THE PALM BEACHES: FLORIDA’S CULTURAL CAPITAL

Enjoy the unique arts and cultural experiences across Palm Beach County.

The Palm Beaches, a thriving Florida hot spot known for its luxurious surrounds and posh resort-fringed coastline, also offers unique arts and cultural experiences for everyone and every budget.

Nestled along a 75-kilometre stretch of sandy beaches on Florida’s Atlantic coast, Palm Beach County is home to seven unique art-filled regions with over 200 arts and cultural organizations that include worldclass performance venues, galleries, museums and abundant art festivals.

Fun festivals? Sunfest in downtown West Palm Beach is an annual crowd pleaser loaded with music, art, food and fun. The popular festival takes place on the waterfront along the Intracoastal Waterway. Dates: April 30–May 3, 2020. sunfest.com

Unique historic sites? Head to the towering Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum for this one-of-a-kind heritage gem. Built in 1860, visitors can tour the tower, climb the 105 steps and visit the museum. jupiterlighthouse.org

Want to see a Gilded Age mansion? In Palm Beach, the magnificent 75-room estate known as Whitehall has a fine collection of interior furnishings on display from the industrialist Henry Morrison Flagler, founder of the Florida East Coast Railway. Built in 1902 as a wedding gift for his new bride, the National Historic Landmark is now home to the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum with changing exhibits. flaglermuseum.us

Colourful cultural surprises? In Delray Beach, Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens is a memorial to the once-thriving agricultural colony of Japanese immigrants who settled there in the early 20th Century.

Today the cultural facility has a museum, restaurant, trails and exquisite Japanese gardens. Enjoy themed rotating exhibitions like Anime Architecture, which runs until April 3, 2020. The exclusive U.s.-only show of rare illustrations depicts Japan’s blockbuster animated sci-fi films. At the Seishin-an Tea House, learn the art behind a classic Japanese tea ceremony. morikami.org

Across Palm Beach County, live entertainment gets top billing. At the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, see spectacular performances of music, dance and theatre with international stars. In Boca Raton, see a vibrant performing arts scene at the Mizner Park Amphitheater and theatre venues at Florida Atlantic University. In downtown Delray Beach, art lovers get a four-in-one cultural experience at the Old School Square campus, home of the Crest Theatre, Cornell Art Museum, Fieldhouse and the Creative

Arts School. For a splash of colour, head to downtown Lake Worth Beach for the annual Street Painting Festival held on Feb. 22 and 23, 2020, where over 600 artists are expected to create original street art.

In Palm Beach County, culture always shines! While winter and spring are two of the best seasons to enjoy the abundance of cultural treasures, you also can enjoy spectacular events and attractions year-round.