MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – There were three big parties this weekend in Miami-Dade County: Jazz in The Gardens in Miami Gardens, Carnaval Miami’s Calle Ocho Music Festival in Little Havana, and Miami Beach Live in South Beach.
Jazz In The Gardens started on Friday night with an opening party at the Hard Rock Stadium Club Level. The weekend stage was at Hard Rock Stadium, at 347 Don Shula Dr., in Miami Gardens.
The music festival started at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday with Mark Allen Felton. It continued with swv at 5:30 p.m., The Roots at 6:30 p.m., The Isley Brothers at 8 p.m., and Mary J. Blige at 9:30 p.m.
The party continued at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday with Mike Phillips, Jonathan McReynolds, and Stokley. The last concerts of the night are Rick Ross at 7:15 p.m. and H.E.R. at 8:30 p.m.
Dance pop on the sand
Alanis Morissette performed during Miami Beach Live on Saturday in South Beach. Jon Batiste was the opening act. The event was from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on the beach, east of Ocean Drive and 13th Street.
Latin flavor and street reggaeton
Carnaval Miami’s Calle Ocho Music Festival took over Eighth Street from Southwest 12th to 27th avenues on Sunday in Little Havana.
Tents with food and drink vendors offered every flavor of the Caribbean and Latin American cuisine. There were six stages lined up on the street. These were the highlights:
- The stage on 27th Avenue had 20 performances from 12 to 7 p.m., and Grammy-winning Cuban singer Albita closed the show at 6:30 p.m.
- The stage on 24th Avenue had five performances: DJ Danny Castro at 12 p.m., El Micha at 1 p.m., Timbalive at 2:30 p.m., Osmany Garcia at 4 p.m., and Oro Solido at 5:30 p.m.
- The stage on 22nd Avenue had seven performances including this year’s King of the Carnaval Yotuel, a Latin Grammy Award-winning Cuban singer, who performed at 5:20 p.m.
- The stage on 19th Avenue had four performances: Tito Punte, Jr., Frankie Ruiz, Jr., Giggles, and Charlie Rock.
- The stage on 17th Avenue had six performances: NHance, Laura D., DBJ, Shade, Merlyn, and Craze.
- The stage on 12th Avenue had 17 performances including Jessie-O, KEIINY, Karibe Kings, and Valentina Mami.