By: Matthew Meltzer
May in Greater Miami & Miami Beach means plenty of exciting events and festivals – from Formula 1 racing to beach polo and Caribbean music. Read on for the hottest events coming to Miami in May, and get ready to make the most of an action-packed 31 days.
Take the whole family to attractions while getting great deals on admission
Miami Attraction & Museum Months
April 1 – May 31
Much like restaurants do with Miami Spice during summer, Greater Miami & Miami Beach’s top cultural attractions offer up deep discounts during the months of April and May. Miami Attraction & Museum Months bring two-for-one admission, membership discounts and other fantastic deals at popular spots such as the Phillip and Patricia Frost Science Museum of Science, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, the Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami (MOCA) and others.
Enjoy Outshine Film Festival screenings at home or in-person
Outshine Film Festival
April 21 – May 1
This premier LGBTQ+ film festival returns for 2022, bringing some of the world’s most cutting-edge films to Greater Miami & Miami Beach. The Outshine Film Festival offers screenings both at home and in-person, so you can watch on your couch or at cool venues such as the Miami Beach Botanical Garden and the Historic Lyric Theater.
Head to South Beach for the Beach Polo World Cup
Beach Polo World Cup
April 29 – May 1
The World Polo League’s Beach Polo World Cup returns to the shores of South Beach April 29-May 1. The world’s top players mount their ponies and speed through the sand over the course of a three-day tournament, which you can watch for free from the beach, or in one of the event’s exclusive viewing tents.
GroundUp Music Festival
May 6 – 8
Snarky Puppy bassist Michael League co-founded this three-day festival where fans interact with bands. It’s like no other music festival you’ve ever attended. The GroundUp Music Festival gives fans the chance to watch acts perform at the North Beach Bandshell, and they can also participate in workshops with the artists, jam out with them on the beach or rub elbows in the upstairs lounge. This year’s bands include Roosevelt Collier, Thai-Swedish singer Sirintip, and a slate of world-premiere music from Snarky Puppy.
Get in on the excitement of Formula 1 & Miami Speed Week events
Miami Grand Prix & Surrounding Events
May 6 – 8
The Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix – the destination’s inaugural Formula 1 race – hits Hard Rock Stadium’s brand new track, complete with an on-site beach. Although the event is completely sold out this year, you can still be part of the excitement at related events such as the Racing Fan Fest in Wynwood, the FTX Grand Prix Festival and Miami Speed Week at Bayfront Park. Expect lots of interactive events, loads of live music, racing-related activations and product displays, as well as local food and drinks.
Tamiami International Orchid Festival
May 13 – 15
The Redland Orchid Festival is moving locations and changing its name in 2022, taking over the Miami-Dade County Fair Expo Center in mid-May. The Tamiami International Orchid Festival is a weekend-long celebration of tropical flowers and will feature dozens of growers as well as classes on how to cultivate orchids on your own.
Catch Lin-Manuel Miranda's hit musical at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
“In the Heights” At The Adrienne Arsht Center
May 20 & 21
“In the Heights” – Lin-Manuel Miranda’s memorable musical depicting a New York Hispanic community during a Washington Heights heat wave – comes to the stage at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. The brief Miami run of last summer’s big-screen blockbuster runs May 20 and 21, with 8 p.m. shows both nights and a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday.
Vegandale Festival
May 21
America’s biggest plant-based party comes to Historic Virginia Key Beach Park from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. on May 21. In addition to interesting culinary offerings such as deep-fried Beyond Burgers and cinnamon rolls stuffed with dairy-free cheese, the Vegandale Festival brings hours of live music, vegan clothing for purchase and plenty of cold drinks.
Celebrate Memorial Day on the beach at the Hyundai Air & Sea Show
Hyundai Air & Sea Show
May 28 & 29
America’s greatest aerial firepower will be on full display on Memorial Day Weekend, as F-15s, F-16s and B52 bombers scream through the skies over South Beach. The Hyundai Air & Sea Show will also offer VIP tents along the sand, where you can kick back with a drink and watch the planes go by.
Best of the Best Caribbean Celebration
May 29
Miami’s biggest Caribbean music festival takes over Bayfront Park for a major Memorial Day Weekend event. The Best of the Best Caribbean Celebration kicks off at 2 p.m. and runs until midnight, with the biggest names in Soca, Reggae and more.