Florida AIDS Walk & Music Festival

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Walk

Click on Register and follow the steps on your screen, where you will be guided through the registration process. Once your transaction is complete, you will receive a confirmation email from the website. This email will contain your username and password that you have selected. Please be aware that online registrants will be asked to pay a registration fee as part of the registration process.

If you are unable or reluctant to register online, click here to print a registration form. Mail your completed form with a check to the Florida AIDS Walk office for payment and registration. All mailed registration forms must be received on or before February 28 to ensure processing in time for the event on March 9. Or you can register or buy tickets the morning of the event at the Registration/Tickets tent beginning at 8:00 a.m. on March 9.

All participants must pay a registration fee. There is no fundraising requirement to participate, but we encourage all participants to set a goal of $100 or more. Check out the cool prizes we will reward you with for meeting certain milestones on our Fundraising page.

The registration fee helps offset the costs of the event, including the incredible musical performance. This ensures that all fundraising dollars directly support our beneficiaries. If you have additional questions about the registration process, please email info@FloridaAIDSWalk.org.

The money raised by Florida AIDS Walk supports the services provided by AIDS Healthcare Foundation and several other beneficiary organizations that are chosen each year. 100% of every dollar raised remains in Florida, to provide direct services to its residents who are affected by HIV/AIDS. Click here to learn more about this year’s beneficiaries.

Florida AIDS Walk is 5K (3.1 miles) and takes roughly one to two hours to complete.

No. Animals are NOT allowed where the pre-Walk line-up and post-Walk Music Festival is being held.

Everyone is invited and encouraged to participate in Florida AIDS Walk. Please recognize that if you run ahead of the police-supported road and lane closures, or fall behind the road closure schedule, the roads along the route will be open to traffic, and you will need to be on the sidewalk. In either case, please be aware that you are participating at your own risk.

Yes. Children ages 5 and under can attend free of charge. Children ages 6 and above can join as registered participants. Do Not Bring: Strollers, wagons, pets, coolers, beach umbrellas or picnic baskets.

Music Festival

The Florida AIDS Walk and Music Festival will take place on Saturday, March 9, 2024 at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park.

8:00 AM - Check-in opens & live radio remote DJ begins
8:45 AM - DJ Citizen Jane performs
9:45 AM - Opening program
10:00 AM - Walk begins
11:00 AM - Eric Benét performs
12:00 PM - Todrick Hall performs
1:00 PM - Live radio remote DJ continues
2:00 PM - Event concludes

What To Bring: Sunblock, sunglasses, ID, comfortable shoes, your fully-charged phone and/or camera, and cash for food & drinks

Do Not Bring: Strollers, wagons, pets, coolers, beach umbrellas or picnic baskets

STRICTLY PROHIBITED: Weapons, Glass, Outside Alcohol, Drones

Event Info

The Florida AIDS Walk & Music Festival is a great way to give back to your community. Come together for a 5K walk and an epic concert!

Proceeds raised from the walk and festival go to local AIDS service organizations who fight to end the epidemic in their communities every day.

The event will take place on Saturday, March 9, 2024 at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park.

8:00 AM - Check-in opens & live radio remote DJ begins
8:45 AM - DJ Citizen Jane performs
9:45 AM - Opening program
10:00 AM - Walk begins
11:00 AM - Eric Benét performs
12:00 PM - Todrick Hall performs
1:00 PM - Live radio remote DJ continues
2:00 PM - Event concludes

Important Safety Information
If you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 or may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, please do not attend the event. Visit the CDC website for more information about COVID-19 symptoms. Face masks are encouraged, particularly for high-risk individuals, and hand sanitizer stations will be set up throughout the site.

Allowed/Prohibited Items
What to Bring: Sunblock, sunglasses, ID, comfortable shoes, your fully charged phone and/or camera, and a credit card for food & drinks
What Not to Bring: Wagons, pets, coolers, beach umbrellas, and picnic baskets
STRICTLY PROHIBITED: Weapons, glass, outside alcohol, and drones.

Social Media
Make absolutely sure to bring your camera or phone. Follow @aidshealthcare on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter/X. Follow @aidshealth on Facebook and YouTube. Tag #FAW2024 on your posts so we can share them.

Parking and Transportation
A Premier Parking Pass is required to park at South Beach Park. To help you avoid Spring Break traffic on A1A, we encourage you to explore alternative ways to get to the beach (carpool, ride share, water taxi, or other forms of transportation). Click here for City of Fort Lauderdale and Fort Lauderdale Beach parking information.

