The Miami Monthly has Closed
Content from 2010
The Miami Monthly was a magazine in Miami, Florida, USA covering local events and entertainment.
This was its website for a number of years.
Content is from the site's 2010 archived pages offering a glimpse of what this magazine offered its readership. Bob Sakayama's team at TNG/Earthling, Inc. provided technical assistance to the restoration project.
Miami Monthly has closed.
Miami Monthly magazine traced its roots to the founding of several community publications in 1997, that first appeared as tabloid-format newspapers. A handful grew into glossy magazines and were eventually combined as Miami Monthly in 2005. The Monthly's stated mission was to provide comprehensive insight into the local politics, business and lifestyle of readers' communities.
This magazine was owned by Mass Media Enterprises
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ABOUT US
EDITORIAL OVERVIEW
The mission of Miami Monthly is to provide its readers comprehensive insight into the local politics, business and lifestyle of their communities. From the debates at City Hall to the menus in Coconut Grove, from the boardrooms on Brickell to the galleries in Coral Gables, Miami Monthly informs its readers about what is happening down the street and down the line. Regular editorial coverage includes the following:
LOCAL POLITICS
What readers need to know about the political priorities in South Miami, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, Brickell, Coral Gables and downtown Miami.
BUSINESS
Monthly insight into who is setting the pace for business innovation and growth, from the executives inside the corporate hierarchies to the entrepreneurs behind the latest startups.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
What's coming in dance, music, theater, nightclubs, festivals, art galleries, expos and family events: Miami Monthly lets its readers know when, where and for how much.
PERSONALITIES
Behind every great city are great citizens. Each month Miami Monthly features profiles of the people who make the community a better and more interesting place to live.
SHOPPING AND RETAIL
Where to buy that great accessory? What's happening in the mega malls? What local shops are worth a visit? Miami Monthly delivers its readers the latest in retail therapy.
DINING
Finding the right place to dine out is an art as much as a science. Miami Monthly tells its readers where to go, from the latest trendy spots and the trusted neighborhood haunts.
SOCIAL EVENTS
Charity balls, fund-raisers, corporate parties, theater and symphony openings: Miami Monthly shares with its readers the glamour and excitement of the social whirlwind.
REAL ESTATE
From an inside look at multi-million dollar homes to a price check on neighborhood values, Miami Monthly brings readers a local approach to real estate sales and trends.
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An aside: I just got off the phone to my parents who live part time in Miami. The conversation remains about the same since the start of the Covid 19 pandemic. Now, roughly six months after life in Miami-Dade County and much of the world was upended by the COVID-19 virus, concerns over a possible deadly second wave in South Florida apparently have eased somewhat, according to my parents who are avid readers of the Miami Herald. While predicting the patterns of a novel virus with any certainty is nearly impossible, experts are generally agreeing that Miami’s disastrous late June and July virus spike appears to have reshaped the pandemic landscape in South Florida. I was happy to hear that more people are complying with physical distancing and masking when around others. I was horrified by the initial response of Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, who allowed Spring break to take place. He dissed New York City, where I happen to live, and said Florida was not NYC. In late April, as new coronavirus cases in Florida were steadily decreasing, Gov. Ron DeSantis began crowing about how his state had tamed the pandemic. He credited his decision to impose a state-specific quarantine on New York, then the epicenter of the nation’s outbreak. Even though by July with infections rapidly spreading in Florida while cases retreated in New York, DeSantis continued to eagerly advanced a narrative pushed by President Trump. You have to remember that Florida, among the states not mandating masks, rushed to reopen in the early summer. Thank goodness my parents listened to medical professionals and started wearing masks whenever they went out even during the beginning of the pandemic. My folks considered coming north to NYC to stay with me as Florida started to surge, but ultimately they decided to stay put and be very careful.
Now as we enter Fall and NYC has really flattened the Covid 19 curve once again my parents are considering coming north. I just recently went over to their Park Ave condo to check it out. My mother wanted to have me call her rug cleaning company to clean and restore some of her antique rugs. Normally this is a Spring chore, but obviously they were not here and NYC was in the middle of our pandemic surge.
If Miami Monthly had not closed, their approach to handling the news about local events and entertainment might be slightly different depending upon whether they treated the pandemic as a serious and dangerous situation or followed the approach of Ron DeSantis and the Trump White House. As it is, we will never know.
