The best spring events in Miami to mark on your calendar

Sure, you can schlep all the way to Cannes or Sundance to see the latest and greatest international cinema—or you can let it come to you at Miami’s very own world-class film festival, featuring 10 days of short films, documentaries and features throughout the city. For its fortieth anniversary, the annual festival put on by Miami Dade College will feature an opening night screening of Ray Romano's feel-good narrative feature, Somewhere in Queens, a nominee for this year's Jordan Ressler First Feature Award. Locations vary; at various times.

Miami plays host to one of just a handful of annual flamenco festivals outside of New York City featuring dancers directly from Spain. This year, acclaimed dancer and choreographer Sara Baras returns to the Arsht Center with her newest show, Alma, as the festival's centerpiece. Lavish costumes and live music performed onstage accent Baras' masterful footwork as the artist fuses modern and traditional styles for a captivating dance of passion.

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 2023 Formula 1 World Championship, takes place at the Miami International Autodrome on May 7, 2023. Presale tickets are on sale now!

Miami gets melodic during March when a series of Miami Music Week events, including the Ultra Music Festival and the Winter Music Conference, brings world-class DJs and producers, dance music label showcases, epic poolside parties, educational workshops and the full-on EDM lifestyle to the Magic City. At various locations

As Miami's most steadfast rave festival, Ultra can be relied upon to deliver a massive lineup of hard-hitting EDM, techno, house and underground dance music in the heart of Downtown Miami year after year. It's a beast of a fest, one which beckons thousands of fans (dubbed "Ultranauts") from around the world for three days of chest-rattling bass, cutting-edge production and truly over-the-top party vibes. Get the rundown of every artist playing this year with the full Ultra Miami 2023 lineup—and keep up with schedule info, must-see acts and related shows here.

Steve Martin and Edie Brickell adapted their celebrated 2013 bluegrass album Love Has Come For You into an Appalachian musical tapestry. Bright Star is set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, where a young World War II veteran has returned home to forge a career in journalism; his editor, meanwhile, must navigate her own challenging backstory involving a stolen child, as Martin and Brickell’s emotionally rich narrative shifts between timelines. $65–$100

Fancy yourself a bit of a wine snob? We've found your people: They'll be lining up to attend Wine Spectator’s Grand Tour Florida, taking place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino this spring. Sample coveted labels from around the world and nosh on a buffet of pallette-cleansing bites. All of the wines at this one-night tasting experience have been rated 90 points or higher by Wine Spectator, so you know no sip will go wasted. Plus, a portion of your ticket price benefits the Wine Spectator Scholarship Foundation.

Race over the county line to Gulfstream Park to see the world’s top thoroughbred horses compete on the road to the Kentucky Derby. Just try not to lose all your money while you’re there.

Our annual star-studded tennis tournament returns to its flashy home at Hard Rock Stadium. Expect the same sporty-chic crowds and luxe activations, including private cabana suites, glittering booze gardens serving copious cocktails, new culinary options and a gondola, offering a unique bird's-eye view of the grounds. Times vary.

Cold beer, fresh fish and one of Miami’s most stunning waterfront estates come front and center at this 17th annual festival, which also features cooking demonstrations, performances, kids zones, pontoon boat rides, an artisan market and more.

Playwright and Opa-Locka native Aurin Squire’s latest play explores a coming-of-age story of sexual discovery set in his own hardscrabble Miami neighborhood circa 1984. The play is about an age of innocence, or perhaps innocence lost: The title subject reigns over popular culture, and he may as well be a deity to a group of young Opa-Locka locals aspiring to be the “gloved one.” But it’s also a time of incipient gentrification and drug trafficking, and Squire’s play captures a moment in history that continues to resonate. $46.50–$76.50

Feast on all sorts of grilled, smoked and sauce-slathered dishes from South Florida restaurants while exploring Fruit and Spice Park’s 37 acres of lush paradise. There will be live blues from performances by Kedash Cornileus and food trucks from local barbecue vendors to satiate the masses.

Hosts Mickey and Minnie Mouse guide audiences on a magical adventure through swirling blue oceans, snow-covered mountains and the marigold bridge in Disney On Ice presents Into The Magic. This year's sprawling production brings together storylines and characters from Moana, Frozen, Coco and Beauty and the Beast plus other iconic Disney characters on skates. Guests also have the option to add on “Storytime with Belle,” which includes a dance party, crafting and interactive facetime with the beloved princess. 

Miami Beach Pride celebrates 15 years with a massive 16-day celebration, a sprawling village featuring free live music performances at Lummus Park and, of course, the grand finale Sunday parade. The party takes over Ocean Drive and surrounding areas, but you can find Pride activations all around the city, from the beach to the mainland, throughout the week. Highlights of this year's packed schedule include the Fun Dip kick-off pool party at The Clevelander, a queer art showcase at The Moxy, the annual Miss Miami Beach Pride Pageant, and an evening centered around social just and wellness at O Cinema. Jonathan Bennett (known for his role as Mean Girls' Aaron Samuels) and his husband Jaymes Vaughan lead the festivities as the 2023 Celebrity Grand Marshals. At various locations

Perennially relevant and deeply moving, Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey’s Tony-winning rock musical centers on a suburban mother with bipolar disorder who, unable to process an unimaginable grief, all but loses her identity in a cocktail of pills. As her situation worsens, the effects ripple across her family members, each of whom finds their own ways to cope.  $60–$65

Miami NFT Week features three days of NFT and Web3-themed events and panels aimed at everyone from entrepreneurs, businesses and brands to creatives, developers and casual enthusiasts. Returning to Miami for a second year, the multi-day festival connects crypto communities and the crypto-curious alike with a range of expert speakers and a hackathon for the most innovative and creative award-winning projects, providing support for the visionaries behind them. Various locations

This epic three-day fest across the county line was created 10 years ago to generate awareness and raise funds for ocean conservation while pandering to Floridians’ natural instinct to strip down in front of large crowds. If you love country, rock and pop music and cold beer, the Tortuga Music Festival is for you. It’s Broward County's answer to Ultra Music Festival (minus beat drops), and it happens right on the sands of Fort Lauderdale Beach. This year, Eric Church, Shania Twain and Kenny Chesney, with wild cards like Wiz Khalifa and The Wallflowers thrown in for good measure.

Take advantage of deep discounts on admission and memberships at several of Miami’s top museums and attractions from April 1 to May 31. From the modern marvel that is the Perez Art Museum Miami to the family favorite Deering Estate, there’s something to satisfy all sorts of cultural enthusiasts during Miami Attraction & Museum Months in May.

No, that sonic boom you hear isn’t a thunderstorm rolling in (hopefully!), but it’s pretty close. The Air Force F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning II, F-16 Viper and Thunderbirds Demo Teams all headline this year’s edition of the popular air show, which attracts thousands to the shores of Fort Lauderdale Beach.