Events in Fort Lauderdale

Just 40 kilometres from Miami, Fort Lauderdale has long been a favourite vacation spot, whether you're heading there on spring break or to escape the winter cold.

With year round sun and balmy temperatures of 24.2°C, it's the perfect place for a beach party, and it boasts more than its fair share of golf courses and marinas too.

At the same time, it has a more sophisticated cultural side, as demonstrated by its thriving arts and entertainment district full of restaurants and galleries.

Los Olas Art Fair (January, March, October)

The Los Olas Art Fair is a two day art fair takes place three times during the year – at the start of January, during the first week of March and in the middle of October. All of the artists are selected by a jury to ensure quality control.

There's a wide price range too, so you can pick up everything from pieces of jewellery for a few dollars to sculptures that cost as much as a car.

Florida Renaissance Festival (February, March)

From early February to late March, Quiet Waters Park is transformed into a 16th century village, complete with a full panoply of knights, mages, kings and princesses, not to mention hundreds of stalls and performers.

There's jousting three times a day and a marketplace where you can buy replica weaponry, armour and embroidered outfits during the Florida Renaissance Festival. Try your hand at axe throwing or archery, down a couple of tankards in ye olde tavern and round off the day with a royal feast.

FATVillage Art Walk (monthly)

A local institution, the FATVillage Art Walk happens on the last Saturday of every month except December. From 6pm to 10pm, a stretch of Northwest 1st Avenue becomes a sprawling arts and crafts fair, with food stalls and live bands to add to the atmosphere. You'll find an eclectic mix of handmade items for sale, from jewellery and woodwork to clothes by fledgling designers.

The main venue, The Goods, offers a different carefully curated selection of vendors every month. There's a variety of indoor and outdoor gallery spaces as well, such as The Courtyard, which is decorated with fairy lights and murals.

Toruga Music Festival (October)

The main focus of this three day festival, the Toruga Music Festival in Fort Lauderdale Beach Park, is country and roots music, but with dozens of big names, there are plenty of other genres on offer too. The 2020 lineup includes country and western stars Tim Mcgraw and Miranda Lambert, veteran Canadian band the Barenaked Ladies, reggae greats Toots and the Maytals and 80's rapper Vanilla Ice.

Some of the profits from ticket sales goes towards ocean conservation projects.

Brazilian Festival (October)

Early October sees a riot of colour and latin rhythms come to Pompano Beach Community Park. The Exhibition Zone features over 250 businesses offering the best in Brazilian fashion and cuisine. There's the main stage with glitzy headline acts and a second stage with DJ's supported by scantily clad samba dancers. Another highlight of the Brazilian Festival is the carnival parade, with a drum band and a full array of sequins and feathers.

There are also displays of capoeira, a Brazilian dance style with a dash of martial arts. Throw in an outdoor circus and inflatable playground, and you can see why this festival is rapidly becoming a key date in the Fort Lauderdale calendar.

Riptide Music Festival (October)

Over the last weekend in October, the city turns the dial up to eleven with this hard-rocking festivaL. Every year, more than 30 bands appear on various stages spread across Fort Lauderdale Beach Park during the Riptide Music Festival. In 2020, the Sharkwrecked Stage plays host to The Killers, The 1975, Catfish And The Bottlemen and Jimmy Eat World among its stellar lineup. Meanwhile, the Underground Stage is a venue for alt-rock acts.

Away from the stages, the Underground Village features some edgy art installations and fashion shows. And because it's hard to appreciate good music on an empty stomach, there are food stands selling tasty beach bites, as well as cooking demos on the Culinary Stage. It's a Fort Lauderdale event that can please the foodies and the music lovers.

Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (late October/early November)

Taking place over five days at the Bahia Mar Yachting Centre, this is the biggest in-water boat show in the whole of the United States, and arguably the biggest in the world. Every year, many of the most jaw-droppingly advanced new yachts and sailing gizmos are unveiled here at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show to great excitement.

There are also seminars, special events such as celebrity chef competitions, plus displays of luxury supercars.

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