The Town of Loxahatchee Groves will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its incorporation next week with a founders’ reception on Tuesday, Nov. 1 before the next Loxahatchee Groves Town Council meeting and an old-fashioned carnival on Saturday, Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Loxahatchee Groves County Park on Southern Blvd.
Finance Director Perla Underwood has been making the arrangements. She has been surprised at the offers to participate in the celebration.
On Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., before the meeting, there will be a dedication of the town hall’s new flagpole, followed by a reception.
“We finally had our flagpole put in, and it has taken us six months to get the lighting in place the way it is supposed to be,” Underwood said. “I wouldn’t let them put up the flag, so on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., they’re going to go out there and raise the flag. There will be a small reception in the lobby before the meeting at 7 p.m.”
Underwood has invited the original town council, the incorporation committee, attorney Sam Goren with Goren, Cherof, Doody & Ezrol P.A., who drafted the incorporation legislation and the town’s charter, and Atlantis City Clerk Mo Thornton, who served as interim clerk for the town’s first meeting.
“I’m hoping to get a lot more people to come in, but it’s more the incorporation committee and the first council, and those individuals who were present and responsible for the town’s incorporation,” she said.
Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association President Marge Herzog, a former council member, has put together a movie depicting the incorporation process that will be shown at the reception.
“The anniversary is the first of November, so we wanted to do something to mark the [actual] date, and then the real party is on Saturday,” Underwood said.
She believes that the town will be happy because the festivities will represent the residents’ ideal, which is to keep the town rural.
“The college has just written me and wants to be involved in some fashion,” Underwood said. “The Publix people and the Dunkin’ Donuts people and the Tractor Supply people — a lot of people from outside the community [have chimed in]. It has been quite interesting. Everybody’s really excited.”
She said that the town mailed invitations to every resident and landowner in the community.
“We want to attract families and as many people, so we contracted for pony rides, we have baking contests, we have all kinds of games for children, but I keep stressing to everybody, remember this should be old-fashioned,” Underwood said. “It’s not the South Florida Fair; there’s not any electronic rides or games or things like that, but sack races and all these different games that they played in years maybe when I was a child.”
Other activities include a turkey shoot using targets where the winner will receive a gift certificate for a real turkey from Publix. There will be country and golden oldies music by live performers.
Palms West Alliance Church will set up tables with coffee and donuts for people coming in early to set up.
For more information, call (561) 793-2418.
