Page 47 - Allison's Magazine ~ Issue #101

EVERYBODY’S FAMILIAR WITH
Mardi Gras—it’s America’s biggest
party, after all, where over a million
people descend on New Orleans every
year to celebrate. But around the same
A time, some eight hundred fifty miles
southeast, another large, prominent,
one-of-a-kind celebration has been
taking place for decades.

PARTY Carnaval Miami, held primarily in
February and March in Little Havana
but with events extending into May,
averages about a million visitors each
WITH year. People flock here from all over the
globe to celebrate Hispanic heritage
with good times, good food, and good
music—all for a good cause.
A MAKING HISTORY IN LITTLE HAVANA

It all began humbly back in 1975,
when a group of friends decided they
wanted to showcase Miami’s then
PURPOSE underrepresented Cuban heritage and
culture in South Florida and founded
the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana.
“It basically started as an open house
written by matthew brady
to feature Cuban food and music,”
photography by kiwanis club of little havana
says Jesus Lebeña, the club’s current
president. “But it quickly grew over the
years, and—as Miami became more
diversified as a community—it started
evolving to celebrate all Hispanic
cultures, including those from Central
America, South America, and other
parts of the world. That really represents
what Miami is.”

2019 Carnaval Miami king Fonseca (right)
performs at Calle Ocho.

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