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.

"Laugh Out Loud" Reigns in the South Beach Comedy Festival

Lots of fun and laughs, Miami’s comedy scene is always pumped. In celebration of the South Beach Comedy Festival for 2016, the team introduces Laugh Out Loud, a multi-day party featuring comedians, celebrities, performers and event goers. What’s better than being in a venue where comedy reigns? This event will be designed like a comedy/nightclub, with all the ambience and atmosphere that will make this a comforting venue that offers fun, exclusivity, and a chance for event goers to meet the comedians up close and personal. There will be a section for food vendors offering a number of entrees and treats named after famous comedians.

There will be another section designed like a stage, where workshops and classes on writing comedy will be held. There will also be areas where agents will be able to meet with budding comedians who are seeking representation. A large rotating screen will highlight features from popular comedy shows like Def Comedy Jam and Comedy Central.

Musical performers will be slated to appear throughout the venue at different times to add variety and a different vibe prior to comedic performances. A venue that welcomes both professional and open mic comedians, this will be a forum where up-and-coming comedians can showcase their skills. Other events featured will be a comedian roast, where both celebrities and event goers can participate in roasting popular comedians; a kids corner during the day where they will learn the fundamentals of performing in front of a crowd and how to write their own jokes; a comedy bowling tournament held outside, and a “Jeopardy” type game where participants will have to name that funny movie, person, or song.

The venue will have both indoor and outdoor activities, with opportunities to win giveaways and raffle prizes. This party will also shoot footage to include into a commercial for the Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater, and to be shown on Comedy Central.

Tickets for this venue will go on sale in March, as the event is held in April of each year. Tickets can be obtained through Ticketmaster, or at the Theater Box Office.

Former comedians who have participated in the festival include Hannibal Burress, Dave Chappelle, Bill Burr, Michael Yo, Mark Normand, and Patton Oswalt.

Partners of the South Beach Comedy Fest include the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority, Sirius XM Satellite Radio, Miami.com, Comedy Central, and the New Times.

Veritage Miami Kick Off Event

Supporting events that work to benefit others is one of the best things about organizations in Miami. One of the most popular year-round venues that attracts a huge crowd is Veritage Miami. Next year, Veritage Miami presents Unite with Veritage, a day party to kick off the events taking place in April every year. Designed to simulate a winery, there will be a rotating screen highlighting the different events slated to take place during the four-day affair, with booths set up to conduct tastings, wine classes, and other workshops on food and wine.

Celebrities and musical performers will attend for autographs, a silent auction, and a cooking contest. This venue will be a smaller-scale version of what to expect during the main venue. Past events include a craft beer tasting, fine wine tasting, interactive dinner and auction & wine dinner. Sponsors will be on hand for giveaways and in-depth presentations of their products or services.

Free recipes will be shown on a number of screens throughout the venue, with on-screen demonstrations on how to prepare those meals. Participants in the Best in Glass competition will also be presented to the crowd, with tastings for everyone to add their votes.

Sponsors will play a huge role in this day party, with a mini-program outlining the mission statement and purpose for supporting Veritage Miami as a souvenir book for event goers. Past sponsors include City National Bank, Miami Marlins, American Airlines, Bacardi, Bank of America, Greenberg Traurig, Carnival Foundation, Celebrity Cruises, Johnson & Wales University, and a host of others.

Tickets for the event will be sold starting in January, 2016 through Ticketmaster and Veritage Miami.

VeritageMiami (formerly United Way Miami Wine & Food Festival) brings together a who’s who of more than 3,000 wine, beer, spirits and food lovers from all across South Florida along with top sommeliers, notable chefs, prestigious wineries, winemakers and breweries and an impressive lineup of auction lots all to benefit the South Florida community. VeritageMiami benefits United Way of Miami-Dade, supporting programs in our community that are focused on improving the education, financial stability and health of our residents. VeritageMiami is part of Veritage, a series of celebrations of wine, food and philanthropy.

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.