Sweets for the Sweet!

There’s nothing better than being able to feed a sweet tooth with the ultimate sweet confection of all time: Chocolate! That’s exactly what the team at the 10^th Annual International Chocolate Festival imagined when putting together their premier event, Sweets for the Sweet! A multi-day event, this party starts on January 21 as part of the pre-opening festivities. Chocolate confectioners from all over the world will converge in a venue decorated like a chocolate factory to provide educational sessions on the history of chocolate; have free chocolate demonstrations; and of course, hundreds of chocolate to taste,

A fun-filled event that will feature local performers, master chefs and chocolatiers, sponsors will set up booths with information, giveaways and other incentives. There will be an entire “kids station” decorated like the Willie Wonka Factory, where children at the event can play, understand where chocolate comes from, and make their own.

Not just for chocolate, there will be food stations set up by food trucks to keep everyone full while enjoying the chocolate. Selections like pizza, Caribbean conch fritters, frozen hot chocolate, Peruvian food, roasted corn and Italian sausage are just some of the offerings that will be a part of this event.

Closing out the festival, event goers will have an additional day of fun with a concert taking place Sunday night after the festival is done. International performers will take the stage with much fanfare to close out the festivities with a bang. Pieces from the art show will be on display to showcase the environmental education program.

Tickets for the event are already available via the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden website for $25. Tickets for the parties will be available in November. Sponsors for this year’s event are Whole Foods Market, CocoVia Brand, Miami-Dade County, Florida Attractions, City of Coral Gables. Previous sponsors include Nestle Nesquick, New York life, Zico, Mexico Tourism Board, Johnson and Wales University, and Martex.

The mission of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is to save tropical plant diversity by exploring, explaining and conserving the world of tropical plants; fundamental to this task is inspiring a greater knowledge and love for plants and gardening so that all can enjoy the beauty and bounty of the tropical world.

The International Chocolate Festival is designed to learn about the life cycle of a cacao plan and the different variations of chocolate that can be made in a fun and interesting environment.

Miami Art Basel Presents Living Large for Art

Art Basel is one of the premier art shows in the world, with celebrities, art aficionados, collectors and window shoppers all together in the Design District and Miami Beach to come and celebrate art. Miami Art Basel presents Living Large for Art, a multi-day party where art enthusiasts can come and meet the artists behind the magic in an interesting and fun environment to complement Miami Beach’s Art Basel December 3-6, 2015. Designed like a street show, this venue will simulate a mini-art show. International and local painters will be on hand to give painting lessons, workshops to discuss texture, abstract painting, and how to make it in the business. Additional classes will be held on sculpting, and the elements that make an interesting piece. A class on how to price paintings will also be held, to discuss why paintings and sculptures are priced the way they are, and what an artist should expect when putting their creations up for sale. A perfect venue for the budding artist, the hosts and hostesses will be dressed in t-shirts that feature famous paintings.

National celebrities will make appearances for autograph signings and to discuss why they love art. There will be vendor booths set up selling paint and art supplies and additional tools to help individuals interested in the world of art. Mini sections of past paintings and sculptures will be highlighted at this event, along with information on each piece being featured during Art Basel.

Past highlights include Meem 4 Miami by Ryan McNamara, Survey featuring historical works, the premiere of Big Eyes, the movie about Walter Keane, and Public Opening Night.

Tickets for this even are already on sale and can be acquired through the online portal. Tickets onsite are available at the Miami Beach Convention Center box office starting December 3, 2015.

Partners for Art Basel Miami Beach include Ubs, Davidoff, Audemars Piguet, NetJets, Art, Baloise, Ruinart, Le Free Port, Vienna, BMW, and Kickstarter.

Art Basel stages the world’s premier Modern and contemporary art fairs, staged annually in Basel, Miami Beach, and Hong Kong. A driving force in supporting the role that galleries play in nurturing the careers of their artists, Art Basel frequently expands its platforms to include the newest developments in the visual arts. Art Basel also develops new initiatives that reflect its commitment to the broader art world with special projects that range from ongoing collaborations with partners to specially-commissioned events during the shows. Some of those initiatives include Crowdfunding and the BMW Art Journey.

Using apps for event planning

If you are looking for event planning tools, there are a plethora of mobile apps available to help you plan, coordinate, and promote your event. Let’s take a look at some of the many event management apps available today, with a quick description of what they can help users accomplish.

