Art Deco Weekend

Art Deco Weekend

Date coming soon

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. With the theme, Sheroes: Women Who Made A Difference, this event will honor the Women’s Suffrage Movement and the 100-year anniversary of women's right to vote for the first time.

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 packed into three days, Art Deco Weekend has something for everyone. Kicking off the weekend on Friday night, the 4th-Annual Jazz Age at Art Deco VIP is a ticketed evening soirée with live jazz from Michael Arenella and his Dreamland Orchestra, cocktails and a starlit dance party right in Lummus Park. (Guests who don't go to the ticketed event can attend a version that is free and open to the public on both Saturday and Sunday.) There are yoga, pilates, bootcamp and dance cardio fitness classes, as well as an Antique & Design Promenade with antique decorations, furniture, art and jewelry on sale.

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. In addition to that, attendees can enjoy a film festival, hear lectures about Art Deco history, watch street performances and even challenge Miami Beach Commissioner, Mark Samuelian, to a game of chess. Like tours? There are plenty of free tours throughout the weekend. Take your pick and learn about everything from Ocean Drive and Lincoln Road architecture to photography, Miami Beach film and TV sets, Miami Beach's Jewish and criminal history, and more.

As it does every year, the festival has some new additions for 2020. Aligning with the theme, there will be a Women's Suffrage Centennial Parade down Ocean Drive to honor the 100-year anniversary of the Women's Suffrage Movement. There will also be free sketch classes from Urban Sketchers, who will offer a series of Sketchwalks, urban sketching demonstrations and even some "drink and draw" events. 

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.

You can check back here for more information about specific events and event locations, or you 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