Best free and cheap things to do in South Florida in February 2024

February is a great time of year in Florida. The weather is usually perfect for outdoor concerts and festivals, and there are lots of those going on in South Florida.  We have events that have gone on for decades, such as the Coconut Grove Arts Festival, and events that are new for 2024.

Some events in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach recur weekly or monthly, and the February edition will be worth attending. Other events occur just once a year, or every other year.

Credit: The Square in WPB

February is Black History, which brings festivals, art exhibits and concerts, many of them free. There are Black History events in Miami-Dade, Black History Month events in Broward and Black History Month events in Palm Beach County, some of them worth traveling for.

February also brings Valentine's Day, and a quest for a cheap but meaningful date.

For your planning purposes, here are the best free or cheap things to do in South Florida in February. If you're like a more specific list by county, check out best free and cheap things to do in February in Miami-Dade, best free and cheap things to do in February in Broward and best free and cheap things to do in February in Palm Beach County.

Here is our list of the best free and cheap things to do in South Florida in February 2024.

Fort Lauderdale Home Design & Remodeling Show, Feb. 2-4

Photo: Home Design & Remodeling Show

The Fort Lauderdale Home Design & Remodeling Show is Friday-Sunday, February 2-4. The show features hundreds of booths and displays from home improvement and home products businesses. The shows usually include speakers and and a display of decorated room vignettes produced by designers. The featured speaker this year is Bryan Baeumler of HGTV. You can get a discount if you buy tickets in advance.

New World Symphony free Wallcasts Feb. 10 and 24 and $5 concert, Feb. 8

Mary Lou Williams, courtesy of New World Symphony

New World Symphony’s I Dream a World festival returns in 2024 to celebrate the life of pianist, activist, arranger and composer Mary Lou Williams.

A chamber ensemble of New World Symphony Fellows will perform jazz and classical music written and inspired by Mary Lou Williams at The Black Archives Historic Lyric Theater in Overtown. The concert, called “In the Land of Oo Blah Dee,” will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, February 8, 2024. Admission is just $5, or pay what you wish.

The New World Symphony also hosts free concerts each month on the giant outdoor screen at SoundScape Park outside their New World Center. Wallcast concerts will be Feb. 10, featuring Carlos Miguel Priesto and Pacho Flores; and Feb. 24, featuring The Soundworld of Mary Lou Williams.

Palm Beach Seafood Festival, Feb. 10-11

The Palm Beach Seafood Festival includes a Boat Show & Marine Flea Market, plus a Car Show and Swap Meet. This three-tiered event will be at the South Florida Fairgrounds & Expo Center on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 10-11, 2024.

And the best part is that a single $10 admission will get you into all three!

Everglades Days 2024, Feb. 10-17

Florida cooter (aquatic turtle) / credit: Image by Swan from Pixabay

Everglades Days 2024 offers a weeklong celebration with a variety of outdoor activities and nature events at the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, west of Boynton Beach, from Feb. 10-17.

This week-long celebration of the Everglades includes guided hikes, tram tours, archery, fishing, ranger talks, scavenger hunts, arts & crafts, food trucks, a special Valentine's Day dinner, and much more. 

Coconut Grove Arts Festival, Feb. 17-19

President's Day weekend in Miami means a long weekend of course but also, the annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival. The annual festival along Coconut Grove’s waterfront is a Presidents Day weekend staple, set for Feb. 17-19, 2024.

The outdoor festival, which began in 1963, will feature the work of 285 fine art artists in several categories including 2D and 3D mixed media, painting, clay, glass, jewelry, metal, photography, sculpture, wood and printmaking.

Butterfly Festival in Coconut Creek, Feb. 24

The annual Butterfly Festival in Coconut Creek is 2 p.m. to to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, February 24, with free entry.  The event includes free rides, Aloha Islanders show and other live entertainment and fireworks.

The festival is at Sabal Pines Park, 5005 NW 39th Ave., which does not offer vehicle parking. Free shuttle service is offered 1:45 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. from Butterfly Parking Lot, 5550 NW 40th Street, Coconut Creek. 

Free and cheap things to do this week in South Florida