America turned 250 this year, and Miami — the only major U.S. city founded by a woman, Julia Tuttle, back in 1896 — celebrated the milestone in its own unforgettable style, with festivities running all year long.
Memorial Day weekend kicked off the party with the annual Hyundai Air & Sea Show on Miami Beach, “The Greatest Show Above the Earth,” featuring demonstrations from all six branches of the U.S. military. Miami-Dade County launched Miami-Dade 250, a program of educational, cultural and community events inviting residents to explore history and imagine the future.
In Miami Beach, the celebration continues throughout the year with the FREEDOM exhibit at The Galeria on Ocean Drive, honoring patriotism, culture and the city’s vibrant spirit. The City of Miami’s beloved Fourth Fest at Bayfront Park lit up Biscayne Bay with live entertainment, family activities and spectacular fireworks against the Downtown skyline.
The year also brought remarkable local milestones: the centennials of Coral Gables and the iconic Biltmore Hotel, the Hotel Colonnade 250 celebration in Coral Gables — and 100 years of Art Deco architecture in Miami Beach, home to one of the world’s largest preserved collections of the style.
“Greater Miami and Miami Beach offers a powerful lens through which to celebrate America’s past, present and future,” said David Whitaker, president and CEO of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Miami represents the entrepreneurial spirit, cultural diversity and forward-looking energy that define the American story.”
Past, present and future — Miami is where America’s next 250 years begin.
Photo: Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau.
