The season might be changing, but our cultural arts and festival season at Pinecrest Gardens continues with a menu of activities and events that include educational activities for adults and children, two great options for jazz and an opportunity to participate in an orchid auction present by some of the most talented growers in the region. March might come in like a lion, but it will roar straight through till the end of spring.
South Motors Jazz Series presents “A Tribute to the Great Count Basie” on Saturday, March 11, 8:00 p.m. featuring two-time Grammy Award Nominee Shelly Berg and the Award Winning Frost Concert Jazz Band. The Los Angeles Times quotes “Berg is exhilarating…he burns hard, his fingers flying over the keyboard while his body nearly levitates off the bench.” Join us for this fabulous concert when piano prodigy Shelly Berg channels the very soul of one of the greatest masters of modern jazz, Count Basie. Joining Berg on stage will be the award winning Frost Concert Jazz Band. Tickets are $25 & $30 at <pinecrestgardens.org> or at 1-877 496-8499. Pre-concert dinner reservation can be made at 305-669-6990.
On Saturday, March 18th, 8:00 p.m. jazz in the Gardens continues when Solis Bravo takes the stage. Solis Bravo is a unique fusion of Straight Ahead Jazz, Latin Jazz, Swing, Big Band, Bossa Nova, and Rhythm and Blues created by song writer and guitarist Carlos Solis.
Joining Carlos is bassist and Grammy nominee Jerry Bravo along with 2 Time Grammy Award Winner, Drummer/Percussionist Richard Bravo. This extraordinary group of ten talented award winning musicians will take you on a musical journey you will remember for months to come. Tickets are $35 and available at the gate two hours prior to performance time.
Grown-ups and children alike will both relish and relate to “The Secrest Life of Pets”, our Family Friday Feature Film on March 17at 8:00 p.m. “The Secret Life of Pets” is a comedy about the lives our loving pets lead after we leave for work or school each day. Comedy superstars Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet and Kevin Hart make their animated feature-film debuts in this hilarious animated gem which co-stars Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, Jenny Slate, Bobby Moynihan, Hannibal Buress and Albert Brooks. The gates open at 6:30 and wonderful guided flashlight strolls through the Gardens begin at sundown…after 7:00 p.m. Hot dogs, popcorn and other tasty treats are available throughout the evening and the movie begins at 8:00 p.m.
The Gardens Gallery this month features our favorite art exhibit of the season, Taste of the Tropics, presented by the Miami Dade Public Schools Life Skills Department showcasing the best of the best of nearly every art genre created by gifted students in grades K-12. Miami is a city that emits an ambiance of tropical culture. This thematic exhibition allows students to examine Miami’s nuances as they explore them through the use of various media such as drawings, paintings, printmaking, and more. Miami’s natural waterways, mangroves palm trees, small islands, seagulls, sultry sea breezes, the sounds of Biscayne Bay lapping at the shore, flora, fauna and sunsets that paint the sky a thousand shades of tangerine and lavender are but a few of those tropical wonders explored and interpreted through this student exhibition.
The exhibit is on display through Tuesday, March 28 with their Awards Ceremony, Thursday, March 16, 6-8:00 p.m.
Education at the Gardens over the next two weeks will focus on adult oriented workshops and we have two excellent opportunities to engage in horticulture and conservation. Our Horticulture Workshop this month continues the Garden Craft and Design Series with a class entitled “Build your own Terrarium or Miniature Garden” on Wednesday, March 8 at 10:30 a.m. Terrariums and miniature gardens are a perfect way to display your creativity on a small scale! This class will teach you the basics of terrarium design, and will provide materials for you to create one for your home. All plants and design materials are provided. If you have your own container, feel free to bring it! Class fee is $10.00. These classes are in high demand and limited to 12 participants so please reserve in advance at 305-669-6990.
Our Conservation Workshop on Thursday, March 16 at 10:30 a.m. is called Planting for Wildlife
If you are thinking about starting a butterfly garden, or just simply looking to attract more wildlife to your yard then join us for this workshop session where we will explore the benefits of planting natives in your yard for both you and our native critters’ enjoyment. You will learn about specific species that are best suited for your particular environment and you will be sent home with a pollinator-attracting plant. The class is $10 per person (includes hands-on workshop, supplies and take home project) and is limited to only 12 people so make sure to reserve in advance at 305-669-6990.
ORCHIDS, ORCHIDS AND MORE ORCHIDS…when the Pan Am Orchid Society hosts their Annual Auction and Sale on Tuesday, March 21, 7:00 p.m. in the Hibiscus Room. We could all say that we love orchids because they are so beautiful and resilient. But regardless of what it is about orchids that bring us together – their colors, shapes, scents, sizes – we are mesmerized by their beauty and exotic nature. The Pan American Orchid Society was founded in 1954 by a small group of Pan American World Airways employees who were driven by the desire to share their knowledge and love of orchids. Join us and you will experience floral beauty at its best. Previews start at 6:30 p.m. and the auction will begin at 7:00 p.m. FREE ADMISSION, FREE REFRESHMENTS and FREE DOOR PRIZE RAFFLES are available to all who come. This is a wonderful opportunity to either add to your existing orchid collection or begin your love affair with these magnificent blooms. For further information call 305-669-6990.
Don’t forget that our Little Lizards program happens every Friday afternoon from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and the activities are geared for children ages 3-10. This drop-in, informal program will feature new activities every week relating to a monthly theme. Lizards will read, explore, create, and imagine while learning about the wonders of nature. No prior registration is necessary. Activities are free with regular park admission.
