Florida Agenda

WILTON MANORS, FL – On Thursday, Jan. 5, members of the Wilton Manors Main Street (WMMS) organization coordinated a day-long photo shoot featuring the top 100 businesses, people, and activities of the city’s merchants and professional offices.

Tom Tabor, WMMS vice president and board member, and several colleagues spent the day from 6 a.m. to midnight photographing business people and their staffs “doing good.” Their efforts will be collected and presented at an event hosted by The Manor Restaurant and Entertainment Complex on Wednesday, Jan. 18, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Tabor says the event is meant to highlight the unsung achievements of the Island City’s merchants and businesses, and to promote the city to the rest of the nation and beyond. “This is a lot of fun in a very good cause,” Tabor said at around 10 p.m., between photo shoots.

“We want our friends in business to join us at The Manor on the 18th for the event, and to see how the rest of the world will see them. These businesses are a very important part of the foundation that makes Wilton Manors such a terrific place.”

Reservations for “A Day in the Life of Wilton Manors” can be made online at WiltonManorsMainStreet.org/Focus. The cost is $25 per person.

By Cliff Dunn

WILTON MANORS, FL – Visitors to Wilton Drive last Thursday, Jan. 5, may have noticed a familiar face, or one that became increasingly familiar as the day went on.

Tom Tabor, board member and vice president of Wilton Manors Main Street (WMMS) and a crew of volunteers and photographers decamped up and down the length of Wilton Drive, part of a day-long photo shoot coordinated by the not-for-profit organization and featuring the top 100 businesses, people, and activities of the city’s merchants and professional offices. They started at 6 a.m., and went on well into the night.

“I never thought I would have so much fun,” said Tabor, a retired businessman and activist with WMMS who, along with several colleagues, hiked the length and breadth of Wilton Manor’ main drag, capturing businesses at work–and in some instances, play–for a presentation “A Day in the Life of Wilton Manors.” The final results will be shown at a lunch event hosted at The Manor Restaurant and Entertainment Complex on Wednesday, Jan. 18, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Tabor says he never felt so welcome. “The working press and photographers enjoy a degree of access that, frankly, I wasn’t sure I would have,” Tabor recalls. “There was so much enthusiasm for this project, and we hope this translates into friends and supporters coming out to support the finished product on Jan.

18.”

More information about, and reservations for, “A Day in the Life of Wilton Manors” can be made online at WiltonManorsMainStreet.org/Focus.

1. TOM TABOR, Winchester Group: That during these tough times, people don’t continue to dare to dream and keep trying to do more.
2. EDWIN NAVARRO, Dancer/Actor: Death. I don’t know where I’m going or what is going to happen after.
3. SERGEY STEPANOV, Front Desk Manager: To loose my parents. They are the only people I can rely on and get support from.
4. CRISTIAN GRANATZ, NMT: Getting old. In the gay community everybody knows what that is like.
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5. GREGG WEST, Business Owner: That I won’t get a trick or a treat on Halloween.  LOL

WICKED WEEKEND

This year, it’s “Wicked Weekend” on Wilton Drive which is to be held from Friday, February 29 to Sunday, February 30. Also, unlike previous years, Wilton Drive will not be closed to automobile traffic. Events will be held along Wilton Drive in the parking lots and inside the various bars.

“We had planned to expand from last year,” said Tom Tabor of Wilton Manors Main Street, the organization which brought the businesses along The Drive together to plan a Halloween festival, “Until we found out how much everything costs.” Tabor said it would cost around $35,000 just to close the street.

Tabor also said that they considered having the bars located on Wilton Drive have street-side bars, something which is not normally permitted. But the City of Wilton Manors gave approval to this plan and the bars would split the costs of closing the street. But there was a lack of time and funds.

The businesses on The Drive did come up with a combined $15,000 to provide additional police and security service for the events. This also paid for additional public restrooms for the weekend, parking at Fort Lauderdale High School and a free shuttle service from the satellite parking lots to the festival. The city is providing traffic cones at the crosswalks and the large flashing message signs on both ends of the street and additional lighting. No money is being spent on street decorations unless the bars provide them individually.

Alibi, Bill’s and Boom will be having an outdoor entertainment stage to be located in the parking lot of the Shoppes of Wilton Manors. This will be at their expense. On the north end of Wilton Drive, Tabor said that the “Triangle” of New Moon, Matty’s and Rosie’s are working together but he didn’t know what their plans were.

Last year’s “Wicked Manors” was organized by Pride of Greater Fort Lauderdale but they lost $30,000 at this past June’s Stonewall Street Festival and Parade despite the high attendance. In April of this year, some of the board members of PGFL expressed that they didn’t want to organize “Wicked Manors” again and Wilton Manors Main Street offered to do it. Immediately after Stonewall, the PGFL board cancelled any plans for

the large street party which attracted up to 20,000 people last year.

“The difference is having the ability to charge for an event,” said Tabor referring to PrideFest organized by Pride South Florida, which annually charges a fee to attend. “There is no Santa Claus.” The question is: how do you charge for such an open event on Wilton Drive?

“Halloween is Halloween,” concluded Tabor, “and it’s going to be successful whether or not we close the street.”