Clearwater Beach’s Annual Sugar Sand Festival canceled over pandemic concerns

Sand Sculptures at Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival, Florida at Clearwater Beach, Florida, April 23, 2017. Courtesy: Shutterstock – Photo by Ilya Images Just when you thought the festival and event cancelations were behind us in 2020—think again. Florida is known for its beautiful coastline and white sandy beaches along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.

2020: Florida’s year in review—Stories that made this year memorable

Happy New Year 2021 text on the beach. Abstract background photo of coming New Year 2021 and leaving the year of 2020 Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Maps Expert As the world begins to turn the page on 2020 and look forward to a new year in 2021, we at Florida Insider decided to compile

Coconut Grove welcomes First High-End Cuban Dining Fare: OCA

“OCA” The Grove’s soon-to-be first and only full-blown Cuban restaurant with full bar in the area. Courtesy: Florida Insider- Photo taken by William Prego It has been a difficult year for restaurant owners nationwide, especially in places like South Florida, where rent is well above the national average. But diamonds are created in the rough,

The end of an era: Greyhound dog Racing in Florida ends this week due to a 2018 Amendment passage

Greyhound racing – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image By Manfred Ruckszio Out with the old, in with the new. In the November 2018 Florida Primary Election, voters vigorously voted to pass Amendment 13, a vote that would ultimately ban greyhound racing across the state by 2020’s end.  Since the vote, ten tracks in Florida have suspended their

Duck’s Nest, Palm Beach’s second-oldest home earns Robert I. Ballinger Award

Duck’s Nest Palm Beach. Courtesy: Brantley Photography – Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach As with many things this year, the annual Robert I. Ballinger Award ceremony hosted by the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The nonprofit foundation was slated to host its 32nd annual awards presentation luncheon at

Explore Florida’s Cultural Capital® Art Scene: The Palm Beaches

DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA, USA – AUGUST 7, 2018: Lake at the Morikami Japanese Gardens with wooden bridge in foreground Courtesy: Shutterstock-Photo By Holly Guerrio With the holiday season well underway, Yuletide cheer and caroling is abound; and in South Florida it signals the pivotal restart of cultural and artistic happenings and events in The Palm Beaches,

Is Florida the Grinch of Christmas? One Study shows Florida Ranks Last in Christmas Spirit

Courtesy: GetCenturyLink graphic detailing U.S. states’ Christmas Spirit With the holiday season in full effect and Christmas just around the corner, holiday cheer is a certainty. But according to the third annual GetCenturyLink state Christmas Spirit rankings, Florida is the Grinch. According to the study, Florida is so anti-Christmas spirit that the dog from the

Christmas and Celebration Florida: Cities with best Holiday-themed monikers

Welcome to Christmas, Florida Sign. Courtesy: Florida Backroads Travel As we turn into the final stretch of 2020, Christmas is in sight, and holiday carols are being sung. In the spirit of the holiday season, our Florida spotlight is on two small census-designated towns in Central Florida. Christmas and Celebration, Florida. Located in Orange and

Sights Spotlight: Coral Castle Museum, the Taj Mahal of Florida

Edward Leedskalnin next to a segment of Coral Castle. Courtesy: Coral Castle Museum website Nestled in an unincorporated portion of Miami-Dade County between Leisure City and Homestead lies a vast collection of hand-carved, multi-ton, megalithic coral structures.  Recognized by the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, Coral Castle is a bit of a mystery,

Hurricane Season Has Come To An End—Should Florida Consider Itself Lucky?

Courtesy: Image by David Mark from Pixabay Florida. We did it. The extremely busy 2020 Atlantic hurricane season will officially come to a close today, November 30. Meaning the season for perfect storm conditions spanning the Atlantic and lower Caribbean waters does not have to be revisited until June 1, 2021. That’s not to say