watched live broadcasts. The 2010 parade is planned for December 11. 6. Florida Renaissance Festival This event’s 16th 1. Carnaval Miami This 17-day festival in Little Havana culminates with Calle Ocho, a 23-block street installment moved to Miami for the first time. The event took place at Virginia Key Beach Park on Key party that attracts nearly one million revelers and Biscayne from January 9 to 24 and included more big-name performers like Shaggy. Considered the top event in the Hispanic market, Carnaval 2010 took than 100 costumed performers and entertainment on 12 stages. A separate festival in Deerfield Beach is place February 26 to March 14. 2. White Party Week This weeklong gay and lesbian set for February 13 to March 14. event culminates with the renowned White Party at 7. Miami Book Fair International The 26th edition of Vizcaya Museum & Gardens. The 25th annual fund- the country’s largest book fair took place November raiser for Care Resource took place in late November 8 to 15 in downtown Miami, combining seminars, readings, and discussions with a two-day street fair. and attracted more than 10,000 people, raising In 2009, nearly 225,000 people attended over eight $155,000. This year’s celebration is scheduled for days, about 50,000 fewer than in 2008. This year’s November 24 to 27. fair is planned for November 14 to 21. 3. Delray Affair The 47th installment of this three8. South Beach Comedy Festival Combining big day fair, held the first weekend after Easter, takes names with up-and-coming entertainers at four place along 10 blocks in downtown Delray Beach. performance halls in South Beach, this four-day event More than 300,000 people stopped by and 840 attracted a steady 19,000 people in January. Comedy vendors participated in 2009. The next affair is Central serves as the event’s national media partner, scheduled for April 9 to 11. and Live Nation joined as a producing partner last year. 4. Urban Beach Week Held over Memorial Day 9. Miami-Dade County Fair and Expo This 18-day weekend on South Beach, this event has become a major attraction for young African-Americans, draw- event experienced a 5 percent drop in attendance to 560,000 people in 2009. Sponsorship dollars, ing as many as 500,000 people. Nightclubs around however, increased 39 percent, and Miami-Dade the beach host concerts put on by top promoters, Volkswagen Dealers served as the fair’s first presentwho in turn bring in celebrities and models. ing sponsor. The fair returns March 25 to April 11. 5. Winterfest Boat Parade On December 12, Kim 10. King Mango Strut The 28th installment of this Kardashian and Alonzo Mourning served as grand satirical costume parade took place in Coconut marshals for this parade of 100 decorated boats, sponsored by Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Grove on December 27, attracting about 5,000 people, including 500 participants. The 2010 event is Hollywood. Rain reduced the number of spectators along the 12-mile route, though six million Floridians scheduled for December 26.
Parades & Festivals
PHOTOS: ELIZABETH RENFROWW FOR BIZBASH (BED RACE), RED EYE PRODUCTIONS (SOUTH BEACH WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL)
Food & Wine Events
3. Taste of the Nation This fund-raiser for Share
Our Strength fights hunger and poverty. The organization’s 2009 events in Miami and Fort Lauderdale attracted 1,800 people and raised $188,000. The Fort Lauderdale event returns May 13; Miami’s is planned for July. 4. Delray Beach Garlic Festival This unconventional food festival is recognized for its “Garlic Chef” competition between South Florida cooks. The 2009 event saw attendance increase by 8,000 people, to more than 35,000. The festival returned to Old School Square February 12 to 14. 5. The Great Taste of the Grove This two-day food and music festival in Coconut Grove, produced by the chamber of commerce, took place January 9 Food Network South Beach Wine & Food and 10 in Peacock Park. Attendance dropped almost Festival This four-day feast has a lineup of more 75 percent from 2009—to about 7,500 people— than 40 food and wine events at numerous venues, due to freezing rain and cold weather. including tents on the sand. Benefiting Florida 6. Pompano Beach Seafood Festival The 25th International University’s School of Hospitality and installment of this event took place April 24 to 26, Tourism Management, the event attracts chefs 2009, on Pompano Beach. Nearly 27,000 attended, from all over the country and across the Food an increase of more than 25 percent. Net revenues Network, more than 2,000 vendors, and 40,000 also doubled, raising $85,000 for local charities. The guests. This year’s festival was February 25 to 28. festival returns April 16 to 18. 2. Miami International Wine Fair This wine indus7. Deering Seafood Festival This day of cooktry trade show took place at the Miami Beach ing demos, Caribbean entertainment, and fresh Convention Center in late September. In 2009, the seafood takes place the last Sunday in March at eighth annual event attracted about 6,700 people the Deering Estate in South Miami. In 2009, a 10 and filled 70,000 square feet. The 2010 fair returns percent increase in attendance and a 20 percent October 16 and 17. jump in sponsorships brought a 10 percent increase
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11. Junior Orange Bowl Parade Part of the celebra-
tion leading up to the FedEx Orange Bowl football game, the 2010 event took place January 2, with nearly 8,500 people from 65 organizations parading a mile through Coral Gables. 12. Miami Carnival This October parade and Caribbean festival marks the end of the Caribbean Carnival season, which begins in Trinidad and Tobago in February. The Miami and Broward events combined for the first time in 2009, attracting 40,000 people to Bicentennial Park for a calypso parade and Caribbean food, music, and culture.
13.
The Great Grove Bed Race Local businesses compete as they race beds on wheels down a set course at this community gathering, which returned in 2009 after a six-year hiatus. Nearly 14,000 spectators—4,000 more than expected— and 42 bed entries, 17 more than anticipated, turned out for the Coconut Grove event. The next race is September 5.
in net revenue. This year’s event is planned for March 28. 8. New Times Iron Fork Competition More than 40 local chefs and restaurants compete in tasting and cooking contests coordinated by the Miami New Times. For 2009, the newspaper moved the event to the Bank of America Tower, filling it to capacity with 1,200 people and 44 participating restaurants—twice as many as in 2008. The competition returns in October. 9. Coral Gables Oktoberfest This beer festival takes place the first two weekends in October at Fritz and Franz Bierhaus. About 9,000 people come out for authentic German beers and music from Bavarian and Austrian bands. 10. Coral Gables Wine and Food Festival Sponsored by the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, the 2009 event saw more than 30 local restaurants participate. The fund-raiser sold out all 1,600 tickets and raised more than $126,000 for the American Lung Association in Florida-South Area and the International Bronchitis Center. The festival returns April 10 on Miracle Mile. 11. Museum of Discovery and Science’s Wine and Culinary Celebration Each April this wine and food fair to raises money for the museum’s programs. Thirty local restaurants participated in 2009, drawing nearly 1,000 attendees and raising $100,000. This year’s event is scheduled for April 16.
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