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WELCOME TO MIAMI
As Chairman of the South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee, we’re proud to welcome the 2010 Pro Bowl and Super Bowl XLIV.
This is our record breaking 10th Super Bowl here in South Florida. And for the first time in 30 years, the Pro Bowl is being played outside of Hawaii. Dolphin Stadium will host both of these premiere events and I know you’re going to enjoy them.
This issue of Miami Monthly is designed for you. Inside you’ll find our calendar of official events as well as information on both the 2010 Pro Bowl and Super Bowl XLIV.
This is an exciting time for our community. South Florida will be in the spotlight for two consecutive Sunday’s and I for one am proud to call Miami home.
Let’s show the world why South Florida is not only one of the world’s finest communities, but also the premier Super Bowl and Pro Bowl destination. Not just for this year, but for years to come.
Thank you,
Rodney Barreto
Chairman
South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee
Cover Story 2010
THE PERFECT 10
BY PAUL BORDEN , GUEST EDITOR
SOUTH FLORIDA WELCOMES THE SUPER BOWL FOR THE RECORD-BREAKING 10TH TIME.
LYNN SWANN’S CATCH.
JACKIE SMITH’S MISS.
JOE MONTANA’S DRIVE.
DEVIN HESTER’S KICKOFF RETURN.
High on the list of memorable Super Bowl moments, these plays share a common bond: they all occurred here. There are many, many more as well, and for good reason. When Super Bowl XLIV kicks off at 6:28 p.m. on Sunday, February 7 in Dolphin Stadium, it will be the tenth time that the biggest event in pro football, or even all of sports, will have been played in our backyard. That’s a record breaking tenth time, with the city of New Orleans scheduled to catch up in 2013.
“The NFL is at home here,” states Super Bowl Host Committee Chairman Rodney Barreto . And it sure does. Each of the games played here in South Florida has a special distinction.
Let’s start with Super Bowl II, except it wasn’t officially called the “Super Bowl” back then. The first two meetings between the champions of the American and National Football Leagues bore the label “AFL-NFL Football Championship.”
Rolls right off the tongue, doesn’t it? Imagine inviting friends over for your NFL-AFL Championship party. For “Super Bowl,” we must thank Lamar Hunt, then owner of the Kansas City Chiefs, who saw his daughter playing with a toy called a Super Ball. He changed “ball” to “bowl” and there you have it.
The game played on January 15, 1968, was a rather routine affair won for the second consecutive year by the Green Bay Packers, this time over the Oakland Raiders by a score of 33-14 (Or XXXIII to XIV). What sets it apart occurred afterward, when Vince Lombardi was carried off the field for the last time as the Packers coach. He had announced his retirement before the game, though he would return to coach the Washington Redskins after a year away from the football field.
The most significant Super Bowl was played the very next year in Miami. Three days before the game, played January 19, 1969, New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath responded to a taunt from the crowd as he picked up the Player of the Year Award from the Miami Touchdown Club by guaranteeing his Jets would beat the NFL’s Baltimore Colts.
“I never would have said it if that loudmouth hadn’t popped off,” Namath is quoted by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. After talking the talk, Namath walked the walk by leading the Jets to the 16-7 victory, a game that propelled the upstart AFL to equal footing with the older, established NFL.
Super Bowl V, the next one played in Miami, was notable for the frustrations that both the Baltimore Colts and Dallas Cowboys, displayed. Played on January 18, 1971, the two teams combined for 14 penalties and 11 turnovers until it was decided by Jim O’Brien’s field goal with five seconds left. The 16-13 Colts victory would remain the closest Super Bowl played for two decades, until the New York Giants edged the Buffalo Bills by one point in Super Bowl XXV.
Super Bowl X, played in the Orange Bowl on January 18, 1976, ended a string of humdrum games. The Pittsburgh Steelers won 21-17 after a remarkable performance by receiver Lynn Swann. Swann’s diving catch near midfield in the second quarter stood as the Super Bowl’s signature catch for years, until David Tyree pinned a throw from Eli Manning against his helmet in the New York Giants’ winning drive against the New England Patriots two years ago.
