The best spring events in Miami to keep on your radar

For 11 years, the 305 Day Block Party has been an epic celebration of all things suuper Miami. Brought to you by 3:05 Cafecito (which is also the exact time the entire city takes a coffee break), the event brings the most Miami performers (think Trick Daddy and DJ Laz) to the Wynwood Marketplace, along with delicious local bites, drinks and art activations and installations. While March 5 is officially 305 day (get it?), the tentpole moment happens on Saturday, March 2nd. The best part? The event is free with an RSVP. So come out and show this city the love it deserves. 

Immersive theater achieves new artistic heights with The Museum Plays, a series of six new 10-minute plays performed inside the Rubell Museum in front of the works that inspired them. Produced by avant-garde company Miami New Drama in collaboration with the esteemed contemporary art collection, The Museum Plays runs for just 10 nights, weaving an intimate audience through the galleries as the artworks become the backdrop to unfolding, entirely original storylines.

Ten stages with a variety of live performances, drunken revelers reppin’ their country’s flag and all the croquetas and arepas you can stuff into your face: It’s time for Miami’s massive street fair, Calle Ocho, where thousands of people gather across the iconic 15 blocks every year to celebrate Latinx pride. SW 8th St between SW 12th and 27th.

Like Coachella but for kids, Little Jam Fest arrives in Miami with “Queen of Kids’ Music” Laurie Berkner as the inaugural headliner. Expect an explosion of color, sound and creativity as Grammy award-winning performer Joanie Leeds and the Jam with Jamie band also take the stage, with a variety of interactive experiences like bubble shows and epic singalongs designed to thrill kiddos of all ages.

Miami plays host to one of just a handful of annual flamenco festivals outside of New York City featuring dancers directly from Spain. For its fifteenth anniversary season, six captivating performances highlight the best of flamenco right now across two weeks, including Historias de un Flamenco, the opening night show headlined by Latin Grammy-winning guitarist Antonio Rey and acclaimed guest dancer Irene Lozano.

The biggest draw at the yearly, two-day jazz festival may not even be the jazz: It’s probably the impressive lineup of R&B acts. Previous years acts include Mary J. Blige, H.E.R. and Erika Badhu, as well as enduring hip-hop favorite the Roots featuring T-Pain, plus Rick Ross and the Isley Brothers. Prepare for a heavy dose of nostalgia at its 17th annual event. Lineup to be announced son.

Our annual star-studded tennis tournament returns to its flashy home at Hard Rock Stadium. Expect the same sporty-chic crowds and luxe activations, including private cabana suites, glittering booze gardens serving copious cocktails, new culinary options and a gondola, offering a unique bird's-eye view of the grounds. Times vary.

Miami gets melodic during March when a series of Miami Music Week events, including the Ultra Music Festival and the Winter Music Conference, brings world-class DJs and producers, dance music label showcases, epic poolside parties, educational workshops and the full-on EDM lifestyle to the Magic City. At various locations

Miami's most steadfast rave festival beckons thousands of fans from around the world for three days of chest-rattling bass, cutting-edge production and truly over-the-top party vibes. So far, this year's headliners include Calvin Harris, Under Construction, Afrojack, Black Tiger Sex Machine, David Guetta, Excision, Gryffin, Hardwell, Martin Garrix, Nora En Pure, Oliver Heldens, Peggy Gou, Slander, Svdden Death, Tiësto, Vintage Culture and Zeds Dead, among others.

Race over the county line to Gulfstream Park to see the world’s top thoroughbred horses and jockeys compete on the road to the Triple Crown on the biggest race day of the year in South Florida. Just try not to lose all your money while you’re there.

The monthlong, 13th-annual poetry festival displays words on every possible surface: painted onto rooftops, outlined into the sand, printed onto parking tickets and pasted across buses. The mission is to put a poem, sourced throughout the year from local writers, in front of every Miamian, whether we ask for it or not. Check the festival website for information on activations and unique events, like pulp paper-making demonstrations using recycled festival tote bags, a Pastelitos y Poesía writing workshop at the iconic Versailles Restaurant, and a guided writing session that incorporates two types of spirits—alcoholic and spectral—at the historic Deering Estate. At various venues

Sure, you can schlep all the way to Cannes or Sundance to see the latest and greatest international cinema—or you can let it come to you at Miami’s very own world-class film festival, featuring 10 days of short films, documentaries and features throughout the city plus chic parties and celebrity appearances. The 41st edition shifts from March to April this year. For the full program, visit the Miami Film Festival website. Locations vary; at various times.

Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix returns with one of the most exciting racing events the city has ever seen. The race, which is one of 24 races worldwide comprising the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship, takes place at the Miami International Autodrome at Hard Rock Stadium. Though the full program has yet to be released, expect another year of luxe activations, food and drinks, live entertainment and high-speed thrills.

Cold beer, fresh fish and one of Miami’s most stunning waterfront estates come front and center at this 18th annual festival, which also features cooking demonstrations, performances, kids zones, pontoon boat rides, an artisan market and more.

Miami Beach Pride returns for its 16th annual celebration, complete with a sprawling village featuring free live music performances at Lummus Park and, of course, the grand finale Sunday parade. The party takes over Ocean Drive and surrounding areas, but you can find Pride activations all around the city, from the beach to the mainland, throughout the week. At various locations

Calling all country lovers! This free-wheeling three-day music festival on the sands of Fort Lauderdale Beach features headliners Lainey Wilson, Hardy and Jason Aldean, with non-country acts like nineties R&B legends Boyz II Men and TLC joining in on the fun, too.

If you're looking for a light show, there's nowhere better than the Frost Planetarium’s 67-foot dome. Every month, they host a night filled with lasers, music and fun – with a different theme every hour. In March, the Planetarium introduces two new shows: K-POP and a different Bad Bunny sequence – because real fans will go more than once. 

Take advantage of deep discounts on admission and memberships at several of Miami’s top museums and attractions from April 1 to May 31. From the modern marvel that is the Perez Art Museum Miami to the family favorite Deering Estate, there’s something to satisfy all sorts of cultural enthusiasts during Miami Attraction & Museum Months in May.

No, that sonic boom you hear isn’t a thunderstorm rolling in (hopefully!), but it’s pretty close. The Air Force Thunderbirds, Heritage Flight, A-10 Thunderbolt II, Ghost Squadron and SOCOM Para-Commandos all headline this year’s edition of the popular air show, which attracts thousands to the shores of Fort Lauderdale Beach.