Miami Carnival 2011 Parade @ Sun Life Stadium : Sunday Oct 9th, 2011
2267 N.W. 199 Street Miami Gardens, FL 33056 United States

Admission $20 Per person. BUY NOW
*note, you will be taken to "http://miamibrowardcarnival.ticketleap.com"

Welcome to Miami Carnival 2011. The following is a play-by-play guide to making the most of your Carnival experience. This family event has many different types of entertainment, and we want to ensure that you don't miss out on anything in 2011.

The Parade of the Bands
The parade of the bands takes place on Sunday October 9th 2011. The 2011 parade will feature over 20 masquerade bands over a 6-mile route.

What to expect:
Each band has a theme "portrayal" which they bring to life on Carnival day. You can expect to see lots of beads and feathers in a kaleidoscope of colors on Carnival Day. Be sure to walk with a folding chair, sunblock and water as you enjoy the parade on the streets of Miami Gardens.

The Steelbands

As an integral part of the Carnival, the Steelband performances should not be missed. The steel bands compete for a coveted title of "Panorama" champions and practice all year round to prepare for this big day in Miami.

In years prior, the Panorama event was held on Carnival Saturday. In 2011 there are plans to host the event on Carnival Friday and will include the Kings & Queens competition. This is a time to relax and enjoy the sweet music of the steel pan as the groups perform some of your favorite songs. With Steelbands traveling from across the globe, this years event promises to deliver an authentic platform for those looking for that true Caribbean experience on steel.

The Health Fair

In 2011 the Miami Broward One Carnival has decided to use the event as a vehicle to promote HIV awareness. Forging a relationship with Advocacy Building Initiative Inc, the Carnival will feature it's 1st "on site" testing center for those wanting to be tested for the HIV virus. The Health Zone will also offer health information on other topics, Autism, Breast Cancer and other sexually transmitted diseases etc.

Be sure to plan your visit to the Carnival Health Zone on Sunday October 9th as we increase the awareness of HIV throughout our Community.

The Music Truck

Have you heard the story of the Pipe Piper? During the Carnival parade of the bands you will witness the same concept, with the masqueraders closely following the music trucks as it makes it's way to main stage for judging.

The music trucks carry the music and entertainment. A typical music truck is assembled using a trailer bed truck and racks of large speakers and music equipment. The deejays and entertainers perform from the truck while the bands are on the road.

The Main Stage - Judging Point

After the bands parade on the streets and enter the SunLife Stadium the fun doesn't end. It actually intensifies and energy, doubled. On the inside of the event, the bands act out their portrayal on the main stage before the judges in an attempt to secure the title,  "Band of the Year".

Experts are flown in from across the globe to judge the bands in various categories. The bands wait in the wings for their opportunity to cross the main stage and to "let loose", unleashing the story behind their portrayal. It is a site to behold and not one to be missed.

Food and Drinks

Who goes to a Caribbean event and doesn't taste the food and drink? At the Carnival it won't be any different.

The Carnival features food and drink from across the Caribbean region, from islands such as: Bahamas, Jamaica, Haiti, Trinidad, Guyana, Dominican Republic and many more. You will also be able to enjoy Rum and beer from the Caribbean, El Dorado, Angostura, Prestige, Carib and Presidente to name a few.

Be sure to make your list of those Caribbean dishes you would want to taste and The Business Expo

Showcasing your business to a captive audience has never been easier. The Carnival will showcase businesses at it's on site business expo, allowing visitors to collect information on various services and products available in the world.

The expo will feature businesses from the following categories: Shopping, Real Estate, Insurance, Health Care, Banking etc.

Be sure to visit the Business Expo while enjoying the Carnival activities.

come prepared to satisfy that Jerk, Curry or Stew craving you get after reading this

The Carnival Concert

The concert segment of the Carnival allows for the showcase of International Caribbean talent. The concert has featured top notch soca acts and LIVE bands such as, Machel Montano, David Rudder, Stalin, Crazy, Ricki Jai, Shurwayne Winchester and many more. Every year, soca lovers flock to the Carnival to experience the high energy, live performances of these entertainers.

In 2011, the Miami Broward Carnival promises to deliver an exceptional line up of acts, which would include performances by well-known Hispanic and Haitian acts in an attempt to attract those who share similarities in culture and in the Carnival tradition.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF MIAMI CARNIVAL

Miami Carnival Inc. was incorporated in 1999 and represented the merging of two separate Miami Carnival Organizations – Caribbean American Carnival (incorporated in 1991) and Carnival Association of South Florida (incorporated in 1996), who had previously held competing Carnivals on the same date. Also included in the merger were representatives of the original West Indian American Day Carnival Association (incorporated in 1984).

Miami Carnival has been an Annual Event since 1984. Within two years of its inception, it had grown from a small neighborhood festival to an international event bringing live bands and calypsonians from the islands. Inquiries came from New York and other major cities. The present Carnival, the Caribbean Mardi Gras, has become the foremost revenue-producing festival for South Florida and is the most popular Carnival in North America, with airline and hotel bookings being confirmed as early as November of each year for the following October’s Carnival. The “Caribbean Carnival Circuit” starts in February with Trinidad & Tobago and ends in October with Miami. In 1993 the International Caribbean Carnival Association was incorporated and this organization is still headquartered in Miami. The President, Treasurer and Trustee of ICCA are all Board Members of Miami Carnival Inc.

The first Junior (Kiddies) Carnival Parade was held in 1990 at Bicentennial Park in downtown Miami on the day before the Miami Carnival. The Junior Carnival grew by leaps and bounds each year, with categories of competition being added each year. In its ongoing outreach program and acknowledging the thousands of Caribbean residents in Broward County, Miami Carnival Inc. partnered with the Broward County Library in 2002 to present the First Annual Miami Carnival • Broward County Library Kiddies Carnival and the City of Fort Lauderdale agreed to include it as a part of their Sun Trust Jazz Brunch on October 6th, one week prior to the Miami Carnival Parade. The Carnival was a huge success and it was again held in Broward County in 2004. In 2004, to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Miami Carnival, this huge event was brought back to its home in Miami-Dade County and in 2005 it will again be celebrated at Peacock Park in Coconut Grove, one week before Columbus Day.

After six years of having two Caribbean Carnivals on the same day in South Florida, both Miami Carnival Inc. (MCI) and Broward Caribbean Carnival Inc. (BCCI) have signed an agreement to implement the One Carnival Host Committee Initiative. This spirited collaboration serves as the foundation of a united Carnival celebration in South Florida for the 25 anniversary of Miami Carnival in 2009.