Welcome to Featured, a spot for all things entertainment, and cultural happenings in Palm Beach County.
Rev. Lea Brown keeps boxes of tissues under the seats at the Metropolitan Community Church in Palm Beach Gardens.
After years of feeling unwelcome at other churches, many LGBT people break down in tears during MCC services, she says, when they find a church that celebrates their sexuality from a Christian perspective.
The 150-member church is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year with plans for expansion.
Need plans for the weekend? If you love beer, wine and food, these festivals are for you:
Jupiter Food & Wine Festival
Sample dishes and drinks at the seventh annual Jupiter Food & Wine Festival. The Friends of Jupiter Beach event will feature food and drink from over 40 of Palm Beach County’s finest restaurants, cafés, brewing companies and beverage providers. Mo & Sally from KOOL 105.5 are honorary chairs.
The event runs from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Saturday. 6285 Riverwalk Lane, Jupiter. Tickets start $60 for adults, $15 children.
Delray Beach Craft Beer Fest
The fifth annual Delray Beach Craft Beer Fest takes place tonight (5/13) from 6:30 to 10:30 at the Old School Square Pavilion. Tickets — $60 VIP, $40 general admission — are good for unlimited sampling of more than 100 craft brews and ciders as well as wines. 51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach.
Hatsume Fair 2016
Time to dust off your kimono because it’s finally spring and that can only mean one thing: The Hatsume Fair returns to the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens. The Delray Beach landmark and cultural sweet spot, typically described as tranquil and calming, gets tossed into a fun frenzy of taiko drums, sake tastings and fashion shows for this annual spring festival. While you’re there, visit the adorable gift shop for fun gifts and special items for that family member or friend that enjoys the culture of the Land of the Rising Sun.
If you go: Hatsume Fair 2016: Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Advance tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for kids (ages 4-10) online and tickets at the gate are $15 for adults and $10 for kids. Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, 4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach. Info: 561-495-0233.
Tropic Fest
Plaza Down Under Riverwalk
There will be music, including steel drums, the Junkanoo Band and the Floridian Band, along with dancing and kids’ activities. Enjoy fresh and delicious dishes and check out all the craft vendors.
If you go: Tropic Fest: The free event runs from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday. 25 S. Coastal Way, Jupiter. Information: 561-741-2400.
It comes as no surprise to us locals but it’s still nice to be validated.
Guanabanas, Jupiter’s wildly-popular bar and restaurant tucked into a tropical rain forest, has been named Florida’s top waterfront bar by a website called Onlyinyourstate.com.
Citing Guanabanas lush landscaping, laid-back attitude, seafood-centric menu and live music, the website says the tiki-themed outdoor restaurant is “a taste of paradise.”
But we already knew that.
As our tourist season winds down, it’s also far easier to get a table this time of year.
Read: More of our top picks for waterfront dining in Palm Beach County.
Last week the Post’s Frank Cerabino ranked all the cities in Palm Beach County. Based on Cerabino’s top ten picks, we asked our Post readers ‘what is your favorite city,’ and the results are in!
You all agreed with Cerabino…with a total of 490 votes, West Palm Beach was the readers’ choice winner! Other favorites were Delray Beach, with 381 votes and Jupiter with 379 votes.
Here’s why Cerabino picked West Palm Beach as the top city in Palm Beach County:
Reason for ranking: West Palm Beach is the center of gravity in Palm Beach County. And not just because it has the zoo, the county courthouse, convention center and the only county stop on the yet-to-be-built All Aboard Florida route. West Palm Beach has led the way with the arts — with the Kravis Center, Palm Beach Dramaworks and SunFest — and figured out that nurturing public space, even if it’s just a big fountain that kids can play in, is really important. It’s a city of muraled walls, rental-bike stations, and an ever-changing roster of trendy dining spots and re-invented neighborhoods.
Poll results:
A park is a great place for a walk. In Palm Beach County we are have 83 county parks to choose from. Here are the top ten county parks that will make your walk more enjoyable:
Perfect Parks – Top 10 parks in Palm Beach County you must visit!
Related: Lake Worth officials – Let’s bring Braves spring training to John Prince Park
With the Palm Beach season winding down, there are still plenty of big community festivals on the way. This weekend Fort Pierce celebrates the waterfront with oysters, seafood, live music and crafts.
Check out our guide to find the next festival near you!
Let’s Get Festive: A guide to major community festivals in Palm Beach County
Here are five Palm Beach County restaurants where the only thing better than the eggs are the excellent water views (and the perfect place to walk off all those calories):
Five best restaurants on the beach for breakfast in Palm Beach County
Related: Our full Spring Break 2016 guide
Many will be headed to church this weekend to celebrate Easter. We take a look at some of the most beautiful stained glass windows in our area churches.
In their earliest days, the multicolored panes depicted stories of faith for congregants who couldn’t read. “They’re a snapshot in time of something that’s glorious and emotional,” says Shanon Materio, owner of Lake Worth’s McMow Art Glass . “It’s an Old World craft — and art. There’s very little technology that has entered into this industry.”
The glorious stained-glass windows of Palm Beach County
Photos: Holy Light – The stained glass windows of Palm Beach County
Headed to the beach for Spring Break? We have found some of the best ones to enjoy without the usual crowds:
Five best uncrowded beaches in Palm Beach County
Related: Our full Spring Break guide – free things to do
