Pardon our dust as this historic venue undergoes a major restoration and beautification endeavor.
As a component of our ongoing mission to provide an entertainment destination that fosters artistic excellence, diversity and spirit in the community, the Gardens has actively been programing performing arts, festivals and other cultural activities both in the Banyan Bowl, Hibiscus Room/Gardens Gallery and throughout the botanical park.
The Gardens has grown to be a popular facility that is seen as a major community asset offering diverse, quality, family entertainment that is reasonably priced, drawing artists and patrons from the Pinecrest community and beyond. Many of our offerings include performances by world-class artists at the height of their professional career as seen in our jazz series.
Over the past six seasons (since our opening as a performance venue in 2011), The Village has taken extraordinary steps to ensure the Banyan Bowl be fully professional, fully equipped and a full service theater that attracts community users and traveling performers alike. But always casting a shadow at our entrance and present throughout the Gardens has been the path shelters that have become a constant reminder of aging disrepair.
But late last year that all changed with a generous Cultural Capital Grant from the State of Florida for $500,000 (and a required matching $500,000 from the Village) allowing the Gardens to finally address these aging structures with a greatly needed face lift. This renovation project, now in its third month and scheduled for completion by the end of the year, will both beautify and enhance the visual impact, the usability factor and the visitors overall experience.
These 1,066 linear feet of covered walkways that wind around the Banyan Bowl, throughout the forward areas and upper Garden (including the Main Entrance, Gardens Gallery, and Colonnade), our iconic Lakeview Terrace and even areas through the lower Gardens are, for the most part, original Parrot Jungle structures dating back to the mid-1930s.
The renovation project will allow for the total restoration of these roof structures done in beautiful tongue-and-groove wood and suspended on 60 magnificent historic coral rock columns that support these structures and protect our visitors from inclement weather and the intense South Florida sun.
Down the road we will present you all with some remarkable before and after shots…however, for the time being please join us on this pictorial journey whose ultimate destination is a stunning and startling transformation that results not in a change to but a true restoration of this historic and iconic venue.
(Stand by for another announcement addressing the renovation of the iconic Parrot Jungle Cafeteria Space, Cypress Hall, when we transform this incredible room located at the entrance of the Gardens into an exquisite multi-functional venue. There’s much, much more to come on this subject in the very near future!)