WhereEvent

WhereEvent lets you post events and sorts them by city. Users sort to events that are taking place by searching by their city.

Super Planner

A business app for the pro. Super Planner can help determine a venues capacity, and what is needed for staffing, catering, staging, projection, and even the amount of dance floor needed.

Event Espresso

Registration and ticket managing plug-in that includes printable tickets, seating charts and even a payment gateway for tickets.

OotoWeb

They offer an attendee management tool for simple to complex meeting scenarios as well as a Mobile Event Guide, which lets you create a mobile capable website that can send alerts and updates.

All Seated

All Seated keeps the event planner, venue, vendors and anyone who needs to be “in the loop” on the same page with updated seated charts, vendor space, guests lists and more.

Bloodhound

Scan badges and business cards. Upload and manage your event. Change event times and make announcements as you need to. Bloodhound is an event guide and marketing tool.

EventBrite

Lets you manage and promote your event and handles the sales on tickets online.

Evernote

Evernote is just a great, solid app for helping you to remember everything and keeping all of your great ideas in one place. What event planner can’t use a little help with that?

If you are looking for event space in Miami, consider the 65,000 square foot, multi-purpose Soho Studios. Soho Studios offers premier event space in the trendy Wynwood District of Miami, home of the prestigious Art Basel Miami. We are a versatile space, serving as a photography studio Miami artists have become extremely found of, to being known as one of the more active party venues Miami pulses to. If you are looking for a world class venue for your concert, trade show, convention or meeting in Southern Florida, we invite you to discover Soho Studios.t a great, solid app for helping you to remember everything and keeping all of your great ideas in one place. What event planner can’t use a little help with that?

Miami Events

Miami is the number one place in America for events and parties of all kind. Depending on the time of year different events will take place. There's the Miami International Boat Show, Miami Book Fair, Art Basel, Miami Fashion Week, Coconut Grove Arts Festival, Ultra, Winter Music Conference and many more. These type of Miami events bring in huge crowds and have a huge economic impact. For example one of Miami events named Ultra (one weekend of electronic music) brings South Florida $79 million.

Other notable periods like Art Basel Miami in December have a much wider impact on Miami events. During Art Basel Miami many satellite Art Fairs setup in Miami Beach, Wynwood and Midtown. International brands look to jump on the exposure of Art Basel and align their brand with an Art theme. For example Heineken created the Heineken Mural Map.

Sony Ericsson Open

Where: Crandon Park Tennis Center, 7300 Crandon Boulevard, Key Biscayne When: Mar-Apr Tel & website: 1-888 383 1515/305 379 7978/http://www.sonyopentennis.com/ Fifth-largest international tennis tournament in terms of players, prize money and attendance.

Art Basel Miami Beach

Where: Wynwood, Midtown and Miami Beach Convention Center When: December 4 - 8 2013 (usually first week of December) Tel & website: 305 674 292/www.artbasel.com

Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival

Where: South Beach When: late Feb to early March Tel & website: 305 627 1275/http://corporate.sobefest.com/ The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE is a national, star-studded, four-day destination Miami event showcasing the talents of the world's most renowned wine and spirits producers, chefs and culinary personalities

Miami International Boat Show & Strictly Sail

Where: Miamarina at Bayside, 401 Biscayne Boulevard, Downtown & other locations When: 3rd wk Feb Tel & website: 954 441 3220/www.miamiboatshow.com This popular Miami Event showcases the latest in yachts, powerboats, sailboats, engines, electronics and accessories.

Spring

Miami International Film Festival

Where: Gusman Center for the Performing Arts, 174 E Flagler Street, at SE 1st Avenue, Downtown, & other locations When: early Mar Tel & website: 305 237 3456/www.miamifilmfestival.com By bringing the best of world cinema to Miami, MIFF presents the city and the film industry with a singular platform that fosters creative and technical talent.

WGC-CA Championship

Where: Doral Golf Resort & Spa, 4400 NW 87th Avenue, at NW 41st Street, North-west Miami When: mid Mar Tel & website: 305 447 4653/www.worldgolfchampionships.com

Carnaval Miami/Calle Ocho

Where: throughout Miami-Dade County When: early Mar Tel & website: 305 644 8888/www.carnavalmiami.com The Miami Event began as a club that started in 1975 by a small group of high school friends, to grow and become a major service non-profit organization.

