Jupiter Skate Park turns into a Halloween contest course on Saturday, Oct. 31, when the Town of Jupiter runs its Halloween Skate and Scooter Contest, with prizes for the top three riders in each of three age groups and a costume contest between the two heats. It leads a week in Jupiter that also includes an evening Tai Chi class at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary and two afternoon talks at Florida Atlantic University's Jupiter campus, one on John F. Kennedy's 1963 trip to Berlin and one on the songs of Gershwin, Porter and Rodgers and Hammerstein. Here is what is on, with times, places and prices, from Monday, Oct. 26, through Halloween.

Monday, Oct. 26: JFK in Berlin at OLLI at FAU Jupiter

German historian Anette Isaacs gives a lecture on President Kennedy's June 1963 visit to Berlin, then a city divided by the Berlin Wall. She covers why the trip mattered during the Cold War, what the city was like on the day of his speech, and how the visit has been remembered since. The talk is from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Florida Atlantic University, 5353 Parkside Drive, on the FAU Jupiter campus.

Admission is $38. Register by calling 561-799-8667 or through the OLLI at FAU website. Questions go to [email protected].

Wednesday, Oct. 28: Tai Chi in the Wild at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary

Busch Wildlife Sanctuary holds an evening Tai Chi class outdoors on its grounds from 6 to 7 p.m. The instructor is Dr. Keith Cini, a holistic physician who owns Agape Healing Arts and has taught at the United Nations School, the Max Planck institute and Mount Sinai Medical Center. The sanctuary is at 17855 Rocky Pines Road in Jupiter.

The class is $20 per person, and space is limited, so registration in advance is required through the sanctuary's online store. Bring a water bottle and wear clothes you can move in. Another session is set for Wednesday, Nov. 18.

Friday, Oct. 30: The American Songbook and the Broadway Musical

Back at OLLI at FAU Jupiter, a 90 minute program traces the Great American Songbook through the Broadway shows that introduced many of its songs. The lineup of writers runs from George Gershwin, Cole Porter and Jerome Kern to Rodgers and Hart and Rodgers and Hammerstein, and the program also covers the singers who carried the songs beyond the stage, including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Michael Feinstein, along with the stories behind the shows.

The session runs 2:30 to 4 p.m. at 5353 Parkside Drive. The fee is $38. Register through OLLI at FAU at 561-297-3185 or on the OLLI website; the Jupiter office can be reached at 561-635-5030.

Saturday, Oct. 31: Halloween Skate and Scooter Contest

The Town of Jupiter's Parks and Recreation department runs the contest at Jupiter Skate Park, 1501 W. Frederick Small Road, from 2 p.m. into the evening. Riders compete in three age divisions (12 and under, 13 to 15, and 16 and over), and the top three in each division take home prizes.

The schedule runs in this order:

  • 2 p.m.: scooter registration
  • 3 p.m.: scooter contest
  • 5 p.m.: costume contest and skateboard registration
  • 6 p.m.: skateboard contest

Entry is $10 per rider, paid at onsite registration before each contest, and spectators get in free. Costumes are encouraged, but Halloween masks are not allowed, and every rider must be able to wear a helmet safely while competing. The event depends on the weather.

Also this week

Next up after Halloween, the Town of Jupiter has a Kids Night on Saturday, Nov. 7, with gym games, crafts and entertainment, and its Veterans Day ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 11. For the skate contest, call the Skate Park at 561-630-5684 or email [email protected]; for the lectures, register with OLLI at FAU Jupiter; and for Tai Chi, book a spot on the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary site before Wednesday.

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