Great festival located in the heart of Doral. I honestly didn't know what to expect since I believe…read morethis festival is fairly new. Honestly it has been great! This event was held in Doral park which is large to the east corner of the park. The event has multiple vendors mostly all located in the Doral. I'm sure there are some missing because Doral is such a growing city that I know there are vendors that decided not to attend. If you walk around you got to sample food and drinks from local vendors and even some that aren't even that close! I experienced some great esta and some good places I know I have to go and try out. Only bad part was I didn't know there was a "vip" area and in there is bocas grill which I absolutely love. :( Will come back next year if there are discounted tickets again. Will definitely get VIP.

Went to the Lantern Light Festival at the Alameda Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, California. The main…read moredraw for me was the lights. I have no children to worry about entertaining, so I just wanted to come here to enjoy seeing all the lanterns and light installations. It was absolutely gorgeous. As a cosplayer wanting to build more light-up props, I enjoyed seeing the lanterns up close. Everything from the entrance gate, the long undulating Chinese dragon with its animatronic head rotating from side to side, the astrological signs, the castles, apple trees, wishing trees, animals, all the flowers, and so much more, were absolutely inspiring and filled my heart with holiday joy. My friend and I enjoyed going around taking photos of the lights. I also appreciated that the pamphlet with the map of the park included photos of how the lanterns were built. The other attraction at the festival was the Chinese acrobat performance. They occurred once per hour, and the performers are very talented. Such amazing display of athleticism! I could have sworn that the adult ticket allowed one dragon ride. Unfortunately, to my disappointment, the dragon rides were ONLY FOR CHILDREN. I felt very mislead and cheated. The food was pricey. Although we ate dinner before coming, I paid $5 for 3 deep fried oreos, and another $5 for a drink (I had hot apple cider, my friend had hot chocolate). Churros were also $5, and just ONE deep fried Twinkie was $6, so I passed on that. Everything else at the festival was geared towards children, so aside from walking around being awe-inspired by the lights, there was nothing else to do. I went to WinterFest at Great America earlier this month, and while I'd say the Lantern Light Festival has much more impressive light displays, WinterFest had much more to offer since in addition to dazzling displays of beautiful lights, they also had roller coasters, more variety of shows, and more activities that not just the kids can enjoy. Overall, the Lantern Light Festival felt like a cheap version of WinterFest.

I bought the groupon when it was an additional 20% off so my ticket was $14. Parking is $5. It…read moretook us about an hour to walk through. There was an acrobatic show that was not good. There are food venders selling noodles, cinnamon rolls, pizza and elephant ears. You can buy tickets to do activities such as mini golf, simulator ride, face painting, etc. Little kids will like the activities, but older kids will find them stupid. The lights are pretty to see and photograph well on a cell phone. If in the area, and you get the discounted ticket I would recommend visiting the festival. It is NOT worth the full price ticket.

This temporary art installation is a must while visiting the Miami/Coral Gables area. I had no…read moreclue about these umbrellas until my sister really wanted to go. She loves art and photo-taking. It worked out very well for us since we got to spend the whole day together. We went on a weekday and it was not that busy. But on weekends and night time, I heard it's more busy with the amount of people trying to take selfies. In my Instagram account, my local friends asked me where this is exactly located. It is in Giralda Plaza of Coral Gables. There are restaurants and shops on both sides of the umbrellas. This art installation is by Portugal agency Sextafeira. They have done other such installations in other parts of the world. I did see some umbrellas in the sky in Lisbon while I visited. It was nice to see more in SOFL. Side Note- Metered parking options are all around this area. - The umbrellas will come down most probably tomorrow or in a few more days, so if you want to go, go today.

Found in Giralda Plaza, the Umbrella Sky Project is here to stay forever imprinted on Instagram…read more As far as how long the actual art installation will be around, I believe it's mid-September, so if you haven't already, go and get your cameras ready! Now, a few things to note: -The best place is to park nearby is in the parking garage next to Bocas House. That is, of course, you're going solely to visit this spectacle. -And yes, I mean, spectacle as the secret's out! Everyone and their mother will be there taking photos. -This is free and no one is monitoring anything, so first come, first serve. -Aside from the hanging umbrellas, there is a backdrop saying Umbrella Sky with more umbrellas. There's also some by a restaurant that you can grab. -Expect to spend fifteen or so minutes there. This is cute, but the novelty and crowds will eventually turn you off. If not that, then definitely the heat or the rain. So essentially, you do this once for a photo to say you've been there, done that. That's all there is to it.

Wednesdays is the most daunting day of the week; because Mondays have drained you of life and…read moreFridays are too far in the future to lift your spirits... That's until the Jazz in the Gables concert series came along. Put a little hoodoo into your humpday from January through April. Piano priests, drum doctors, and saxophone shamans cast musical spells that compel you to evacuate the office and liven up your lunchtime. For five consecutive seasons, The Miami Jazz Cooperative has summoned a cast of entertainers that includes the likes of the buoyant Brian Murphy Trio, flashy FIU Jazz Ensemble, and nouveau New World School of The Arts' Jazz Quartet. For those who can't make midday escapes, there are occasional soul-shaking performances Sunday afternoons. Make music part of your weekly ritual at 12:15 p.m. each Wednesday.

It's always a good thing to stop by and listen to some free live music. If you have to pay tolls,…read moretaxes, fees, etc, this is a good way to get some retribution from the city. Coral Gables always makes this a great event, although the performers have become more local than previous years, with out-of-town talent filling the bill. It's all good, let's promote the locals.

I love Carnaval on the mile! This street festival happens every year for 2 days. It's hosted by…read moreKiwanis and very well organized. The vendors and music stages are depicted on their website making it very easy to know where things are and at what time artists are set to perform. Great vibes, great food, great music, plenty of street fair food and shops to keep you entertained. The artists and vendors who work the booths are always nice and in a great mood. The Carnaval is located in Miracle mile, close to several street parking and parking garages, like we used. I particularly love the location of this festival because its on a fabulous street filled with restaurants on each side of the street. Allowing for more options if you choose you not to eat street food. There are plenty of options like arepas, fresh squeezed juices, pinchos, sandwiches, turkey legs, funnel cakes, Gilbert's bakery, pizza, gelato, and more. We decided to eat lunch at Morton's to break up the day a little from walking, then we continued our day throughout the festival. I did a little shopping at Essence Boutique, which I love to come to when I'm in this area of Coral Gables. I also bought some dips and other trinkets from the festival. I look forward to this festival every year and am so glad I was able to make it this weekend.

Marizel and her family are truly gifted seers, teachers, coaches and healers. They are warm and…read morebeautiful beings. I highly recommend The Witches Garden.

I was at their shop right before it closed and purchased crystals and reiki candles for my mother…read more She was really out of balance and had numerous medical evaluations with different specialists after being diagnosed with early breast cancer a few months prior, so I decided she should try crystals. I went to this shop for the first time and felt such serenity. I could have honestly been there all day. The owners were great. I told them I wanted to help my mother but didn't give them any details. They directed me to get the 7 chakra candles and crystals that were prepared with reiki by Armando. He instructed me how they should be used and it worked. My mother meditated with the candles and crystals on numerous occasions and not only did all her medical evaluations come back negative she's healthier than she's been in a long time. I feel that she is better not only because she has had a positive attitude and I gave her those candles with love but also because of how they were prepared. Thank you both so much!!!I'm hoping to see you both again and continue to learn from you. Kathy A.

The Coral Gables Festival of the Arts happened last weekend and I checked it out on Sunday. In the…read morepast, I believe you had to pay for admission but it's now free, which made for a nice activity with my husband and baby when we found ourselves nearby anyways. I stopped by during lunchtime with hopes that they had a wide selection of eats and was not disappointed. There were a number of food vendors set up in the middle of the festival. I went with a barbacoa quesadilla from the taco truck which ended up being a little blah, but also tried a lamb gyro wrap that my husband got from a different vendor that was a little better. Besides food, there were plenty of other tents lining Alhambra featuring everything from local makers selling jewelry, apparel, and more, to artists of all kinds... I recognized a lot of the same folks from the Coconut Grove Arts Festival which happens the following weekend. I assume many artists take advantage of the fact they're close together and display in both. There were also a lot of kid and dog related activities and businesses onsite. While not huge, it was fun to walk around and also listen to live music. I would definitely swing by again the next time it pops up in the neighborhood.

This festival doesn't really seem to know what it wants to be. There was (some) art on display, but…read morealso sections catering to children (and their parents), and businesses. Walking through the business sector, the representatives were on the verge of pushy as they tried to hawk their wares and services. The food was just standard carny fare. Thank goodness the Cuban Guys food truck was there. I got to support local business and have a good media noche! Also, while the festival was in progress, they were setting up for a food and alcohol event with controlled access for later in the evening. The inconvenience of having to negotiate around barricades and tents being put up was off-putting. The only positives: The weather was perfect, and it's free (although you have to pay like always in the Gables for parking)

If you love sweets you are going to want to grab a ticket to this event. They bill themselves as…read morethe largest dessert festival in America. The event is held in the cities of Atlanta,, Orlando, Tampa and this year in Miami at the Airport Convention Center. You have your choice of a VIP ( 50 dessert sample tickets) which lets you into the event an hour early and a general admission (30 tickets). Both include a small plastic box so you can take a some treats home with you. They state on their website that you are limited to what you can eat and what you can fit in your box. After waiting on line in the heat for an hour we were let into the event. They could have been a little more organized with the staff running the event. They seemed to be figuring out how to admit people while we were trying to enter and whenever I asked a question throughout the day they always had to leave for an extended amount of time to "ask someone". What I learned is your get one box and there is no reentry, Once you are in, you can't leave. Another issue was there were not enough people cleaning up throughout the event. They garbage cans were overflowing throughout the day on to the floor. When people no longer had anywhere to throw their garbage away they just left it on all of the tables so you had no where to eat. Imagine trying to balance plates and hold onto to your box at the same time. It caused people to drop desserts to the floor adding to the mess. It got gross fast . The desserts were for the most part fantastic. I tried ice cream, fried ice cream, cupcakes, cake, cookies, cinnamon buns, shakes, waffles, donuts and pudding.. I really wish someone had made cannoli or tiramisu. Some were even vegan or billed as healthy treats. Most were small sample sizes, in some cases tiny but others gave a more generous portion. A ticket was roughly equivalent to $1 so I was looking for people who were offering something worth getting. My friend and I splurged for the 50 tickets and it was almost too much. After a couple of hours we still had 25 tickets left. After five super sweet desserts I was pretty much done eating and I love sweets. They give you small cups of complimentary milk or you can buy water and soft drinks and savory food from the concession stand. The line for the stand was super long throughout the day. Some of the standouts for me were AJ's Sinna Buns (guava and pistachio), Mo's Bundt Cakes (nutella), Miami Tres Leches, Les Biscuits (cookies), and Tortas. I really appreciated the vendors who served individually wrapped treats. It made them easier to take home and also I felt they were more Covid safe. I think with Covid everyone should have had to serve their samples packaged. The Oh My Flan guys were adorable. They really pitched their flan. Glam Sweets Miami presented the most beautiful desserts adorned with fake flowers. I didn't actually try them because by the time I came over the line was too long. I also missed out on Bunnboh Churros for the same reason. You need to use a little strategy here. You definitely want to come as early as your ticket allows you in because vendors did run out as the day wore on. My all time favorite was Circus Eats. They served up a fried Oreo drenched in chocolate sauce and condensed milk. Not only that, but they also gave away cotton candy, caramel popcorn, and caramel and candy apples. I felt like they brought their A game and came to win and I voted for them but they came in at 19th place. The only thing I didn't like was the vegan Nhiar Choclates. My friend tried to warn me. They were pretty to look at but were bitter with a truly revolting after taste. The winner ended up being Holy Shakes who did not impress me at all. I ended up with a thimble size amount of shake from them that I could barely taste topped by a tiny piece of ok brownie. Not a standout by any means. A surprising and delightful discovery was Popqueen who served up the most refreshing honey and lemon pops. They soothed my throat and I ended up visiting multiple times throughout the festival. If I had a sore throat I would want my freezer packed with these pops. Besides all of the desserts, the festival had some spots set up so you could take photos for your social media. They also had some people walking around in costume. Throughout the festival they blasted music at a too loud level. I liked the selection of music but by the time I left my ears were ringing. My takeaway was I discovered some new to me places that make me want to go and visit their shops so I can try more things. A lot of the places were also strictly online, catering, or pop up making them more difficult to find again. By the end of the festival my stomach didn't felt so great, my ears hurt, my phone was covered in sticky sugar, and I was exhausted. It was also so totally worth it. Having experienced the festival the first time, I can plan better for next year.

For the second year in a row, my daughter and I went to Dessert Wars, but this year was at FIU and…read moreit was great. We had a fabulous time and we really liked the change to this location. DJ was playing music the whole time we were there eating and eating. Over 40 different vendors and they each had more than 3 desserts at their table, so only imagine how much sugar we had. My two favorite were the chocolate shake and the fried donut with ice cream. WOW, how delicious!! Thank you an see you next year.

Wow, what a great experience we had this past Friday…read more We tried many different Rums from all over the world. They had very contagious Latin music and wonderful Rum Classes. The vibe was awesome and the location was perfect. Parking was free at the BILTMORE HOTEL.

I've been to this festival twice. The first time was when it was in South Beach, the second time…read morewas at the Miami Convention Center. The South Beach location was awesome and had views of the ocean, but parking was impossible. The Miami Convention Center is a much more boring location but parking is awesome. Although I've enjoyed this festival, I don't think I'll be attending this year. If you haven't been I'd recommend it, but I don't think it needs to be done every year. Pros: *Lots of drink options. *There's always living social, groupons etc for tickets which make it affordable. *Some fun picture opportunities with pirates, a photo booth etc. *Take home shot glasses with your entry. Cons: *Most of the mixed drinks aren't that great. *NO food... maybe a few small samples of a sauce for sale on a chip, but nothing to keep you sober. The first year I went there was food for sale, but it was over priced and awful... so yes you will be leaving heavily intoxicated.

This should receive zero stars. We live in Davie so it took us close to an hour to drive here. I…read morepurchased 2 VIP packages through Groupon some time back. We were really excited for this. We get there and it is piss pouring rain (not the festival's fault but it does suck when they state "all this fun under one giant tent". As you can probably guess, there was no giant tent anywhere in sight. We finally find the entrance and as we are standing in the pouring rain, 2 women were super pissed and demanding a refund. We over heard them saying there was only 4 food booths. What? If you look at the website, there are at least 20 places listed to attend. After standing there for a couple minutes, I asked the other person to check us in quickly, as he watched us getting soaked. As we walked around, it was confirmed what the women were complaining about. All we saw was pieces of meat on a plate for people to basically sample. There were maybe 15 tables for the alcohol, which is about 40 less than there was supposed to be there. I contacted Groupon after being there for about ten minutes to get a refund ($89 I paid), which I was able to do luckily. So not only did we waste a good amount of gas, we also had to spend money on dinner, which we were not anticipating. The saving grace was getting a little buzz and hanging out at the Ketel One tent. Emily was so awesome and had us and others saying how she saved the night from misery. There was a woman that told me she went last year and it was also a negative experience but this year was worse. So it is safe to say that we will not be back, even if we received free tickets. Whoever runs this event needs to be let go.

Oh dear! We had free vip tickets, which we appreciated and were really excited about, especially as…read morethey were my first freebie vip tickets having just becoming a new elite member of yelp!...we had a nice few hours there despite, the rain..but I have to say (sorry for the rain pun) - but what a washout! First off we were off to a bad start when we arrived at 6.55pm for the "so called" 7pm start! there was no evidence of an event - every where was deserted and there were no real clear signs of where the entrance was. So there was a hap hazard line forming with people asking :"is this the entrance is this the line?" to which I replied {"I do not know, but I am here with everyone else waiting, and if we are in the wrong place then we are all standing here like dummies!" I also noted that everyone seemed to have a vip band - ie no real payers for the event, maybe? We loved the venue choice, as it is located in the pretty Coral Gables, outside the Museum, with twinkley lights. There was also live music from a saxophonist who was fantastic. Now for more of the bad beality..(we cannot complain as it was free for us)...however..... if I would have had to pay I would NOT be happy at all..there was 3 food venues there..(advertised as supposedly 40 plus!!!) and that was it!! ANDthey ran out of food.... the ONLY decent samples were from Clutch the burger place..a tiny slider size burger which was small but delicious, and only one per person and then they ran out. Also no food until 7 for some reason not 6 as anticipated/ and advertised. I heard California pizza talking that vendors left early on in the day or did not turn up so they did not have enough food so they went to Publix and bought fried chicken wings!! Hardly gourmet right??? But my husband and I appreciated that as there was not enough food, and we went there hungry - as you are supposed to right? being a food and wine place event!! Another note - there were hardly any rubbish bins located around so empty food containers and drink remnants dotted EVERYWHERE. Not classy!! Re the drinks...embarrassing as they were literally a mouth full samples, so you felt embarrased if you just wanted a glass equivalent as you would have had to go back at least 6 - 8 times! Who wants to do that? I had fun, not because of the experience but because of my personality..and out look on life! What a shame, I WOULD NEVER EVER PAY FOR THIUS EVENT!! WHAT A SHAMBLES AND EMBARRASEMENT!