Planning a milestone birthday, graduation dinner or booster banquet for Parkland family and friends? The Center for Spiritual Living Fort Lauderdale rents its event venue at 4849 N. Dixie Highway in Oakland Park, about 28 minutes from Parkland. Choose the Main Auditorium (275 seats, or 110 for a seated dinner) or smaller rooms, with on-site parking for 150 vehicles.
At a glance
- From Parkland: about 15.4 miles, roughly 28 minutes in typical traffic via Wiles Road, US 441, Atlantic Boulevard and Commercial Boulevard.
- Family-size room: Multipurpose Room, 1,026 sq ft, up to 70 cocktail-style or 40 conference-style.
- Big-party rooms: Main Auditorium (110 seated dinner / 275 auditorium-style) and Welcome Lobby (200 cocktail-style).
- Included: round and buffet tables with basic linens, banquet chairs, and place settings for 200.
- Kitchen: no additional charge with the auditorium or Multipurpose Room.
- Parking: up to 150 vehicles on site.
- To book: Jim Wood, Director of Operations, 954-566-2868.
Why Parkland families look to Oakland Park for big celebrations
Parkland was built to feel like a park. Its zoning protects that character, and the city had no stores or traffic lights until Heron Bay and Parkland Isles were built in the mid-1990s and early 2000s. Families move there for the quiet, the green space and the schools.
That same character means a 120-guest party doesn’t always fit at home or in a neighborhood clubhouse. When the guest list includes grandparents, cousins from around South Florida and the whole travel team, you need real tables, a kitchen and parking for everyone.
Our venue is about a 28-minute drive, and we won’t pretend otherwise. It’s worth the trip when your celebration needs room to spread out: a dinner for up to 110, a reception for up to 200, a room for 40 to 70 when the party is more intimate, and tables, linens and place settings already on site.
How far is it from Parkland?
From the center of Parkland, the venue is about 15.4 miles and roughly 28 minutes by car. A typical route takes Riverside Drive to Wiles Road, then south on North State Road 7 (US 441), east on West Atlantic Boulevard (SR 814), south on Lyons Road and Northwest 31st Avenue, and finally east on Commercial Boulevard (SR 870) to N. Dixie Highway.
That estimate is typical, not traffic-adjusted, and it’s measured from the middle of the city. Homes in Heron Bay, Parkland Isles or near Parkside Drive will see slightly different times. For a Saturday evening party, telling guests to allow 35 to 40 minutes keeps everyone relaxed.
Milestone birthdays, graduation dinners and booster banquets
Milestone birthdays
Sweet 16s, 40ths, 50ths and 80ths tend to draw guests from three generations. A seated dinner in the Main Auditorium works for up to 110 at thirteen 60-inch rounds. If you’d rather keep it loose, the Welcome Lobby holds up to 200 cocktail-style, with high-top tables and lounge seating already there.
For a slideshow of family photos or a toast that everyone can hear, the auditorium’s sound and video booth handles projection and microphones. The booth is staffed by the Center’s team.
Graduation dinners
High school and college graduations bring out relatives who don’t see each other often. A graduation dinner for 50 to 100 fits the Main Auditorium nicely, while a smaller family gathering fits the Multipurpose Room. Place settings for 200 are included, so you aren’t renting plates and glasses separately.
School club and booster banquets
Parkland is a family city: in the 2020 census, 29.7% of residents were under 18 and 52.2% of households had children. That means a lot of clubs, teams and booster groups, each with an end-of-year celebration. A banquet with dinner, a highlight reel and an awards line is exactly what the auditorium was set up to handle.
View rooms, photos and amenities
Which room fits your guest count?
Use these numbers from our event space rental page to match your party to a room. Every space is in the same building, so your group can move from dinner to dessert without leaving.
| Room | Size | Capacity | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Auditorium | 2,944 sq ft | 275 auditorium-style; 110 seated dinner | Milestone birthday dinners, booster banquets, slideshows and toasts |
| Multipurpose Room | 1,026 sq ft | 70 cocktail; 50 auditorium; 40 conference | Smaller graduation parties, family brunches, club meetings |
| Welcome Lobby | 1,418 sq ft | 200 cocktail-style | Open-house style parties, dessert receptions, photo stations |
What’s included: tables, linens, place settings and the kitchen
Family parties get complicated when you have to rent every chair and fork. Here, a lot is already in the building.
- Main Auditorium: thirteen 60-inch rounds seating 8 each, rectangular buffet tables in three sizes, six square card tables and six high-top cocktail tables, all with basic linens or black linens/spandex; 275 tan banquet chairs; two blue linen couches and two club chairs.
- Place settings for 200: salad and dinner plates, full dinnerware, basic linen napkins and water glasses.
- Multipurpose Room: four 60-inch rounds seating 8 to 10, the same buffet, card and cocktail tables, 50 banquet chairs and a whiteboard. Not everything fits in the room at once, so the team helps you plan the layout.
