Miami doesn’t do winter, so it does the holidays its own way. There’s a rum festival in Coral Gables, beach polo in Miami Beach, a week of author talks and a street fair downtown, a zoo lit up after dark, a Nutcracker at the Arsht Center, and the week in early December when Miami Art Week fills Miami Beach and the mainland with fairs. If you’re visiting this November or December, or you live here and keep meaning to get out more, this is your list.
These are the ten events we’d actually plan a weekend around, in date order, with what each one is and what to pair it with nearby. The list runs from mid-November to the first Sunday of the new year. Every date was checked against the organizer’s or venue’s own website on October 14, 2026. If an event hadn’t posted its dates for this season yet, it didn’t make the list, so a few familiar names are missing for now.
The quick version
| Event | Dates | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Rum Renaissance Festival | Nov 13–14, 2026 | Coral Gables |
| World Polo League Beach Polo World Cup | Nov 13–15, 2026 | Collins Park, Miami Beach |
| Miami Hurricanes home games | Sat, Nov 14; Sat, Nov 21; Sat, Nov 28, 2026 | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens |
| Miami Book Fair | Nov 15–22, 2026 | Miami Dade College, 300 NE Second Avenue |
| Zoo Lights Miami | Select nights, Nov 27 – Dec 30, 2026 | Zoo Miami |
| Miami Art Week fairs | Dec 1–6, 2026 | Miami Beach and the mainland |
| Nutcracker Magic | Thu, Dec 10, 2026 | Adrienne Arsht Center |
| Miami City Ballet’s The Nutcracker | Dec 11–27, 2026 | Adrienne Arsht Center |
| AvMed Orange Bowl Beach Run | Sun, Dec 13, 2026 | Hard Rock Stadium (as listed) |
| King Mango Strut | Sun, Jan 3, 2027 | Coconut Grove |
1. Miami Rum Renaissance Festival
November 13–14, 2026 · Courtyard Marriott Coral Gables and Coral Gables Woman’s Club, Coral Gables · Festival details
Miami Rum Fest is in Coral Gables this November, and it’s a fun way to open the season. The festival is built around tasting: new rums just released, old favorites, luxury limited editions and vintage rums, and plenty of people who know a lot more about rum than you do.
It’s split over two days. The Rum Seminars run on Friday, November 13, from 12:30 to 5 p.m. at the Courtyard Marriott Coral Gables, 2051 South Le Jeune Road. The Grand Tasting is on Saturday, November 14, from 12:30 to 5 p.m. at the Coral Gables Woman’s Club, 1001 East Ponce de Leon Boulevard.
Our tip: the tasting is an afternoon event, so keep your Saturday morning easy. A walk or a swim at Matheson Hammock Park is a nice way to start the day, and plan a ride home rather than driving.
2. World Polo League Beach Polo World Cup
November 13–15, 2026 · Collins Park, 21st–22nd Street and Collins Avenue, Miami Beach · Schedule
The World Polo League Beach Polo World Cup sets up in Collins Park for three days of polo and social events, with a retail village alongside the games.
Play runs Friday, November 13, through Sunday, November 15. The schedule lists four games each day, plus a celebrity game on Saturday and a charity game on Sunday, followed by the award presentation. The Thursday team presentation the night before is by invitation only, so plan around the weekend.
Our tip: the games run through the afternoon, so plan a slow morning first. Our South Beach guide has ideas for breakfast, a walk and a swim before you head to Collins Park.
3. Miami Hurricanes home games
Saturday, November 14 · Saturday, November 21 · Saturday, November 28, 2026 · Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens · Schedule
If you want to see Miami at full volume on a Saturday, go to a Hurricanes game. There are three November home games:
- Saturday, November 14, against Duke (Homecoming)
- Saturday, November 21, against Virginia Tech
- Saturday, November 28, against Boston College
Kickoff times hadn’t been announced when we checked, so keep an eye on the schedule before you make plans. The Boston College game falls on Thanksgiving weekend, two days after the holiday.
Our tip: game days take up most of a day, so save Sunday for something slower. A morning at Haulover Beach is a good way to recover.
4. Miami Book Fair
November 15–22, 2026 · Miami Dade College, 300 NE Second Avenue, downtown Miami · Festival details
For one week in November, downtown Miami belongs to readers. The Miami Book Fair brings in authors for talks in three languages, and the week ends with a Street Fair from Friday, November 20, to Sunday, November 22.
You can build a whole week around the talks or drop in for a single author. The weekday talks are a nice way to spend an evening.
Our tip: make a downtown day of it. Walk over to Bayside Marketplace or Bayfront Park for some time by the water, and stop by the Freedom Tower on the way.
5. Zoo Lights Miami
Select nights, November 27 to December 30, 2026 · Zoo Miami, 12400 SW 152nd Street · Dates and details
If you have kids, put this one on the calendar. Zoo Lights opens the zoo after dark, with holiday lights along the paths and visits from Santa through December 23. Opening night is Friday, November 27, with a tree lighting ceremony at 7 p.m.
It runs from 6:30 to 10 p.m. on November 27 and 28, then December 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 to 23, and 26 to 30. It isn’t open every night, so check the calendar before you head south.
Our tip: our Zoo Miami guide covers the zoo itself. If you want to see Santa, pick a night on or before December 23.
6. Miami Art Week (December 1–6, 2026)
Miami Art Week takes over the first week of December, with fairs on Miami Beach and on the mainland. Here are the five with dates posted:
- NADA Miami, December 1–5, 2026 · Ice Palace Studios · Fair details. Now in its 24th edition, NADA Miami is at Ice Palace Studios on the mainland. It’s an easy one to fit in before you cross the causeway.
