☀️ GOOD MORNING, HOLLYWOOD! Happy Friday! The brown seaweed washing up on Hollywood Beach has a fascinating and troubling origin story — and it's getting worse. Plus Broward's film industry is booming with our city's name front and center, the Holland Park tower comes down Monday, the World Cup Watch Party details are locked and sea turtle nesting walks are happening tonight. Big week ahead — let's get into it! ☀️

📅 Friday, June 12 — Tonight!

📅 Saturday, June 13

📅 Sunday, June 14 — World Cup Eve!

📅 Monday, June 15 — World Cup Opening Day! 🌍 (Hollywood Beach Theatre closed Mondays)

📅 Tuesday, June 16 (Hollywood Beach Theatre closed Tuesdays)

🌿 The Seaweed Taking Over Hollywood Beach — Where It Comes From and Why It's Getting Worse

If you've been to Hollywood Beach recently and noticed large brown mats of seaweed washing ashore — you're not imagining it. Sargassum is back in record quantities in 2026 and our beach is among the hardest hit in South Florida. Florida Rambler's Coastwatch team photographed it on Hollywood Beach just last Sunday June 7.

So what exactly is it? Sargassum is a naturally occurring brown macroalgae that forms the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt — a massive floating mass stretching thousands of miles across the tropical Atlantic. For centuries it stayed mostly offshore, playing an important role in ocean ecosystems as habitat for fish, sea turtles and marine life. The problem is it's no longer staying offshore.

Since around 2011, ocean warming has caused an unprecedented explosion in sargassum growth. The mass can now stretch over 5,000 miles and weigh more than 20 million tons at peak season. When currents and wind push it toward Florida it washes ashore in staggering quantities — and 2026 is shaping up to be a record year.

When sargassum piles up on beaches it decomposes rapidly, releasing hydrogen sulfide gas — the rotten egg smell beachgoers have been noticing. It smothers nesting sea turtles, suffocates seagrass and coral, discourages tourism and makes swimming unpleasant. A Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution study found recurring sargassum invasions could cost Florida billions of dollars annually. NOAA oceanographer Matthieu Le Henaff warned: "We are now at the beginning of the season when sargassum is growing and the risk is increasing." The city rakes daily but continuous accumulation from Gulf Stream currents makes it a near-impossible battle. It's not a Hollywood problem — it's a planet problem washing up on our doorstep.

Sources: Florida Rambler / Coastwatch / The Cooldown / Woods Hole Study

1. 🎬 Hollywood Really Is Hollywood — Broward's Film Industry Just Injected $200M Into Our Economy

Here's a story that perfectly fits our city's name. Broward County's film and TV production industry injected over $200 million into the local economy in 2025 — up 15% from 2024 — according to Film Lauderdale. Two major new South Florida-set TV series are driving the buzz: NBC's crime drama M.I.A. filmed across Broward, and ABC's R.J. Decker — based on a Carl Hiaasen novel set in Fort Lauderdale — filmed most of its Florida scenes right here in Broward. The number of crew members hired locally jumped from 9,500 in 2021 to over 16,000 in 2025. The city literally named Hollywood is becoming a real production hub again. Lights, camera, Broward!

2. 🏗️ Holland Park Tower Comes Down Starting Monday — What Visitors Need to Know

A heads-up for anyone who regularly visits Holland Park or Rotary Park. The removal of the deteriorated wooden tower at Holland Park begins this Monday June 15 and runs through June 26. The 12-day controlled demolition process will involve safety fencing and some temporary disruption to park access. Plan your park visits accordingly this week and next — both parks will remain accessible throughout but expect some activity in the area.

Source: https://www.hollywoodfl.org/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/1791

3. ⚽ Hollywood's World Cup Watch Party June 27 — Here's the Full Event Details

With the World Cup kicking off this Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium just 15 minutes away, excitement is peaking for Hollywood's own massive Watch Party on Saturday June 27. Hollywood Boulevard completely closes from US-1 to 21st Avenue starting at 4 PM. Multiple giant video walls and viewing screens, food trucks, retail vendors, live entertainment and secured entrance checkpoints. Completely free to attend — and it's for the Colombia vs Portugal match, meaning Cristiano Ronaldo will be playing just down the road. June 27 is shaping up to be one of the most electric nights Downtown Hollywood has ever experienced. Mark it now.

4. 🐢 Last Call: Sea Turtle Guided Walks at Dania Beach Filling Up Fast — Tonight Is a Walk Night

If you've been meaning to go on a guided sea turtle nesting walk — tonight is your chance. NSU's Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program runs guided walks at Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park in Dania Beach every Wednesday and Friday at 9 PM through June and July. Watch ancient loggerhead sea turtles crawl ashore under the stars and lay their eggs — one of the most magical experiences South Florida offers.

Spots are filling up fast — reservations required at hcas.nova.edu/seaturtles. Don't wait on this one.

🎉 Juneteenth Freedom Festival – Hallandale Beach Friday
June 19 · Noon–6 PM · Dr. MLK Jr. Park & Dream Center, Hallandale Beach · Free

One week from today, Hallandale Beach celebrates Juneteenth with a full afternoon of free community programming at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park & Dream Center. Live music, entertainment, food vendors, family activities and a genuine celebration of history, culture and community spirit. This is one of the most meaningful community events of the summer — and it's completely free for everyone. Come together, celebrate and connect with your Hallandale Beach community.

🔗 Full details

Source: City of Hallandale Beach