JJ Grey headlined the event under the watchful eye of a budding fan. A crowd of eco-enthusiasts gathered this past weekend for the inaugural "Surfin Snook Summer Jam" at the Sunset Cove Amphitheater in West Boca to raise awareness and celebrate a recent landmark decision. The event was co-sponsored by the Snook Foundation and the Palm Beach County chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, both of whom were plaintiffs in a recent lawsuit against the town of Palm Beach. The proposed project would have granted the town a permit to dredge and fill 1.8 miles of beach surrounding the Lake Worth pier with what the groups argued was poor-quality sediment.

"This project would have obliterated the beach and coastal environment because the material they proposed to use would not cement. It would end up on top of 7 acres of reef, kill off marine life and jeopardize tourism revenue by impacting surfing, fishing and diving," said event co-chairman and Surfrider chapter chairman Greg Lyon.

Snook Foundation Southeast Florida Regional Director Brett Fitzgerald said the lawsuit is proof positive that grassroots campaigns can and do bear fruit.

"It really is a huge victory on so many levels. There was so much science and concrete evidence backing our case that it would have been very difficult to come to any other conclusion," he said.

Dee and Ed Ottenthal moved to West Boca one year ago from New Jersey and it was their first time at the amphitheater.

"This is such a beautiful venue, and the music has been fantastic. What these organizations are doing is so important, and it also nice to be able to spend time outside watching the sun set sipping a glass of wine," said Dee.

For information about the organizations, visit www.surfriderpbc.org or www.snookfoundation.org.