AA Learn more about in-home care options for your loved ones

The fall season is here and while you won’t be rejoicing in a dramatic change in foliage, there’s a lot of ways to welcome the change of season in South Florida. This is the when we get to venture outside without threat of heatstroke and enjoy festivals, greenmarkets and new entertainment seasons. This weekend get rocking in Royal Palm Beach to a Pat Benatar tribute concert, get a healthy dose of skate and surf culture in Jupiter, go green at the Mounts Plant-a-Palooza sale and more. Here are several fantastic options and even more great things to do in Palm Beach County.

In addition to the top five events listed there's always something great happening at places like The Norton Museum of Art or the Maltz Jupiter Theatre. On top of that you could always just enjoy a great meal with an equally great view at one of Palm Beach County's waterfront restaurants from Jupiter to Boca Raton. Plus, we've curated a list of the best things to do all year in the county, and here it is: your bucket list of 55 fun must-try things to do in Palm Beach County.

1. Concert at Commons Park featuring Pat Benatar tribute band All Fired Up

Featuring her incredible voice and hubby Neil Giraldo's scorching, salicious riffs, Pat Benatar wrote the book on women rocking the world with songs like "We Belong," "Heartbreaker," "Shadows of the Night," "You Better Run" and many more. Kick back at Commons Park and rock out as the Pat Benatar tribute band All Fired Up covers one great song after another in this tribute show. There will be multiple food trucks on site for those killer grinds and beverages.

The event is 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3. 11600 Poinciana Blvd., Royal Palm Beach. Free. Information: royalpalmbeachfl.gov/calendar/month/2023-11

2. Plant-a-Palooza Sale at Mounts Botanical Garden

This fall "fun-in-the-sun" event will feature plants from 70 high-quality vendors who will be set up in select garden areas through Mounts' 20-acre paradise. There will be rare, exotic and hard-to-find orchids, succulents, cactus, fruit trees, ornamentals and much more.

The sale is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 5. 531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach. Adults $15; seniors, active military, college students $12, ages 6 to 17 $7; Mounts members free. Information: mounts.org

3. Van, Surf & Skate Expo

Whether you dream of van life or already live it (not "down by the river" with Matt Foley, but exploring the world) this event is a great way to check out everything from VW buses, vintage classics, modern classics and more.

Surfers and surf enthusiasts can connect with local surf shops, meet shapers and talk design and even watch live shaping demonstrations. There will also be a skate ramp provided by Instaramp along with skate decks, accessories and much more for sale.

Setting the mood for the event will be multiple music acts including Spred the Dub, Like Harvey, Cody Moral, Axcents, Nicole Carbajal and Vern Daysel & The Burning Breeze.

The event is 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4 and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 5. 25 S. Coastal Way, Jupiter. Adults $20, children under 12 free. Information: eventbrite.com

4. Virgil Cain at E.R. Bradley's Saloon

This solo musician from New York will play a mix of rock, pop and acoustic songs using six kinds of instruments, including acoustic and electric guitars, electric violin, keyboards and more. He is well known for getting the crowd going.

The set starts at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3. 104 S. Clematis St., West Palm Beach. Free. Information: erbradleys.com/; virgilcainmusic.com

5. Taste of Recovery culinary festival

This acclaimed culinary festival will feature bites from top chefs representing restaurants throughout Palm Beach County. Some of these include: Elisabetta's Ristorante, Bar & Pizzeria, City Oyster & Sushi Bar, Rocco's Tacos & Tequila Bar, Grease Burger, Proper Ice Cream, Subculture Coffee, Little Moir’s Hibiscus strEATery, London Essence, New Orleans Pralines, Tim Finnegans Irish Pub, Windy City Pizza, Catering CC and J & J’s Seafood Bar and Grill.

The event will benefit The Crossroads Club, a non-profit organization in Delray Beach that, at no charge, provides a safe haven for anyone whose life has been adversely affected by, or through, the use of addictive substances.

The event is 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4. 5111 Lantana Road, Lake Worth Beach. Advance $60, at door $75. Information: thecrossroadsclub.com

Eddie Ritz is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at [email protected]. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Audubon Development, the developer behind the King's Landing project in Fort Pierce, has two additional ideas on the table in Palm Beach County.

Dale Matteson, the CEO and president of Audubon Development, said there is no timeline for construction and everything is still in approvals. But city spokeswoman Diane Papadakos later said both projects are no longer being considered.

John Biederwolf, the owner of This Is It Cafe, said he's expecting to see change right down the street soon.

"Well, for purely selfish reasons, the more people that are in the neighborhood, the better off it is for the neighborhood, and me personally and my business," Biederwolf said.

Matteson said there are two ideas for the area, projects called Northwood Lofts and Broadway Circle.

"After 50 or 60 years, a change is good," Darrell Smith said. "I love it. I think it's a great idea."

