Art Deco Weekend
Jan 17 - 19, 2020
FREE
By: Jennifer Agress | Nov. 20, 2019
Art Deco Weekend brings people together for three days of fun, history, design and architecture
Today’s Miami is a haven for all kinds of art and artists, but historically, it’s most known for Art Deco. Launched in 1976 by the nonprofit organization Miami Design Preservation League (MDPL), Art Deco Weekend is a three-day celebration of that movement — a weekend filled with art, architecture, history, culture, entertainment and more. Originally created as a way to bring more people to Miami Beach at a time when tourism was low and preserving Art Deco history wasn’t a priority, today, this popular annual event is still the longest-running free community cultural festival in Miami Beach.
Returning to our South Beach shores on January 17th, 2020, this year’s festival has particularly special meaning. Hosted by celebrity emcee Janine Stanwood, from Channel 10 News, the theme is Sheroes: Women Who Made A Difference. It will celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the Women’s Suffrage Movement, which started in 1920.
Miami’s Art Deco History
Dating back to the 1930s, Miami’s Art Deco movement is an indelible part of South Florida history. Found all along Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue and its surrounding area, Art Deco architecture is easily recognizable—it’s bright and colorful, with playful shapes and glamorous elements that simultaneously make them both adorable and ostentatious.
Despite their noticeable traits, the collection of more than 800 buildings that make up Miami’s Art Deco scene went virtually unnoticed until 1976, when the Miami Design Preservation League formed to preserve, protect and promote the architectural, cultural, social and environmental integrity of Miami Beach. Highlighting the significance of the Art Deco movement, this organization fought to get the buildings added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, making Miami’s Art Deco Historic District the first nationally-recognized, 20th-century urban neighborhood in America.
Art Deco Weekend Events
With more than 85 events over three days, Art Deco Weekend has something for everyone. Every year, The Jazz Age at Art Deco brings an evening soirée with live jazz and an all-night dance party to Ocean Drive. There’s also the Bark Deco Dog Show, which includes a mini dog show with puppies up for adoption, and prizes, ribbons and special treats for Miami’s most talented furry contestants. There are yoga, kick-boxing, dance cardio workouts and other fitness classes, and antique decorations, furniture, art and jewelry on sale along the Antique & Design Promenade. Car lovers won’t want to miss the Classic Car Show, which lines Ocean Drive with cars, trucks and motorcycles from the early 20th century.
One of the highlights of the weekend is definitely The Retro Fashion Show—directed by vintage lifestyle enthusiast, pin-up model and burlesque artist Angela La Muse—which sends models down the runway in a curated collection of vintage retro reproductions and clothing by indie designers presenting their Art Deco-inspired fashions exclusively during Art Deco Weekend. On top of that, there are film screenings, lectures about Art Deco history, live music, street performances and a bevy of Art Deco tours covering everything from Ocean Drive and Lincoln Road architecture and homes in Flamingo Park, to photography, Miami Beach film and TV sets, Jewish history in Miami Beach, Miami Beach’s criminal past and more.
General Information
The festival will run from Friday, January 17th, to Sunday, January 19th, 2020. It will be open from noon to 10 p.m. on January 17th, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on January 18th and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on January 19th.
Art Deco Weekend will take place at Lummus Park, which runs along Ocean Drive, between 6th Street and 14th Street. This festival is free and open to the public. Ocean Drive will be closed to vehicles throughout Art Deco Weekend, and public garages, lots and street parking will be available nearby.
As the date draws closer, attendees can check back here for more information about specific events and event locations. They can also contact the Miami Design Preservation League by calling (305) 672-2014 or sending an email to info@mdpl.org.
Read More:
Where To Stay, Dine & Play On Ocean Drive
Tour Miami Modern Buildings In South Beach's Art Deco District
Miami Beach’s Art Deco Hotels
Retro Hotels and MIMO Architecture in Miami