On the morning of Saturday, October 17, sidewalk chalk will cover the paths at Library Park on Bonaventure Boulevard. The City has given this year's Chalk in the Park the theme "Postcards from Weston" to mark its 30th anniversary. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and check-in opens at 10:15.
The anniversary is easy to miss because Weston has not held one big gala for it. Residents voted to incorporate on September 3, 1996. Since then the City has spread its 30th year across events that were already on the calendar: a movie night, a chalk morning, a concert on the Regional Park stage. Meanwhile, the projects that will outlast the anniversary are still fenced off. The 1.75-mile walking trail and the rebuilt Windmill Ranch Park are both a little behind schedule.
The anniversary moved into the calendar residents already use
In March, the City laid out a year-long plan instead of a single party. The plan includes history features, interactive activities, tribute videos, and giveaways at City events. It also includes limited-edition "Weston 30" pins, a "30" display at City Hall covered in photos, and a history timeline. City photos from these activities show a map where participants marked locations and a wall for messages.
The biggest moment so far was shared with the country's anniversary. The July 3 fireworks at Regional Park were billed as "Two Milestones, One Celebration: America 250 • Weston 30," with games, photo stations, live music, and a 9 p.m. finale. The Sun Sentinel's photo gallery from that night shows the event happened at Regional Park and marked both anniversaries. The next morning, the parade at Weston Town Center used the same theme.
The actual anniversary date was quiet. The City's September 3 calendar entry is an all-day recap with no time or venue. It points readers to the year-long program and a podcast. That podcast, "Weston at 30: A History Podcast," has four episodes featuring John R. Flint, the City's first City Manager. Episodes came out on Thursdays starting September 3, so the full series is out now. For anyone who has only known Weston as a finished city, it is the best way to hear the anniversary in the words of someone who was running the City at the start.
What's on the City calendar this fall
Almost everything left in the anniversary year happens at one address, 20200 Saddle Club Road, which is Regional Park and the Weston Community Center. Most of it is free.
| Date | Event | Where | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Oct. 10 | Mayors' Chess Challenge | Weston Community Center, Regional Park | 10 a.m. to noon, free, all ages and skill levels |
| Sat., Oct. 10 | Moonlight Movie in the Park: Zootopia 2 | Regional Park Event Stage | 8 to 9:45 p.m., free |
| Fri., Oct. 16 | Chillin' with BSO | Regional Park Baseball Field #8 | 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., sports and ice cream |
| Sat., Oct. 17 | Chalk in the Park, "Postcards from Weston" | Library Park, 4255 Bonaventure Blvd. | 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. |
| Fri., Nov. 6 | 12th Annual Veterans Day Salute | Bonaventure Town Center Ballroom | Breakfast for veterans only, registration required |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | Kid-tacular: Marci Poppins the Explorer | Weston Community Center | 1:30 and 3 p.m., free, children must come with an adult |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | Moonlight Movie in the Park: Toy Story 5 | Regional Park Event Stage | 7:30 to 9:15 p.m., free |
| Mon., Nov. 9 | Weston Foreign Film: Calle Malaga | AMC Weston 8, 1338 SW 160th Ave. | 4:45 and 7:30 p.m., $10 tickets while available |
| Sat., Nov. 14 | WestonNights Outdoor Concert | Regional Park Event Stage | 7 to 9:30 p.m., free, FLAVOR and food trucks |
Two Saturdays are the easiest to plan around. On October 10 you can play chess at the Community Center in the morning and watch the movie on the Event Stage that night without leaving Saddle Club Road. On November 7 the pattern repeats, with the Kid-tacular shows in the afternoon and Toy Story 5 after dark. The City says both movie titles are subject to change, so check the event page the week of the showing. Note that the foreign film screening is at AMC Weston 8, which has a Sunrise mailing address.
Where to eat between events
The restaurant scene has grown during the anniversary year too, though these openings came from local owners, not the City.
