The first annual Coconut Grove Art Festival was created by Charlie Cinnamon and took place in 1963. 60 years later it celebrated its continuous success over Presidents Day weekend, from Feb. 17 to 19. The festival aimed to give artists an opportunity to display their art while hosting an amusing space for attendees. From McFarlane Road to Pan American Drive, artists from around the country sold their pieces, while attendees viewed the different mediums of art and had the chance of buying or commissioning it.
As visitors strolled along the streets, they were able to appreciate stands with over 15 different types of crafts including wood, mixed media, jewelry and ceramics among others. Artists attending, who amounted to over 280 present, also hoped to become familiar with other professionals while catering to the people interested, in hopes of making sales or a name for themselves.
“I volunteered on Sunday, my job was to go around the art booths and ask the artists if they needed anything, I could get them water, food and take over their stands while they were on their lunch or bathroom break. I learned that selling art is harder than I thought, it takes a lot of work. I think the festival has a positive effect on the community, there’s music, there’s good food and it’s a really fun place to go over Presidents Day weekend,” sophomore Alejandro Monroy said.
On Feb. 17, the festival began at 10 a.m., and the set-up started as artists, who had previously bought a 10-by-10 square of land for their space, set up their tents and stands for pieces of art, ready for the visitors to marvel at their work. To maintain the quality of the artworks being showcased at the festival, artists’ creations had to be judged by a group of three judges. As visitors entered they were able to sign their names and write small messages on an antique car, signifying the start of the collaborative festival.
Throughout the weekend, over one hundred thousand people who payed admission were in attendance. In addition to browsing at and purchasing art, attendees also had access to food stands serving ready-made foods like popcorn, grilled burgers and hot dogs as well as, Latin-American foods like arepas and ceviche. As attendees treaded through the stands, a live rock band played songs inspired by the 60s to commemorate the festival’s 60th anniversary.
“I volunteered for community service hours and also because it was really fun, we were in charge of the arts and crafts booth for kids. There were four different types of sections at the booth; watercolor, self portraits, arts and crafts and acrylic painting. By volunteering I learned how to be more social because it was really important to interact with the kids while they were painting. I think the festival has a really great impact on the community, especially kids because it gives them a place to express themselves and it was a fun activity for them, something I don’t see a lot of in Miami,” sophomore Adriana Garcia said.
To honor the festival’s long-standing history, there was an area closed off near the entrance, a tent covered in chalkboard walls where visitors could draw their own poster for the festival with chalk. The tent was also covered in the different advertisement flyers for businesses that had been promoting the art festival for the past 60 years.
“I volunteered on Monday and I was a greeter, our job was to greet the visitors and make them feel welcome. We also collected donations from people walking in, all the proceeds from the donations went towards scholarships and education programs. In addition, we had maps of the festival to hand out to visitors and we would point them to the entertainment shows, art booths or the art activity booth for kids,” sophomore Caterina Nuonno said.
On Feb. 18, the festival was hit with a strong storm, which did not stop the festival from taking place and visitors from attending. At around 12 p.m., the festival came to an end due to the heavy amounts of rain affecting the tents and artworks. The following day, Feb. 19, the festival reopened, reaching new heights for the amount of attendees. Artists continued to promote their works and talk to visitors while the curious viewers took their last chance to buy pieces that caught their eye.
“I saw beautiful works of art and had a great time, I loved it. I think art is always great for the community, it gives people a way to express themselves and a lot of pieces of art I saw at the art festival were beautiful. I truly enjoyed how artists were able to put themselves out there and how much the visitors enjoyed it,” Mr. Mohammad Khan said.
The 2024 Coconut Grove Art Festival provided an three-day span of entertainment for both attendees and artists, who were able to enjoy performances and multi-cultural food, and create connections with craftsmen from around the country. The festival continued to aim to have an impactful and lasting effect on its community, the same effect that had kept many locals counting down annually for following celebration.
