Coconut Grove Arts Festival

I visited on Monday, 23rd (the last day) and the Festival was less crowded. I tried to go on Sunday and only the time that took me to try to drive through the people and traffic was too much time. I saw different varieties of art pieces. They had for all tastes. I particularly liked one artist, that his name is Christopher and he had high resolution pictures in BIG sizes in acrylic. It looks very real and very creative pictures. Also, I personal liked one lady that the husband is from China and he paints in canvas. Beautiful! I didn't like the food. I only tried the giros, not too much meat and not to clean. A lot of fried food. I would like to see next time more healthy options. Ice cream, churros, candies, frosty lemonades. All these sounds good, but also the healthy version like açaí bold could be good. I didn't see homemade and artisanal food and dessert, like: Italian cookies, hummus, herbs (mediterranean options), croissant (French food), wine options. I saw many stands of beer and a few for cocktails. I saw dogs walking inside, I should brought mine. A few tend with clothes and jewelry. Good for families and friends and for small local business. I didn't use the parking, but I saw one in $10. Prices ranges: 25$ (entrance per day- general admission). If you live in the area I think is 20$.

I’ve been to a lot of art festivals, but not any that were as great as this one! Great talent, great variety, great people, great food. Many artists willing to tell you about their passion. Lots of southern artists mixed in as well. Our weather was not great this past weekend, but it was still a great day!

I wish I could have given this event 5 stars. Because, it really host beautiful art with amazing artist! Artists using paper to petals, metal to moments to create. I have enjoyed coming to Coconut Grove Art Festival year after year. My first visit was 1989, about four years after its inception, this was only two weeks after the birth of our baby girl. We needed a break from the routine of new parenthood. Maybe you can identify! It was then I thought my budget could afford some of the beautiful pieces. Fast toward to 2025, although the art is still beautiful as ever, with some fantastic innovations, I bought popcorn! They were so good!!! Innovative, caramely , crunchy, tasty, and very affordable. Oh! I forgot! I purchased lunch and a poster. The event sponsors have posters commemorating each year. But I will continue to support this event. BECAUSE, one day , I WILL buy a piece to hang on my wall. BET!!!

It was huge, hot, and wonderful, amazing artists! $15.00 entrance. No sunblock no problem, you have an emergency Health booth offering to share some with everyone who needs it. Want to Keep cool?. Baptist has a booth ofering chilling experience, with wet ice cold towels for your neck, & a small fan sitting area. Prices are Up there, a mojito could cost you $18-$22 dollars, and not as good as the one I had the other day at Crudo's, beer will cost you $7.00, bottle water $4.00 each. But, I guess that is part of the experience. And the art well.. it's not cheap so bring the cash and cc. Enjoy and invest in great pieces that will for sure accent your home, or your dress code. So much talent and creativity it's crazy! Here is a little tease of What you going to see.

One of the best art festivals we have been to! Really well set up, organized and run with tons of booths, food options, music and other things to do. If you ever in the area I highly recommend this event!

A bit over-priced, a bit underwhelming … lots of art and food venders. VERY CROWDED and VERY HOT !!! 🥵 Yes, even in February. Even in Ohio we have cooling Stations, such as misting fans, at out public events… VERY FEW PLACES TO SIT, and even fewer places to sit in the shade… 😓

This long running art show has been a south Florida staple for decades. Visiting my mother and stepfather's booth of original ceramic pottery and sculpture - Gerhold Studios - during the show was an honor.

After 15 years i comeback this magnificent event! I can’t wait next year for enjoying with the family another sunny day in coconut grove!!

As always, it was a nice event. Lots of great and very creative art and Beautiful jewelry. I had a bad experience at the door when I was told to empty my water bottle when I really didn't have to. Water at the festival is $5, outrageous!!!! I got a good deal on tickets, B1G1, if not I don't think I would've gone, $40 is a bit steep. Also most artists do not allow pictures.

