Josie Gulliksen

Happy New Year! It’s 2026, the holidays are over and the festivals and more are back! Here’s a list of fun to be had around Miami-Dade County during the first month of the year. King Mango Strut in Coconut Grove It’s tradition, the first weekend of the year is when by far the wackiest parade takes place …

The open-air CityPlace Doral has a couple of weekly events that are geared to music lovers and to shoppers of handcrafted items. And here are some special events coming up: The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck will stop at the Fountain Plaza on Saturday, Jan. 24 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Click here for info. …

The Museum of Contemporary Art in North Miami is the place to check out groundbreaking and thought-provoking exhibitions and catch live jazz acts on the last Friday of the month during the free Jazz at MOCA. However, it’s also where to go for other free and cheap events. Here is the January lineup: Saturday, Jan. 3 …

The folks at Citytheatre.com are once again hosting “City Reads,” for 2026 that feature live musical accompaniment and professional actors reading fast and funny short plays exploring various topics. After the readings, attendees are invited to stick around for a lively community conversation. Admission is free, refreshment prices vary.  The first event of the season …

With the City of Coral Gables transforming Giralda Avenue into a pedestrian-friendly street it made sense to create a monthly live music series and calling it Giralda Live. It is conveniently held on the first Friday of the month, the same night as the decades-long running and always popular Gables Gallery Night. On that first …

Gables Gallery Night is one of Miami’s longest running first Friday of the month events, spanning nearly four decades now. The evening is a great way to visit the multitude of galleries in the City Beautiful.  Click here to see a list of participating galleries open from 6-10 p.m. While traipsing through Downtown Coral Gables, …

The South Florida Bluegrass Association offers a free bluegrass festival on the first Sunday of the month at Greynolds Park, 18501 NE 22nd Ave., North Miami Beach. While the music is free, park admission is $10 per car, using the app. Take a lawn chair or blanket. Food and drink will be available for purchase, but …

All aboard! The Gold Coast Railroad Museum offers free admission on the first Saturday of every month, so get the family or friends together and head on out! The museum, at 12450 SW 152nd St. (next to Zoo Miami) houses historic trains as well as a number of interactive displays. Hours are 10 a.m. to …

During Miami winters, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden transforms itself into The NightGarden, an enchanted, illuminated experience full of fantasy and wonderment, where things like the Wise Talking Tree, Archimedes and Flying Fairies come to life. This magical garden is scheduled to be open Nov. 7, 2025 through Jan. 11, 2026. Feast your eyes on stunning …

Turn on holiday music in the car and take a drive to a fairyland of outdoor light displays throughout South Florida. You can see Christmas lights in all corners of Miami-Dade County, as well as in holiday lights in Broward, and Palm Beach counties. In some cases, you won’t even have to leave your car. …

The long-running, popular – and free – Jazz at MOCA has been a fixture in the North Miami community and Miami’s music scene for more than two decades. The monthly event presented by the Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami features an exciting lineup of South Florida musicians playing on the last Friday of every …