MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) - From beautiful beaches to music festivals, South Florida is kicking off a weekend of fun along with the arrival of thousands of visitors.
One of the many events taking place in the Sunshine State this weekend will be the 12th annual Bike305 Bike to Work Day.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava kicked off the event at 7:00 a.m. Friday, leading the ride of over seven miles from Miami Beach to downtown Miami, showcasing Miami-Dade’s top cycling infrastructure.
7News’ Olivia DiVenti spoke with the mayor before she and the participants went on their fabulous ride.
“It’s a bike to work day,” said Levine Cava. “It’s to show that bicycling is great for recreation, for health, but it’s also a real form of mobility. Avoid that traffic jam. Get on your bicycle.”
In Little Havana, Calle Ocho Music Festival, the world’s largest Latin music festival, will be underway.
Across 15 blocks of Little Havana, visitors can be expected to experience lots of Latin food, music, culture and dancing.
“You can go to each stand and there is something different — Puerto Rican, Cuban,” said Giovanni Araujo, an employee at El Santo.
Araujo said he’s been working the Latin festival for many years, adding that people will love the diversity of flavors.
“You should come over to Calle Ocho Festival. It’s pretty exciting,” he said.
There will, however, be a significant amount of street closures.
Drivers in the area are advised to be mindful.
A few miles north, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, there will be more music and fun at the 18th annual Jazz in the Gardens.
Last year, more than 40,000 people attended, a 25% increase from previous years.
Music lovers can expect all types of jams from smooth jazz to R&B classics as this year’s lineup will feature stars like Toni Braxton and Lauryn Hill along with dancehall icon Beenie Man.
“This is a historical moment at Jazz in the Gardens, but then, obviously, you got new additions. You got another Grammy winner this year, Coco Jones, right? You’ve got the return of Beenie Man, who hasn’t been in the U.S. for 10+ years. You got a cornucopia of music,” said Troy Brown, CMO of Black Promoters Collectives.
But if people are in the mood to just relax, head on over to Miami Beach, where spring break is in full effect.
Officials promise a no-tolerance policy for lawlessness on the beach to keep things calmer than years past. Stricter policies include $100 parking, curfews, limited beach access, security checkpoints, DUI enforcement, heavy police presence and a weekend non-resident towing rate of upwards of $500.
“We’re well prepared. It’s definitely the measures, and really the buy-in, by residents and businesses, that we need to clamp down and have a clean month of March,” Mayor Steven Meiner told 7News. “For years we had major, major issues during the month of March in spring break last year, my first year as mayor. It was really a collective effort, and we cleaned it up. We put in a lot of measures, law enforcement presence. We were busy, our city was bustling, but it was calm, not chaos.”
Some people who spoke to 7News said they enjoyed the calmness.
“Are you here for spring break?” said 7News’ reporter Jessica Vallejo.
“Yeah! Me and my friends planned a little girls trip down here last minute and we are hanging out here,” said Amiah Johnson.
“I’m really excited for the parties and I really appreciate the efforts put in by the city to protect the students here. During other times I know it’s been pretty crazy during the past few years,” said Savanah Mohammad, a spring breaker from New Orleans.
“It is a bit crowded, to be honest, but it’s great. It’s a great time,” said Amaury Beuscart, a tourist from London.
Levine Cava also said she and her city are getting ready for spring breakers in the county, especially as Miami Music Week caps off the month in Bayfront Park.
“Well, we have a new sheriff in town, and I think she has us covered,” she said.
Other events include the Coral Gables Feria de Sevilla, where guests can feel the vibrant spirit of Spain. In Fort Lauderdale, the city will host a St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival where all things Irish will be celebrated.
However, with all the fun comes big traffic and road closures.
For more information on road closures:
Jazz in the Gardens
Calle Ocho Music Festival
Coral Gables Feria de Sevilla
St. Patrick Parade and Festival
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.