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West Palm Beach events manager Mary Pinnock retires after 35 years
Summary
Mary Pinnock, who joined West Palm Beach staff in 1989, was honored at a Waterfront Pavilion party marking her retirement and a final "Clematis by Night" appearance; Pinnock led growth of the city—s green market, the holiday "sandy tree" and the 4th on Flagler celebration.
Longtime West Palm Beach community events manager Mary Pinnock retired this week and was honored at a party in the Waterfront Pavilion that featured a final "Clematis by Night" performance by the Valerie Tyson Band.
Pinnock joined city staff in 1989 and spent 35 years overseeing public events that have expanded in size and scope. The city—s green market, which Pinnock helped organize on short notice early in her tenure, now features more than 100 vendors annually. Pinnock and her team also developed the holiday "sandy tree," which event organizers described as having grown to about 700 tons with a cast of supporting characters that includes dogs, mermaids, pirates and a Ferris wheel.
"Retirement. This night is dedicated to Miss Mary," said an event emcee during the celebration.
A colleague and longtime resident at the event recalled the city—s earlier, smaller calendar of public activities, saying, "The only things that lived down here at that time were the pigeons, and there were a lot of them." The same speaker added a lighthearted remark about the sandy tree—s persona: "You know, Sandy, she's like Cher, Beyonce. She doesn't have a last name. She doesn't need a last name."
Under Pinnock—s stewardship, 4th on Flagler developed into the city—s Independence Day celebration with live entertainment and a fireworks display. Other projects she oversaw included arts showcases, "Screen on the Green" movie nights and events featuring spring-training hometown players and visiting champions such as the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals.
The program concluded with well-wishes for Pinnock—s retirement. "So here's to a happy retirement filled with family, friends, creativity, and fun," a speaker said. The event was covered by WPV TV reporter Cheryl Conn, who closed the recorded remarks by identifying herself: "This is Cheryl Conn reporting for WPV TV."
City plans for who will lead or manage the events Pinnock oversaw going forward were not specified during the celebration.
