Crowds pour into Downtown Miami for festival, theater events

MIAMI (WSVN) - The weekend is here with something for everyone to enjoy, whether you’re into hip-hop, theater or science.

Hip-hop fans continued to pour into Bayfront Park on day 2 of the Rolling Loud festival, Saturday.

“We’re here in sunny Miami, about to produce a beautiful music festival,” said Tariq Cherif, founder of Rolling Loud. “This is the premiere hip-hop festival. The number one hip-hop festival in the world.”

Some of the biggest names in hip-hop took the stage, and for their fans, there’s no festival like the three-day, sold-out event. “For rap, it’s the biggest festival ever,” said one guest.

“The number one rapper in the world right now, who just went, I think, double platinum, Kendrick Lamar, performing here,” Cherif said.

About 40,000 fans per day are expected to come to Miami from all over the country.

7News spoke to people from Houston, Texas, San Francisco, as well as Florida residents. They said headliners like Kendrick Lamar, Future and Lil Wayne will make the trip worth it.

“This is the largest hip-hop festival in all of the United States,” said Nelda Fonticiella, a spokesperson for Rolling Loud. “It’s the only festival where you have just pure hip-hop music.”

“It’s our first time, and not our last, for sure,” said reveler Heaven Jones.

The entertainment doesn’t stop there. Theater lovers have plenty to see at the Adrienne Arsht Center this weekend with shows like Chicago’s “Death and Harry Houdini” and the Miami Symphony Orchestra’s Beethovenmania.

Natural wonders are also waiting to be explored at the long-awaited Philip and Patricia Frost Science Museum. “This has been 12 years in the making,” said the president of the Frost Museum, Frank Steslow.

Members are getting a first look of the state-of-the-art planetarium and aquarium. “We showcase all of the habitats of South Florida,” said Frost Museum spokesperson Andy Dehart.

Doors open to the public on Monday, but the museum is hosting a gala, Saturday night and will welcome its 4,000-plus members on Sunday for a preview.

“Everyone that’s coming to the festival or is gonna be in the Downtown Brickell area, bring a lot of patience,” said Miami Police Sgt. Freddie Cruz.

Organizers are suggesting those trying to get in and of Downtown to use the Metrorail or Metromover. Ride sharing services are also working with the festival to make transportation easy and safe.

With thousands bracing the heat, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue is ready to take action this weekend. “We have about 80 firefighters, paramedics out here, on the scene, here to assure that everyone here has a wonderful time,” said Miami Fire Rescue Capt. Ignatius Carroll.

Police and fire rescue said, that thus far, crowd control has been a breeze. “All in all, [Friday] has been very calm,” Carroll said. “Some people dealt with a little dehydration, but other than that, a lot of people are coming out here, having a good time.”

Saturday’s sunny weather prompted health advice from Miami Fire Rescue Battalion Chief David Duenas. “We’re having beautiful weather today. What we’d like to see is for everyone to precautionarily make sure that they hydrate prior to coming here,” he said.

It hasn’t been that easy for motorists to get around, though. Drivers sat in traffic, Friday evening, waiting to just get past the area.

Traffic is expected to be affected in the downtown area. Saturday night, Biscayne Boulevard was shut down across from Bayfront Park.

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