Smith's longtime friend, Bobby Gilbert, talked about the potential change.

"Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad," Gilbert said.

"People just have to get adjusted to change," Smith said. "It'll be fine."

"That's going to be a good development, going to change the makeup of the whole place and change the dynamics," Gilbert said.

Matteson spoke to WPTV on the phone.

"What we do is kind of work on those edges of being where things are doing to be, not where they are right now," Matteson said.

He talked about how to deal with potential growth and opposition.

"That's a good question, and sometimes there is opposition to growth, and you've got to listen to it, you can't kind of come in and bulldoze over people," Matteson said. "You've got to listen to what their concerns are and be respectful of their neighborhoods. You want to fit in and augment what they've got and enhance the neighborhood and add value."

Matteson said there is no timetable yet.

"Everything else is in different phases of approvals and permits, so there is no construction," he said.

Another longtime resident, Derrick, is taking it all in.

"Northwood is already changing," he said. "Personally for me, I think that's a bit too much noise."

Derrick said he thinks it may be loud.

"My house on 21st Street, where I was born and raised, every time the train came by the whole house shook inside," he said. "Pictures on the wall, the furniture, it shook like an earthquake. … It's gonna be loud."

Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

A Palm Beach County private equity firm plans to sell one of its portfolio companies to a publicly traded manufacturer on the New York Stock Exchange.

West Palm Beach-based Comvest Partners revealed on Nov. 6 that it entered a deal with Hubbell Inc. (NYSE: HUBB) on the sale of Systems Control, a utility equipment business it acquired five years ago along with its parent company Northern Star Holdings. According to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing, the combined price pursuant to the stock purchase agreement was reported at $1.1 billion in cash.

Trending: Lennar proposes 255 homes for Miami-Dade agricultural site

“This successful outcome highlights Comvest’s expertise in helping companies achieve their growth objectives as well as our investment leadership in the infrastructure services space," Maneesh Chawla, a managing partner at Comvest said. "We are excited for the company’s [Systems Control] future as part of Hubbell.”

Based in Iron Mountain, Michigan, Systems Control was founded in 1962 as a subsidiary of M.J. Electric, focusing on designing and manufacturing control relay panels. In 2000, M.J. Electric was sold and formed Northern Star with sister company Systems Control. Comvest bought Northern Star in 2018 as part of its strategy to acquire midsize businesses, boost their value and sell them for a profit.

Read more: Formula One racing simulator, museum planned at new Miami Gardens City Center. All the details. (Photos)

Brad Lebouef, CEO at Systems Control, said, “Comvest supported System Control’s vision for growth throughout our partnership, providing both capital and invaluable support key to the achievement of our desired growth milestones. We are appreciative of Comvest’s stewardship and look forward to our next chapter with the terrific team at Hubbell.”

Shelton, Connecticut-based Hubbell was founded in 1888 by Harvey Hubbell and today boasts nearly $5 billion in annual revenue as a leading utility manufacturer. The longtime firm has several multimillion acquisitions under its belt, including an $89 million cash offer in October to buy Indústria Eletromecânica Balestro, a Brazil-based wire manufacturer.

"Our strategy to complement organic revenue growth with acquisitions is focused on acquiring assets that extend our capabilities, expand our product offerings, and present opportunities to compete in core, adjacent or complementary markets," Hubbell stated in its latest SEC quarterly earnings report. "Our acquisition strategy also provides the opportunity to advance our revenue growth objectives during periods of weakness or inconsistency in our end-markets."

Related: Local private equity firm closes $1.3 billion fund

The Systems Control deal is still subject to customary closing conditions, but Comvest said it anticipates it will be completed by the end of this year.

Harris Williams and Lincoln International are serving as financial advisors to Systems Control, and McDermott Will & Emery LLP is serving as legal advisor. Morgan Stanley is serving as financial advisor to Hubbell, and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz is serving as legal advisor.

Sign up here for the Business Journal’s free morning and afternoon daily newsletters to receive the latest business news impacting South Florida. For more business intelligence, follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter) and Instagram.

Top Private Companies in South Florida

2022 revenue

View this list

Cholo Soy Cocina, the tasty taco hot-spot with a brick and mortar restaurant on South Dixie Highway in West Palm, Beach has gone mobile.

In addition to providing some of the tastiest tacos on Earth (they are even Martha Stewart approved), they are now running a food truck and taking that scratch-made goodness on the road.

Operating out of a brand new Titan Trailer, owner, operator and chef Clay Carnes said they had the truck's first soft opening in mid-October outside of Civil Society Brewing in West Palm Beach.

Ordering the truck in late June, the trailer was built and delivered a few months later. Carnes said they did a custom paint job and a few other touches, including a menu board he made by hand, before they were ready to open.

Food Network's Guy Fieri, Vanilla Ice:Film at West Palm Beach's Cholo Soy restaurant for 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives'

The entire process turned out to quite fortuitous, he said, in that a good friend turned out to be a representative for Titan and helped make the entire transaction very smooth.

