By Lauren Tjaden
Florida’s diversity makes it a natural for ethnic events, especially those that celebrate the state’s sizable Caribbean population. You can experience and celebrate African American culture and contributions— through music, film, presentations, parades and more— all over the Sunshine State. Read on to discover some of the annual offerings.
JANUARY
South Beach Jazz Festival, Miami Beach
Bring in the new year with a celebration of art, culture and music. This free, family-friendly celebration takes place over several days and features Grammy-winning jazz musicians, emerging artists, panel discussions, and art gallery tours. Sponsored by Power Access, the event promotes awareness of artists with disabilities.
ZORA!® Festival, Eatonville
“Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.” The words of Zora Neale Hurston still resonate today. Brilliant, sensitive, and eloquent, this novelist, short story writer, folklorist, and anthropologist is considered one of the foremost writers of twentieth-century African American literature. Held the last week of January, the ZORA! Festival honors and celebrates her life and work, as well as her hometown of Eatonville, the nation’s oldest incorporated African American municipality. Its roster includes museum exhibitions, public talks, panel discussions, workshops and concerts. A three-day Outdoor Festival of the Arts rounds out the event.
Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival, Tampa
This ten-day celebration ushers in the Martin Luther King Holiday Weekend in Tampa Bay, a vibrant region that embodies diversity. It highlights the contributions of African Americans in the U.S. and how they’ve impacted the country. It includes live entertainment, cultural events, business seminars, renowned speakers, food and craft vendors, plus a music fest featuring national recording artists.
FEBRUARY
Sistrunk Parade, Fort Lauderdale
Broward County's rich multi-cultural flavor and strong traditions are on display in this family-friendly parade. The newly upgraded Sistrunk Boulevard corridor will be brimming with school marching bands, high school ROTC, and drill teams as well as local business owners and politicians atop decorated floats. It’s anything but a snooze: the parade is dedicated to energizing and uniting participants, onlookers, and supporters. The route begins at Lincoln Park, located on Northwest Nineteenth Avenue, and ends on Northwest Ninth Avenue.
Sistrunk Annual Street Festival, Fort Lauderdale
A festival by any other name smells as sweet! This highly acclaimed event celebrates the accomplishments of people of African descent, unifying the people with an evening of free, star-studded entertainment and community-based presentations. The festival is centered between Northwest 9th Avenue and Northwest 13th Avenue on Sistrunk Boulevard.
MARCH
Jazz In The Gardens, Miami Gardens
Get ready to groove to the tunes of world class artists like Aretha Franklin, Janelle Monae and Babyface at this legendary music festival produced by the City of Miami Gardens. Hosted by comedy legend and entertainment mogul Rick Smiley, it boasts a dynamic mix of musical genres, spanning two days of revelry.
APRIL
Miami Film Festival, Miami
Big names, bright lights, and brilliant new talent: this festival features them all. The festival strives to “bridge cultural understanding and encourage artistic development by provoking thought through film,” and it delivers in spades. Its unique programming has introduced a powerhouse of renowned filmmakers. The stars that have graced its red carpet are powerhouses too; Gregory Peck, Sofia Loren, Kate Hudson, Helen Hunt, and Gloria Estefan are but a few of the instantly recognizable names.
Pensacola JazzFest, Pensacola
JazzFest, held annually for over 30 years in historic Seville Square in downtown Pensacola, offers two days of free, live music, as well as food, wine and beer, soft drinks, arts and crafts and jazz merchandise.
Springing the Blues Festival, Jacksonville
The Blues were born in the Deep South around the end of the 19th century. This melancholic music of African American folk origin pours out passion, sorrow and joy. Springing the Blues, a free festival held on the shores of Jacksonville Beach for more than 25 years, celebrates this musical genre with its laid-back, inclusive vibe. It’s family friendly, and features three days of performances by national, regional and local blues artists, drawing more than 150,000 fans.
Seabreeze Jazz Festival, Panama City Beach
Fabulous sugar-sand beaches, top smooth jazz artists, and good times under the sun combine to make Seabreeze Jazz Festival a must-do event. Named a "Top 10 Jazz Festival in the USA" by JAZZIZ Magazine and nominated as "Best Jazz Festival" at the Oasis Smooth Jazz Awards, the event draws over 20,000 fans with four days of music and fun.
The Tampa Bay Blues Festival, St. Petersburg
Every year since 1995, Vinoy Park, snuggled against the shores of Tampa Bay, has hosted some of the biggest names in Blues, including Buddy Guy, George Thorogood and Jerry Lee Lewis. Touted as one of the world’s finest blues music events, this festival boasts three days of music, a kick-off party and after parties, as well as food, beer, wine, mixed drinks, vendors and arts and crafts.