Onsite Registration and Fundraising
In order to keep our event contactless, we will not be collecting donations on site. However, there will be QR codes posted around the area so visitors can donate easily with a mobile phone. If you bring friends and family who aren’t registered for the event, please have them see a volunteer at the check-in tents to register.

What to Bring: Sunblock, sunglasses, ID, comfortable shoes, your fully charged phone and/or camera, and a credit card for food & drinks
What Not to Bring: Wagons, pets, coolers, beach umbrellas, and picnic baskets
STRICTLY PROHIBITED: Weapons, glass, outside alcohol, and drones.

A Premier Parking Pass is required to park at South Beach Park. To help you avoid Spring Break traffic on A1A, we encourage you to explore alternative ways to get to the beach (carpool, ride share, water taxi, or other forms of transportation). Click here for City of Fort Lauderdale and Fort Lauderdale Beach parking information.

We anticipate a beautiful, sunny Fort Lauderdale day on the beach. However, should the threat of severe weather become imminent we may need to delay or cancel in the name of safety. Please stay tuned to our Facebook page for up-to-date information.

We encourage you to register for the event in advance, online.

In order to keep our event contactless, we will not be collecting donations at the event. However, there will be QR codes around the site so visitors can donate easily with a mobile phone.

If you bring friends and family who aren’t registered for the event, they should see a volunteer at the Check-In tents to register.

Click below for a site map.

Site Map

Click below for a route map.

Route Map

Fundraising

Please make checks payable to "AHF Florida AIDS Walk". All checks must be accompanied by a personalized donation form with the participant or team’s name and ID number. Company checks must include a contact name, email address, AND/OR mailing address to be processed. If the participant has not provided you with a donation form, you can print one from their personal fundraising page or team page. Just search for their name here.

AHF Florida AIDS Walk
PO BOX 11754
NEWARK, NJ 07101-4754

All checks must be accompanied by a personalized donation form with the participant or team’s name and ID number. Company checks must include a contact name, email address, AND/OR mailing address to be processed. If the participant has not provided you with a donation form, you can print one from their personal fundraising page or team page. Just search for their name here.

If you are sending your donation via overnight or certified mail, please contact info@floridaaidswalk.org prior to sending.

The amount of the donation or matching gift will be added to the participant’s fundraising total. However, if the donation or match is for a beneficiary team, donations processed after April 30 will not qualify for AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s disbursement to that beneficiary. Remember, donations must be processed by 4/30, not postmarked. Please allow for 2 weeks for mailed donations to be posted to the participant or team fundraising account.

Fundraising is easy. Just follow these simple steps:
  • Personalize your Team and/or Individual Fundraising webpage, and then send out an email to friends, family members, and co-workers. Each email sent from your webpage contains a link to support you online with a credit card.
  • Print your personalized donation forms from your Participant Center and pass them out.
  • Social Networking: Post on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter to ask your friends and other contacts for support. Write notes, share links that are news-worthy and related to the battle against HIV, and by all means, share the link to your fundraising page! (Be sure that you are mindful of each site’s anti-spam or solicitation policies.)
  • Matching Gift Programs. Many corporate organizations have corporate giving programs that match the contributions their employees give to a charitable organization. By utilizing the matching gift programs of your employer or your family and friends’ employers, you can quickly double or triple your fundraising dollars. Visit the Matching Gifts page for more information.
  • Host a fundraising party or event. Ask a local bar or restaurant to donate their space for a happy hour or fundraising dinner party. Charge a flat admission or suggest a donation. Plan a raffle, contest, or drink special to make the night exciting!
  • Give your team members an incentive to sign up, raise money, and walk. Ask a local business to contribute to your team by providing a reward prize or two, and then create a contest within your team or group of friends to determine who will win it. Contest ideas include: most new team members enlisted, most fundraising email requests sent using the website, highest amount raised, or most original fundraising effort.

There are many opportunities for you to get involved in Florida AIDS Walk & Music Festival, from volunteering to becoming a corporate or in-kind sponsor. Even if you aren’t in a position to sponsor, you may have contacts who are. To find out about any of these options, or share sponsorship leads that you think might be helpful, please contact us at info@floridaaidswalk.org.

Go to the Log In page and click Forgot Username if you need your username, or Forgot Password if you need your password.

Remember that your username and password are case-sensitive. 

Still stuck? Please contact us at info@floridaaidswalk.org for assistance.

