South Miami Rotary Art Festival brings art exhibits to Sunset Place

lulek41 / Pixabay

When Miami students hear the words “Sunset Place,” they think of catching a movie, going on a shopping spree or enjoying an off-campus dinner with friends. But one weekend a year, the street in front of the mall, Sunset Drive, transforms from a retail destination to a vibrant artist’s exhibition. This Saturday and Sunday, Canes can get a taste of some of the best art Miami has to offer at the South Miami Rotary Art Festival.

Free and open to the public, this event features the work of more than 150 exhibitors. Their diverse work includes a range of styles such as paintings, photography, jewelry and sculptures. Like last month’s Beaux Arts Festival on campus, this is a juried competition, with prizes for the best exhibitor in each artistic medium.

In addition to streets lined with canvas and necklaces, the Rotary Art Festival features food vendors and a beer garden. There will also be live music, including jazz musicians and the blues band Iko-Iko. After the official end of the festival on Saturday night, there will be a jam session open to musicians from 6-8 p.m.

This festival is not only a chance to expand cultural horizons and take a break from ordinary campus life, but it is also an opportunity to give back to the Miami-Dade community. All proceeds will go toward Rotary Club scholarships for aspiring college students as well as the organization’s other charitable efforts.

If you’re an art buff with a free weekend or if your budget won’t cover the Uber to Wynwood, the South Miami Rotary Art Festival is a convenient and exciting way to broaden your cultural horizons just a short walk from campus.

If you go:

What: South Miami Rotary Art Festival

Where: Sunset Drive, from U.S. 1 to Red Road

When: Feb. 21-22, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Cost: Free

For more information, visit southmiamiartfest.org.

Feature image courtesy Pixabay user lulek41.