The Biggest Festivals in South Florida

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Southern Florida knows how to party, and you can see the best of it when you attend some of the biggest festivals in South Florida. Find out which festivals belong on your calendar and don’t miss out on any of the excitement.

Calle Ocho Festival

Located in Miami, the Calle Ocho festival is the largest Latin music festival in the world. The whole event takes place in Little Havana and encompasses about 20 blocks. There are many stages full of live performers and dancers. While you enjoy the live entertainment, you can try some Latin food and celebrate the culture.

This event is fun for the whole family. In the past, it’s featured performers like Pitbull, Nicky Jam, and Maluma.

Jazz in the Gardens Music Fest

This Miami Gardens festival will either teach you an appreciation for jazz music or enhance your love for the genre. For over 15 years, the Jazz in the Gardens Music Fest has highlighted the culture and diversity of music. Performers take to the stage and play beats that make everyone tap their feet.

In addition to showcasing some world-famous performers, this festival also demonstrates the local talent. It’s even helped some artists become discovered.

Winterfest Boat Parade

With 2020 marking the Winterfest Boat Parade’s 49th year, the event is a long-standing Fort Lauderdale tradition. Every year, the New River features a long line of decorated boats. Typically, the show lasts for over two hours.

During the parade, boats of all types make their way down the waterway. There are private boats, megayachts, and much more. They’re all decorated with elaborate lights and decorations. As they float by, listen to music and watch some live entertainment. Over one million spectators usually gather for this event.

Wellington Bacon and Bourbon Festival

If you’re a foodie or you love a good bourbon, the Wellington Bacon and Bourbon Festival should be on your calendar. The festival is so popular that it was featured on a Food Channel television show.

As you might expect, this festival is all about honoring bacon and bourbon. Restaurants come together to offer bacon-inspired dishes, while distillers showcase some of their best whiskeys. Although this event has only been going on for over five years, it’s quickly developed into a popular festival.

Each year, there are over 60 bourbons available and too many bacon dishes for you to count. Once you’ve had your fill, you can walk around the grounds to check out what the vendors have to offer.

South Florida Garlic Festival

Garlic is an amazing addition to any dish, so why not celebrate it with a festival? At the South Florida Garlic festival, you can pay homage to garlic by trying many different garlic-rich dishes.

For over two decades, this festival has been attracting large crowds. Don’t let the name of the festival trick you into thinking that only foodies will enjoy the Lake Worth event. Although it is a foodie’s paradise, the garlic festival is also about entertaining the masses.

Famous musicians put on live performances and there are multiple activities throughout the festival. Test the speed of your pitch, play human foosball, or climb aboard a pirate ship. Regardless of your age or lifestyle, there’s something for you to do at this festival.

South Beach Wine & Food Festival

Sponsored by the Food Network, this South Beach festival is several days of culinary delights. Famous chefs and television personalities come out to showcase their skills and entertain attendees.

This annual event features great food, incredible wine, and amazing spirits. More than 65,000 people come together to eat, drink, and learn. Although this isn’t strictly an LGBTQ festival, it does attract a diverse crowd. South Beach is a mecca for the LGBTQ community, which makes this event particularly popular. It’s a great time to raise your rainbow flag.

American Indian Arts Celebration

South Florida has a rich Native American heritage, but most visitors don’t get to experience the culture. At the American Indian Arts Celebration, you get the opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture. Hosted by the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum, this festival takes place on the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation.

While at the festival, you can enjoy both modern and traditional aspects of Native American life. There’s dancing, artwork, crafts, and music. While the festival occurs in Seminole territory, it also highlights other tribes.

Tortuga Music Festival

Another Fort Lauderdale festival, Tortuga attracts visitors from all over the country. It’s one of the biggest festivals in South Florida for good reason. Every year, it features some of the most popular rock, country, and roots musicians.

Because this festival takes place in Fort Lauderdale Beach Park, you get to enjoy the music on the white sand. It’s a constant reminder of why the festival was created in the first place – to spread awareness about marine conservation efforts.

The festival is three days of fun. Whether you attend one of the days or all three, you’ll be entertained by the music and the people.

Forbidden Kingdom

Located in Boca Raton, the Forbidden Kingdom is a unique music festival. It celebrates bass and dubstep music by featuring live performances from popular artists. In line with its name, this festival is magical and usually showcases some amazing costumes.

Although Forbidden Kingdom hasn’t been around for long, it’s growing in popularity. Even if you don’t know much about dubstep, the event will have you develop a new love for the genre.

SunFest

In 1982, SunFest became a reality. The West Palm Beach festival was created to showcase the music and art of the area. Today, the festival brings over 100,000 people to West Palm Beach. They enjoy live music, vendors, and activities.

In 2019, the festival featured some major names in the music industry. Tears for Fears, the B-52s, and Don Omar all performed and wowed audiences.

Attending the Biggest Festivals in South Florida

The beaches of South Florida always draw a crowd. But the real attraction is the entertainment. Throughout the year, there are many great festivals. Find out why it is that so many people flock to these festivals.

For a full list of Florida Pride Festival, click here.

**Disclaimer: There is a good chance that this post contains affiliate or sponsor links. If you make a purchase through them, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you (for which we are extremely grateful).

Also, while we do our best to highlight LGBTQ-friendly destinations and businesses, info provided is based solely on personal experience and recommendations by community partners. We hope that nobody experiences discrimination or homophobia while visiting Florida, but we make no guarantees. Please inform us if you experience discrimination or homophobia while visiting any destination so we can make updates to our recommendations.