We are proud to unveil our new limited edition brick program in Jaco Pastorius Park. Now you can be memorialized with a glazed, engraved veneer brick or one made with marble that will be placed on the south or east wall of the new Community Center underneath the Jaco Pastorius mural. Bricks start at $50 and can be purchased online at www.JacoPastoriusPark.com/jaco_bricks.html.
Won't you consider purchasing a brick in honor of someone you know? Will your company support our cause with the purchase of a brick? Oakland Park Main Street is funded through public and private donations. Our current fund-raising goal is to raise money for the new mural in Jaco Pastorius Park.
The mural and brick projects are helping us meet our purpose, which is to create cultural and economic vitality for Downtown Oakland Park. The primary goals of Oakland Park Main Street are to work collaboratively with the City of Oakland Park, area businesses, residents and property owners by
Providing support for the City of Oakland Park's growth initiatives, projects and activities
Helping to create a special sense of pride and place
Establishing the District as a unique and compelling destination of choice
Marketing the District to take advantage of economic opportunities
Attracting new businesses to the area
Promoting responsible redevelopment within the downtown district
Our volunteer base consists of four committees including design/public art, promotion, economic restructuring and marketing. Our board of directors is actively seeking volunteers to help us reach our goals. By joining Oakland Park Main Street, you have the opportunity to help shape Oakland Park in to a dynamic city. Membership starts at just $100 annually. For more information, visit www.oaklandparkmainstreet.com/membership.html.
For further information, email me directly at mark@smark.com. Oakland Park Main Street now more than ever is "at the heart of it all." For further information, check out our web site at www.oaklandparkmainstreet.com or email me directly at mark@smark.com. Oakland Park Main Street is "at the heart of it all".
Oktoberfest Wrap Up
What a great time visitors had at the recent Oktoberfest at Jaco Pastorius Park. The weather was just perfect and the people kept coming. They arrived with friends, met neighbors at the Festzelt and Biergarten or searched for the flag their club displayed to help members locate their group. For the Austrian Club of South Florida it was a first at our Oktoberfest and they will be back next year.
While many enjoyed the dancing, stein and barrel races, the most popular event in the afternoon proved to be again the Dachshund race. Every year the number of participating hounds grows—this year we had 57 registered for the race, up from 47 last year—and we are told that owners of those little four-legged contestants take the challenge real serious. Judging from the hooting and hollering crowd cheering them on, so does everyone else. It was a close race, the new champion defeated last year’s top dog by less than a nose length. While 57 were in the race, there were many more on the ground socializing as did their owners. Central Bark staff did a great job keeping everyone organized and rewarded the first and second place winner with a basket full of doggy goodies. For those who missed the excitement, go to U-Tube and watch the video a visitor taped, narrated and posted. Our sincerest thanks to him for doing so!! Every year we plan to capture this event and for one reason or another we never do. Because he took the initiative, we now can share it with the world.
The Ambry Restaurant’s new menu items were a hit. The goulash soup, a little spicy, curry bratwurst and chicken schnitzel quickly became favorites. People also loved the robust, flavorful Tucher beer. Well, you wouldn’t expect anything less from the brewery to the Bavarian kings, and in business for more than 450 years.
Sal’s Towing won the two round-trip airline tickets to Munich or Duesseldorf donated by Air Berlin, one of Germany’s leading airlines, and Leslie Backus of Ketcham Backus Public Relations holds the winning ticket for the motor scooter donated by Spank Cheesesteak Factory.
In closing, we sincerely thank our sponsors for their financial and in-kind contributions that make this event possible, the Oktoberfest committee and volunteers who invested countless hours in planning and worked very hard the day of the event to make it the most enjoyable it could be for kids and adults alike. Many thanks also go to the German/American Club of Lantana whose members every year, with Vice President Kurt Freiter at the helm, bring their flags and march in our procession enhancing authenticity of our Oktberfest. And last but not least, we offer our gratitude to our partner, the City of Oakland Park and its staff who provide services that allow us to bring this event to our city year after year. Oktoberfest attendees this year very much mirrored our diverse community and seemed truly inspired engaged and united.
See you next year.
Upcoming Events
Main Street’s Holiday Home Tour! Saturday, December 5 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
Several residents in the western part of our city graciously agreed to open their homes decorated for the holidays to visitors. Tickets are $10.00 and can be purchased at the Main Street office located at 3407 N. Dixie Highway in the Squire Jewelers building. With the purchase of your ticket, you will be provided the name and address and a map. Before taking off on you adventure, we invite you to join us for a holiday reception at our office.
Mark your Calendar! Antique Car Show in Downtown Oakland Park Saturday, February 27, 2010
Details next month.
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