Tampa Caribbean Carnival, Tampa
Steeped in tradition, this colorful event showcases the vibrant Caribbean-American cultures. It includes a J’ouvert morning experience (J’ouvert means day break or morning, and marks the start of the Carnival) as well as exhibits, crafts, top-name entertainment, vendors, a street parade, a Steelpan Jamboree, carnival music and high-stepping masquerade bands.
MAY
5th Avenue Arts Festival, Gainesville
The culture of African-Americans in Gainesville runs deep and rich, and this festival celebrates it in high form, with three days of art, entertainment and music. The festival kicks off with highly renowned artists visiting public schools to demonstrate their craft. The second day marks the start of public festivities that boast a gospel program, dancers, local bands, and singers that include national headliners, as well as historical and Black History traveling exhibits. The third day offers a relaxed afternoon of jazz and reggae from local and national bands.
Urban Beach Week, Miami Beach
This annual mega-party offers five days of concerts, parties and unstructured revelry in Miami Beach around Memorial Day weekend.
Jacksonville Jazz Festival, Jacksonville
It’s no mystery why this Jazz Festival is one of the largest in the country. A tradition for over 30 years, the talent is all-star, with a legacy of jazz legends like Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Branford Marsalis, Buddy Guy, Harry Connick, Jr., Mavis Staples and many more. It offers three stages of live entertainment, local food, drinks and shopping throughout 15 blocks of downtown Jacksonville. And just when you think it can’t get any better, it does: The Festival is free.
JUNE
American Black Film Festival, Miami Beach
Heralded as the premier pipeline for Black talent in front of and behind the camera, this annual event has been encouraging and rewarding artistic excellence since 1997. It promises five days brimming with films, documentaries, shorts and Web originals, in addition to events and networking opportunities devoted to helping the careers of festival attendees. They include independent film screenings, master classes, panels, celebrity conversations, and entertainment.
Miami/Bahamas Goombay Festival, Coconut Grove
The Miami/Bahamas Goombay Festival sounds exotic and unusual—and it is. Dedicated to celebrating Bahamian culture, this free event features intricate, colorful costumes; vibrant music made from cowbells, goat-skin drums and brass instruments; a parade swaying with Bahamian entertainers and Junkanoo performers; and Bahamian dishes like callaloo, conch soup, and fish chowder. The Coconut Grove neighborhood, a community with deep Bahamian roots, is host to the event.
Florida Black Excellence Festival, Jacksonville
With a mission to help African-American owned businesses flourish, the Florida Black Excellence Festival brings together workshops, job openings, food, entertainment, local vendors, and activities for youth.
AUGUST
Caribbean Carnival, Jacksonville
This celebration of Caribbean culture boasts a lively street parade complete with Caribbean costumes and music, an elaborate food festival that lets you experience the flavors and aromas of Caribbean food, Caribbean craft displays, and a stage show featuring cultural performances.
If you want an experience you’ll never forget, the legendary Miami Broward One Carnival will do the trick.
OCTOBER
Miami Broward One Carnival, Broward and Miami-Dade County
If you want an experience you’ll never forget, this legendary carnival will do the trick. You’ll see over 18,000 masqueraders trailing the Music Truck like the Pied Piper in the Parade of the Bands, wearing a kaleidoscope of beads and feathers, and enormous King and Queen costumes, some more than 15 feet wide and 20 feet tall. You’ll hear the tender melodies of the steelpan, and a powerhouse line up of acts in concert, like Machel Montano, David Rudder, Super Blue, Stalin, and more. And you’ll taste the islands, too, with jerk, curry, or stew. Arts and crafts, a business expo, the J’ouvert, and a Junior Carnival round out the fun.
NOVEMBER
Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival, Miramar
This festival is all about hot music, spicy food and cool vibes. Foodies will adore the fiery jerk delicacies and Caribbean cuisine, tastings and wine pairings, as well as cooking demonstrations by renowned chefs. Three stages with a variety of traditional and contemporary performances by popular local and international performers promise to keep you entertained.
Florida Blue Florida Classic, Orlando
The biggest Black college football game in the country, the Florida Classic is the annual showdown between the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman University and the Rattlers of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. Held at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, over 1,500,000 fans have attended since the first game in 1978— and you shouldn’t miss it either. The halftime show is as legendary as the game, with marching bands from both universities competing.
