Palm Beach Florida Weekly

HAPPENINGS



ManateeFest will offer free family activities that highlight Florida’s beloved sea cows on Feb. 5 at Manatee Lagoon — An FPL Eco-Discovery Center. COURTESY PHOTO

ManateeFest will offer free family activities that highlight Florida’s beloved sea cows on March 26 at Manatee Lagoon — An FPL Eco-Discovery Center. COURTESY PHOTO

ManateeFest returns with family activities

Learn about Florida’s manatees and have fun doing it.

Manatee Lagoon — An FPL Eco-Discovery Center will host its sixth annual ManateeFest on March 26, rescheduled from Feb. 5.

ManateeFest 2022 will celebrate the marine mammals, whose primary food source, seagrass, has been compromised because of algal blooms in various waterways. Experts and family-friendly programs will be presented throughout the day educating visitors on the importance of protecting manatees and what we all can do to help.

For the first time, ManateeFest will be a hybrid event, where visitors can be inspired by beloved sea cows, explore the wonders of Lake Worth Lagoon, and learn about environmental conservation either live in-person or virtually online.

The free, family-friendly event will offer a variety of activities, including food trucks, conservation-themed vendors, environmental booths and live music. In-person attendees will enjoy a KidsFunZone featuring a beach cleanup and Recycling Relay Race, a Conservation Pledge station, photo opportunities with Mia the Manatee and special friends, marine life face painting, arts and craft vendors, environmental exhibitors and much more.

 

In addition to an interactive photo booth and downloadable coloring sheets, online ManateeFest guests will have the unique opportunity to visit local small businesses by clicking through a virtual storefront from 8 a.m. on Saturday, March 26, through midnight on Sunday, March 27, and a chance to win prizes by playing an online trivia game.

ManateeFest is 9 a.m.-4 p.m. March 26 at Manatee Lagoon, 6000 N. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach. Online at www.VisitManateeLagoon.com/ ManateeFest.

Free admission and parking. Food and beverages are available for purchase.

Cultural Council show opens

The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s latest exhibition, “Being Heard, Being Seen” will celebrate self-identity and expression, featuring local artists who identify as LGBTQ+ and artists whose work interrogates issues of rights, representation and the lived experience of LGBTQ+ individuals.

“Being Heard, Being Seen” will open to the public on Friday, Jan. 28 at the Council’s downtown Lake Worth Beach headquarters. It is presented in collaboration with artist Jose Alvarez (D.O.P.A.) and features the following artists:

¦ Emilio Apontesierra-Paretti

¦ Rolando Chang Barrero

¦ Juan Carlos Badia Cabero

¦ Kathy Cotter

¦ Dariel Donovan

¦ Joe Horton

¦ Ates Isildak

¦ Deon Jefferson

¦ Teresa Korber

¦ Kingsley Ratcliff

¦ Dianne Rosenberg and Stacie Kiner

”We can’t wait to celebrate this fantastic group of artists and honor the LGBTQ+ community,” Dave Lawrence, the Cultural Council’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “The goal of this exhibition is to encourage everyone to be their authentic selves, to champion understanding, compassion and important conversations, and to create a safe space where everyone feels heard and seen for who they are — without question or compromise. When we do that, we make room for real impact.”

There also will be free art talks, with in-depth conversations with artists participating in “Being Heard, Being Seen” (registration recommended):

¦ 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26 — Jose Alvarez (D.O.P.A.), Human Transformation through Art.

¦ 2 p.m. Saturday, March 26 — Emilio Apontesierra-Paretti, The Path to Being Heard and Being Seen.

All artwork featured in the exhibition is for sale. Proceeds from artwork sales directly benefit local artists and support the council’s mission to grow arts and culture in Palm Beach County. To inquire about a piece, email art@palmbeachculture.com.

“Being Heard, Being Seen” is sponsored by Florida Weekly, The Palm Beach Post, South Florida Gay News and Compass Community Center. ¦

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