Most cities have a calendar. Miami has a heartbeat.
Between January’s Ocean Drive transformed into a car-free Art Deco playground and December’s global art collectors descending on the Convention Center, this city doesn’t just host events—it becomes them. The streets pulse differently during Ultra. The air shifts when Art Basel arrives. And in 2026, the entire world literally comes to Miami for the FIFA World Cup. If you’re planning a trip here, understanding this rhythm isn’t optional—it’s everything.
Winter: When Miami Becomes the Center of Everything
Art Deco Weekend kicks things off January 9–11, turning South Beach into a living museum. Free live jazz featuring Michael Arenella and His Dreamland Orchestra, swing dancing with world champions, and architectural tours along a pedestrian-only Ocean Drive between 5th and 14th Streets. The 49th annual festival celebrates the Art Deco Centennial with guided tours, classic car shows, and the new “Art Deco Taste of Ocean Drive” culinary series offering prix-fixe menus at $35 for lunch and $45 for dinner. It’s the kind of weekend where you stumble into a 1920s time warp—and somehow it feels completely natural in Miami.
But the real artistic heavyweight lands in February. The Coconut Grove Arts Festival (February 14–16) offers what Art Basel sometimes can’t—art you can actually afford. Over 275 juried artists from around the world showcase work spanning painting, photography, sculpture, jewelry, and more than a dozen mediums. The waterfront setting at Regatta Park in Dinner Key Marina overlooks Biscayne Bay, and tickets start at $29 for adults, while kids 12 and under enter free. This 62nd annual edition proves you don’t need a six-figure budget to take home something extraordinary.
Spring: When the Bass Drops and Engines Roar
March 27–29 brings Ultra Music Festival back to Bayfront Park, and Miami becomes the electronic music capital of the world for three days straight. Over 150 acts—with 46 debut performances and 80% new acts—transform downtown into a neon-lit, bass-heavy spectacle. Carl Cox returns (naturally), alongside stage takeovers from Amnesia Ibiza, The Martinez Brothers, and M2 Miami. This isn’t background music; it’s the main event. Three-day general admission tickets start at $479.15, and if you’re not staying within walking distance, you’ll want the Metromover to Bayfront Park, First Street, or College/Bayside stations on speed dial.
May 1–3 delivers the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix at the Miami International Autodrome around Hard Rock Stadium. The Sprint format returns—Sprint Qualifying on Friday, the F1 Sprint race on Saturday, and the Grand Prix on Sunday. This 19-turn, 3.36-mile street circuit designed to feel permanent hits top speeds over 350 km/h. Friday passes start at $75, and the new Grandstand+ program extends the experience to Thursday with an Opening Night Kick-Off Party. It’s racing, yes—but it’s also hospitality suites, paddock access, and the kind of weekend where Miami shows off just how good it is at spectacle.
Summer: The World Comes to Miami
And then—the main event. The 2026 FIFA World Cup transforms Miami into the epicenter of global soccer for an entire month.
Hard Rock Stadium hosts seven matches from June 15 through July 18, including powerhouse Group Stage showdowns and three knockout rounds. Brazil. Portugal. Uruguay. Colombia. The bronze medal final. If Argentina wins their group, they’ll potentially face the Group H runners-up right here in Miami Gardens on July 3. This isn’t just soccer—it’s the world’s biggest sporting event landing in South Florida.
Here’s the full lineup:
- June 15 (6pm): Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay
- June 21 (6pm): Uruguay vs. Cape Verde
- June 24 (6pm): Scotland vs. Brazil
- June 27 (7:30pm): Portugal vs. Colombia
- July 3 (6pm): Round of 32 – Group J Winner vs. Group H Runner-Up
- July 11 (6pm): Quarterfinal Match
- July 18 (5pm): Bronze Final (Third-Place Match)
Tickets start at $60 through FIFA’s official portal, with hospitality packages available for premium access. Hard Rock Stadium seats over 65,000 fans and features a canopy-style roof for partial shade—crucial for brutal June-July Miami heat. Book accommodations now. Not next month. Now. World Cup travelers book 6-12 months in advance, and Miami’s hotel inventory will evaporate faster than you can say “¡Gooooool!”
Beyond the stadium, expect watch parties across Wynwood, Brickell, and Coral Gables. International flags draped from balconies. Restaurants packed with fans in national colors. The energy will be unlike anything Miami has experienced—and that’s saying something for a city that hosts Ultra and Art Basel.
December: The One That Closes the Global Art Calendar
Art Basel Miami Beach (December 4–6, with VIP previews December 3–4) isn’t just an art fair—it’s the art fair. Galleries from over 60 countries gather at the newly redesigned Miami Beach Convention Center. Hundreds of galleries showcase more than 4,000 artists from five continents across multiple sectors—Galleries, Meridians, Nova, Positions, Survey, and Kabinett. First-access tickets run $105, day tickets start at $88, and combo tickets with Design Miami are available for $130.
The Convention Center is just the beginning. Miami Art Week transforms the entire city from December 1–7 with satellite fairs like Art Miami, CONTEXT, Design Miami, and Aqua Art Miami spreading across Wynwood, Downtown, and Overtown. Beachfront performances and immersive pop-ups blur the line between art and life itself.
Book six months out. Stay in Coral Gables or Brickell if South Beach is full. And prepare for the kind of weekend where you overhear conversations in five languages before you’ve even had your cortado.
The Insider Move
Miami’s calendar isn’t about picking one event—it’s about understanding how they layer. Art Deco Weekend flows into the Coconut Grove Festival. Ultra’s energy lingers into spring. The World Cup dominates summer. And Art Basel doesn’t end when the Convention Center closes; it ripples through gallery openings and rooftop parties across the city.
The smartest visitors? They don’t just attend events. They let Miami’s rhythm guide them—booking early, staying flexible, and treating the city itself as the main attraction. Especially in 2026, when the entire planet is watching.
MRMVR is a Miami-based vacation rental management company that lives and breathes this city’s rhythm. We manage properties across Miami with the kind of local expertise that comes from actually being here—not just operating here. Whether you’re a property owner looking to maximize returns during peak season or a guest searching for the perfect home base during the World Cup, Art Basel, or Ultra, we understand how Miami works. Because this is our city too.