Delray Beach heats up in February: Best things to do include festivals, Delray Beach Open

Jasmine Fernández, Palm Beach Post
·3 min read

DELRAY BEACH — Buzzing with tourists and snowbirds, Delray Beach is on its way to peak visitor season.

But a trip downtown and a visit to the beach aren’t all there is to do. Here's what else to check out in Delray this February.

‘Reimagining Palm Beach’ art exhibition opening

“Reimagining Palm Beach” will debut at the Cornell Art Museum at Old School Square on Feb. 9. The exhibition allows visitors to step back in time and take a glance at Florida’s rich history through a contemporary lens.

Artist Serge Strosberg’s lively portraits of Henry Flagler and Addison Mizner, among other of the state’s prominent founding members, will be on display.

Top 5 events in Palm Beach County: Looking for fun things to do this weekend Feb. 9-11

The Cornell Museum, left, is part of Old School Square in Delray Beach, Florida.
The Cornell Museum, left, is part of Old School Square in Delray Beach, Florida.

A special portrait of Solomon Spady, Delray Beach’s prominent African American educator and community leader, too, will be showcased. Spady’s portrait comes from a collaboration between the Spady Museum and Delray Beach Historical Society. Guests will also have access to a first view of a special AI feature, in which Strosberg “reimagines” prominent Palm Beach points of interest. The exhibition is free to visit.

  • When: 6-9 p.m., Friday, Feb. 9

  • Where: Cornell Art Museum at Old School Square

Tennis anyone? Delray Beach Open

Returning for its 31st year, the Delray Beach Open is expected to once again bring South Florida hundreds of thousands of visitors. This year, the tournament will take place Feb. 9-18 at the Delray Beach Tennis Center. It will have an expanded hospitality area, more VIP events, a women’s tennis challenge, more food and drink options and upgrades to facilities.

“The Delray Beach Open continues to grow every year,” Adam Baron, the tournament’s executive director said. “We are always focused on improving the fan experience with more events, more space, and more food and beverage options.”

Tickets vary in price and can be purchased online. A full list of special events can be found here.

  • When: Friday, Feb. 9-Sunday, Feb. 18

  • Where: Delray Beach Tennis Center

Youth Art Awareness Festival

The Spady Museum will host the Black Youth Art Awareness Festival on Friday, Feb. 16 in Delray Beach.
The Spady Museum will host the Black Youth Art Awareness Festival on Friday, Feb. 16 in Delray Beach.

Now in its third year, the Black Youth Art Awareness Festival will aim to inspire and educate the city’s youth about Black history on Feb. 16, as it has in the past. In previous years, the festival’s energy has spilled out into the streets of West Settlers’ Historic District. The Spady Museum, where the event takes place, has hosted more than 300 visitors, new and old, to the Black History Month event. The event is free of charge.

  • When: 4-9 p.m., Friday, Feb. 16

  • Where: The Spady Museum

Downtown Delray Beach Craft Festival

Delray Beach Craft Festival
Delray Beach Craft Festival

This unique craft festival returns to Old School Square on Saturday, Feb. 24 and Sunday, Feb. 25 for the fourth time. A two-day event, the outdoor festival showcases the best of local and national crafters offering high-quality wares, from intricately-made home decor to wearable accessories. Admission to the festival is free.

  • When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 24-Sunday, Feb. 25

  • Where: Old School Square

Art & Jazz on the Avenue

Art & Jazz on the Avenue will be held Wednesday, Feb. 28 on East Atlantic Avenue in downtown Delray Beach. This multi-block party will feature bands, multiple mural artists, vendors, dining, dancing and more.
Art & Jazz on the Avenue will be held Wednesday, Feb. 28 on East Atlantic Avenue in downtown Delray Beach. This multi-block party will feature bands, multiple mural artists, vendors, dining, dancing and more.

Interested in live music, live mural art and some dancing? Art & Jazz on the Avenue, Downtown Delray’s signature street event, will have it all.

From street dining to activities for kids, Art & Jazz will welcome guests of any age on Wednesday, Feb. 28. The event was created by the Delray Beach Downtown Development Authority in the 1990s to attract people to the city’s downtown, where they could enjoy Delray’s unique, local businesses.

Art & Jazz is produced four times per year in four different Downtown Delray neighborhoods: Pineapple Grove, West Atlantic Avenue, East Atlantic Avenue and Beachside. This month’s event will be on West Atlantic Avenue and will feature two stages of live entertainment. The festival is free to visit.

  • When: 6-9 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 28

  • Where: East Atlantic Avenue (Swinton Avenue to NE 5th Avenue)

Jasmine Fernández is a journalist covering Delray Beach and Boca Raton for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at jfernandez@pbpost.com and follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @jasminefernandz. Help support our work. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Best things to do Delray Beach: craft festival; Delray Beach Open; Jazz