Weekend things to do: Farewell to Park & Ocean, plus Jingle Bell Jogs, Festivus and two MatzoBalls in Boca

In 2019, the South Florida Sun Sentinel offered an assessment of the best places that had opened during the previous decade and “made Fort Lauderdale a better place to live.”

This is your last weekend to enjoy one of them, Park & Ocean, as it has existed since 2017, a proudly casual restaurant-bar with picnic tables under a grove of sea grape trees steps from the ocean inside Hugh Taylor Birch State Park. As noted then: “A welcome spot for dogs and kids and musicians, it feels like a secret you want to keep.”

As the newspaper reported recently, the park and its restaurant soon will be operated by a new concessionaire, Kansas-based ExplorUS, which runs dozens of similar businesses in national, state and local parks across the country.

Nothing against ExplorUS, but it seems like a local operator is a desirable thing — Society 8 Hospitality Group’s other properties include The House on the River, Sistrunk Marketplace & Brewery and Wild Thyme Oceanside Eatery. And Park & Ocean was near perfect as it was.

Park & Ocean has a Change.org petition working its way around social media that seeks to reform the Florida Parks’ business scoring system, if you’re interested.

The last day of Park & Ocean in its current form will be Tuesday, when a farewell blowout is expected to include music from Rich Della Fera and Fifth Circuit from 4 to 8 p.m. Fifth Circuit have been a longtime beach-bar cover band and were popular performers at the Internationally World Famous Treasure Trove, which closed in 2018 to make way for an empty lot. Visit Facebook.com/parkandocean.

THURSDAY

Snow business:Miami City Ballet continues its gorgeous production of “George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker” at the Arsht Center in Miami through the weekend, with tickets available for most shows starting at $43+. Performances will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, 2 and 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon Sunday. Each show is two hours with a 20-minute intermission. The production moves to the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach for performances at 7 p.m. Dec. 28, 2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 29 and Dec. 30. Visit MiamiCityBallet.org.

Beetlejuice mania: The irreverent ghost story “Beetlejuice” is at the Kravis Center from Thursday through Sunday, with most performances all but sold out (unless you want a single seat). Sunday’s 2 p.m. closing performance is your best bet, with scattered pairs of balcony seats starting at $54+ per person at Kravis.org.

Wine charming:Like it sounds, the Wine and Cookies Holiday Market at Small Wine Shop in Fort Lauderdale’s Flagler Village on Thursday is about wine tasting, cookie munching, holiday shopping and spirited conversing. Tickets to the 6:30-8:30 p.m. tasting cost $15 in advance, $20 day of. Vendors include Hot Stuff, La Vida Vanilla, Sojourn Pottery, Pop Sculptures and Axcessory Bar. Visit SmallWineShop.com.

Downtown Santas: A benefit for local nonprofit HANDY, the inaugural Jolly Jog 5K Fun Run & Toy Drive will begin and end at The Wharf in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Thursday starting at 7 p.m. Festive attire is encouraged — bring an unwrapped new toy to donate and you’ll get a Santa hat and a Christmas lights necklace. Check-in begins at 6:30 p.m. Visit TheJollyJog.com or Facebook.com/wharfftl.

Socializing with Suénalo:The free North Beach Social series at the Miami Beach Bandshell puts an exclamation point on 2023 at 8 p.m. Thursday with a performance by Suénalo, for more than two decades one of South Florida’s favorite live acts thanks to an energetic Afro-Latino amalgam of funk, rock, hip-hop and other influences. The evening will include an opening set by DJ Le Spam and a guest performance by percussion collective Miamibloco. Doors open at 7 p.m. Admission free with RSVP at MiamiBeachBandshell.com.

FRIDAY

Weekend laughs:Orlando native Jeff Wright is a comedian, writer for “Late Night With Seth Meyers” and performer who was included among the best actors in The New York Times’ annual Great Performers list in 2020. He brings his pop-culture savvy to the Dania Improv in Dania Beach for shows on Friday (7:30 and 10 p.m.) and Saturday (7 and 9:30 p.m.). Tickets cost $22+ at DaniaImprov.com.

South Florida sounds: Local jammers Tand (featuring Mike Garulli of The Heavy Pets) and Guavatron will perform Friday night at the Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale, joined by swirly DJ-producer Galactic Effect. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $15+ at CultureRoom.net. … Led by one of the region’s top young blues-rock guitarists, Shaw Davis & The Black Ties will be at The Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton at 9 p.m. Friday. Tickets start at $15+ for standing room. Visit FunkyBiscuit.com. … One of South Florida’s more popular tribute bands, Smokin Renegade will channel the best of Boston and Styx at Crazy Uncle Mike’s in Boca Raton from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. Friday. Tickets cost $15+ at CrazyUncleMikes.com.

