All That Jazz … and Then Some

One of the best things about Miami is its cultural events, bringing in thousands of people at a time. March 18-20, 2016 is a showcase of celebrities from all over the nation coming together for performances in one big forum – the Jazz in the Gardens. Capitalizing on all the tourists coming into town for this event, the committee presents, All That Jazz … And Then Some. A pre-festivity event, this party will have a soundstage featuring local performers and interviews with some of the scheduled weekend performers. Sponsors and vendors will be able to feature booths with food, giveaways and contests.

Designed to be a snapshot of what’s to come, past performance from events will be displayed on a huge jumbotron in the middle of the room. Past performers include Toni Braxton, Kenny G, Gladys Knight, Teena Marie, Jeffrey Osborne, Ronald Isley, R. Kelly, New Edition and more. In existence for over 10 years in the City of Miami Gardens, there are a number of culminating events taking place throughout the week.

This event is open to those parties who hold two-day passes, and employees from sponsor organizations to keep it an exclusive affair. Past sponsor organizations include United Teachers of Dade, Bacardi, Hot105FM, Antioch of Miami Gardens, SunLife Stadium, Miami Dolphins, Greater Ft. Lauderdale, Volkswagen, The DL Hugley Show, Miami New Times, The Miami Herald, Rolling Out Magazine, Miami-Dade County, Smooth Jazz.com, South Florida Caribbean News and Legacy Magazine.

Tickets for this pre-event party go on sale in January at Ticketmaster. A verification code is needed to make sure they apply to two- or three-day ticket holders and sponsor organizations. Tickets can also be purchased from Dolphin Stadium. The line-up for 2016 will be announced in December 2015 and January 2016.

Jazz in the Gardens started ten years ago with a few performers in hopes of having an annual festival where individuals could come and enjoy performers and food in an outside venue for a fun and musically enhanced experience.

The City of Miami Gardens was incorporated on May 13, 2003, as the 33rd city in Miami-Dade County. At a population of 105,457, it is the third largest city in Miami-Dade County (after Miami and Hialeah). The City is located in North-Central region of the county, mid-way between Fort Lauderdale and Miami, and is easily accessed by I-95, the Palmetto Expressway (SR 826) and the Florida Turnpike. The city comprises approximately 20 square miles.

Miami Gardens is home to Dolphin Stadium (used by the Miami Dolphins and the Florida Marlins) and Calder Race Track. It has vibrant commercial corridors along the Palmetto Expressway (serving as the central shopping district for the furniture trade) and along U.S. 441 (serving the automobile trade). The city has rail access through the Florida East Coast Railway and the South Florida Tri-Rail System.

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.