MIAMI – The 78th annual Miami International Boat Show is just one of many marquee events happening over President's Day weekend, making it one of the most touristic weekends in the Magic City.
"For the marine industry, this is the Super Bowl. This is the largest recreational collection of recreational boats anywhere in the world," Miami International Boat Show Director Larry Berryman said. "We have 1,400 at this site alone, and if you combine what is going on at the Miami Yacht Show, there are another 500 or 600 there -- 2,000 boats on display in one weekend."
The Miami Yacht and Brokerage Show has moved to a larger venue at One Herald Plaza.
"The excitement is, logistically, it is so much easier to get between the two shows, so for a lot of them, they have boats at both locations. So it is great to have it so close," Yacht World PR manager Rudy Tomarchio said.
And let's not forget about the 56th annual Coconut Grove Art Festival. Featuring 380 artists, this juried show has 119 new artists participating this year.
The eighth annual Art Wynwood Fair may be the young upstart, but much like its neighborhood namesake, it is gaining in popularity.
Going back to the Boat Show, there are new ways to get to the Miami Marine Stadium location.
"You can use the Brightline and get picked up on a shuttle bus. If you are close to the American Airlines Arena or Bayfront Park, you can jump on a free water taxi," Berryman said.
Park and ride spots on the key should be reserved online in advance as 100,000 people from around the world are expected to attend.
"We are looking at about an $850 million economic driver for South Florida," Berryman said. "That's enormous. That's two-and-a-half Super Bowls every single year."