On an April evening when Fort Lauderdale begins to trade spring polish for tropical ease, the Historic Stranahan House Museum will once again transform into one of the city’s most charming party settings. Pineapple Jam, the museum’s signature fundraising fête, returns Friday, April 10, inviting guests to celebrate preservation with a distinctly South Florida sense of style.
Set along the banks of the New River, the casual-chic soirée runs from 6:30 to 10 p.m., blending open bars, live music, and curated bites with the glow of lantern light and river breezes. More than 300 civic, business, and philanthropic leaders are expected to gather in tropical attire for an evening that feels equal parts garden party and cultural salute. A raffle and silent auction will offer guests the chance to bid on exclusive experiences and one-of-a-kind items, all in support of the museum’s year-round preservation and education efforts.
Co-chaired by Marianna Seiler DeJager and Brianna Reeves, Pineapple Jam is the largest annual fundraiser for the Stranahan House, and its most spirited. Each year, the event shines a light on individuals and partners whose commitment helps sustain Fort Lauderdale’s cultural fabric. Honorees for the 2026 celebration will be announced in the coming weeks, adding another layer of anticipation to an already buzzy night on the river.
The setting itself is the evening’s quiet star. Built in 1901, the Stranahan House is widely regarded as the birthplace of Fort Lauderdale, once serving as a trading post, post office, town hall, and family home. It was the residence of Frank Stranahan, the city’s first businessman, and Ivy Cromartie Stranahan, its first schoolteacher and an early civic force whose legacy still resonates. Since opening as a museum in 1984, the house has become one of Fort Lauderdale’s most visited cultural landmarks, welcoming tens of thousands of visitors annually, including thousands of local schoolchildren.
Tickets for Pineapple Jam are $175 per person, with sponsorship and underwriting opportunities ranging from $1,500 to $7,500. Complimentary parking will be available at the nearby Riverside Hotel on Las Olas Boulevard.
For those who believe history is best preserved not only through archives, but through community, Pineapple Jam offers a rare chance to toast the past while investing in the future—pineapple in hand, river at your side. stranahanhouse.org/pineapple-jam-2026/
