Incredible winter events in 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.

From “We Didn’t Start the Fire” to “Uptown Girl” and dozens upon dozens of household hits in between, where do we even start with Billy Joel? Let’s go with the local hook: he’s playing an intimate show at Hard Rock Live come mid-January. 2025 will mark The Piano Man’s 61st year in the music biz, so beyond the big hits, he always delights with lesser-known nuggets from the decades.

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.

After being the first comedian to score a standup special on the newly minted Max streaming service in 2023 (which went on to earn a Golden Globe nomination and WGA award), Sarah Silverman launched her comedy variety show "Stupid Pet Tricks" on TBS earlier this year. Catch the raunchy, musical and sometimes political actress, comic and writer on tour at The Fillmore in Miami Beach on January 11.

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. 

A perennial radio show with an always-stellar lineup may have outdone itself this year. Prepare for big-name overload at Kaseya Center on December 21 as Camila Cabello, The Kid LAROI, Benson Boone, Jasoooooon Derulo (sorry, that’s the only way to properly say his name), Khalid, T-Pain and others come together for one bumpin’ evening. The marathon of music starts at 7:30pm on a singular stage, so let’s see how late it goes.

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.

A perennial radio show with an always-stellar lineup may have outdone itself this year. Prepare for big-name overload at Kaseya Center on December 21 as Camila Cabello, The Kid LAROI, Benson Boone, Jasoooooon Derulo (sorry, that’s the only way to properly say his name), Khalid, T-Pain and others come together for one bumpin’ evening. The marathon of music starts at 7:30pm on a singular stage, so let’s see how late it goes.

New Orleans has Mardi Gras. Miami has the King Mango Strut. While incomparable in size and scale, this comical and locally revered parade returns on Sunday, January 5 to celebrate over 40 years of "putting the NUT in Coconut Grove" through satirical floats and eyebrow-raising subject matter. Onlookers (around 10 thousand of them each year) are encouraged to get into it by dressing up, embracing the parade's ethos to “celebrate and skewer what’s weird and wonderful about Miami and the year that was.” And if you actually want to be in the parade, that's a possibility, too. Amateur comedians and performers can apply here. 

Relive all things Jazz Age at the Miami Design Preservation League’s annual festival, with free events and activities including the artisan and antiques marketplace, a classic car show, lectures, films, guided architectural tours and a variety of musical performances. The theme for this 48th edition is "Celebrating Art Deco Centennial 1925-2025," looking back on 100 years of Art Deco influence in Miami. 

Fort Lauderdale's burgeoning annual food and wine festival enters its sixth year with a splashy lineup of events, classes, competitions and an exclusive dinner series all focused on spotlighting renowned and emerging chefs, restaurateurs and hospitality establishments from the region. Over five days and six events, sample local flavors and rub shoulders with fellow foodies and celebrity personalities like Fabio Viviani and Nancy Fuller, among others. The festival's main event, The Grand Tasting, takes place on Saturday, January 18 at Las Olas Oceanside Park with over 100 vendors, celebrity chef demos and live music. General admission grants unlimited tastings and access to seminars, while VIP tickets provide early entry and exclusive lounge amenities. Various dates and locations

This one is so much for the fans that it’s actually called the For My Fans Tour. As if we didn’t already love Mary J. enough, this tour promises to be a reflective love fest for the songstress. And indeed, she has quite a bit to reflect on: She was just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, has been churning out bangers for 35 years and released her latest LP, Gratitude, in November. Fellow R&B mainstays NE-YO and Mario round out the bill.

Celebrity chefs (hundreds of them) and hungry people from around the U.S. descend on South Beach and across the city for Miami’s largest and most famous annual food festival, proceeds from which benefit Florida International University Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management School. It's major. For its 24th year, SOBEWFF offers even more big-ticket events, including another rendition of the uber-popular Burger Bash hosted by Rachael Ray, plus additional intimate dinners hosted by culinary luminaries. There will be an Asian night market, taco and tequila pairings, a grand tasting village on the sand and more food and drinks than you’ll know what to do with. Break out your stretchy pants, and buckle up, people. Various locations

This 74th annual arts event (Miami’s longest-running juried art festival) in support of South Florida’s first art museum, the Lowe, returns to the University of Miami’s campus. The event, encouraging an appreciation of the arts across Miami, features over 150 outdoor fine-art exhibits, local vendors, a beer garden, live music and lots of food. 

Prepare to be graced by sets from two-time Grammy winner Snarky Puppy for back-to-back nights at the Miami Beach Bandshell on February 8 and 9. If you haven’t jammed to the band’s jazz-infused flair, prepare for maximum funkiness. Leading up to the live music, you can also partake in master classes, followed by performances from like-minded bands joining in on the festival. Also part of the GroundUp fun: the return of the Family Dinner experience on Saturday night, featuring eight guest artists performing collaborative tracks with Snarky Puppy.

This annual arts festival turns 61 this year, bringing over 280 artists to the streets of Coconut Grove over President's Day Weekend. People of all ages meander around McFarlane Road and South Bayshore Drive, perusing booths, enjoying culinary demonstrations and local bites, listening to live music and participating in family-friendly activities. 

This lavish showcase geared towards all automobile enthusiasts, from connoisseurs to the car-curious, takes over the lush fairway of the JW Marriott Turnberry Resort’s championship golf course for a fourth year with more than 200 classic and contemporary whips. Unlike some of the more standard, stuffy Concours shows around the world, the Motorcar Cavalcade judging panel pairs experts with VIP celebrities and athletes for entertaining and unabashedly subjective evaluations. Even more unusual, both classic and modern vehicles compete in the same classes to secure their prized trophy. This year's judges have yet to be revealed, but last year included Motorsports Hall of Fame racing legends Lyn St. James and Tommy Kendall, among others. Early pricing tickets for the general public are now available, starting at $95 for a Concours Access Pass, $395 for Concours All Inclusive and Concours VIP for $795 per guest.

Those yearning for a little twang this season can get that itch scratched on February 23. Kelsea Ballerini, easily one of modern country music’s brightest stars, pops in at Hard Rock Live as part of her 2025 tour jaunt. In 2024, the Tennessee native gave us a new album, Patterns. Among our favorite of its chart-toppers is her collab with swooner and crooner Noah Kahan, dubbed “Cowboys Cry Too.” 

Whether you want to gawk, check out some marine gear or actually pony up for a yacht, this five-day seafaring shindig lets you get comfortably nautical at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Feeling a lil yachty? Your one ticket will get you into five different venues, including the main event at the Miami Beach Convention Center and various marinas like Venetian Marina, One Herald Plaza and Museum Park Marina.

This annual festival returns to Miami Beach with a week of events and parties organized to raise money for the National LGBTQ Task Force. Expect a mix of VIP experiences, cocktail gatherings and poolside bashes, including Saturday's signature daytime party, Under One Sun, and The Beach Party, taking place right on the sands of Sobe. At various locations 

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 18th annual event. The lineup and additional details are to be announced soon.

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.