The Steelers and Cowboys were back at it again in Super Bowl XIII, played on January 21, 1979. This time it wasn’t a catch that was to be remembered but a drop. Tight end Jackie Smith, who is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, became open in the end zone for Dallas in the third quarter with Pittsburgh leading by only seven points. But Smith began to slide as Roger Staubach let loose, and his bottom was on the ground when the ball bounced off his chest. The Cowboys settled for a field goal instead of a touchdown and eventually lost by the four-point difference, 35-31.
After a 10-year hiatus, the game returned to South Florida on January 22, 1989, as Super Bowl XXIII was played for the first time in Joe Robbie Stadium. With his team trailing by three points and the three-minute mark approaching, Joe Montana guided the San Francisco 49ers on an 11-play, 92-yard drive for the winning score in a 20-16 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. At one point during the drive, Montana looked up from the huddle, pointed to the back of the end zone, and said, “Isn’t that John Candy over there?” The game also was the last for another legendary coach, Bill Walsh of the 49ers.
In the three Super Bowls that have been played in South Florida since, we have witnessed 49ers quarterback Steve Young passing for a Super Bowl record six touchdowns in a 49-26 win over the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX; Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway passing for 336 yards and running for a touchdown in his last game, a 34-19 win over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII; and the Chicago Bears’ Devin Hester, a rookie out of the University of Miami, becoming the first player ever to run the opening kickoff back for a Super Bowl touchdown in Super Bowl XLI. The matchup between the Bears and Indianapolis Colts was the first to feature two African-American head coaches, Tony Dungy of the Colts and Lovie Smith of the Bears. The Colts got the win 29-17.
What memories await us in Super Bowl XLIII? Can’t say now. You can bet they will be special as well as Super.
THE MASTER OF THE QUICK CHANGE
A decade ago, the candy bar maker Mars started an ad campaign with the tag line that if you weren’t “going anywhere for a while,” you might as well grab a Snickers. One TV spot shows a man meticulously painting the end zone of a football field, as players practiced behind. As the painter finishes, a player comes up and looks over his handiwork.
“Hey, that’s great,” the player says. “But who are the chefs?”
As the camera pans back to show a missing “I” the man grumbles, “Great googly moogly” in disgust over his typo.
Funny? Probably not if you are not an NFL fan and are not aware that the team’s correct name is the “Chiefs.” But football people, even those in the business of seeing that such things as field markings are spot on, see the humor in it.
“I do!” says Todd Boyan. “It’s a good commercial.”
Boyan is Vice President and General Manager of Dolphin Stadium, and it is his job to see that not only are the field markings correct but that everything else runs smoothly when the stadium hosts the NFL’s Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl a week later. It’s an enormous task with no room for error.
“There’s an immense amount of details,” Boyan says, citing issues such as security and public safety, food and beverage, transportation and parking, halftime show rehearsals, media events and more, all which must be meticulously addressed for pro football’s biggest game. “That’s why the planning goes on beyond a year.”
Though this is the tenth time that South Florida has been the host for the Super Bowl, planning for it is never routine. This time, the addition of the Pro Bowl to the week’s schedule provides a unique twist, not to mention a challenge.
Fortunately, Dolphin Stadium crews are used to the demands of adapting the field for different events in a short period of time. The stadium not only is home to the Dolphins and University of Miami football teams and baseball’s Florida Marlins, it is also host to the FedEx Orange Bowl and numerous other affairs like concerts, Monster Truck shows, and other smaller events.
“We just had a wedding here,” Boyan smiles. A couple of Dolphins (of course) said their vows on the sideline and then enjoyed their reception on the club level.
“In general,” Boyan notes, “converting the venue from one event to the next is a fairly regular occurrence here.”
Often, the stadium crew has only a day or two to convert the playing field from one event to another since the Dolphins, Hurricanes, and Marlins seasons all overlap. In the case of the Pro Bowl, however, they have the luxury of having nearly four weeks between events.
After the FedEx Orange Bowl was played on January 5, Boyan says, a crew of 50-to-75 workers began ripping out the 80,000 square feet of turf of the playing surface and started re-installing a new Bermuda grass surface for the Pro Bowl, complete with specific AFC and NFC markings in the end zones and at midfield.
Following the Pro Bowl, the grounds crew will rip out the 5,000 square feet of turf in the end zones and another 1,000 square feet in the middle of the field. Super Bowl and participating team logos then will be painted over a fresh surface.
