treatment for depression. But when his regular doctor wouldn’t provide it in the amounts he wanted, he turned to Plasencia.
Plasencia’s lawyers tried to give a sympathetic portrait of him as a man who rose out of poverty to become a doctor beloved by his patients.
His mother stood to speak after Perry’s mother had spoken, but the judge told her it wasn’t appropriate for this hearing.
Outside the courthouse after, Luz Plasencia told reporters, “I’m sorry to the family of Matthew Perry.”
“I’m feeling what they feel,” she said. Speaking about her son, she said, “I know his heart.”
Plasencia pleaded guilty in July to four counts of distribution of ketamine. He did not plead to causing Perry’s death, and the amount he distributed was relatively small given that he sold only to Perry.
The judge said she largely agreed with a probation report suggesting the appropriate sentence was between eight and 14 months, but she went well beyond that.
“I think the judge was very well-reasoned,” Keith Morrison told reporters.
At the start of the hearing, she said that family impact statements may not be appropriate because legally, “there is no identifiable victim in this case. The victim is the public.”
But Plasencia’s lawyers said they didn’t object to family members speaking.
A doctor or a drug dealer?
The defense sought to cast Plasencia as a doctor treating a patient who was overcome by recklessness and greed.
“It was a perfect storm of bad decision-making, everybody agrees,” attorney Karen Goldstein said, adding “absolutely his judgment was clouded by money.”
Prosecutors said he was never acting as a doctor.
“He wasn’t a negligent or reckless medical provider,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Yanniello said. “He was a drug dealer in a white coat.”
Garnett generally agreed, pushing back against the defense argument that Perry was Plasencia’s patient, and that the doctor had diagnosed him in a phone call they had before the sales began.
“Mr. Plasencia kept pushing it,” the judge said. He literally was offering to sell ketamine.”
When another defense attorney, asked “Is your honor confused about how this all went down?” Garnett replied, sternly, “No I’m not.”
The other four defendants who reached deals to plead guilty will be sentenced at their own hearings in the coming months. Garnett said she would seek to make sure all the sentences made sense in relation to one another.
The show on Dec. 31 will be live on ABC beginning at 8 p.m. EST, and repeat the next day on Hulu. Ryan Seacrest and Rita Ora will anchor the celebrations from New York City at Times Square, Chance the Rapper will do the same from his native Chicago, while former NFL star Rob Gronkowski and Julianne Hough will beam from Las Vegas.
The headliner for Times Square will be announced later.
The performers will also include Ciara, Goo Goo Dolls, Lil Jon, Little Big Town, Madison Beer, New Kids on the Block, Jordan Davis, The All-American Rejects and Rick Springfield.
It’s the most wonderful time of year again! You know, when we gather around the table to open up those cute, little red-and-white Chinese takeout boxes brimming with fried rice, General Tso’s chicken and beef lo mein.
It’s like a culinary present for those who — no matter what holiday they celebrate — opt out of a customary meal, and all of the grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning that comes with it.
For some within Jewish and other non-Christian communities, ordering Chinese takeout food on Christmas Day when many restaurants are closed has become a family tradition.
But we also know that wonton soup, egg rolls, crab rangoon, chow mein and sticky ribs hit the spot any day of the year. (And they’re even better the next day, right?)
So, we need your help to definitively find who serves up the best Chinese takeout food in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties for this year’s final installment in our Best of South Florida Dining series.
Is there a family owned place in a storefront in the shopping plaza around the corner? Do you pick it up from a sitdown restaurant? Or is there a hidden gem dishing up satisfying selections that we need to know about?
Submit your nominations using the form below or, if you can’t see it, click here. Nominations are open until Tuesday, Dec. 9.
In the nomination form, be sure to tell us about your favorite dish and appetizer, your rice and flavor preferences, and how you like to order. We’ll feature some of your answers in our story about the winner later this month.
Don’t miss previous Best of South Florida Dining winners:
