Miami's festivals

From bed races to art walks to party parades

Noteworthy for: While much of Miami nightlife can have an MTV party-girl vibe, festivals often offer something a little more alternative.
Word to the wise: The ubiquitous Spring Break subsumes the whole of Florida from March to April and, depending on your personal taste in partying, should be avoided like the plague, or prepare for some liver-pickling.

As you read this, somewhere in Miami the party is still going. While you can be guaranteed to find some fun at the bars and nightclubs - some of which stay open day and night - the thriving festival scene offers many appealing options whether it's street art in Wynwood or something that requires you to dress up, don a hula skirt and dance to the beach.
Carnaval Miami, celebrating Cuban culture, dances its way through Little Havana in March with the block party attracting one million revelers. For music, Ultra spans two weekenders with a bombastic dance lineup and the Winter Music Conference, held at multiple venues, is world famous.

Other options range from the bizarre - the Coconut Grove Bed Race - to the cultured - the innovative and internationally lauded Art Basel - and if nothing major is on, you can always find a beach or pool party happening somewhere.