Surfside's beachfront walking path is open again after a summer of dune work. At the same time, the town has placed most of its fall calendar at the path's northern end. The farmers market, the movie nights, the Halloween maze and a beach concert all take place within a short walk of 96th Street. The dune project's own limits put that spot about a mile up the shore from 87th Street.
So in Surfside this fall, the place and the route are linked. The weekend's fixed points are grouped at one end of town, and the path that leads to them has just been rebuilt.
The mile that reopened
The town calls the work the Dune Restoration Project. Construction began on Monday, May 11, 2026, along the beachfront between 87th Street and 96th Street. According to the town's notice, the scope covered raising and stabilizing the existing dunes, planting native dune vegetation, and "maintenance and enhancement of the existing pedestrian beach walking path." The project's engineering scope describes the walking path as running along the top of the dune.
Getting to construction took a while. On December 9, 2025, the Town Commission voted 5 to 0 to reject the bids it had received, after members raised concerns about price and scope. On March 10, 2026, the Commission approved a $25,770 amendment for construction-phase engineering services from Kimley-Horn. The resolution notes that the design had been completed and permitted in 2025 and that the project went back out to bid in 2026.
Following guidance from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, crews started at the beach access crossing and continued through the dune section built earlier between 90th and 92nd Streets. The September Gazette's Vice Mayor column said the project would use compressed sand around the boardwalk so that residents and visitors could "once again comfortably enjoy" the beachfront.
The schedule set in May called for substantial completion in about 90 days and final completion in about 120. The projected finish date was September 8, 2026. Commissioner David Weingot's column in the October Gazette describes the path as "underway and open," and asks anyone who has not walked it yet to come out for the views and the sound of the waves.
Where the path ends, the calendar begins
The 96th Street end of the beach is where the town has put its recurring fall events. The Surfside Farmers Market came back on October 3 and is set up on the Surfside side of the 96th Street beach entrance. It runs every Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and the 2026–2027 season continues through May 29, 2027. The Tourist Board sponsors it, and the town lists fresh items, specialty foods and artisanal goods among what's for sale.
96th Street Park, at 9580 Bay Dr., is home to the evening events. Over the next six weeks, nearly every dated event is at one of these two spots:
| Date | Event | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Every Saturday and Sunday, from October 3 | Surfside Farmers Market | 96th Street beach entrance | 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. |
| Saturday, October 10 | Under the Stars Movie Night, The Nightmare Before Christmas | 96th Street Park, 9580 Bay Dr. | 7:30 p.m. |
| Sunday, October 11 | Azucar! Hispanic Heritage Month Concert | On the beach | 5 p.m. |
| Friday, October 23 | Spooky Spooktacular | 96th Street Park | 6 to 9 p.m., maze opens at 7 p.m. |
| Saturday, November 7 | Under the Stars Movie Night, Space Jam | 96th Street Park, 9580 Bay Dr. | 7 p.m. |
The October Gazette describes the Azucar! concert as salsa and cafecito on the beach, presented by the Resort Tax Board, with the town inviting residents to bring friends and neighbors. The event listing does not say which stretch of sand will host it. Check the town calendar for the exact spot before heading out that Sunday.
The Gazette notes that Hispanic Heritage Month ends on October 15, four days after the concert. On November 7, the date on the Space Jam flyer is Saturday the 7th at 7 p.m., even though the event page's web address includes November 8. The event page also lists November 7 at 7 p.m.
Two events this season happen elsewhere. On Wednesday, October 14, the senior trip goes to Jekyll & Hyde at Actors' Playhouse, with the bus leaving the Community Center at 11 a.m. The town's Veterans Day Ceremony is on Wednesday, November 11, at 10 a.m. The listing does not name a venue yet.
Harding Avenue at 95th, on the way in
For anyone coming to the 96th Street end from inland, the last block of Harding Avenue has two new stops.
Bibi's Burgers is open at 9505 Harding Avenue. The town's business directory describes it as a kosher spot serving handcrafted burgers. The Infatuation listed it as a new opening on July 30, 2026, and mentioned a few burger options and counter seating suited to solo diners.
Two doors up, 16 Handles is now listed on the company's store locator as an operating Surfside shop at 9509 Harding Avenue. WhatNow first reported in December 2025 that the frozen yogurt chain was seeking permits for that address. The shop is open now, though there is no published record of its opening date.
These two storefronts give the 96th Street events something they did not have a year ago: a burger counter and a dessert stop right on the way to the beach. On an evening like the October 23 Spooktacular, which runs until 9 p.m., both addresses sit just south of 96th Street, close to the park at 9580 Bay Dr.
What the town has budgeted but not yet delivered
Some parts of the beachfront are still in progress, and they are worth keeping in mind when planning the next few weekends.
- The path itself. The October Gazette calls it both "underway" and "open." The September 8 completion date was a forecast made in May. So far, the town has not announced that the project is finished.
- Community Center beach chairs. In the same column, Commissioner Weingot reports that the new budget pays for more chairs, longer service hours and cold water service as part of the Community Center beach chair upgrades. These items are funded but not yet announced as in place. For now, check-in for the Beach Chair Service still happens at the Community Center front desk.
- December. The town's signature-events page still lists last year's Winter Wonderland date, December 14, 2025. No 2026 date has been published.
The chair upgrades are worth following because they are the town's next spending on the beach itself. The farmers market season now runs until the end of May. If the extra chairs and longer hours arrive this season, a Saturday at the market and an afternoon on the beach can easily become one outing.
For those who already know Surfside well, the restored path is more than a nicer place to walk. It ties the town's beach together at the moment Surfside has scheduled its fall around 96th Street. The Nightmare Before Christmas screening on Saturday, October 10, at 96th Street Park is the next date on the calendar.
At Bryan Halda, we follow the details of Surfside closely, from the dune work along the shoreline to the new storefronts on Harding Avenue. If you would like a discreet, informed conversation about your home in Surfside and how these changes near the beach fit into your plans, let's connect.