Miami International Orchid Show

Where: Coconut Grove Convention Center, 2700 S Bayshore Drive, at SW 27th Avenue, Coconut Grove When: late Feb Tel and Website: 305 255 3656 / http://www.sforchid.com/

Winter Party Week

Where: on the beach at Ocean Drive, at 14th Street, South Beach When: late Feb Tel & website: 305 571 1924/www.winterparty.com Over 10,000 guests from around the world attend this Miami Event. A annual six-day extravaganza featuring the most spectacular venues, the most unforgettable parties and receptions and the best international DJ talent.

Dade Heritage Days

Where: throughout Miami-Dade County When: Mar-Apr Tel & website: 305 258 9572/www.dadeheritagetrust.org Dade Heritage Trust (DHT) was founded in 1972 as a nonprofit membership organization to preserve Dade County’s architectural, cultural and environmental heritage through advocacy, education and restoration. This Miami-Dade County event celebrates with open houses, lectures, and guided walking and canoe tours of sights like the Deering Estate and the Barnacle site.

Miami-Dade County Fair & Exposition

Where: Tamiami Park, Coral Way/SW 24th Street & SW 112th Avenue, West Dade When: Mar-Apr Tel & website: 305 223 7060/www.fairexpo.com A private, not-for-profit organization will continue its dedication to enriching our community by promoting education and South Florida agriculture while showcasing and rewarding youth achievement.

Summer

Miami/Bahamas Goombay Festival

Where: throughout Coconut Grove When: 1st weekend June Tel & website: 305 448 9501/www.goombayfestivalcoconutgrove.com Who needs to go to the Bahamas. This Miami event brings the Bahamas to Miami over a three day event including music and food.

International Mango Festival

Where:Fairchild Tropical Garden 10901 Old Cutler Road, at SW 101st Street, South Miami When: 2nd weekend July Tel & website: 305 667 1651/www.fairchildgarden.org

Miami Spice Restaurant Month

Where: throughout Miami When: Aug-Sept Website: http://www.ilovemiamispice.com/

During August and September, Miami Spice bring a Miami event that features top restaurants, offering three-course meals (Lunches $19 or $23, Dinners $33 or $39) featuring signature dishes created by world-renowned chefs.

Autumn

Festival Miami

Where: University of Miami, Gusman Concert Hall, 1314 Miller Drive, at San Amaro Drive, Coral Gables When: 4-6wks from mid Sept Tel & website: 305 284 4940/www.festivalmiami.com This Miami event brings a Premier Live Music Festival—provides world-class musical programming in diverse styles to all of South Florida.

Junior Orange Bowl Festival

Where: throughout Miami-Dade County When: Oct-Jan Tel & website: 305 662 1210/www.jrorangebowl.com Known as "The Largest International Youth Sports and Arts Festival," the Junior Orange Bowl Youth Festival blossomed in 1948 when the first Junior Orange Bowl Parade traveled through beautiful downtown Coral Gables and become and important Miami events.

Columbus Day Regatta

Where: Biscayne Bay When: mid Oct Tel & website: 305 858 3320/www.columbusdayregatta.net

Miami Book Fair

Where: Miami Dade College, Wolfson Campus, 300 NE 2nd Avenue, at NE 3rd Street, Downtown

When: mid Nov

Tel & website: 305 237 3258/www.miamibookfair.com This Miami event features six nights of readings and discussions with noted authors from the United States and around the world.

South Beach Comedy Festival

Where: various venues When: mid-Jan Website:www.southbeachcomedyfestival.com South Beach comedy week is guaranteed to bring laughs and smiles.

Ocean Drive Volleypalooza

Where: Ocean Drive & 8th Street, South Beach When: early Feb Tel & website: 305 532 2544/http://www.southbeachvolleyball.com/ This Miami event brings all those fit young people out for a sexy volleyball tournament. For two days watch models from the world's top agencies get down and dirty in the South Beach sand.

Coconut Grove Arts Festival

Where: throughout Coconut Grove When: 3rd weekend Feb Tel & website: 305 447 0401/http://www.cgaf.com/

What began in 1963 as an intimate “clothes line” art show featuring a handful of artists and a few thousand onlookers as part of a promotion for the Coconut Grove Playhouse’s production of Irma la Douce has transformed itself into South Florida’s most successful arts festival.