- Kitchen: two microwaves, a commercial coffee maker, a double-door refrigerator and a commercial reach-in refrigerator with 26 tray holders, at no additional charge when you rent the auditorium or Multipurpose Room.
- Wi-Fi: password-protected and complimentary.
Sound, video, streaming and teleprompter
The Main Auditorium includes use of a fully equipped professional sound and video booth with projection, streaming capabilities and a presidential teleprompter. The booth is staffed by the Center’s team, and equipment and operator fees are quoted when you inquire.
For family events, the most popular uses are simple: a photo montage on the big screen, a wireless mic for toasts and a live stream so relatives who can’t travel can join in. Bring your files on a flash drive and ask for a quick sound check before guests arrive. You can also see what the stage hosts on its own through the arts at CSL.
Parkland’s park-like character, and why a venue nearby helps
Parkland’s roots are rural. The town was recognized as a city on August 12, 1963, and its founder had called it BBB Ranches. In its first decade, horses outnumbered residents, and equestrian life is still part of its identity.
The city keeps investing in open space. The new 36-acre Wedge Preserve Park at Hillsboro Boulevard and Nob Hill Road broke ground on June 23, 2025, with a ninja course, a splash pad and eight pickleball courts. Golf fans may remember that the former Heron Bay golf course hosted the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic from 1997 to 2002.
Parks are wonderful for a Saturday afternoon. An evening dinner for 100 with a slideshow and a caterer is a different event, and that’s where an indoor venue with a kitchen and a sound booth earns the drive.
Planning tip: For a graduation dinner, send a save-the-date as soon as the ceremony date is posted. Relatives booking travel will plan around it, and your venue date is easier to hold when you know it early.
Planning checklist for your Parkland event
- Draft a rough guest list and decide between a seated dinner (up to 110) and a mingling party (up to 200).
- Call Jim Wood at 954-566-2868 with your preferred dates and ask for a quote.
- Visit with the guest of honor or a co-host so you can picture the layout together.
- Book your caterer and share the kitchen equipment list with them.
- Plan the moments: arrival, dinner, toasts, slideshow, cake, dancing or photos.
- Ask the booth team about projection, mics and streaming for out-of-town family.
- Include the Oakland Park address and a suggested 35 to 40 minute drive time on invitations.
- Confirm your final count and setup a week before.
When to book for spring awards and summer celebrations
Spring is award season for school clubs and teams, and it runs straight into graduation weekends. Summer brings family birthdays and reunions when relatives are traveling anyway. With that much overlap, it pays to reach out early.
Check the Center’s calendar to see what’s already on the books, then call for availability. The Director of Operations will walk you through policies and timing for your date.
Parking and arrival for guests coming from Parkland
There’s on-site parking for up to 150 vehicles, so carloads of grandparents and cousins can all pull in close. Guests enter through the Welcome Lobby, where a Guest Services desk works well for a gift table or a sign-in book.
Hosting guests from neighboring cities as well? See our guides to a banquet venue near Coral Springs, event space near Margate and party venues near Coconut Creek, or the complete Broward County event venue guide.
Frequently asked questions
How far is the venue from Parkland?
The Center for Spiritual Living’s venue at 4849 N. Dixie Highway in Oakland Park is about 15.4 miles from central Parkland. The drive typically takes about 28 minutes via Wiles Road, US 441, Atlantic Boulevard, Lyons Road and Commercial Boulevard. Traffic varies, so add a cushion for evening parties.
Is there a room for a smaller family party of 40 to 70 people?
Yes. The Multipurpose Room is 1,026 square feet and holds up to 70 cocktail-style, 50 auditorium-style or 40 conference-style. It comes with round tables, buffet tables, 50 banquet chairs and access to the kitchen.
How many guests can the Center for Spiritual Living hold?
The Main Auditorium seats up to 275 auditorium-style or 110 for a seated dinner, and the Welcome Lobby holds up to 200 cocktail-style. The Multipurpose Room handles smaller groups of up to 70.
Is there Wi-Fi for presenters and guests?
Yes. Password-protected complimentary Wi-Fi is included with the Main Auditorium and Multipurpose Room, which helps with slideshows, music playlists and live streams for relatives at home.
Do we have to be members or share CSL’s beliefs to rent the space?
The venue welcomes events of every kind and every background, and its rental page lists birthdays, graduations, banquets and celebrations alongside spiritual events. Jim Wood, Director of Operations, will go over rental policies with you when you call.
How do I get a rental quote and check dates?
Pricing is by inquiry. Call Jim Wood at 954-566-2868 or use the contact page, and share your date, guest count and the rooms you’re considering.
What are some good party venues in Florida?
A good party venue fits your guest count, has parking for everyone and includes the basics so you aren’t renting every table and plate. The Center for Spiritual Living in Oakland Park includes tables, linens, place settings for 200 and kitchen access, with on-site parking for 150 vehicles.
Come see the rooms with your family before you decide. Call Jim Wood, Director of Operations, at 954-566-2868 or send us a message with your date. When you’re ready to compare spaces, everything is on our venue rental page.