Ive been coming to the festival for over twenty years. I remember when it was a free event and even two different times since tickets have been required i just walked in because i arrived early and no one was at the one particular gate. So this year i brought two friends and still arrived early. We bought our tickets on line and were at the front of a line on McFarlane Road that grew to several hundred people waiting for 10:00. Nothing irritates me more than paying for something that used to be free! Second annoyance: nothing irritates me more than not opening on time for something that used to be free with no lines. Third annoyance: a militaristic lady shouted orders to the line. "Get back from the gate-Dont you all know gates open outward!" She barked. "Get in single file lines and empty your pockets" she demanded. "If you dont follow orders you will be the cause of delay!!!"she screamed even though she was the cause of the delay. The main gate on the first day was not properly addressed. Ticket booths were not open and scanners didnt work. Perhaps had they let a few people in for a soft opening these glitches could have been avoided. Fortunately i went to my favorite booth and purchased three pieces of art and left. Upon exiting the main entrance we were greeted by an exhibitor directly outside the gate who treated us with warmth and enthusiasm Thankfully this is how our Coconut Grove experience ended

$15 for veterans and residents. My first time going and I enjoyed the artists and the ability to be outdoors and get in some steps. Parking was easy as I got there upon opening. Next time I go I'll make an effort to go on the first day to have greater chances at buying pieces. I'm happy that the artists generated revenue, just didn't have much that was affordable by the time I got there on Monday b

Cool artist and very well thought-out with tons of vendors and giveaways. Cool outdoor to indoor art. A creative center for children inclusive of painting ,crafts, and photo booths with props. Some of the food truck people are sketch, long waits, with high prices and skimp you every chance they get from quantity of food to even napkins. Otherwise a good experience for the family and cocowalk is right outside for nicer eats afterwards.

After many years i came back and think i enjoy it more now than in my college years. Much wider variety/diversity of art which was definitely a plus. More areas with corporate activations where you can interact with the companies and do different activities that were alot of fun and could be enjoyed by all ages. Food options also seemed to be better now. There was an area called the stacks where there was an open field with a stage for presentations, an area with a dj and live murals being painted on stacked containers by locally famous street artists throughout the weekend... it was really great and provided a place to congregate, get drinks, dance, and enjoy music while socializing.... And also get free swag and samples from the different company booths. definitely look forward to next year!

I have been a Grove resident for decades. I used to like the CGAF, but no more. When they started charging for entrance, they gave Grovites a discount - $5. Last year it was $15. This year $25. I did not go because of the price and same old art. In the past week I have heard several people complain with the same issues. Three said the price $25 (and$39 for non-Grovites) was too high and the repeat artists and same art each year was the reason. All said they will not go again. CGAF should be paying us $25 for the inconvenience.

Such a fun experience! I would highly recommend a hat (you can buy one there) or umbrella because the son can get brutal. Awesome events for kids, great food (truck) selection, and drink options. Will definitely come back next year. If you want any merch, get it before the last day as they sell out quick.

I've lived in Miami my whole life and somehow this is the first time I've been to the coconut grove arts festival - boy have I been missing out! My coworker paid $20 for two tickets online and we were able to walk right in (no lines)! I definitely recommend you get your tickets ahead of time as tickets were $25 per ticket at the door and there was a really long line. The festival is a lot larger than I imagined! There is such a large selection of artists displaying their work as well as several food and drink tents! Such a fun weekend activity - I can't wait to go again next year!

A huge thank you to all the sponsors that make the Coconut Grove Art festival possible! It was like an explosion of art, creativity and beauty. Mesmerized by the delicious sights, sounds, and smells it was so wonderful to see this exciting event come back to life! Seeing all the smiling faces, most of them without the Depressing Covid mask was inspiring. The cool beat of the music playing in the background, the smell of fresh popcorn and elephant ears crisp and sugary, people dancing to the music, even the dogs were playing happily with each other. Detailed artwork representing every culture, interesting jewelry, pots for plants using tiny jeans, intricate wood carvings, so much to see to keep you engaged. It was like my head was on a swivel. Even my husband who complains and likes to minimize the time outdoors was totally entertained! There is something about art and music that just fills the soul with hope. Even the tiniest pieces of work can make an unforgettable statement. This is something that simply must continue every year; everything was very well organized and I was very glad to have been able to attend! The parking was pretty convenient too because they had the option of parking at Coconut Grove Elementary for $20 and the fees went back as a donation to the school. From Arepas to mojitos there's a tasty treat for everyone! For those of you who have never been to one of our festivals - I highly recommend it!! Since a picture is worth 1000 words here they are!

