The best Miami events in May 2024 to look forward to

Fairchild Garden transforms into a prehistoric playground this summer. Explore the lush grounds where life-size dinosaurs hold court amid a collection of cycads, ferns, conifers and all sorts of flowering plants that date back to primitive times. Kiddos can get hands-on during the ancient artifact digs, egg hunts and more while learning all about what the world was like 65 million years ago. Be sure to check the Fairchild Garden website for up-to-date information on upcoming dino events.

Take advantage of GMCVB’s Miami Attraction & Museum Months program until May 31 to enjoy special discounts, savings on admissions and BOGO deals from more than 50 of Miami’s top museums, galleries and outdoor adventures. Choose between neighborhood favorites like Island Queen Cruises and Tours, Pérez Art Museum Miami and Vizcaya Museum & Gardens.

"The Messi Experience: A Dream Come True" launches its world tour in Miami this spring, just as the city's fever for the famed footballer kicks into high gear. The sprawling, immersive multimedia exhibit traces Leo Messi's childhood and powerhouse soccer career to now, taking visitors of all ages through approximately 75 minutes of projection-mapped installations and interactive games at The Hangar Coconut Grove.

James Beard Award-winning chef Nina Compton and her acclaimed restaurant Compère Lapin transplant from the Big Easy to the Magic City for a month-long residency on the rooftop of the Four Seasons Hotel Miami in Brickell. Expect a selection of Compton's signature dishes, like fried chicken with coconut grits and pickles and blackened lobster served with maque choux, served in a lively indoor-outdoor dining room overlooking the city.

Hyde Beach at the SLS South Beach is basically a nightclub—but it’s during the day, everyone's in a bathing suit and the dance floor is a pool. If it’s a Vegas-style bash with bottle service and champagne showers you seek, the SLS Pool party is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 7pm, while the Haus of Hyde nightclub rages on from 10pm to 3am. Though weekends are the busiest, hit up the SLS pool any day of the week for a guaranteed fist-pumping good time—especially during Spring Break and Miami Music Week, when the party programming doesn't stop.  

One of the world's most celebrated illusionists, Rob Lake has dazzled and entertained millions with his mind-blowing illusions on network television, in Times Square, on the Vegas Strip, in Atlantic City, throughout Europe, Asia and the Bahamas and before sold-out audiences in casinos, arenas and theaters worldwide. His astonishing original illusions are presented as awe-inspiring storytelling on the grandest scale. Whether you're a lifelong fan of magic or new to the world of illusion, Rob Lake's performance is one you'll never forget! So don’t miss your chance to see him live at the Arsht Center on May 18. This show is fit for all ages, so feel free to bring the kids along, with tickets starting at just $35. 

The Coconut Grove Farmers Market is probably Miami’s most well-known. Every Saturday, Homestead's Glaser Organic Farms transforms an unoccupied corner of Coconut Grove into a full-fledged produce market with dozens of fruit and vegetable stands, a raw bar featuring prepared foods and salads and coolers filled with cold-pressed juices and nut mylks. There’s even velvety vegan ice cream for sale and several rows of picnic tables where you can sit and enjoy your bounty. Along its periphery, you’ll find other local vendors selling honey, homemade soaps, handmade jewelry and other artisanal items. And the setup and breakdown are so fascinating to watch! Much like the circus leaving town, everyone quickly dismantles their tents and packs up just after sunset, leaving no trace of the bustling day on the empty gravel lot.

No, that sonic boom you hear isn’t a thunderstorm rolling in (hopefully!), but it’s pretty close. The Air Force Thunderbirds, Heritage Flight, A-10 Thunderbolt II, Ghost Squadron and SOCOM Para-Commandos all headline this year’s edition of the popular air show, which attracts thousands to the shores of Fort Lauderdale Beach.     

Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix returns with one of the most exciting racing events the city has ever seen. The race, which is one of 24 races worldwide comprising the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship, takes place at the Miami International Autodrome at Hard Rock Stadium. Though the full program has yet to be released, expect another year of luxe activations, food and drinks, live entertainment and high-speed thrills.

Legion Park is the place to be on a beautiful Saturday morning, as tents pop up from Biscayne Boulevard all the way to Biscayne Bay. Run by Urban Oasis Project, which oversees some of Miami’s most important farmers markets, you’ll find produce from local favorites like Little River Cooperative and French Farms, artisan-made goods like fresh bread, hummus and empanadas (the Chilean ones are excellent), and even dog treats. (Don’t worry, Fido always gets a free sample.) In the morning, a hundred or so yogis gather under the Spanish oak-draped banyan trees for a donation-based yoga class and then stock up on goods from some of the new-age vendors onsite.