Deering Seafood Festival

What better way to extol South Florida’s incredible setting and regional cuisine than at the Annual Deering Seafood Festival on the Bay held every spring  from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., you’ll find yourself immersed in lively, communal, gourmet celebration events. A dizzying array of restaurants and caterers - Black Point Ocean Grill, Paella Party, Golden Rule Seafood, and many others serve up an equally head-spinning menu of delectable seafood, from conch to lobsters. You’ll be able to stare at the riffled waters of Biscayne Bay (on which pontoon-boat tour run for the event) while tasting the ocean with every bite.

Culinary Instruction

This festival is not just about savoring fabulous seafood plates; it’s also an opportunity to learn how to prepare some of these delectable dishes for yourself. A formidable assemblage of some of South Florida’s leading executive chefs - including Samir Canaan of Truluck’s Seafood Steak & Crab House and Kareem Anguin of The Oceanaire Seafood Room in Miami, as well as Key Largo’s Damian Gilchrist of the Ocean Reef Club - will be leading cooking demonstrations. They will answer questions, provide samples, and everyone in the audience will come away with the recipe for the dish in focus. You’ll also get the opportunity to bone up on food and wine pairings through expert instruction from Crown Wine & Spirits.

Entertainment

Throughout the festivities, you are immersed in the richly varied music of South Florida and the West Indies. From the culture-drenched energy of Bahamian Junkanoo performances to bands such as Caribbean Crew, Code Red, and the Mosquito Heads, your gustatory revelry will enjoy a vibrant soundtrack.

Don’t worry about the kids being bored, either: The Deering Seafood Festival has its own fun, educational component perfectly complementing its focus. Through the “Five Oceans of the World” experience at Deering Discovery Cove, younger attendees will receive a hands-on crash course in marine biology. They’ll also love the play space and age-specific fare.

The Deering Seafood Festival is one of the Miami area’s can’t-miss celebrations.

Jazz in the Gardens Music Festival

For those who enjoy the soulful sound of jazz, the Jazz in the Gardens Music Festival is an excellent chance to get away with friends and family and spend the weekend relaxing. The festival has a reputation of bringing together a star studded line up and enjoyment for all.

The Jazz in the Gardens Music Festival will be held the weekend of March 16 and 17, 2013 in Miami Gardens at Sun Life Stadium, located at 347 Don Shula Drive in Miami Gardens, Florida. The show is being presented by Uptown Magazine and will be hosted by Michael Baisden.

Those who are traveling from out of town may appreciate the effort the show organizers have gone through to put together several travel packages involving hotel stays in the local areas. These packages include various discounts on amenities and the chance to have a luxurious weekend away from home. Previous festivals have been attended by tens of thousands of people from as far away as Canada and the Caribbean as well as all over the United States.

This year the artists scheduled to perform include Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, who has written and produced music for artists such as Pebbles and Paula Abdul and has also worked with Whitney Houston and Boyz II Men. The eight time Grammy nominee, Fantasia, is also going to perform. Ne-Yo, or Shaffer Chimere Smith, is an R&B recording artists who has written many famous and popular songs, such as “Let Me Love You”, which was performed by the singer Mario. He has also written songs for Beyoncé Knowles and Mary J. Blige. Monica, who has received a Grammy Award in addition to multiple nominations, is excited to perform as well. Earth, Wind & Fire, who helped form a new brand of pop that is immersed in African American style, will join the other popular and famous artists listed. Other artists will include Mary Mary, Rachelle Ferrell, Najee, New Edition, and Charlie Wilson, all of whom have carved out a name for themselves in the music business.

The show promises to be an exciting and fun event for all local and tourists who flock to Miami to enjoy it. It is a wonderful way to spend a weekend while losing yourself in the music.

Miami Asian Culture Festival

If you are interested in taking a trip to the Far East, then the Miami Asian Culture Festival has your ticket. Featuring a wide variety of Asian cultures, from Pakistan to Japan, the festival incorporates dances, shows, food, art, and other cultural displays to allow the people of Miami to get a genuine taste of the East.

The Asian Culture Festival has been held for over two decades, and continues to attract visitors from both the local population as well as tourists. This year it was on March 3, 2012 from 10 am to 6 pm in Fruit & Spice Park located at 24801 S.W. 187th Avenue in Homestead.