Boo Christmas: The horror-themed Spooky Rave: Fright Before Christmas will take over Revolution Live in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Friday from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tickets for the 18-and-older party start at $17+ at JoinTheRevolution.net.

SATURDAY

Run, Run, Rudolph: The annual Delray Beach Jingle Bell Jog 5K on Saturday morning will fill A1A with hundreds of runners jingling along to the sound of bells tied to their shoes and dressed, not in race T-shirts, but in Santa Suit costumes, courtesy of race organizers. All finishers receive a holiday-themed medal. The run begins in Anchor Park at 7:30 a.m., with the kids’ Elf Dash at 8:45 a.m. Registration costs $50+, $20+ for the Little Elf Dash. Visit JingleBellJog.net.

Did someone say ‘chocolate’?! The sweet holiday event Chocolate Ice Wonderland takes place at Fort Lauderdale’s L.A. Lee YMCA/Mizell Community Center (1409 NW Sixth St.) on Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m. Presented by nonprofit Black Genius In Flight and hosted by Makiba J. Foster, manager of the African American Research Library and Cultural Center, the party will be divided into three experiences: Chocolate City (featuring chocolate fountains, a hot chocolate bar and other cacao-inspired treats); Iceland (an ice bar with festive cocktails and mocktails, plus live music); and Christmas Town (with classic Christmas treats and Santa photo opps). Tickets to the 21-and-older evening cost $50+. Visit Bit.ly/Chocolate_Ice.

Christmas crawl:The Naughty or Nice Christmas Bar Crawl will get you a drink at six hot spots in the 500 block of Clematis Street in downtown West Palm Beach on Saturday from 8 to 11:30 p.m. Check-in is at 8 p.m. at any of the participating locations: O’Shea’s Irish Pub, Kapow Noodle Bar, Hullabaloo, Respectable Street, Lost Weekend and Ve. Santa will be giving out presents for the naughtiest and the nicest costumes of the night. Tickets cost $30 in advance through Friday, rising to $45 on Saturday. Visit KapowNoodleBar.com/events.

For the rest of us:Garden District Taproom in downtown West Palm Beach will test those who still watch too much “Seinfeld” at a Festivus party on Saturday beginning at 8 p.m. You can expect trivia (win a $30 gift card and free beer), “Seinfeld” on the TVs, free popcorn, an aluminum pole, feats of strength and, of course, a chance to air your grievances. Visit Instagram.com/gardendistrictwpb.

Redhead reigns dear: Nationally touring Lucille Ball impersonator Melody Knighton performs opposite Luis Hernandez (as Ricky/Desi Arnaz) in “Christmas With the Ricardos” at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center on Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m. The show, which sets Lucy and Ricky on vacation in Florida, includes famous “I Love Lucy” skits, holiday songs and audience participation — which may or may not involve Vitameatavegamin. Tickets cost $44.86+. Visit AventuraCenter.org.

Grinch brunch: Don’t get your pantookas in a bunch — it’s just “How the Grinch Stole Drag Brunch!” at the Dania Improv on Saturday at 2 p.m. Irrepressible host TP Lords requests that you come in your best holiday outfits for this visit to Whoville. Tickets cost $18+, with a two-drink minimum. Visit DaniaImprov.com.

SUNDAY

MatzoBalling out:Returning on Sunday to six cities from New York to Los Angeles, the annual MatzoBall will have two parties in just one of them: Boca Raton. The swinging singles party was created more than 30 years ago by Boca Raton resident Andy Rudnick on the astute premise that there were millions of Jews sitting at home on Christmas Eve while most nightclubs across the land sat empty. Doors open at 9 p.m. for MatzoBall 2023 in two Boca Raton locations segregated by age: Club One11 Boca (age 21-35) and Cosmo’s Nightclub & Lounge (age 25+). General-admission tickets cost $50+ for each, and those 25 and older also can purchase a single pass good for priority entry at both clubs for $75+. There are VIP and table accommodations as well. MatzoBall also will return to LIV Nightclub in the Fontainebleau resort on Miami Beach beginning at 10 p.m. Sunday. General-admission tickets cost $60+, or $85+ for priority entry, with VIP and table options also available. MatzoBall again will have discounted rooms available at the Fontainebleau, starting at $349+ while they last. Visit Matzoball.org.

On dashers:’Twill be the morning before Christmas when the Fort Lauderdale’s Jingle Bell Jog 5K gets going at 8 a.m. Sunday on the beach at Las Olas Oceanside Park, with participants in race-issued Santa costumes and bells on their shoes. Registration is $50+, or $20+ for the Elf Dash at 9:15 a.m. Visit JingleBellJog.net.

Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Instagram @BenCrandell and Twitter @BenCrandell.