Pop-Up A-Go-Go

You don’t need New Times to tell you that Miami’s public transit sucks. Every South Floridian is well aware of this nasty bit of business, from bicyclists nearly mowed down by desperate drivers to cocktail waitresses forced to take two-hour bus rides to work. But instead of endlessly petitioning city officials for change, one group wants to show the city what life would be like with more transit stations. Not just to cart us around more easily, but also to expand our cultural quotient. Two birds, one stone. This Friday and Saturday, the Purple Line (NE Second Avenue and 36th Street, Miami) will present a pop-up train-station installation of the same name, complete with art, music, and food. “We’re trying to show artistically what can happen when you have an improved transit system. Miami can’t grow to its full potential without a better transportation system, especially for the urban areas,” says Marta Viciedo, an organizer for the Purple Line. Though the installation will be on display in Dade, the group was inspired in part by the Better Block Fort Lauderdale campaign, which is all about revitalizing urban areas. And the event is designed to showcase how a train station can breed all kinds of fun, culturally relevant goings-on. So the Purple line is staging a host of art displays, kids’ activities, a farmers’ market, and music.
Fri., March 8, noon-midnight; Sat., March 9, 9-midnight, 2013