The Most Popular Festivals In Miami

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Miami is a haven for party-goers, beach bashes, art deco, and more. From music festivals to Miami Fashion week, there’s something for everyone – no matter what you’re interested in. Check out our list of the most popular happenings in Miami, all year round.

January

Art Deco Weekend

Art Deco Weekend is more than just an excuse to dress up – it’s a free cultural festival that celebrates the movement that Miami is most-known for: Art Deco.

Originally started as a draw for when tourism is traditionally low, this festival has evolved into a joyous celebration of culture. People come from miles around just to celebrate Art Deco Weekend and stay in Miami’s many art deco hotels. Learn more about art deco history through exhibitions and lectures, or listen to live music at Lummus Park. If you are more into shopping, there’s also a special artisan fair.

February

South Beach Wine And Food Festival

Are you a self-proclaimed foodie? Then you can’t miss the South Beach Wine And Food Festival. This festival is four days of gourmet food, excellent wine, and celebrity chefs like Michael White and Giorgio Rapicavoli.

Coconut Grove Arts Festival

People come from all over to see the work at Coconut Grove Arts Festival, South Florida’s premier art event. Not only have they put together an exhibition of wearable, visual, and even edible art, but there’s a lot of good fun for the whole family. Drop your little ones off at kids’ workshops while you explore the rest of the festivities!

Miami International Boat Show

Miami is right on the water, so it makes sense that its boat show would be a huge tourist draw, with more than 100,000 people descending on the city for the event. The Miami International Boat Show features everything from kayaks to mega yachts. And you don’t even have to be an experienced sailor to participate!

April

Miami Beach Pride

Don’t miss out on Miami’s biggest party, and show up for Pride as the city celebrates its diversity and its large LGBTQ community. Miami Beach Pride is 10 days of revelry and partying across several stages throughout the city. There are drag shows to enjoy, trivia nights to attend, a parade, and more.

Miami Fashion Week

Not to be confused with the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Miami or Miami Swim Week, Miami Fashion Week is the most stylish week in South Beach. This week-long event features designs from Caribbean and Latin American designers, celebrating both innovation and sustainability.

Contrary to popular perception, Fashion Week is more than just runways. The festivities also include panels on the impact of fashion and the issues that are plaguing the fashion world today.

June

Wynwood Pride

Miami Beach Pride isn’t the only Pride festival in Miami – the small, trendy neighborhood of Wynwood also celebrates Pride in June with a music festival. Wynwood Pride features several stages of great music, a vendor fair, and good vibes.

July

International Ballet Festival Of Miami

The International Ballet Festival of Miami brings together ballet companies from all over the world to showcase their incredible talent and best work – some companies even make their US debut at this renowned event.

August

Ife-Ile Afro-Cuban Dance Festival

Ife-Ile is an Afro-Cuban dance troupe that seeks to preserve Afro-Cuban heritage through dance, specializing in samba, mambo, conga, and many more. At the annual Ife-Ile Afro-Cuban Dance Festival, attendees are treated to academic panels, dance lessons, and performances that celebrate Afro-Cuban heritage and the diversity of Miami culture.

October

Miami Carnival

Want to celebrate Caribbean culture? Come down to Miami for the Carnival Miami Broward. Carnival goers will be delighted by its lineup of events, including a parade, junior carnival for the kids, music, dancing, and plenty of merry-making.

Carnivals are usually held right before the Lenten season, but this Miami celebration is held in October. Join the costume contest, and watch two lucky festival-goers get crowned the King and Queen of the Carnival. The fairgrounds will also be packed with vendors and food sellers.

Miami International Auto Show

Do you love cars? Head to the Miami convention center for one of the biggest auto shows in the United States: the Miami International Auto Show. See hundreds of cars, trucks, electric vehicles, and more – you can even test drive some of your favorite cars!

Celebrate Orgullo

For two weeks during Latino Heritage month, Miami hosts Celebrate Orgullo. Spanish for “pride”, Orgullo celebrates the diversity of the LGBTQ community in Miami – a large subsection of which is Hispanic.

Celebrate Orgullo is full of dance parties, drag, and so much more. This year, there will be panels about “dragtivism” and a drive-in screening of The Birdcage.

November

American Black Film Festival

The American Black Film Festival is one of the most important film festivals celebrating black filmmakers and creators of African descent. Since 1997, This film festival has been advancing black talent and showcasing the best of the best of their work. The festival features movies like Civil and documentaries like The Young Vote and A Woman On The Outside.

December

Art Basel Miami

Art Basel is an institution among art collectors, and Art Basel Miami Beach is one of the biggest collector’s events in the Americas.

At the crossroads of North and South America, Miami’s galleries display their best American art exhibits at this time of year. Tons of galleries, such as the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) and the Lowe Art Museum at the University of Miami, participate.

Conclusion

Miami caters to a range of different people, reflecting the diversity in the population. From art festivals to cultural carnivals, there’s plenty happening all throughout the year in this vibrant city. Make sure to check out some of these popular Miami festivals on your next visit!

**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.

Rachel Covello

Rachel Covello is an award-winning speaker, writer, diversity consultant, and LGBT advocate. She was the Founder of LGBT Equality Alliance, a Chester County, PA nonprofit organization. She is currently the Publisher of OutCoast.com and Producer of the OutCoast TV YouTube Channel, both of which highlight LGBTQ welcoming destinations in Florida.

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