Happy Friday, Boca Raton. In today’s edition: Toy drive delights HomeSafe kids, holiday boat parade, fall green market, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

📰 In the news

Santa swaps sleigh for truck: Hundreds of toys collected by WPTV and Florida Panthers fans were delivered to HomeSafe in Boca Raton, delighting children and supporting families after a Nov. 26 toy drive — read the full story.

Campus growth under scrutiny: FAU’s master plan flags three Boca Raton sites for future parking garages, including near Tortuga Trail, but none are approved, as wildlife concerns and low current parking utilization fuel debate — read the full story.

Coastal resilience push underway: USACE Jacksonville, Palm Beach County and Delray Beach celebrated a partnership to renourish 2.65 miles of shoreline, beginning January 2026 with 1.3 million cubic yards, aiming to finish before May — get the scope and timeline.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Identity theft is up 25%: Last year, Americans lost $12.5 billion to ID theft & fraud, and the stories behind those numbers are brutal. My friend just told me his dad’s on his fourth replacement credit card. Other folks have woken up to empty bank accounts or their personal info dumped online after a breach. Aura catches these kinds of attacks early by monitoring for new accounts, weird money movements, leaked data, and other red flags so you’re alerted before things blow up — learn more about it here.

Highlights this week

• Donate toys, enjoy food and music
• Experience HARID’s Nutcracker and modern premiere
• Explore Green Market at Royal Palm Place
• Watch shark, eel, and ray feeding
• Jam for kids battling cancer
• This pet insurance plan reimburses up to 90%
• A tiny hearing aid is taking the US by storm

🫶 We got your back

Grants driving business upgrades: Boynton Beach’s CRA still has $450,000 up for grabs for small businesses. Recent awards include $50,000 to revamp Bond Street Ale & Coffee and smaller grants for rent and repairs. Three grant tracks are open: property improvements, rent reimbursement, and marketing, so if you’ve got the paperwork, now’s the time to apply. See how to apply.

Changes ahead for Denny’s: Denny’s is trimming about 150 underperforming diners by the end of 2025, with nearly 20 already gone in Florida. Palm Beach County still has six, and the company hasn’t said which, if any, will close. A pending $620 million sale could reshape plans, even as some stores get 24/7 hours and Diner 2.0 upgrades. Get all the details.

Fresh color without fuss: If your roots are staging a coup or you crave lived‑in, sun‑kissed dimension, Gramercy Hair Salon delivers balayage, precision cuts, keratin smoothing, and extensions with a Bellami‑certified team that actually listens, then tailors a look that moves, shines, and grows out beautifully.

Thinning hair? Same: I’ve been shedding a lot, and recently noticed my ponytail feeling thinner. After way too much panic-Googling, I decided to take Hers’ online quiz. They recommended a Biotin + Minoxidil green-apple gummy for regrowth and overall hair health. The whole thing was surprisingly easy: just verify who you are and a licensed provider signs off. Here’s the quiz if you want to check it out.

Makeup that actually works: My sister and I were talking the other day about how the makeup we used in our 20s… just doesn’t work now that we’re in our 30s and 40s. Laura Geller’s entire makeup line addresses this shift, with formulas that smooth, brighten, and actually stay put. If you’re in the same boat, their curated kits are worth a look.

📆 Around town this weekend

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

Today

🚤 Holiday Boat Parade @ Deck 84 | Friday (12/12) at 5:30pm – Deck 84 is serving up front-row views of the Boynton-Delray holiday boat parade, twinkly hulls and all. It’s first come, first served, no reservations, no happy hour, and a minimum spend applies, $80 per person or $250 per boat, plus 20 percent gratuity.

🐢 Gumbo Limbo Aglow! @ Gumbo Limbo Nature Center | Friday (12/12) at 6:00pm – Holiday lights meet salt air at Gumbo Limbo, with outdoor aquariums glowing after hours once the crowds are gone. Sip festive refreshments, make a craft, play yard games, and snag a photo with Luna, the resident celeb. Because Boca holiday magic beats mall parking.

This weekend

🎅 Scuba Santa @ Peggy Noland Aquatics Complex | Saturday (12/13) at 9:00am – Because it’s South Florida, Santa trades his sleigh for a snorkel. Round up the kids, the grandkids, and your most festive swimwear for a family-friendly underwater meet-and-greet with Scuba Santa, plus a photo you’ll actually want to show the neighbors.