When you send an email from your Florida AIDS Walk Participant Center, the link to your individual fundraising webpage will automatically be included in the bottom of the email, as will the link to your team page (if applicable).

Also, on the home page of the website, friends and family can locate a participant by clicking on the “Donate” link from the home page, then searching for the participant who they wish to support. By typing in the name of the participant, they will then be able to select that participant from the results returned, which will lead them to that individual’s fundraising webpage.

While they are not case sensitive, you must type in the exact spelling of the first or last name of the person you are looking for. If you continue to have a problem locating a participant that you are sure has registered, please contact us at info@floridaaidswalk.org.

Log in by entering your username and password on the Participant Log-In page. Once you are redirected to your Participant Center, click “Progress” from the menu near the right side of the screen to view your donation history.

While credit card donations made through the website will automatically appear on a walker’s personal web page, cash and check donations must be processed in the Florida AIDS Walk office, which takes additional time.

This has happened for one of three reasons:

1) As your donors make a contribution, they have the option of choosing whether or not they want to appear in the recognition scroll.

2) The donor scroll can also take as long as an hour to refresh during peak website traffic times.

3) Your donor may not have accurately completed the process. Confirm with them that they received a confirmation email from the website.

Select “Email and Contacts” within the Participant Center. You can use the pre-written emails as a starting point, and then edit and send your message.

If you want to create your own message, select "Create Your Own Message" to start from a blank email.

If you are creating your own message, enter the recipient’s email address or select your recipients from your Address Book after importing your contacts.

Enter the subject and body of your email. Once you have composed an email, you can save it as a template for future emails. The saved message will then appear on the list of suggested messages.

Matching Gifts

A matching gift is a benefit offered by some employers to encourage charitable giving among their employees. Employer matching gift programs are a great way for your donors to double or, in some cases, triple their contribution.

Your donors may not be aware that their employer participates in a matching gift program. A great way to educate and encourage donors to utilize these programs is in your fundraising letter or email. Add a “P.S.” statement at the end of your letter such as, “Double the impact of your gift at no additional cost! Visit FloridaAIDSWalk.org/matching to see if your gift can be matched through an employer matching gift program.”

Visit FloridaAIDSWalk.org/matching and search for the name of the company. To get better results, try entering just a part of the employer name. If your employer doesn’t appear on the list, ask them if they might be registered under a different official name. If still do not see the name of the company listed in our search tool, select the “new company” link on the Matching Gifts page and fill out the web form to request your company be added to the list. You will be contacted via email after we have confirmed whether the company does or does not match for Florida AIDS Walk. Alternately, ask your Human Resources or Community Relations Departments directly about their matching gifts process.

To make a matching gift, first go to FloridaAIDSWalk.org/matching and use our search tool to look up the name of a company. If the company is in our database, select it and you will see the specific instructions for that company’s matching gifts process. Different organizations have different requirements and procedures, so please look up each company individually.

To get better results, try entering just a part of the employer name. If your employer doesn’t appear on the list, ask them if they might be registered under a different official name. If still you do not see the name of the company listed in our search tool, select the “new company” link and fill out the web form to request your company be added to the list. You will be contacted via email after we have confirmed whether the company does or does not match for Florida AIDS Walk. Alternately, donors can also check with their Human Resources or Community Relations Departments to inquire about their internal process.

Important Tips:

  • Select the correct organization! AHF-FL AIDS WALK PO BOX 935744 Atlanta GA 31193-5744 If AHF-FL AIDS WALK isn’t an option, choose AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION and then designate FL AIDS WALK if given the option.
  • Provide the participant’s name with the submission if possible
  • Submit the request as soon as possible to allow ample processing time so that the participant can receive credit before the event
  • Make copies of matching gift forms or forward the email confirmation to info@floridaaidswalk.org for processing.

If a matching gift company does not approve a matching gift the company will contact either the donor or the Florida AIDS Walk office. If we are contacted, we will pass the information on to the participant.

To get better results, try entering just a part of the employer name. If your employer doesn’t appear on the list, ask them if they might be registered under a different official name.

If you didn't find a company in the list, it may be that Florida AIDS Walk is not eligible, the program has been temporarily suspended, or it is not in the database. Please contact info@floridaaidswalk.org and we will do some further research on the company you requested. Please allow five days for a response.

Alternately, donors can also check with their Human Resources or Community Relations Departments to inquire about their internal process.