“Some venues simply elect to paint over the old logos,” Boyan says. “We feel strongly from a best-in-class standpoint, that the field is really your stage and that is something that is important to all of us. We want it to look as good as we can. Those end zone logos are very important as part of the branding of the event.”
Cleanup from what is expected to be a near capacity crowd for the Pro Bowl will begin immediately. Media day for the Super Bowl, which attracts thousands of print and broadcast members from around the world, will be the Tuesday after the Pro Bowl, and Boyan wants the stadium as pristine as possible for that. Come kickoff for the Super Bowl, the 75,000-plus in attendance at the stadium and an international television audience will gaze upon a more “customized field” Boyan says, with markings on a “grander scale” than those for the Pro Bowl.
And, yes, everything will be spelled right.
“The good news is there are stencils, and the grounds crew has the ability with stencils to create the logos in the end zones, which helps and guides them through,” Boyan says. “It’s really an impressive skill when you see them painting and how it’s layered on there and how it’s planned out, in terms of the spacing and the different colors.
“Field painting has really become quite an art.”
ALOHA TO THE PRO BOWL - MIAMI STYLE
With the Pro Bowl coming to South Florida the week before the Super Bowl, the late John Crittenden must be looking down and asking the NFL folks one simple question. “What took you so long?”
A little background here. Crittenden was a longtime sports editor and columnist for the Miami News, and in 1975 wrote a follow-up column on the NFL’s Pro Bowl, which was played January 20 in the Orange Bowl that year. The stadium was well under half full despite an all-star roster that included a slew of Dolphins (Bob Griese, Larry Csonka, Paul Warfield, and Dick Anderson among them), raising doubts about the game’s future. A couple of days afterward, Crittenden wrote that the best suggestion to “save the Pro Bowl” was to play it in the same city as the Super Bowl every year. He proposed the Wednesday before the Super Bowl.
“That might give some fans an excuse to come to town a few days early, and it would give the people who are already in town something to do in mid-week, instead of concentrating on the Super Bowl until it wears everybody out.”
Something had to be done to give the Pro Bowl a better format or location, he added, because “it’s dead as it stands now.”
Well, the NFL did come up with a better idea for the Pro Bowl. The league moved its all-star game to Honolulu in 1980, and it has been played before full houses at Aloha Stadium the week after the Super Bowl, ever since. Until now.
Last year, the league announced the 2010 Pro Bowl would be staged in Miami’s Dolphin Stadium on January 31, a week before the Super Bowl and on the same field.
“The Super Bowl in South Florida is a great way of experimenting with two things,” says Frank Supovitz, the NFL’s senior vice president of events. “One is the change of schedule, putting the Pro Bowl in the week prior to the Super Bowl as the kickoff to Super Bowl week. That would be during the weekend when no football is being played and interest in football is still at its highest, between the conference championships and the Super Bowl.
“The second thing we wanted to think about was whether there should be a rotation or at least a number of markets that we might consider for a Pro Bowl in the future. The fact we were coming to play the Super Bowl in South Florida in 2010 provided us with a great opportunity to try that.”
Miami’s attraction as a winter tourist destination was a compelling reason for testing the idea since the Pro Bowl is as much an opportunity for the league’s best players to kick back and relax after a long season, as it is for them to play one more time.
“The players have loved going to Hawaii, and part of the reason they enjoy it is the incredible opportunities that they have to enjoy a resort location the week leading up to the Pro Bowl,” Supovitz says. “It really is a celebration of their achievement and of the season. Before we were even considering moving it, that would have to figure very prominently in our thinking.”
There are other benefits to having the game at the Super Bowl site as well, including the potential for more press coverage from the throngs of media in town to cover the Super Bowl. They no longer arrive just three or four days before Super Bowl kickoff as they did back in the ‘70s. Many will arrive as much as a week earlier. Playing in Miami also makes the game more accessible to a greater number of fans, most of whom are shut out from attending the Super Bowl. Dolphin season ticket-holders have access to Pro Bowl tickets, and the big population centers of the East Coast are “now within flying time of the Pro Bowl as opposed to Hawaii, which was predominately a West Coast and local Hawaiian fan base,” Supovitz says.
It’s not all win-win, however. One common criticism is that players whose teams are playing in the Super Bowl won’t be able to play in the Pro Bowl. But Supovitz notes that those players will be invited to the game, and he expects many of them to be at the stadium, albeit as spectators.