⭐ Music Under the Stars @ Pompano Beach Great Lawn | Saturday (12/13) at 7:00pm – Grab a blanket and hit the Great Lawn for ocean-breeze tunes from your favorite local bands, courtesy of Briny. It is beachy, lively, and free of cover charges and sticky floors. Heads up, they close Pompano Beach Blvd and Atlantic, so outsmart traffic, park, and stroll.

📼 Rubixx: Tribute To The 80’s @ Crazy Uncle Mikes | Saturday (12/13) at 8:30pm – Dust off your best 80s moves, because Rubixx is blasting New Wave, Top 40, and pop like it never left. Think singalongs you actually know, synths for days, and a dance floor that will test your cardio and your nostalgia.

🍎 Fall Green Market @ Royal Palm Place | Sunday (12/14) at 8:00am – Your Sunday ritual is back at Royal Palm Place, with the Boca Green Market bringing farm-fresh produce, artisan breads, local seafood, and flowers you want to keep alive. Stroll the fountains, chat up the growers, then enjoy free parking, pet-friendly vibes, and live tunes.

🎤 Senior Singers Winter Dream Retirement Resort @ Pompano Beach Cultural Center | Sunday (12/14) at 2:00pm – Think your holiday playlist has range? South Florida Jubilee Chorus rolls out Senior Singers Winter Dream Retirement Resort, a witty barbershop glide through classics you know, where the snow is fake, the harmonies tight, adults $22, kids five, early bird saves more.

🕎 Grand Delray Beach Chanukah Festival @ Old School Square | Sunday (12/14) at 5:00pm – Delray’s biggest Chanukah celebration is lighting up downtown with fresh latkes, donuts, live music, and a grand Menorah lighting. Expect bounce houses, glitter tattoos, LED robot stilt walkers, and a giant bubble show, because of course. Free, family friendly, and actually fun for grownups.

Next week

🚗 Holiday Fantasy of Lights Drive thru @ Tradewinds Park | Monday (12/15) at 6:00pm – If you prefer your holiday magic with seat warmers, this is a three-mile drive-thru of twinkling lights and animated displays you can enjoy without leaving the car. Pay per carload, pack the kids, in-laws, and Fido, sip cocoa, and coast into easy nostalgia.

🌳 Bonsai Workshop @ Saltwater Brewery | Tuesday (12/16) at 7:00pm – Trade yard work for tiny-tree glory at a beginner bonsai workshop at Delray’s Saltwater Brewery. Sip ocean-inspired beers while you pot, prune, and design your miniature masterpiece with friends and guidance. If it doesn’t make it, they’ll replace it, so even first-time plant parents are safe.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 12/12 Scotty McCreery @ Pompano Beach Amphitheater – 8 pm
• 12/12 Improv Therapy @ John Barclay Studio Theatre – 9 pm
• 12/16 Trew Music School Winter Recital @ The Funky Biscuit – 5:30 pm
• 12/18 Sistas of the 70’s @ Crazy Uncle Mikes – 8 pm
• 12/19 Timeless Holidays: The Magic of Movie Holiday Hits! @ Pompano Beach Cultural Center – 7 pm
• 12/19 Rubixx @ Biergarten – 8 pm
• 12/20 Jimi’s Holiday Hope for Kids @ Crazy Uncle Mikes – 1 pm
• 12/20 Classic Rock Therapy @ Biergarten – 8 pm
• 12/21 21 Swag Band: Mic Check One – Two @ Arts Garage – 7 pm

🏠️ Price is right – Boca Raton edition

How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).

Listed by: Daniel Karp (Keller Williams Realty Boca Raton)

A National Custom Homes build in member-only Boca Grove Golf & Country Club, this 6-bed, 6.5-bath pool home mixes polish and practicality. The main level stacks three en-suite bedrooms, a den, formal living and dining, a chef’s kitchen with bar, two powder rooms, and an oversized laundry.

Reinforced concrete on both floors, impact windows and doors, and a triple-lock impact front door raise the bar on security. A generator powers the first floor. Outside, a heated pool with new resurfacing and tile and a summer kitchen deliver resort vibes. A 2.5-car garage and extra parking suit the golf cart.

Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →