Florida events and festivals for every month

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Jen Lyons
August 1, 2024
People walking down Ocean Boulevard during Art Deco Weekend in Miami.
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Maybe it’s the year-round sunshine. The diverse cultures. The relaxing cities. Or the fact that it’s one of the most popular vacation destinations in the United States. No matter the reason, Florida is one of the best places to visit for events and festivals. Every month of the year, Florida delights with a calendar chock-full of fun-filled festivals and events. From St. Augustine to South Beach and Pensacola to the Florida Keys, Florida hosts an incredible array of events celebrating its history, traditions, culture and food. Here are a few favorites to explore. 

January: Art Deco Weekend 

Miami Beach’s Ocean Drive is known for its colorful art deco architecture. What began as a small local festival in 1977 is now Art Deco Weekend, one of the biggest celebrations of art deco design and culture in the country. Events in this weekend festival include art exhibits, lectures, films, vendors and even activities for dogs — cheekily called “arf deco.” 

February: Food Network South Beach Food & Wine Festival

Meet your favorite star chef at the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival. The four-day festival features celebrity chefs, sommeliers and mixologists hosting tastings, demos, educational opportunities and exclusive meals. One of the Miami area’s most popular yearly events, last year’s festival drew over 65,000 people. 

March: Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg

Get your adrenaline pumping at the Firestone Grand Prix. A St. Petersburg mainstay for over 20 years, this open-wheel series race is a can’t-miss for auto racing fans. Get tickets to the race and watch the drivers zoom past you on the waterfront racetrack, then stop by the IndyCar Series Fan Village, grab an autograph from your favorite driver and enjoy live entertainment. 

April: Florida Film Festival

Cinephiles won’t want to miss the Florida Film Festival. Hosted every April in Central Florida, the festival showcases over 160 films over 10 days in Maitland’s quirky Enzian Theater. Current, independent and international submissions are included, and the Florida Film Festival is one of a very few Oscar-qualifying festivals in the U.S. that has all three short-film categories: animated, live action and documentary. 

May: SunFest

Soak up the Florida sunshine at SunFest, the state’s largest waterfront music festival. Held the first weekend of May in West Palm Beach, the festival plays host to musical acts from a wide variety of genres. You’ll find famous headliners and local bands, with performances spread across three separate stages. In addition to the music, attractions include an arts and craft show, floating bar barges, fireworks, kids activities, food vendors and more. 

June: Sarasota Music Festival

Hosted by the Sarasota Orchestra, the Sarasota Music Festival is unique in that it features selected music students from top programs around the world — hundreds of talented musicians compete for just a few dozen spots. Over the course of three weeks in June, the festival showcases musicians performing pieces from a wide variety of genres, including classical, jazz, bluegrass and more. 

July: Key Lime Festival

Head to the Florida Keys in honor of their most celebrated citrus. Full of plenty of local charm, the Key Lime Festival includes a key lime pie-eating contest, brunches and dinners, a scavenger hunt, pie-making classes, a 5k race and a cocktail-making contest. Perhaps the most exciting part of the festival is the key lime pie drop, where participants create contraptions that will allow them to drop a key lime pie from the top of the local lighthouse to the ground within damaging the pie. 

August: Miami Spice

If you can handle the heat, August is a great time to visit Miami — especially for food lovers. Miami Spice is the city’s annual restaurant month, and it actually spans both August and September. At restaurants across the city, diners can enjoy decadent three-course meals for affordable prices. While the list of participating restaurants changes every year, you’re sure to find something you love, whether you’re looking for bold Latin and Caribbean flavors, fresh seafood or farm-to-table fare. 

September: Pensacola Seafood Festival 

The three-day Pensacola Seafood Festival is one of the region’s longest-running festivals. Bring your appetite to downtown Pensacola and chow down on gulf-to-table dishes including shrimp and grits, Lowcountry boils, fried mullet, crab cakes, chowder and more. The festival also offers live music, arts and crafts vendors, and kids activities. 

October: Key West Fantasy Fest

One of Florida’s best known festivals, Fantasy Fest celebrates its 44th anniversary in 2024. A decidedly grown-up festival, this 10-day event is known for its street parties, elaborate costumes and uninhibited revelry. It culminates in a grand parade that features colorful floats, marching bands, performers and a crowd that often exceeds 70,000 people. 

November: Florida International Air Show

Every November, aviation enthusiasts flock to Punta Gorda for the famous Florida International Air Show. While performances vary year by year, you’re sure to see amazing maneuvers by both military and civilian aircraft of many kinds. The fan-favorite Air Thunderbirds are frequent headliners, and fans of all ages will love the opportunity to see their favorite aircraft up close. 

December: Winterfest Boat Parade 

Many Florida towns host holiday lighted boat parades, but few hold a candle to Fort Lauderdale’s Winterfest Boat Parade. Watercraft from dinghies to megayachts are dressed to impress for one night only. Spectators lining the 12-mile route on the New River and Intracoastal Waterway are wowed by hundreds of thousands of colorful lights, music, entertainment and much more. 

Be front and center for your favorite festivals

Every year, cities and towns across Florida host hundreds of festivals for all kinds of interests. As a second home owner in the Sunshine State, you’ll have easy access to any event that suits your fancy. Explore Pacaso co-ownership opportunities in Florida, from the Gulf Coast to South Beach and the Keys. 
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