Rosemary Avenue in downtown West Palm Beach will shut down to cars Thursday afternoon as the north end of CityPlace transforms into a pedestrian-friendly stretch of live music, food trucks and retail pop-ups. The CityPlace Community Block Party runs from 4 to 8 p.m., turning storefronts into interactive stops and creating what organizers describe as a walkable evening of entertainment, shopping and brand experiences.
The event is hosted by Related Ross, according to CBS12, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts, whose students will perform live music at the event. The magnet high school was originally founded in 1989 as the Palm Beach County School of the Arts and was renamed in 1997 after a $1 million contribution from local philanthropist Alexander W. Dreyfoos Jr., according to Palm Beach County History Online.
That gift was, at the time, the largest private contribution to a Florida public high school, per the same account. The school's academic reputation has only grown since: in U.S. News & World Report's August 2026 national high school rankings, Dreyfoos placed No. 125 nationally among nearly 18,000 public high schools evaluated, according to The Boca Raton Tribune, placing it among the top 1% of public high schools nationwide alongside Riviera Beach's Suncoast High.
Pop-Ups, Food Trucks and a Rivian Showcase
The block party's retail lineup leans heavily on experiential branding rather than traditional storefront shopping. Anthropologie will host a pop-up with Logan Tay, Evereve will provide denim styling, and Birkenstock will run its own activation, per CBS12's rundown of the evening's offerings. Rivian will present a vehicle showcase, while children's face painting, sweet treats and a CityPlace floral cart round out the family-friendly programming.
Food options span several local names: Fuku will collaborate with a local chef, and The Salty Donut, Buddhaberry, Pura Vida, Smoothie Shots and Moxies will all offer food at the event, the outlet reports. Attendees can register for the block party ahead of time, and event-goers will receive parking validations for the Hibiscus, Sapodilla and 360 Rosemary garages, easing what can otherwise be a tight squeeze for parking along the district's busiest corridor.
A Corridor in the Middle of a Building Boom
The block party lands on a stretch of Rosemary Avenue that has changed names and identities more than once. The 600,000-square-foot district was previously rebranded Rosemary Square, according to historical reporting cited by The Palm Beach Post. The original 72-acre complex first opened in 2000.
Related Ross has outlined a more than $10 billion long-term vision for over six million square feet of development in downtown West Palm Beach. In December 2025, Related Ross closed a $772 million construction financing package led by Ares Management for the twin 10 CityPlace and 15 CityPlace towers, marking the largest construction loan recorded in South Florida history and delivering nearly one million square feet of office space to the district.
That commercial push has already landed major tenants. Global law firm Greenberg Traurig signed a 10-year lease in August for 25,000 square feet at 15 CityPlace, relocating roughly 80 attorneys and staff from Phillips Point, a move Hoodline previously reported alongside other new tenants like Cleveland Clinic Florida and ServiceNow. On the dining side, plans have also included an Eataly location in West Palm Beach.
Philanthropy and Getting Around Without a Car
Beyond Thursday's proceeds for Dreyfoos, Related Ross has invested $1.08 million to benefit more than 350 students through tuition-free attendance at Palm Beach State College.
Getting to the block party without driving is increasingly an option, too. CityPlace is a stop on a 1-mile pilot route for MiCa, a fully autonomous electric shuttle operated by Guident that links the district with 360 Rosemary, CityPlace Tower and the West Palm Beach Brightline station. The shuttle is part of a broader push to modernize walkability around the Rosemary Avenue corridor as pedestrian traffic through the district grows. Last year, the West Palm Beach Police Department conducted a five-day targeted traffic enforcement operation along CityPlace's avenues, issuing 12 citations and 34 warnings aimed at improving driver compliance around the retail and dining district.
