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Author Jodi Tanner – Vice President Las Olas Association | Las Olas Boulevard & Isles Magazine
We have officially sprung forward in March and I hope you are all having a fantastic first quarter of the new year. We have many fun and exciting events planned and Las Olas is getting and giving lots of LOVE!
We have fantastic news from our Las Olas Association! We are excited to introduce Maria Doherty as our new Executive Director. Maria is a great new addition to our LOA team and looks forward to working with everyone on the Boulevard on all of our exciting and fun events. Read more about her in our special announcement and introduction following this article in Las Olas Boulevard & Isle Magazine‘s March/April 2024 edition.
A special shout-out is going to our very own board member, Bill Walker, CEO of Water Taxi, for being honored by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce as the 2024 Downtowner of the Year! Read more about Bill and his outstanding contributions to our city following this column. Congratulations Bill!
A new ‘must-see’ on the boulevard is a beautiful Las Olas “LOVE” mural painted by renowned artist Cey Adams. Mr. Adams has painted iconic Love murals across the United States and continues to add to the arts culture in our communities. The mural is located on the east side of Hoff’s Las Olas and is getting quite the attention. We thank Business for the Arts and the other generous sponsors who made it happen! Stop by Gran Forno Pronto located at 704 E. Las Olas Blvd. and congratulate Oualid and his team for being chosen as the Tenant of the Month by the Las Olas Company. Their friendly staff, amazing food and nightly live music make it a perfect place to dine. Congratulations Gran Forno Pronto!
Arts and culture were plentiful at the 36th Annual Las Olas Art Fair held on Saturday, March 2nd through Sunday, March 3rd. As always, visitors to this popular Las Olas event enjoyed all sorts of art, from visual, sculptural, photographic, artisan and more. Many of them enjoyed the shops and dining, as well, while sharing the love of art on Las Olas.
We are delighted to announce that the Fort Lauderdale St. Patrick’s Parade & Festival will be back on our beloved boulevard on Saturday, March 16th from 10AM – 7PM. Our friend Mike Weymouth of the Las Olas Company is this year’s Chairperson of the event. And longtime CEO and President Emeritus of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Kelley Shanley, is the 2024 Grand Marshall! The day-long festival will be centered at the new Tunnel Top Plaza located on Las Olas Boulevard and SE 6th Avenue. The Parade will start at noon and travel east from Huizenga Plaza to SE 9th Avenue on Las Olas Boulevard. Let’s show the boulevard some Irish love by spending the day visiting the shops, galleries and restaurants.
This year’s 28th Annual Las Olas Wine & Food Festival will continue its tradition of celebrating the best of Fort Lauderdale’s culinary excellence. Your support of this event will assist in funding research and educational programming for the American Lung Association. Get your tickets before they sell out as it is truly an amazing event! Find out more about what’s new for LOWFF 2024 later in this issue. The Florida Panthers are back on the ice for a new season, so check out the schedule at www.panthers-hockey.org. Let’s go Cats!
April is Autism Awareness Month and our Las Olas Association is supporting it in partnership with the Dan Marino Foundation. The mission is empowering individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities. The awareness flags will turn the boulevard blue and we encourage everyone to learn more about it and its various programs at www.danmarinofoundation.org.
So, there you have it! Lots of Love on Las Olas…and lots of people to share it with! We hope to see you at all of the amazing events planned for the next few months. And please be sure to check out the official Las Olas Boulevard website at www.lasolasboulevard.com for more info and background on all of the great events, shopping, dining, and entertainment that Las Olas has to offer!
Lots of Love, Jodi Tanner Vice President, Las Olas Association
Las Olas Capital Advisors is a native Floridian and has spent most of her life in Fort Lauderdale. She has been married to Paul Tanner for 21 years, with whom she has 3 sons, Jerrod, Stephen, and Garrett. Jodi is a Founder of Las Olas Capital Advisors, a wealth management firm located on Las Olas Boulevard. She is also the Founder and Curator of Las Olas Capital Arts, a not-for-profit entity that celebrates and supports local and emerging artists and advocates for the cultural arts in South Florida.
Article from LAS OLAS BOULEVARD & ISLES MAGAZINE is the official bimonthly publication of the Las Olas Association providing our local homeowners, residents, businesses and professionals in the Las Olas Boulevard corridor with relevant local news, civic updates and events information specifically and exclusively focused on our own Las Olas Boulevard, Isles and surrounding area.
Las Olas Boulevard & Isles Magazine is published by Fort Lauderdale Media Associates, Inc 401 E. Las Olas Blvd., Ste. 130-599, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 www.ftlauderdalemedia.com | publisher@ftlauderdalemedia.com