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Even as high season winds down in Miami, the city’s entertainment options never dim with the seasons.
As the cultural calendar kicks into gear, festivals and attractions span art, film, literature, food, sports, agriculture, and wellness. From this summer’s highly anticipated World Cup games to a fall celebration of our restaurants and a two-month window to treat yourself, here, in chronological order, are some of the best cultural events coming to Miami throughout the rest of the year.
Explore Miami
April 1 to May 31
Spring and summer are the perfect seasons to experience the city’s best cultural institutions. The Explore Miami program expands access to museums, performance venues, and outdoor adventures with specials, including BOGO deals, to 25 attractions, from the Deering Estate to Vizcaya Museum & Gardens to Oleta River State Park and others. miamiandbeaches.com.
Photo by Chantal Lawrie
O, Miami Poetry Festival
April 1 to 30
O, Miami Poetry Festival’s mission is “for every single person in Miami-Dade County to encounter a poem” during National Poetry Month in April. The literary fest works toward that goal with 40 site-specific events across the city throughout the month.
This year, try the O, Cheers: Birds of Paradise Fruited Sour, a custom brew created in honor of the festival; celebrate the festival’s 15th anniversary with a quince celebration; and attend the ZipOdes Finale, the closing event, at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens. omiami.org.
Film Festivals
April 2 to November 15
If you think Hollywood is the center of the movie universe, think again. South Florida hosts more film festivals than you might think. From April 9 to 19, the Miami Film Festival brings filmmakers and movie premieres to local venues like O Cinema, the Colony Theatre, Silverspot Cinema, the Tower Theater, and Coral Gables Art Cinema. From April 23 to May 10, the OutShine LGBTQ+ Film Festival showcases the best and latest in queer cinema.
The South Beach Film Festival runs from May 13 to 17, and the American Black Film Festival, running May 27 to 31, marks its 30th anniversary with screenings, panel discussions, networking events, and more. Later in the year, the Miami Short Film Festival brings more than 50 films with a runtime of 20 minutes or less to South Florida from November 13 to 15.
Miami Swim Week
May 27 to 31
Miami Swim Week blends fashion, wellness, and nightlife by bringing runway shows, beauty pop-ups, designer showcases, and industry parties to South Beach each year, with many events championing sustainable designs and inclusive sizing. Splash Pop-Up, the event’s curated marketplace, aims to serve as a bridge between the industry and the public. It features more than 20 participating fashion and beauty brands. dcswimweek.com.
Photo by Carol M Highsmith from Rawpixel
FIFA World Cup 2026
June 13 to July 18
The FIFA World Cup is by far the most anticipated event in Miami this year. According to SeatGeek, Miami ranks as the most in-demand U.S. host city for group-stage ticket sales. Given Lionel Messi’s reign with Inter Miami CF, David Beckham’s co-ownership of the club, and the opening of Nu Stadium at Miami Freedom Park, it makes sense that local interest in soccer is at an all-time high.
Hard Rock Stadium will host seven matches, including four group-stage games, a round of 32, a quarter-final, and the bronze final. Satellite events will take over the city, the most prominent of which is the free and family-friendly FIFA Fan Festival at Bayfront Park from June 13 to July 5. hardrockstadium.com.
Miami Spa Months
July 1 to August 31
Each summer, locals and tourists get a little R&R during Miami Spa Months, when spas offer treatments at significantly discounted rates. Prices hover around the $100 to $200 range for services such as facials, massages, advanced therapies, and holistic rituals. About 40 spas from Aventura to Coral Gables to Miami Beach and Doral will participate this year. miamiandbeaches.com.
Miami Spice Restaurant Months
August 1 to September 30
The summer is also a great time to try local restaurants. During Miami Spice Restaurant Months, participating restaurants offer prix-fixe menus at set prices. Meals typically cost around $35 for brunch or lunch and $45 or $60 for dinner. Michelin-starred restaurants and more low-key neighborhood spots all take part. miamiandbeaches.com.
MDC’s 42nd Miami Book Fair photo
Fall for the Arts
October 1 to December 7
Miami’s cultural calendar is always stacked (see above), but it really heats up in the couple of months leading up to Miami Art Week. Fall for the Arts showcases the city’s best art fairs, public installations, film festivals, and performances. Highlights include the Miami Beach Classical Music Festival, III Points Music Festival, Miami City Ballet performances, and the Miami Book Fair. miamiandbeaches.com.
Miami-Dade Farmers Month
November 1 to November 30
To celebrate the annual Miami-Dade Farmers Month, drive South and leave the city’s bustling traffic and towering skyscrapers in the rearview in favor of open skies and sprawling tropical fruit groves. While most people don’t think of agriculture when they think of South Florida, popular attractions like Tinez Farms, Knaus Berry Farm, The Little Farm, The Berry Farm, and Pintos Farm show a different side to the region.
Schnebly Redland’s Winery & Brewery, the southernmost winery in the U.S., brews beer, produces tropical fruit wines, and hosts winery tours and tastings. Fruit & Spice Park, a tropical botanical garden boasting 500 varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, and spices, offers garden and tasting tours, stargazing nights, and educational classes. Patch of Heaven Sanctuary, a 20-acre nature sanctuary with a restored forest, sensory garden, 500 cacao trees, and a butterfly garden, hosts garden tours, forest baths, and meditation sessions. South Florida’s agricultural region is also the best place in the U.S. to enjoy fruits like lychee, soursop, pitaya, mamey, and guava — you can try them all at the famous Robert Is Here fruit stand on the drive down. miamiandbeaches.com.
Miami Art Week
November 30 to December 6
The year concludes with Miami’s most popular international event. Miami Art Week puts the city on the global stage, drawing visitors from around the world to some of the world’s most prestigious art fairs. In 2026, Art Basel Miami Beach runs from December 2 to 6. Art Miami, Context Art Miami, and Scope Miami Beach also take place during the week.
Even the satellite shows have their own satellite shows, with dozens of smaller events happening in different neighborhoods around the city, from the Design District to Little River to Allapattah to Little Havana. It’s also a big week for nightlife, with blowout parties at venues like LIV, Palm Tree Club, and E11even.