I visited on Monday, 23rd (the last day) and the Festival was less crowded. I tried to go on Sunday and only the time that took me to try to drive through the people and traffic was too much time. I saw different varieties of art pieces. They had for all tastes. I particularly liked one artist, that his name is Christopher and he had high resolution pictures in BIG sizes in acrylic. It looks very real and very creative pictures. Also, I personal liked one lady that the husband is from China and he paints in canvas. Beautiful! I didn't like the food. I only tried the giros, not too much meat and not to clean. A lot of fried food. I would like to see next time more healthy options. Ice cream, churros, candies, frosty lemonades. All these sounds good, but also the healthy version like açaí bold could be good. I didn't see homemade and artisanal food and dessert, like: Italian cookies, hummus, herbs (mediterranean options), croissant (French food), wine options. I saw many stands of beer and a few for cocktails. I saw dogs walking inside, I should brought mine. A few tend with clothes and jewelry. Good for families and friends and for small local business. I didn't use the parking, but I saw one in $10. Prices ranges: 25$ (entrance per day- general admission). If you live in the area I think is 20$. Note: My five stars is due to, that I consider positive to support small businesses and also the idea of recreational events to unify families. High suggestion: please add healthy options next time.

Pros: Glad I got the Valentine's Day sale for the tickets, because the entrance prices have gone up. I'm so glad they re opened this event, but it felt smaller than other years. We were able to walk through all the art in about 1.5 hours. There were also several food vendors. Cons: expensive for the size.

This is an amazing art fair, much bigger than the ones I've been to. Complete with a wide variety of Art - including 2D mixed media, 3D mixed media, claywork, digital art, fiber, glass, jewelry and metalwork paintings, sculptures, printmaking and drawing, photography, watercolor and wood. There's also live music food and drinks. Everything was very impressive!

This was my second time attending Coconut Grove Arts Festival in my life. First time was while I was in college years ago, I remembered I had a laggy phone with buttons and crappy camera. That's how long ago it was. This time, my boyfriend wanted to go visit his friend's booth and check out the event, and invited me. He showed his military ID at the entrance and it was honored, and the staff member was so incredibly kind and professional. My boyfriend was surprised and humbled. We walked and checked out a few booths until bumping into his friend's booth. He was in a nice location by the Peacock Park. We hung out for a bit and then continued to check out the rest of the festival. It seemed never ending, which is good, because there was so much to see and discover. There were plenty of food vendors too, as well as activities for kids and families. There was also a section of chefs presenting their cuisines I think. We didn't check that out because we were saving our appetite for something else. The porta potties were really smelly and stinky...but with events like this, can't expect 5-star restrooms (first world problems haha). I was fine with that. I purposely did not drink too much water at the event so I did not need to use the porta potties. The weather was scorching hot and I saw many sun-burnt people walking around. I was fine with that too, I prefer warmth over the cold. Overall, the festival was awesome. There were a lot of great artists and vendors. I can't wait to come back to check it out again next year and in the future.

It has been many years since I last attended the Coconut Grove Arts Festival. Historically always the weekend of the Presidents Birthday. That way I suppose they can be open all three days as most people have a long holiday weekend. Years ago it was free and more artsy and eclectic like the Grove itself. Once they commercialized it and started charging admission I stopped going. So today curiosity set in as well as a bit of nostalgia on my part and I headed South. Being prepared for crowds I went several hours before it opened at 10AM so I could enjoy Downtown and eat first at one of the many cafes. I had found a parking space which seemed to be the same price throughout the town at $20. all day. Very reasonable considering what parking normally cost anywhere in South Florida. Bought my ticket at$15. for Adults $5. off with proof of living in the Coconut Grove zip code that's a nice thing to do. Once inside it was very well organized and I walked along early enough before the crowds and heat that you can enjoy at this time of the year. Took lots of pictures but didn't see anything I was compelled to buy. Years ago I found one artist pre being famous that I bought several water color prints from. Now it is more run of the mill art some from Florida and other parts of the USA. Probably some pieces that were great but at a much grander scale and price. Definitely nice to check out at least once. This year they are commemorating their 56th year.

