Florida’s Palm Beach County, the Spring Training home of four major league baseball teams including the World Series champions Houston Astros, invites visitors to ‘come for the baseball and stay for the arts’ by rolling out the red carpet for fans and their families with outdoor festivals, art, performances, nature adventures and, of course, the region’s famous giant sea turtles.
The Ballpark of The Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach is Spring Training home to the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals. Further north in Jupiter, Roger Dean Stadium is home to the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins. Both venues are located near Palm Beach County parks, nature trails, arts venues and cultural institutions that are planning special family-friendly activities this spring.
Here are some of the experiences awaiting Astros and Nationals fans near the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach:
Be an astronaut for the day at the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium in West Palm Beach. During this exhibit, which runs through April 22, find out what it takes to be a space explorer as you get hands-on experiences in 26 exhibits that reveal the physical and psychological effects of living in space.
Stop by the Palm Beach Zoo and Conservation Society in West Palm Beach and get up close and personal with some of your favorite animals – from sloths and koalas to pink flamingoes. You can also help ring in the Chinese New Year at the annual celebration of Dragonfest. Held on February 17 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the festival will include a DJ, crafts, face painting, Dragon and Lion Dances by John Wai Kung Fu Academy, and a martial arts demonstration.
Experience Festival of the Arts BOCA — The Festival’s 12th year kicks off February 24 and will run through March 4 at Mizner Park in Downtown Boca Raton. Among this year’s performers are Kathleen Battle, Itzhak Perlman and Bill Murray.
At the world-famous Lake Worth Street Painting Festival on February 24-25, artists transform the streets of Downtown Lake Worth into works of art. There will be more than 600 artists on the pavement, music on the mainstage, restaurants, shops, and much more for art lovers of all ages to enjoy.
Learn about the giant sea turtles that emerge from the ocean every year to nest on Palm Beach County beaches, at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton. On February 24, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. the Sea Turtle Day Festival will be a family day of environmental education, live animal presentations, face painting, aquarium feedings, children’s theater, guided boardwalk tours, kids’ crafts and more.
Visitors should not miss the large-scale CANVASTM Outdoor Museum murals by street artists from around the world, in the West Palm Beach Arts & Entertainment District and nearby Downtown Lake Worth.
Farther north, here are some of the experiences and art activities near Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter:
From March 6-25, the Maltz Jupiter Theatre in Jupiter presents Rogers and Hammerstein’s Tony Award winning musical, South Pacific.
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park in North Palm Beach hosts daily nature walks, kayak rentals, and live bluegrass music on the second and third Sunday of each month. On March 3 from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., the community outdoor festival Naturescaping features native plant vendors, food trucks, a kayaking obstacle course, paddle boarding, live music and more.
The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum is on the National Register of Historic Places, one of only three Designated Outstanding National Areas in the U.S. and the only unit of the National Conservation Lands east of the Mississippi River. The site will host Sea Fest for Kids on February 24, 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. — a family day on the waterfront with sea-inspired education and adventures for kids to celebrate Jupiter’s coastal heritage and history. The fun-filled fest will include live music, story-telling, crafts, demonstrations, Lighthouse tours, kid-friendly food trucks and more.
Lighthouse ArtCenter in Tequesta will host its annual Plein Air Festival March 3-11. Observe artists painting at locations in Palm Beach and Martin Counties. After viewing, festival attendees will have the opportunity to purchase the paintings at the ArtCenter Gallery. There will be artists’ demonstrations and workshops, as well as a special ticketed VIP Collectors’ Reception.
Artfest by the Sea in Juno Beach takes place March 10-11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. This annual springtime gathering for Juno Beach locals and art lovers features more than 300 exhibitors displaying a variety of works from sculpture to jewelry and photography.
Loggerhead Marinelife Center is a major sea turtle rehabilitation and educational facility in Juno Beach. The oceanside facility will host its 15th Annual TurtleFest on Saturday, March 24, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The event features up-close interactions with threatened and endangered sea turtles, as well as music, art, shopping, educational presentations and games.
For more information on these and other outstanding cultural events in The Palm Beaches, visit palmbeachculture.com/events for a complete calendar of cultural experiences.
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