Celebrate Decades of Distinction and the City's Centennial at the City of Fort Lauderdale’s second annual Great American Beach Party  on Saturday, May 28 from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Fort Lauderdale Beach at A1A and Las Olas Boulevard. The free event will transform a portion of Fort Lauderdale’s world famous A1A into an entertainment mecca, featuring music, live performances, and activities for the entire family.
The Centennial “Decades of Distinction” Celebration will recognize five exemplary citizens in the Fort Lauderdale community:
 Louise Crocco – As Head Girls’ Volleyball Coach from 1969 to 2008, Louise Crocco built the Cardinal Gibbons High School program into a dynasty. She compiled a career record of 1,132-123, capturing 18 state championships, 26 regional championships and 32 district titles. She is Florida’s all-time winningest girls’ high school volleyball coach and one of only three coaches in the nation to have more than 1,000 victories. During her career, Crocco was named National High School Coach of the Year; National High School District Coach of the Year, Women's Sports Foundation Coach of the Year, National Federation Interscholastic Coaches Association Coach of the Year, and Florida Athletic Coaches Association Coach of the Year. In 1990, she became the first woman to be inducted into the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame and is also a member of the Broward Community College Hall of Fame.
 Brent Jett – Brent Jett graduated from Northeast High School in 1976, and earned his bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating first in the class of 1981. He was designated a Naval Aviator in 1983 and was assigned to Fighter Squadron (VF) 74, flying the F-14 Tomcat and making overseas deployments aboard the USS Saratoga (CV-60). Jett was selected by NASA in 1992 and flew his first mission as pilot of the Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-72) in 1996. A year later, he piloted Atlantis (STS-81) as part of a mission between the U.S. Space Shuttle and the Russian Space Station Mir. Jett then commanded two shuttle missions, the first aboard Endeavour (STS-97) in 2000 followed by Atlantis (STS-115) in 2006, both of which focused on assembling and enhancing the capabilities of the International Space Station. Jett’s commendations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Department of Defense Superior Service and Meritorious Service Medals, Navy Commendation Medal, NASA Exceptional Service Medal and three NASA Space Flight Medals.
 Marcia Pinder – Marcia Pinder completed her 34th season as the Head Coach of the Dillard High School Girls’ Basketball Team, finishing with a 22-7 record and capturing the Lady Panthers’ second straight state championship. Earlier in the season, on December 8, 2010, Coach Pinder made history when the Lady Panthers defeated Nova by a score 42-33. The win gave Coach Pinder 761 career victories, making her Florida’s all-time winningest high school basketball coach. Coach Pinder’s record-breaking career at Dillard High School includes 22 district titles, 9 regional titles, 11 district runner-ups, 8 regional runner-ups, 9 state appearances and 6 state championships (1980, 1982, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2011). She holds a career record of 779-171 and was inducted into the Broward County Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. Under Coach Pinder’s guidance and leadership, the Lady Panthers Basketball Program has and will continue to be a model of excellence and consistency.
 Rick Shaw – Rick Shaw arrived in South Florida in 1960 and hasn’t slowed down since. The radio broadcasting legend’s career has spanned five decades and included time on the airways with WIOD, WQAM, WAXY and as the long-time morning host at Majic 102.7. Along the way, Rick also hosted two television shows. “Saturday Hop” and “The Rick Shaw Show” both on Channel 10. Today, Rick is still an integral part of the Majic 102.7 family, serving as President of the Majic Children’s Fund, which raises hundreds of thousands of dollars to support children, families and organizations in need throughout the local community.
 George Smith – In 1975, George Smith was named head football coach at St. Thomas Aquinas High School and, over the next three and a half decades, built the program into one of the most successful in the nation. During his 34 seasons as head coach, Smith guided the Raiders to two national championships, six state championships (1992, 1997, 1999, 2007, 2008, 2010), 27 district titles and a state-record 20 consecutive playoff appearances. He was inducted into the Florida High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005 and is a member of the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the Broward County Sports Hall of Fame. Smith has a career record of 361-66 and nearly 600 student athletes have gone on to play college football and 30 have reached the NFL.
Two stages will feature live bands that will perform classic oldies and rock n’ roll hits. Children and adults will enjoy an array of activities including face painting, hula-hoop, limbo and Twister contests, a water balloon toss and a sand castle building competition.
The event will also feature a classic car show. Vintage automobiles will line A1A giving beachgoers an up-close look at more than 50 hot rods, ragtops and muscle cars.
New this year, an art show will include displays from several Fort Lauderdale artists. And a special historical area will also feature nostalgic photos, artwork and collectibles highlighting the City of Fort Lauderdale's Centennial.
To top off the evening, event-goers will be treated to Chris MacDonald's Memories of Elvis in Concert at 7:30 p.m. followed by a special screening of Girl Happy, presented by the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, at approximately 8:30 p.m. on a larger-than-life screen set in the sand off the corner of A1A and Las Olas Boulevard. The 1965 romantic comedy, starring Elvis Presley and Shelley Fabares, centers around a rock-and-roll singer hired to watch over the beautiful daughter of a Chicago gangster during spring break in Fort Lauderdale.
For more information, please call our 24-hour event hotline at (954) 828-5363.
Watch the arrival of Connie Francis
and Mayor Seiler's presentation at the
2010 Great American Beach Party
(nine-minute video clip)
Parking
Event parking is available in the following City of Fort Lauderdale beach lots:
- Birch/Las Olas Intracoastal Lot - E. Las Olas Blvd and Las Olas Circle
- D.C. Alexander Lot - 501 Seabreeze Boulevard
- Fort Lauderdale Beach Park Lot - 700 Seabreeze Boulevard
- Oceanside Lot - 400 Seabreeze Boulevard
See the Beach Paking Map .
Other event parking locations include:
- Beach Place - 17 S. Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard
- Ritz-Carlton Garage - 1 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard
The Sun Trolley will provide service to the beach from the following downtown parking garages. Sun Trolley will operate from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. with trolleys running every 30 minutes. One-way fares are 50 cents per person. For more information, please visit www.suntrolley.com or call (954) 761-3543.
City Park Garage - 150 S.E. 2nd Street - $5 flat rate (5:00 am to midnight)
Sun Trolley Route: Las Olas Route, Stop #4 and #6
Pick-up is on S.E. 1st Avenue.
Arts & Science District Garage - 101 S.W. 5th Avenue - $12 flat rate
Sun Trolley Route: Las Olas Route, Stop #5
Pick-up is on S.E. 2nd Street.
Galleria Mall - 2414 East Sunrise Boulevard
Sun Trolley Route: Convention Connection
Pick-up is in front of mall near P.F. Chang’s
For more information on parking locations and rates, please visit www.fortlauderdale.gov/parking/parking.htm.
Traffic Advisory
A1A will be closed from Las Olas Boulevard north to Castillo Street from 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 28
to 1:00 a.m. on Sunday, May 29. Traffic that is traveling north on A1A will be diverted west onto Las Olas
Boulevard, north on Birch Road, east on Bayshore Drive and then back north onto A1A. Please note that
Alhambra Street, Seville Street and Granada Street will be open to local traffic only.
Sponsors
The City would like to thank its generous sponsors, without whom this great event would not be possible: AutoNation,
Majic 102.7,
Budweiser, Beach CRA,
FPL,
Stevens Distributing,
Sun-Sentinel,
FLIFF,
Nova Southeastern,
CH2M Hill, Hyatt Regency Pier 66, and OrangeTheory Fitness.
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