It's a pineapple party with a purpose, said Lori Durante, executive director of the Museum of Lifestyle & Fashion History, of the eighth annual Children & Parents Day, featuring interactive workshops, arts and crafts and cooking demonstrations, with a focus on the pineapple, a fruit with a long history in Florida.
Sunday's event, inspired by National Nutrition Month and sponsored by Target and the museum, celebrates the 500th anniversary of Florida.
Target has a long history of community involvement and, according to its website, supports the arts and is slated to give more than $1 billion toward education by the end of 2015.
The day is an official community event partner for Viva Florida, a statewide initiative led by the Florida Department of State to mark the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Juan Ponce de León to the land he named "La Florida" in 1513.
"It is great that for the 500th anniversary of the state of Florida, local families and especially children can learn about the historical development of their hometowns with such a fun and relatable hands-on experience," said State Rep. Lori Berman of District 90.
Activities will take place at the historic Boynton Woman's Club, an Addison Mizner building from the 1920s, and will include cooking demos and classes, pineapple-themed arts and crafts, souvenir photos in the pineapple patch, a personal appearance by pineapple farmer Patty, entertainment, music and an all-you-can eat farm-to-table lunch catered by the Secret Garden Café.
"The pineapple theme is incorporated into all aspects of the event from its history to art-making and cooking demos," Durante said. "Local chefs, including Chrissy Benoit of the Little House, Phillip Herman of the Secret Garden Café and Suzanne O'Neil of the South Tech Culinary Academy and Bonnie Brown of Bonnie's Best Bites will give hands-on cooking classes for children and parents."
Benoit said she loves the idea of children getting more in touch with their food.
"I will create a fresh pineapple salsa that was featured on the TV show, 'Diners Drive-ins and Dives' with Guy Fieri," she said. "It's a wonderful fresh salsa that is great on food or with tortilla chips."
She said she will create her restaurant's signature dish, a pineapple upside down cake. "I hope this event empowers people with their food and brings out their creativity," Benoit said.
A specially designed pineapple fruit-shaped cake created by pastry chef Lara Fisher of Cakes by Lara will be served for dessert and Kingston & Associates, a produce distributor with storage and shipping facilities in Pompano Beach, are donating their Costa Rica Sugar Pine pineapples.
Local artists Rolando Chang Barrero of ActivistArtista, Barb Lentz of Art-Sea Living, Inge Behrens of CIB Gallery and Nadine Hamil of Artful Dreamers in Boynton Beach will facilitate hands-on workshops.
"We will create faces using pineapple images and water colors to paint pictures of pineapples and more," said Hamil, an artist and intuitive painter. "I love to ignite the excitement of the creative spirit in adults and children. As I assist kids with the magic of creating with great freedom they flourish and gain more confidence."
Students from American Heritage School of Boca/Delray will volunteer at the arts and craft stations.
Virginia Sinicki, morning co-host of the KVJ Show on Wild 95.5 FM, will be the master of ceremonies.
"I'm really excited to be a part of the event. It's going to be such a fun day for kids and parents. I love that it's all inclusive; your ticket price includes games, crafts and all the food," she said. "I have a very active 7-year old, and we are both super excited to be a part of this special day. I expect it to be a blast."
Prices are inclusive and include all food, cooking classes, arts and crafts, activities and souvenir photos. The discounted advance purchase rate is $15 per person/free for children younger than 3 and for tickets purchased before Sunday. Credit card payments are accepted online. Tickets can be purchased at ChildrenParentsDay.org. Make check payments to the Museum of Lifestyle & Fashion History and mail to P.O. Box 6127, Delray Beach, FL 33482. Call 561-243-2662.
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