Gather the following information and contact us at info@floridaaidswalk.org. IMPORTANT NOTE: Before contacting us about a missing matching gift, please allow four weeks from the time the request was submitted to allow the matching gift to post.

  1. Donor name
  2. Donation amount & date
  3. Matching gift company
  4. Amount of matching gift
  5. Date matching gift request was submitted
  6. Method of submission (Paper, employer portal, 3rd party portal)

The amount of the matching gift will be added to the participant’s fundraising total. However, if the match is for a donation to a beneficiary team, matches processed after April 30 will not qualify for AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s disbursement to that beneficiary.

Teams

A team consists of two or more people—our biggest teams have over 100! Teammates can be friends, family members, co-workers or anyone who would like to join!

Building a Florida AIDS Walk & Music Festival team makes the experience of training and fundraising a little easier, a lot more fun and more memorable. Teams can work together to create fun and unique fundraising opportunities, such as car washes, yard sales, dinner parties and more!

Your main priority is to keep your teammates informed and motivated. In addition to sending emails to team members, Team Captains may host team events, plan team fundraising activities, and/or lead training walks. Your level of involvement is up to you, and will directly affect your team’s progress!

  • Recruit new team members. We encourage you to recruit new members and inspire your teammates to do the same. Set a recruitment goal for your team and surpass it! Team Flyers: 8x11 - 11x17
  • Set a team fundraising goal. Because the need is so great, we urge you to set an ambitious team goal.
  • Set up and maintain your team’s webpage. Upload a team photo and write about why your team is doing the walk!
  • Most teams design t-shirts to wear the day of the walk. In addition to being a fun keepsake, the t-shirts help your team stand out at the event. If you need any referrals for t-shirt design and printing, please contact info@floridaaidswalk.org.

Contact us at info@floridaaidswalk.org and we’ll help you create a fundraising and teambuilding plan.
  • Create a team fundraising event: yard sales, car washes and dinner parties have all been successful in the past!
  • Create a fundraising timeline for your team, including events, fundraising letters and follow-up. Track teammate progress and congratulate members on achieving their goals. Don’t be afraid to praise your team!
  • If you are a Facebook user, make a GROUP page that is dedicated to your team, and use it as a forum to praise and motivate your members.
  • Keep your team motivated! Remind them that every dollar raised will save a life by helping Floridians living with or at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS get the information and services they need to stay healthy.
  • Start fundraising early! It never hurts to be the first email your friends and family receive!

When you recruit new team members make sure they know the name of your team. Upon registering, they should select the “Join a Team” option, and search for your team name.

If new team members have already registered for the Florida AIDS Walk & Music Festival as Individual Walkers, they should log in to their Participant Center and select “Change Team Membership” from the menu.

After registering as a Team Captain, log in to your online Participant Center.

Set up your team webpage:

  • Select “Team Page" within the Participant Center to set your team fundraising goal and personalize the team page.
  • Change the “Team Message” text to talk about why your team is walking together.
  • Click on “Change Image” to upload a photo of your team to your webpage.

Send out invites to build your team:

  • Select "Email and Contacts" within your Participant Center, and use one of our suggested messages or write your own to encourage others to join your team. The email message will automatically include a direct link back to your team page to make it as easy as possible for email recipients to join your team.
  • You can also cut and paste the direct link mentioned above into your personal and/or Facebook emails, as well as your Facebook status, to encourage people to join your team.

Review your team progress.

  •  Click the Teammates link within your Participant Center to see a list of your team members along with their fundraising progress. Use this information to praise, motivate, and even stir up a little competition within your team!

Select "Email and Contacts" within the Participant Center to access a default message for recruiting team members. You can use the pre-written team-building letters as a starting point, and then edit and send your message.

If you want to create your own message, select "Create Your Own Message" to start from a blank email.

If you are creating your own message, enter the recipient’s email address or select your recipients from your Address Book after importing your contacts.

Enter the subject and body of your email. Once you have composed an email, you can save it as a template for future emails. The saved message will then appear on the list of suggested messages.

You can use the same process above to send an email to everyone on your team. During the “Set Recipients” step, select Group>Teammates.

You may make your own team T-shirts. If you want to use the Florida AIDS Walk logo in your design, you can request them by sending your name and contact information to info@floridaaidswalk.org.

Teams of 10 or more as of 11:59 AM ET on Wednesday, February 28 will receive a team sign to carry on the route. Visit the Top Fundraiser Rewards page for information about rewards for top team captains.