Centennial Party and Year-Long Special Events Showcase Transformation From Small Seaside Town to a Beach Chic Vacation Destination
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – On March 27, 1911, a small, sleepy village was incorporated as the City of Fort Lauderdale. On the same date in 2011, an all-day Centennial Riverfest will recognize the 100th birthday of one of America’s great beach vacation destinations attracting more than 10 million annual visitors from around the globe. The LGBT visitors number nearly a million annually, who spend in excess of $1 billion dollars in Fort Lauderdale, making it the leading gay tourist destination in the U.S. Fort Lauderdale’s residents are inviting the world to a year-long party featuring everything from family picnics, cultural exhibitions and walking tours to concerts, sports competitions, beach parties, a time capsule and a gala countdown to the New Year 2012.
Fort Lauderdale’s Centennial celebrations began with the installation of a large, lighted “100″ on the city’s famed beachfront, which has become a favorite “photo op” for visitors and residents alike. To commemorate the Centennial, Charles Fazzino, the pop artist, was commissioned to create “Ten Decades of Fort Lauderdale,” a 3D painting that captures in the artist’s bright, energetic signature style the past, present and future of the city. Among the highlights of special events in 2011: a parade and outdoor festival on March 12 honoring St. Patrick’s Day, a March 27 concert by Tropical Sinfonia, and the Centennial Riverfest, a day filled with activities, exhibitions, entertainment and food held along the New River in downtown Fort Laud-erdale. Also the premier of giant photographic “then and now” video montages projected on the sides of buildings in the downtown area that depict the areas over the course of its 100 years of evolution. A calendar of Centennial events is available at www.sunny.org/centennial.
The history of Fort Lauderdale actually stretches far beyond a hundred years. As early as 2,500 years ago, the marshy area was inhabited by Native Americans of the “Glades Culture.” Seminole Indians and a few white settlers arrived in the early 19th century and Fort Lauderdale was named for Major William Lauderdale in 1838. In the 1890′s, Frank Stranahan established a trading post at the ferry crossing on the New River, the beginning of today’s lively downtown area.
In 1896, the Florida East Coast Railway brought rapid growth to the region, which continued until the devastating hurricane of 1926 that killed hundreds and virtually destroyed the city. It was not until World War II and its aftermath that Fort Lauderdale began to grow again, but even into the 1980′s its major claim to fame, greatly enhanced by the movie “Where the Boys Are,” was as a “Spring Break” haven for some 350,000 college kids partying on a tight budget.
It was then that the public and private sectors decided to join forces to totally transform the area. Billions of dollars were invested in new infrastructure and attractions, including the Broward Convention Center, the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, the downtown Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District, and the Museum of Art. Major improvements were made to 23 miles of beach and coastline, including the creation of one of the world’s most spectacular artificial reef systems.
Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport expanded to become one of the fastest growing in the country and Port Everglades expanded to become one of the busiest cruise ports in the world.
Internationally respected hotel and resort brands have built on the famed seafront, a Superior Small Lodgings program was created to promote the region’s unique smaller properties, trend-setting chefs arrived, and such venues as Las Olas Boulevard, Sawgrass Mills and the Galleria put Fort Lauderdale on the shopping map. The end result is that “beach chic” Fort Lauderdale today represents an extraordinary blend of culture, cosmopolitan lifestyles, excitement, natural beauty and Blue Wave beaches.