Visit Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival
Photograph: Courtesy Visit Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival
Photograph: Courtesy Visit Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival

The best January events in Miami

There's no time for a post-holiday slump in Miami. January is way too much fun.

Falyn Wood
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You might be eager to move on from 2024, but are you ready to face 2025? Regardless, a new year is upon us, and we're already hunting down all the best ways to make the most of our time in Miami. What we've discovered is that there's actually no room for a post-holidays slump here, because the first month of the year brings way too much action! We've got breezy outdoor concerts, niche (and delicious) food festivals, great theater, amazing kids activities and so, so much more to explore. 

January in Miami is also an excellent time to dabble in the city's many outdoor activities, whether you want to check out some of South Florida's best attractions, sprawl out on the beach, picnic at a Miami park, go hiking in Miami (yes, that's a thing!) or take a dip at one of Miami's many sparkling swimming pools. This really is the best place to be while everyone else is snowed in, and we’ve got just the things to do in January to keep you busy. Peep our full guide to January events in Miami below.

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January events in Miami

  • Things to do
  • Festivals
  • Miami
Jungle Island's enchanting nighttime wonderland returns for a third year with over 40 all-new lantern installations inspired by fairytale worlds and kawaii culture, plus a first-ever Holiday Village and marketplace (Nov 14–Jan 5) featuring more than 100 Christmas trees, food stands with holiday treats like elephant ears and mulled wine, a bazaar with seasonal crafts and gifts and a 30-foot decorated centerpiece tree. 
  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • Miami
A much-anticipated precursor to the holiday season in Miami, Night at the Garden returns in November for its sixth season at Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, promising even more psychedelic scenery and interactive artwork than ever before. Running through January 2025, Night at the Garden invites guests to frolic around a neon-lit wonderland of tropical trails lined with holographic sculptures, secret sunken ponds and hidden fairy worlds. Follow winding paths to the disco dance party, snap a pic in front of LED dandelions or visit Archie, the talking tree for a bit of age-old wisdom. This magical event welcomes the whole family and features ADA-compliant trails for wheelchairs. Tickets start at $32 for kids ages four to 10, with discounted group packages available online.
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  • Things to do
  • Markets and fairs
  • Ludlam / Tropical Park
Feeling nostalgic for Santa’s Enchanted Forest? Fret not, dear reader. The spirit of Christmas and carnival rides lives on at Tropical Park with Christmas Wonderland, a local holiday production with rockin’ roller coasters, dazzling light displays and the largest traveling Ferris wheel in North America. Now in its second year, Christmas Wonderland returns with a Candyland-inspired spectacle made with five million lights, giant lollipops, swirly-twirly gumdrops and six immersive installations that make for epic photos. Plus, culinary pop-ups and boozy coquitos from local vendors, unlimited rides and complimentary parking. Pro tip: book online for a $10 discount!
  • Things to do
  • Doral
From November 30 to January 3, Downtown Doral is getting decked out for the holidays with its new World of Nutcracker experience. Step into the classic Christmas tale at this ticketed event that includes live performances, animated light projections and decadent seasonal treats. The immersive show features a variety of iconic Nutcracker vignettes, including the epic duel between the Nutcracker Prince and the Mouse King. Running Tuesday through Sunday from 5 to 9:30pm, the timed-entry experience lasts around 45 minutes. General admission tickets cost $35 for adults and $18 for kids. VIP tickets cost $60 for adults and $35 for children and include paintable nutcracker keepsakes, fast-pass photos with Santa and discounts at The Doral Yard and Main Street restaurants.
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  • Things to do
  • Festivals
  • Redlands
The fifth annual winter festival at The Berry Farm is a family-friendly holiday event with acres of holiday-themed activities from morning to night. There are meet-and-greets with Santa, hay rides and tons of Instagram-worthy photo backdrops and at night, the farm lights up with thousands of tiny bulbs during their Berry Bright Winter Nights. (Great news: your day and evening tickets are the same). Depending on when you go, you can catch classic holiday flicks on the lawn or live music and as a special gift from Mother Nature, strawberry-picking season kicks off in December! 
  • Things to do
  • Performances
A wintertime favorite with adventure and romance to spare, this musical adaptation of the 1997 animated classic retains the story’s historical origins, as the amnesiac title character escapes her oppressive life in imperialist Russia and hopes to reconstruct her past with the unlikely help of a con artist and ex-aristocrat. Celebrated playwright Terence McNally wrote the book for the musical. Slow Burn Theatre at Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW 5th Ave, Fort Lauderdale (954-462-0222). Dec 21–Jan 5: various show times; $72 and up.
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  • Things to do
  • Mid-Beach
This bustling vintage market enters its 32nd season on South Beach's famed Lincoln Road. Approximately every other Sunday (check their calendar for exact dates), 125 vendors convene along the promenade to showcase their wares and barter with discerning shoppers. Find everything from mid-century furniture to Art Deco decor and more. The long-running weekend social presents a solid mix of 19th and 20th-century memorabilia and unique collectibles. While you're there, stock up on locally grown produce, fresh flowers and artisanal goods from the Lincoln Road Farmer's market, which occurs every Sunday from 9am to 6pm.
  • Things to do
  • Miami
Miami-born JoJo Tea hosts a Nightcap session every last Saturday of the month, when tea connoisseurs and casual sippers convene to chat, vibe and sample the latest artisanal brews paired with curated vinyl sounds from owner Mike Ortiz’s personal collection, plus guest DJs. From 7pm to 2am, steep yourself in an artisanal tea experience featuring around 10 pours from all over the world, served up semi-traditionally. There's no menu at the tea parties, but purchasing a ticket for the nightcap guarantees you a cup and endless refills of the featured tea, plus snacks like dumplings. The music selection is tailored to complement the tea of the night, with a special focus on artists like Madlib and MF Doom.
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  • Things to do
  • Performances
  • Coral Gables
Born in Canada nine years apart, Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen overlapped in life, love and their shared fan bases, as undisputed giants of arty folk music. In this cabaret-style production, accomplished musicians Danielle Wertz and Robbie Schaefer share anecdotes from these icons and perform their immortal tunes, from “Big Yellow Taxi” and the title song to “Suzanne” and “Hallelujah.”
  • Things to do
  • Performances
  • Omni
This hit-filled musical, authorized by the late performer, charts the tumultuous journey of Tennessee-born Anna Mae Bullock, later christened Tina Turner by Ike Turner, the showman and bandleader who discovered her, married her and abused her. By Act II, Turner has shed her violent first husband and embarks on a new musical vision as a solo artist, despite the pervasive racism and ageism of the era. The songs are a marvelous assemblage of 20th-century rock and soul. Broadway in Miami at Adrienne Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd, Miami (305-949-6722, arshtcenter.org). Jan 14–19: various show times; $30–$135.
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