“In terms of whether or not that detracts from the game, we really don’t think it does,” he says “because you still do have 30 teams represented.”
As to the Pro Bowl’s future? In March the NFL reached an agreement with Hawaiian tourism officials to move the 2011 and 2012 Pro Bowls back to Honolulu. But the games still are scheduled to be played the week before the Super Bowl, which will be played in Dallas in 2011 and in Indianapolis in 2012. The Pro Bowl could be rotated to other venues after that, much like it was in the 1970s after a 22-year run in the Los Angeles Coliseum.
One thing is certain, though. The Pro Bowl is no longer “dead,” as Crittenden pretty much declared it. Attendance this year is expected to far exceed the 27,000 who showed up for that Monday night affair in the Orange Bowl 35 years ago.
FESTIVALS, FAIRS & FUN
Calling all art aficionados, history buffs, boating enthusiasts, and celebrity chef fans! During February and March, Miami hosts a variety of events that are sure to please just about everyone. So put on some comfortable shoes and get out there – and be sure to bring the kids; all these events have special activities for children...
SOBAY FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS
Started in 2006 to raise awareness of the visual, literary and performing arts, the SoBay Festival of the Arts is a two-week event held at the Deering Estate that includes art exhibits, concerts, theatrical performances, lectures and discussions. Highlights include the Greater Miami Youth Symphony performance on Feb. 5th when emerging artists will perform vignettes of chamber music in the Stone House ballroom; a performance by students from the Miami-Dade College theatre department on Feb. 12th; a curator’s tour of the art exhibit with artist Xavier Cortada and artists-in-residence followed by lunch and a panel discussion of the economic impact of art on our community on Feb. 13th; and the 11th annual Moonlight and Music Valentine’s Day concert on Feb. 14th.
SoBay Festival of the Arts, Deering Estate at Cutler, 16701 S.W. 72nd Ave., Miami. Admission varies by event. 305-235-1668, deeringestate.org. Jan. 31-Feb. 14.
MIAMI INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW & STRICTLY SAIL
The 69th annual Miami International Boat Show & Strictly Sail, one of the world’s largest boating events, showcases thousands of the latest powerboats, sailboats, engines, electronics and marine accessories from more than 2,000 exhibitors. Visitors can view, board and buy the best the boating industry has to offer. The Affordability Pavilion displays boats that can be financed at reasonable cost. The Big Game Room has exhibits of fishing products and destinations, daily seminars, and an interactive Bait Rigging Station; new boaters will enjoy the Discover Boating Center where experts can answer questions and offer advice on choosing a boat. For the first time, powerboat and sailing enthusiasts will gather in one location as Strictly Sail moves from Miamarina to Sea Isle Marina, joining with the Boat Show’s powerboat in-water exhibit. Strictly Sail hosts a daily series of free seminars, and offers free half-hour sails along Biscayne Bay with a skipper. Children are invited to the Kids Aboard Boatbuilding Workshop (16th St. Festival Area) where they can help build a 10-foot wooden boat that will be launched on Feb. 15.
Miami International Boat Show and Strictly Sail, Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Dr., Miami Beach. Sea Isle Marina, 1635 North Bayshore Dr., Miami. Admission on Premier Day (Feb. 11), $30; adults, $16; two day pass (valid Feb. 12-14), $30; youth ages 13-15, $6; children under 12 free. Free South Beach shuttle bus service connects show locations with more than 15,000 parking spaces. Park and Ride service from AmericanAirlines Arena to both show sites, $10. 954-441-3220, miamiboatshow.com, strictlysailmiami.com. Feb. 11-Feb. 15.
YACHT AND BROKERAGE SHOW
The 22nd annual Yacht and Brokerage Show (not to be confused with the Miami International Boat Show) features an extraordinary in-water display of hundreds of new and pre-owned yachts along a mile-long stretch of the Indian Creek Waterway across from the Eden Roc and Fontainebleau Hotels. The docks will be lined with the newest designs from Bertram, Christiansen, Fairline, Hargrave, Hatteras, Sessa, Riviera, San Marino and many others. The luxury crafts are valued at three quarters of a billion dollars.
Yacht and Brokerage Show, Indian Creek Waterway at Collins Ave. from 41st to 51st Streets. Admission is free. 954-764-7642, showmanagement.com. Feb. 11-Feb. 15.