TreaHouse, at 1830 Main Street, Suite 201, in Weston Town Center, is an alcohol-free lounge serving kava, tea, and botanical drinks. The Town Center directory calls it "2026-opened." Its grand opening was held on a Thursday evening, September 17. TreaHouse's website lists hours of 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. That makes it one of the few places in town open after a Regional Park concert ends at 9:30.
Café Bastille, a few doors away at 1660 Market Street, opened on January 16, 2026. The Sun Sentinel wrote about its pistachio pancakes and French breakfast burritos. It works well before a Saturday morning at Library Park.
Sardinia by Zona Blu, at Bonaventure Town Center Club, is open to the public. That is the same Saddle Club Road complex whose ballroom hosts the Veterans Day Salute. A September profile in Our City Media reported a new seasonal tasting menu and a Tuesday Enoteca Wine Fest. The same profile said a Sunday brunch was planned for September. The restaurant's site lists Sunday hours of 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call ahead to ask about brunch before planning a Sunday visit around it.
One Town Center name is still on the way. La Condesa Mexican Cuisine is listed at 1800 Bell Tower Lane, but its directory entry still reads "Coming Soon."
The part of the 30th year still behind construction fences
The pins and podcast belong to the anniversary year. The two biggest park projects will matter much longer, and neither one has opened yet.
The Weston North Walking Nature Trail is a 6-foot-wide stabilized path running about 1.75 miles between Saddle Club Road and State Road 84. It will have ten Robinia exercise stations, and leashed dogs will be allowed. Westwind Contracting began work in November 2025. The completion target was originally May 2026 and is now "early Fall 2026." The latest photo update on the City's project page is from July. The trail cost an estimated $655,785, and a state FDEP grant covers $450,000 of it.
The trail has no designated parking because it is meant to be reached on foot or by bike. Once it opens, the City suggests that people who don't live nearby park at Indian Trace Park or at nearby plazas where parking is permitted, then walk a short way to the trailhead.
Windmill Ranch Park, at 2900 Bonaventure Boulevard, is a bigger project. Construction started on September 2, 2025, at an estimated cost of $5,779,219. The park stays closed until the work is done, and the City's project page still gives "early Fall" as the expected finish. Weston Together reported the same fall target in August. A July City update listed what the rebuilt park will include:
- A shaded, accessible playground
- A sand court for beach volleyball and beach tennis
- A multi-use court for basketball and pickleball
- Exercise equipment and a walking path
- Restrooms, parking, and an event lawn
As of early October, neither project has a published opening date or ribbon cutting. The fall targets are close enough that either one could open before the November 14 concert.
The trail is the first stretch of a larger greenway plan
The City's project page calls the North trail "a first step" toward a greenway system that connects neighborhoods and parks, so people can reach a park or exercise path without driving. The idea came from residents. During the Parks Master Plan process, people asked for more natural recreation such as nature trails and kayaking. The plan, adopted in 2024, schedules more trail segments for its short-term phase in years one through three and its mid-term phase in years four through six.
Other park projects are moving at the same time:
- Emerald Estates Park is getting new lighting for its tennis, pickleball, and basketball courts in October 2026. The work is expected to take about three weeks from its start date.
- Weston Regional Park has a plan for seven covered pickleball courts. The project is in the bid phase, and start and finish dates are still listed as TBD.
- Vista Park's indoor recreation complex has a finished design and a construction bid ready to award, according to a City page updated September 25. Planned features include indoor courts, an upstairs track, and a splash pad.
Taken together, Weston's 30th-anniversary celebrations are happening on lawns and stages that have been around for years, while the City is building the next set of parks and trails. Chalk in the Park at Library Park on October 17 is the clearest anniversary event left. The North Walking Nature Trail, whenever its fencing comes down, will be the first finished segment of the greenway plan.
Parks and trails like these make up part of what a Weston address offers day to day. They come up in conversations about land and setting across West Broward. If you're thinking about how Weston's next phase of park projects relates to your own property, Alex Fernandez would be glad to talk it through. Schedule a Private Consultation.