One of the more popular events to witness is the tournament of Sepak Takraw, which originates in Malaysia. It is often compared to a volleyball game except participants are not allowed to use their hands. Some of the other more popular performances include the Chinese Lion Dances, the Japanese Taiko drummers, and the Dragon Boat display.

Children also find many fun activities to do in the global village, oriented towards the younger visitors. The children have a access to a variety of games, rides, and activities to introduce them to the wide variety of cultures found throughout Asia.

Of course, no Asian festival would be complete without the food. The Miami Asian Culture Festival offers a wide variety of foods. To begin, there are the popular demonstrations of fruit and vegetable carving techniques. The finished products are stunning to behold. There are also a variety of meat and pasta dishes such as kabobs and beef and chicken cooked in a variety of ethnic sauces. There are also fun ethnic creations such as bubble tea, which are very popular. A great deal of the food is cooked right on site which makes the experience even more enjoyable for visitors.

When you are looking for a chance to step outside of your normal cultural experience and witness all Asia has to offer, the Miami Asian Culture Festival is the place to be. It will be an unforgettable experience.

Florida Renaissance Festival

The Miami, Florida Renaissance Festival allows visitors to take a momentary time machine back to the ages when it was normal to drink a quart of warm mead and a leg of turkey in one's finest wear without any comments or staring. Put on annually with the works, including jousting, arts, festivals, time-period costume wear, and entertainment for the kids, the Florida Renaissance Festival is definitely a sight not to miss. The Festival draws visitors from across the state as well as from out of town and international visitors as well. Given the fact that Miami is an international destination, the marketing for the Festival often draws visitors who happened to be in town and wanted something different for a day versus being at the beach.

For businesses, the Festival is a chance to engage in community goodwill as well as selling unique products that don't normally subscribe to mainstream retailing. Artwork, furniture and clothing that draw from time periods do exceptionally well at the Festival, drawing customers from all over the state and tourists as well.

For event space in Miami to coincide with the Florida Renaissance Festival, Soho Studios can help coordinate space needs as well as logistics, particularly for larger scale vendors needing room to establish their presence for an extended period. Soho Studios regularly works with clients seeking party venues in Miami for all types of celebrations, festivals, and public ceremonies, including supporting vendor space as well.

So if you're thinking that this spring it’s about time to hop into your best leather britches, tankard in hand and harp in the other to try your success as a minstrel in the Renaissance, then the Florida Renaissance Festival is your destination. And once you're done with planning for festivities, remember that Soho Studios can provide the spacing and facility resources your event or business might need to operate a corollary event to work in tandem with the Renaissance Festival.

Calle Ocho Festival - Miami's Biggest Block Party

The Calle Ocho Festival held in Miami has become one of the biggest block parties around. The Hispanic culture of the locals is showcased by vendors and entertainers alike. It gives spectators a unique view of the richness and diversity of the Latin residents' who live there. Party venues in Miami provide various types of entertainment with a distinctive Latin flair.

A photography studio in Miami can help you capture memories of the time spent at the Calle Ocho Festival. One of the world’s largest Art Fairs, Art Basel Miami Beach is an event where Latin-American Artists have the opportunity to exhibit their beautifully crafted masterpieces with the global art scene. Every December both artists and art lovers alike converge in Miami Beach, Downtown Miami and of course the Wynwood District to display the many facets of the community. The Calle Ocho Festival is more known as a local favorite and anyone who grew up in Miami has fond memories of attending it with their families.

Entertainers and vendors can find various types of event space in Miami during the Calle Ocho Festival. More than one million visitors attend this Latin festival each year. The festival runs along the famous "Calle Ocho" or 8th Street in Little Havana. The celebration is designed to have something for all ages. The festival promoters provide a "children's zone" where kids can play, have fun and be entertained with activities created especially for them.

The Calle Ocho Festival takes place on March 10, 2013. It runs all day and ends with the famous Miami Carnival. Musicians, entertainers, games and food vendors offer a fun-filled look into the rich history and culture of the Latin people who have chosen to make Miami their home. While the festival is not considered an official "Hispanic" holiday, the locals may considered otherwise. The number of visitors to the festival each year suggests it is one of the most popular of all Latin celebrations held in Florida each year.

If you are looking for a celebration that focuses on the beautiful and diverse Latina culture, visit Miami where it is thriving and continues to grow. For years, Miami has been known for its incredible celebrations, and Latin Culture. The Latin community is proud of its beautiful heritage and tradition. Come celebrate with us throughout the year!