Feast of festivals
The Oktoberfest Dachshund Dash is among our top picks for families this weekend.
What started as a trickle last weekend has turned into a waterfall of harvest and family festivals this weekend.
Our top picks for families in South Florida this weekend include the following:
Block Party for Higher Education, today. Inspire the kids by checking out what South Florida colleges have to offer, plus music, dance, art exhibits, a family entertainment section, contests, prizes, vendors, food and drinks and free admission to the NSU Art Museum, which will have free Mini Muse and Micro Muse art projects for kids. The free event is 5 to 8 p.m. on East Las Olas Boulevard between Andrews and Southeast Second Avenue in downtown Fort Lauderdale. blockpartyforhighereducation.com
Free outdoor movies, Friday. Get in the Halloween spirit with a free movie, “Goosebumps,” at the 8th Annual Play Day at the Tamarac Sports Complex, 9901 NW 77th St. in Tamarac. Pre-movie activities starting at 6 p.m. include face painting, games, a bounce house, music, food vendors, free popcorn and goodie bags for the first 250 kids. The movie begins at 7:30 p.m. (tamarac.org). Or watch “Hocus Pocus” on the Great Lawn at Atlantic Avenue and Pompano Beach Boulevard in Pompano Beach starting at 8 p.m. (pompanobeachfl.gov).
Friday Night at the Museum. Ages 7-12 can enjoy a movie, science experiment and a pizza dinner from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the Children’s Science Explorium at Sugar Sand Park, 300 S. Military Trail, Boca Raton. $20-$25; sibling discount offered. scienceexplorium.org
Animate Florida, Friday to Sunday. This anime convention features animation, cosplay, video games, comic books, Q&As with anime celebrities, worldfamous cosplayers, costume contests, comedy shows, panels, workshops, stage shows and more at the Miami Airport Convention Center, 711 NW 72nd Ave, Miami. Tickets $15-$65. animateflorida.com
Oakland Park Oktoberfest, Friday to Sunday. Enjoy German music, beer and food, amusement rides, dancing, singing, games and a Dachshund Dash (at 5 p.m. Saturday only) at Jaco Pastorius Park, 4000 N. Dixie Highway in Oakland Park. $5 for ages 12 and up. Oaklandparkfl.gov/228/ Oktoberfest
Home Depot Kids Workshop, Saturday. Ages 5-12 are invited to make a Fire House Coin Bank from 9 a.m. to noon at participating Home Depot stores. homedepot.com
Barktoberfest, Saturday and Sunday. The kids can enjoy bounce houses and face painting while the doggies get splash time from 8 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. There will also be rescues and nonprofits, adoptions, a marketplace and a costume contest at Quiet Waters Park, 401 S. Powerline Road, Deerfield Beach. The park entry fee is $1.50; Cost is $5 per dog for 50-minute water sessions. broward.org/parks
Flamingo Gardens Harvest Festival, Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy hayrides, pumpkin patch, free decorating station, costume contests, characters, songs, games, fall crafts and the Annual Great Scarecrow Competition at Flamingo Gardens, 3750 S. Flamingo Road, Davie. The festival continues with Pirates & Princesses next weekend, then Superheroes on Oct. 21-22, and Halloween Storytime on Oct. 28-29. Regular admission rates apply. flamingogardens.org/ events.html
A Day for Children Health Fair, Sunday. Children 17 and younger and their families are invited to attend a free fun day at NSU with health assessments, games, bounce houses, storybook characters and supervised activities from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Alvin Sherman Library, 3100 Ray Ferraro Jr. Blvd., Davie. nsunews.nova.edu