THE COCONUT GROVE ARTS FESTIVAL
The 47th annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival will showcase the works of 350 accomplished artists who were selected by two five-member panels of jurors, one for two-dimensional works and one for three-dimensional. Artworks include painting, sculpture, jewelry, photography, digital art, glass, watercolor, mixed media, printmaking, metalwork and wood.
The culinary arts will be on display at the popular Culinary Pavilion where world-renowned chefs will show off their skills and prepare some of their most famous dishes. The festival provides entertainment for the entire family with live music, an international food court, and various children’s activities.
The Coconut Grove Arts Festival was voted the best fine art show for the seventh year by Sunshine Artist magazine. A portion of the proceeds from the Arts Festival benefit the Coconut Grove Art and Historical Association’s building fund to establish a permanent art center in Coconut Grove.
The Coconut Grove Arts Festival, McFarlane Rd., S. Bayshore Dr. and Pan American Dr., Coconut Grove. Admission is $10 per person, per day. Children 12 and under are free. Residents of Coconut Grove get a special reduced admission of $5 with proof of residency. coconutgroveartsfest.com. Feb. 13-Feb. 15.
ST. STEPHEN’S ART SHOW
Now entering its 22nd year, the St. Stephen’s Art Show, presented by St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, will feature local and accomplished artists who have been accepted into the show for 10 years or more, as well as some artists who are new to the show. In addition to the art, there is a food court and an authentic English tearoom, a children’s activity area, and musical entertainment. Proceeds benefit the church’s multiple ministries, charities and free programs.
St. Stephen’s Art Show, Feb. 13-15, grounds of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 2750 McFarlane Rd., Coconut Grove. Admission is $1. 786-399-9669, artshows.com. Feb. 13-Feb. 15.
SOUTH MIAMI ROTARY ART FESTIVAL
The family-friendly South Miami Rotary Art Festival, celebrating its 26th anniversary, will feature juried fine art from more than 140 artists, delicious food, and musical entertainment. Begun as a way to attract business to the downtown streets of “The City of Pleasant Living,” the festival has become a highly anticipated event. Youngsters will enjoy the Children’s Alley where they can participate in hands-on interactive and educational activities conducted by local nonprofits including the Everglades Outpost Wildlife Refuge, the Miami Children’s Museum and the Miami Ceramic League; Grand Masters from the World of Chess will take on all comers simultaneously.
The show is produced by the Rotary Club of South Miami and its foundation, and all profits go to scholarships and to support other Rotary projects, including the distribution of dictionaries and atlases to hundreds of students in the local elementary and middle schools.
South Miami Rotary Art Festival, Along Sunset Dr. between Red Rd. and U.S. 1. Admission is free. 305-235-1192, southmiamiartsfest.org. Feb. 27-Feb. 28.
SOUTH BEACH WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL
Tens of thousands of food enthusiasts will descend on Miami Beach for the annual South Beach Wine & Food Festival, a four-day celebration with wine tastings, dinners, cooking demonstrations, interactive luncheons and seminars, as well as appearances by celebrity chefs, culinary personalities, and wine and spirits producers. Special events include a Tribute Dinner honoring Daniel Boulud, an interactive dinner hosted by Lidia Bastianich and Joe Bastianich, the Grand Tasting Village and Cocktail Time with Sandra Lee.
Children will get into the act at Fun and Fit as a Family, held on Jungle Island, with Daisy Martinez, Paula Deen and Rachel Ray showing how to prepare snacks, entrees and low-cal desserts; educational exhibits, a fitness course, outdoor games and races round out the day.
The festival benefits FIU’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management Teaching Restaurant and the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center. More than 800 Hospitality majors from FIU work in key positions before and during the festival including ticket sales, meeting and greeting guests, and doing prep work for the Bubble Q BBQ. Students are also paired with “mentor” chefs getting first-hand direction from some of the finest professionals in the country.
South Beach Wine and Food Festival, various venues on Miami Beach. Admission prices vary by event; check website for details. 305-627-1275, sobewineandfoodfest.com; hospitality.fiu.edu. Feb. 25-Feb. 28.
DADE HERITAGE DAYS
The Dade Heritage Trust presents its annual celebration of Miami’s historic places with the theme New Faces/Old Places, encouraging visitors and residents to explore the historic and architectural treasures in the county.