Though the kitchen layout inside the trailer was the stock layout from Titan, "it wasn't all that different from the layout at the restaurant," Carnes said. Size-wise it was similar as well — the kitchen space at the Dixie location is a little tight.

In addition to taking those delicious tacos and other dishes on the road, the new trailer is also fully online capable.

When on location, they are able to get orders sent directly to the trailer. On their first night outside Civil Society, they placed cards inside the brewery where customers could scan a QR code, get the menu, order and pay.

More must-try Mexican restaurants:Meet the Miami Dolphins' new 'taco partner' with a Wellington location

Carnes said his team can then bring the food directly from the trailer into the brewery to the customers.

For those preferring the old school walk-up to place an order, they are more than happy to accommodate, he said.

Cholo Soy food truck menu highlights

Can you get the same delicious dishes at the trailer that you can at the brick and mortar store? Yes, and no. Carnes said the trailer menu is still a work in progress, but right now it's sort of a "greatest hits" of the menu at the Dixie Highway location.

The trailer was at Civil Society again on Wednesday, Oct. 18 and Thursday, Oct. 19 and Saturday, Oct. 21 they were at Swank Farmers Market in Loxahatchee.

Carnes said that in the future they will be doing more private functions like weddings and parties, as well as some corporate gigs, but that he plans to be at Civil Society Brewing in West Palm Beach at least once a month.

To find out where the Cholo Soy Cocina trailer will be next check their Instagram account.

Farm dinner season:Star chefs, top restaurants headline rural feasts, including Swank Farm in Loxahatchee

Civil Society Brewing in West Palm Beach

Where: 425 Kanuga Dr, West Palm Beach

More information: Call 561- 444-3538 or visit Civil Society Brewing's website.

Eddie Ritz is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at [email protected]. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today

Impact the Palm Beaches is scheduled to host their annual kick-off celebration on Thursday, November 9 at 5:30 pm at Hilton West Palm Beach (600 Okeechobee Blvd). Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) is once again the presenting sponsor.

With 200 guests expected to attend, the audience draws from 400 plus philanthropic women in Northern Palm Beach County, close to 50 business leaders who are current sponsors of Impact the Palm Beaches, as well as past grantee recipients, which will include close to 40 local nonprofit leaders.

Members and guests will enjoy a lovely and spirited evening that includes refreshments and socializing, as well as learning more about Impact the Palm Beaches and the exciting season ahead. Impact the Palm Beaches will also unveil to guests a powerful Impact video.

“We are excited to kick off another season of philanthropy and encourage all of those interested in becoming a member of this unique organization of dynamic women to consider attending the event,” said Lisa LaFrance, 2023-2024 President of Impact the Palm Beaches.

“FPL has once again stepped up as this year’s presenting sponsor. We are so very grateful for the support of FPL and the partnership we have forged through our shared commitment to making this community a better place.”

“Our commitment to Impact the Palm Beaches reflects our core values as a company and aligns perfectly with our company's mission to create a better future for Floridians,” said Impact the Palm Beaches Board Member and FPL’s Executive Director of IT Nuclear Grace Kurian. “We believe that positive change begins at the community level, and Impact embodies this belief with its unwavering dedication to making a difference in areas such as education, social service and community development right here in North Palm Beach County.”

Impact members each contribute $1,000 annually and award $100,000 grants to local non-profit organizations. Over the last eight years, Impact the Palm Beaches has awarded over $1.5 million in transformational giving to nonprofits in our community.

Last year, three local non-profits each received $100,000 in grants. Grant recipients were Alzheimer's Community Care -Fostering Independence program, Center for Child Counseling -Keeping Kids Safe program, and Wounded Veterans Relief Fund-Emergency Dental Care for Disabled Veterans. The $77,000 Merit Grant was awarded to Families First -Infant Mental Health-Head Start program. Impact grants will be awarded at an Annual Awards Celebration on April 17, 2024.

For more information about Impact the Palm Beaches, events, and how to become a member, visit Impactpalmbeaches.org or email [email protected]. To learn more about how to attend the kick-off celebration, visit impactpalmbeaches.org/impact-events

Impact 100 is a worldwide organization with more than 60 chapters and steadily growing. Their motto is “One Woman, One Meeting, One Vote.” It is designed for women who wish to find an efficient and collaborative means of creating transformational change in their community. Women can become as involved as they want to in the process.

Impact members each contribute $1,000 annually and award at least one $100,000 Impact grant to a local nonprofit organization, allowing for a significant grant to one organization rather than several smaller gifts. Impact grants fund the following service areas: Arts & Culture; Education; Environment and Animal Welfare; Health & Wellness; and Family. Membership for the new season is now open and will close on February 29, 2024.

The Town of Palm Beach United Way is the fiscal agent of Impact the Palm Beaches.