This weekend (March 15th 2015) more than one million people from across the USA, and the world, will be flocking to Miami for one of the most highly anticipated events of the year… The Calle Ocho Festival.
Miami Carnival
The Calle Ocho Festival, often referred to as ‘Miami Carnival’, is the best known and biggest street party in the country. The massive fiesta is held in Little Havana and celebrates the colourful Latin culture, especially Cuban, which dominates the city of Miami. During the event over 30 blocks are closed off to host dancing, food stalls, live entertainment and other lively festivities. Sounds from all of the Hispanic nations and the Caribbean can be heard, so get ready for the seductive beats of Salsa, Bachata, Son, Rumba, Cumbia, Merengue, Reggaeton, Bolero, Calypso and Latin Pop. Calle Ocho’s headlining acts are always big names in Latin music, for example in previous years the world famous Daddy Yankee and Pitbull have both performed as the honoured ‘Rey del Carnaval’ [King of the Carnival].
As well as an unmissable musical extravaganza, the street food on Calle Ocho offers a spectacular culinary adventure which enables attendees to sample the spicy favourites from all over the Latin world but particularly specialises in Cuban delicacies, to name a few Cuban style tamales, Pastelitos (delicious sweet or savoury puff pastries), sofrito salsa, the legendary Medianoche sandwich, yuca fingers, cod fritters, fried plantains and the ‘cafecito’ or ‘cortadito’ (heaven for coffee lovers). Not to mention the dozens of quality Cuban cigar vendors and ice cream parlours serving tropical flavours that you have most likely yet to discover.
What’s more, the festival’s favourite pastime is breaking world records. It currently holds the title for the world’s longest conga line which involved 119,986 people. It was also creator of the worlds biggest piñata weighing in at 10,000 pounds, and hosted the largest Domino tournament ever recorded. We wonder what they have up their sleeve this year…
Little Havana
Although it is especially popular during the Calle Ocho Festival, Little Havana is a buzzing spot worth visiting all year round. Don’t worry about losing your way, you’ll know you’ve reached Little Havana when road signs cease to be written in English and souvenir shops begin selling Cuba related souvenirs! Dotted along its streets are even monuments dedicated to the fallen comrades of the Bay of Pigs revolution. It literally is like stepping out of the USA and into Cuba. Little Havana also boasts its very own Walk of Fame on Calle Ocho – the street that gives the famous festival its title – which has inspired the nickname ‘Hispanic Hollywood’. Here the pink marble stars embedded in the pavements are all dedicated to Latin icons whose talents have significantly impacted the Latin community.
If you miss Calle Ocho Festival, not to worry – Kenwood Travel offers Twin Centre Holidays so that you can experience the best of both Florida and the Caribbean.