It was 1988 when auto sales magnate Rick Case and superyacht broker Ken Denison came up with a winning idea: They invited yachtsmen to a weekend of fun at Cat Cay Yacht Club in the Bahamas to benefit the charitable organization for which they both were board members.
Since then, their Yacht Rendezvous has not only become one of the world’s largest social superyacht gatherings, but it has also raised more than $30 million to benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County.
And this year’s event will again benefit the thousands of young people served by the charitable organization. But for the first time, it will be held in the county that is home to its beneficiaries. On Nov. 7-8, the 36th-annual Yacht Rendezvous will be held at the luxurious, legendary and recently reimagined Pier Sixty-Six in Fort Lauderdale. It marks a departure from Miami’s Fisher Island, the event’s venue last year and its most frequent host.
While that inaugural Rendezvous in the Bahamas featured golfing greats Greg Norman and Ray Floyd as special guests, this year it will be hitmaker/singer Robin Thicke along with Miami’s DJ Irie. Thicke, whose ear-wormy single, “Blurred Lines,” dominated 2013’s pop charts, will be the headline performer at the Black-Tie Gala & After-Party on Saturday. Irie will keep the grooves flowing at Friday’s Dinner and Dance White Party.
“Yacht Rendezvous is one of our premier gatherings, a celebration with a profound purpose,” says Chris Gentile, Co-CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County, which was founded in 1965. “Thanks to the generosity it inspires, we’re able to serve more than 2,200 youth, ages 6 to 18, every day. Events like this remind us that when people come together with a shared commitment, we can truly transform futures.”
Case in point: At the time of the inaugural Yacht Rendezvous in 1988, there were four Boys & Girls Clubs in the county — today there are 16.
Activities on Friday’s Rendezvous schedule include:
Wine & Jewelry Luncheon: featuring jewelry from J.R. Dunn Jewelers and a carefully curated menu.
Dockside Party & Yacht Hop: white tropical resort evening wear is the sartorial theme.
White Party – Dinner & Dance: interactive stations, gourmet food and live entertainment.
Saturday’s festivities include:
Afternoon Marketplace: curated by an exclusive selection of vendors, a showcase of lite bites and libations and unique and bespoke offerings, with a portion of all proceeds benefitting Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County.
Gala Cocktail Party and Black-Tie Gala: appetizers and cocktails followed by a gourmet dinner, live auction and a presentation of the Rick Case Pinnacle Award to Honorary Rendezvous Chair Felix Sabates.
Headline Performance & Late Night Entertainment: An intimate performance by Robin Thicke, presented by Orlando Longwood Auto Auction and South Florida Auto Auction of Fort Lauderdale.
Thicke, also a songwriter, producer, actor, entrepreneur and philanthropist, is a judge on Fox’s reality singing competition, “The Masked Singer.” By age 21, the son of actor Alan Thicke had written and produced songs on over 20 gold and platinum albums by Michael Jackson, Marc Anthony, Pink and others. His 2013 sixth album, “Blurred Lines,” grabbed four Grammy nominations, including three for its eponymous single collaboration with Pharrell Williams. Thicke’s first studio album in six years, 2021’s “On Earth, and in Heaven,” generated multiple No. 1 singles leading up to last year’s R&B-flavored single release, “I Know What To Do.”
DJ Irie is no stranger to charitable enterprises. He founded the Irie Foundation, which empowers South Florida’s at-risk youth. His 19th-annual Irie Weekend charity event supporting community initiatives is scheduled for Oct 3-4 in Miami. Born in St. Croix, the world-renowned DJ is known for his dynamic performances at major events and his residency with the Miami Heat.
The Rendezvous’s Yacht Registration costs are: Under 80 feet, $10,000 (includes four guests); 81-124 fee, $14,000 (six guests); 125-149 feet, $18,000 (eight guests); 150 feet and up, $20,000 (10 guests).
Prices for individual tickets are: Friday’s Yacht Hop & White Party, $1,000; Saturday’s Black Tie Gala, $1,000; two-day Weekend Ticket, $1,800. Tables of 10 for the Black Tie Gala are $9,000.
Accommodations at Pier Sixty-Six range from $479 for a King Guest to $1,449 for a One Bedroom Harbour Villa Suite.
Five tiers of sponsorships, which represent companies from the yachting community and beyond and which come with a variety of benefit packages, range from Diamond at $50,000 to Bronze at $10,000. Four categories of “Ultra VIP Donors” are Boy & Girls Club Fleet Admirals, Captains, Commodores Club members and Yacht Owners. Co-Chairs of the event are Carla Taylor and Jessica and Mike Busacca. The Event Founders are Rita & Rick Case.
For more tickets and more information, please visit yachtrendezvous.com.