- Design Miami, December 1–6, 2026 · Miami Beach · Fair details. The collectible design fair returns to its hometown on Miami Beach for its 22nd edition. Its homepage didn’t name a venue when we checked, so look it up before you go.
- InScope, December 1–6, 2026 · Ocean Drive at 8th Street, Miami Beach · Fair details. InScope is new on the Art Week calendar, with gallery pavilions set up on the sand at Ocean Drive and 8th Street. The gallery floor is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern daily, December 1–6.
- Untitled Art, Miami Beach, December 2–6, 2026 · Ocean Drive and 12th Street · Fair details. Untitled is a contemporary art fair on the sand at Ocean Drive and 12th Street. It opens to the public on Wednesday, December 2, after a VIP and press preview on December 1, and runs through Sunday, December 6.
- Art Basel Miami Beach, December 4–6, 2026 · Miami Beach · Fair details. The fair runs Friday, December 4, to Sunday, December 6. Its official page lists the location only as Miami Beach, so check the venue details before you go.
If you only have a day or two, Friday, December 4, and Saturday, December 5, are the only days all five fairs are open. InScope and Untitled are both on Ocean Drive, a few blocks apart, so they pair well in one afternoon.
Our tip: Art Week traffic on the causeways can be slow, so give yourself extra time. Base yourself in South Beach, and take a break between fairs with a stroll down Lincoln Road Mall or a quiet half hour in the Miami Beach Botanical Garden. On the mainland, NADA pairs well with the murals at Wynwood Walls, and the Pérez Art Museum Miami is worth a morning.
7. Nutcracker Magic
Thursday, December 10, 2026, 4 p.m. · Adrienne Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Boulevard · Details
The day before The Nutcracker opens, Miami City Ballet holds Nutcracker Magic, a family celebration that starts with a holiday party and special surprises, followed by a private dress rehearsal of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker.
It’s a family fundraising event that supports the company’s Community Engagement programs.
Our tip: it’s a late-afternoon start on a Thursday, so it works well after school. Afterward, take a walk through Bayfront Park by the water.
8. Miami City Ballet’s George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker
December 11–27, 2026 · Adrienne Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Boulevard · Tickets
This is the classic. Miami City Ballet performs George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, and it’s the holiday show to see if you’re bringing the family or just want a little old-fashioned magic in a city without snow. The ballet’s page recommends it for ages 4 and up, and it runs about two hours, including one 20-minute intermission.
The run goes from Friday, December 11, to Sunday, December 27, so it runs right through the holidays. Check the ticket calendar for individual performance dates.
Our tip: for a full family day downtown, pair a matinee with the Pérez Art Museum Miami and a walk through Bayfront Park.
9. AvMed Orange Bowl Beach Run
Sunday, December 13, 2026, 7:30 a.m. · Hard Rock Stadium (as listed) · Details
The Orange Bowl’s community calendar includes the AvMed Orange Bowl Beach Run, a 5K and 10K. It’s on Sunday, December 13, with a 7:30 a.m. start.
The Orange Bowl page lists the location as Hard Rock Stadium, even though it’s called a beach run, so confirm the start line before race day.
Our tip: an early race leaves the rest of your Sunday open. If you’d like some quiet time outdoors after the run, Oleta River State Park is a calm place to stretch your legs.
10. King Mango Strut
Sunday, January 3, 2027, 2 to 6 p.m. · Coconut Grove · Details
Start the new year with something completely different. The King Mango Strut began as a parody of the King Orange Jamboree Parade and has been “putting the NUT in Coconut Grove since 1982.” Its organizers bill it as “the Weirdest Parade in the Universe.”
This season’s Strut is on Sunday, January 3, 2027, from 2 to 6 p.m., with the Banana Drop at 2 p.m. It’s a good way to close out the holidays before everyone heads back to work.
Our tip: make an afternoon of Coconut Grove. Before the Strut, take a morning walk through the gardens at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.
A few more worth a look
These didn’t make the top ten, but their dates are posted and they’re worth your time.
- 14th Annual Vintage Auto Show: Sunday, November 15, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Deering Estate in Palmetto Bay, with vintage cars from 1965 and older on the historic grounds. Details.
- 50th Annual Art Deco Weekend: January 15–17, 2027, on Ocean Drive, with tours, music, a classic car show and an artisan market. A good reason to come back to South Beach after the holidays. Details.
How to make the most of a Miami holiday season
- Check ticket availability early. Do this for The Nutcracker and Zoo Lights, and book Miami Beach hotels early for Art Week.
- Stack your days by neighborhood. Downtown has the Book Fair, the Arsht Center, PAMM and Bayfront Park. Miami Beach has the polo, Design Miami, Untitled, InScope and Art Basel. Coral Gables has Rum Fest, and Coconut Grove has the King Mango Strut.
- Leave extra time for the causeways. Traffic between the mainland and Miami Beach can be slow during Art Week, so plan for it.
- Pack for the sun. December in Miami can still feel warm in the afternoon, so bring sunscreen and water for the beach events, and a light layer for evenings.
- Check before you go. Dates and times come from each organizer’s website and can change, so follow the links above for the latest.
That’s our list. From rum tastings in Coral Gables to beach polo, art on the sand and a Nutcracker on Biscayne Boulevard, Miami packs a lot into these weeks. Which one are you most excited about?
Last checked: October 14, 2026.