Dade Heritage Days kicks off on Mar. 4th with a conference and tour of MiMo architecture including Miami’s contribution to the post-`WWII architectural style, from the Marine Stadium on Virginia Key to the Bacardi Building and the MiMo Historic district, the Bay Harbor Islands, the newly-designated Morris Lapidus District and the North Shore Historic District; the tour includes site visits and a luncheon. Ongoing events include bicycle and walking historic tours, museum exhibits, heritage films, art exhibits and lectures.
Dade Heritage Days, various locations throughout Miami-Dade. 305-358-9572, dadeheritagetrust.org. Mar. 1-Apr. 30.
THE KEY BISCAYNE ART FESTIVAL
The Key Biscayne Village Green will be transformed into an outdoor art gallery with original artwork including painting, sculpture, photography, glass, wood, collage, jewelry and ceramics. All of the artists will be on hand to discuss their works. Proceeds benefit the Rotary Club of Key Biscayne.
The Key Biscayne Art Festival, The Village Green, Key Biscayne. Admission is free. artfestival.com. Mar. 21-Mar. 22.
ARTEAMÉRICAS
Miami’s renowned international art fair, Arteaméricas, showcases Latin American art by bringing together the region’s best-known galleries, which were chosen through a rigorous selection process. Art lovers will enjoy viewing traditional and contemporary paintings, sculptures and multimedia art from emerging and established artists representing decades of artistic evolution throughout Latin America.
Arteaméricas, Miami Beach Convention Ctr., 1901 Convention Ctr. Dr., Miami Beach. 305-331-4787, arteamericas.com. Mar. 26-Mar. 29.
WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
The 5th annual Women’s International Film Festival features films, visual and performance arts and other artistic expressions by women. It brings together women from all over the world to explore, share and discuss issues concerning women. The festival includes 8 days of film viewings, workshops, panel discussions conducted by industry professionals and parties celebrating women’s history month.
Women’s International Film Festival, Gusman Center for the Performing Arts, Bill Cosford Cinema-UM, Byron Carlyle Theatre, Colony Theatre, Fontainebleau Hotel, Joseph Caleb Auditorium. wiffonline,org. 305-653-9700. Mar. 26-Apr. 2.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY FAIR
The largest fair in South Florida, the Miami-Dade County Fair is an 18-day event that features thrilling midway rides; delicious food; 50,000 student and adult exhibits; 50 fun-filled games and more. Free entertainment is included with the price of admission. New shows this year include Night at the Movies, a tour of Latin America through dance, The Royal Hanneford Circus, a petting zoo, pig races and pony rides, a mardi gras parade and strolling entertainers. A nonprofit organization, the 58-year old Miami-Dade County Fair has donated close to $8 million in scholarships and awards to the local community.
Miami-Dade County Fair, Fair Expo Center, Coral Way (S.W. 24th St. and 112th Ave.), Miami. fairexpo.com. Mar. 26-Apr. 12.
DEERING SEAFOOD FESTIVAL
Seafood lovers will be heading for the Deering Estate at Cutler on March 28th for the annual Seafood Festival. Visitors will be greeted with the sounds of Caribbean steel drums while colorfully costumed Bahamian Junkanoo dancers weave throughout the crowd. Under the tent, top local restaurants, caterers and seafood markets will prepare appetizing arrays of seafood including lobster, blue crabs, fried conch and mountains of shrimp - steamed, fried and peel-and-eat. Some of South Florida’s favorite chefs will be on hand including Clay Conley of Azul, Sean Bernal of Oceannaire, Damian Gilchrist of Ocean Reef Club and Michael Bennett of Bimini Boatyard, who will be conducting cooking demonstrations with samples that are paired with wine tastings.
Festivalgoers will also enjoy the Artists’ Village with original paintings, photography, crafts and jewelry; the Lil’ Shrimp Kids Zone for children’s fun activities; pontoon boat rides aboard the Pelican Skipper to Chicken Key; and nature hikes and tours of the historic Stone House and Richmond Cottage. Proceeds from the event benefit the Deering Estate Foundation.
Deering Seafood Festival, 16701 S.W. 72nd Ave., Miami.
305-235-1668, deeringestate.org. Mar. 28.