The 2017 Coconut Grove Arts Festival was held on President's Day weekend. This annual event started early, 10 AM or so, and I am so happy that we happened to go at this time. This festival gets packed and with good reason. The amount of art is incredible. They completely close off the streets of Coconut Grove to have lines after lines of art booths, consisting of paintings, sculptures, etc. There was a section with food vendors, as well as the usual contenders otherwise known as the restaurants around those parts. Peacock Garden Café was one example. The convenient thing to note is that they stamped you in and out of the festival, so if you had to leave only to return, you were able to do so. Admission was $15 per person, and well, I do believe they had an Uber package. We didn't get it, but we did later regret not doing so. Parking was insane; again, thank goodness we went so early. Also, I'm grateful I wasn't the one driving, but that's besides the point. Needless to say, the festival was enjoyable and I'm happy I went again after almost ten years of not doing so. I definitely recommend it. It'll open your eyes to a whole new world, not to mention that you are bound to get a few goodies for free. We ended up trying some Barefoot wine; it was rather nice.

Plenty of vendors from all over the country, albeit sky high prices that are mostly non-negotiable due to high participation fees/transportation costs, as shared by several vendors. If you can score parking nearby for $20-$30, the entry fee is a whopping $30 per ticket with a discount for residents of the surrounding zip code at $15 per entry. Very little shade from the scorching hot sun for a full daytime event. Make sure to bring your sunscreen and water bottle. Pro tip: Go instead to the adjacent St. Stephens Art Show & Makers Fest. Less crowds, live music, affordable food, diverse artist displays, plenty of shade from the sun and places to sit and catch your breath under shade trees/picnic tables. Only entry fee is a voluntary donation to the school.

Not to date myself, but I've been going to the CGAF for years, and each time it gets a bit more disappointing. Free admission and $5 parking have become $15 admission and $20(!) parking. The artists work just doesn't stand out as much as in the past, and although I admire photography as art, there seemed to be a lot of it, as opposed to more intensive hands-on art. Also, the art for sale tended to be expensive. In years past, many of the artists displayed more affordable works. There is a good variety of food, but nothing that really stood out. Like always, beer and drinks were overpriced, and beer choices were limited. The thing I always like the best about CGAF: The live music in Peacock Park. There were a good number of chairs and tables with umbrellas, and the drinks and port-a-johns were close by. This year, South Florida favorites Mr. Nice Guy put on a terrific show!

Coconut Grove art fest is the cool spot to be for your homies in the grove or just about anywhere else in Miami dade county. Easily five stars, join up for a cheap, around 10 dollar experience that will be well worth your afternoon. Artists from all over come in to town, traveling circus style. Live music from local cover bands also a plus. Since this is yelp, the food is standard American diet, hot dogs, kabobs, and the like, but what was surprising was the avacado chicken bowl and the baked sweet potatoes which were oh so good. While this event dwarfs the adjacent st Stephens art show, the church sponsored art show might be of better value since it is 1) free 2) in a chill, shaded area, 3) and has way less density, while you are in this area be sure to check out both. This art show gets 4 out of 5 stars because: 1) it's a real cool art show with lots to look at 2) cheap, running 10-12 bucks or 7-8 bucks for coconut grove residents. 3) food options stretched beyond standard fair food. Creativity a plus. Beer also available. 4) live music 0) missing a point here because the st Stephens art show is free and is just as cool if not better.

What a great day to be out and about enjoying the South Florida sun and fantastic weather and be part of the 56 Annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival!! The ambiance is lively! The price to get in is $15.00 but well worth the peace of mind that the event is very controlled and safe! Check points run smoothly! The vive is laid back. A lot of food everywhere. Hand held food like arepa and corn to sit down like paella with plentiful seafood. The food area is set up like an out door food court. Plenty of space with tables and chairs. Drinks are everywhere! (Water is $4.00.) Music is great. Loud enough to enjoy but yet not over powering. There were plenty of shows on the stage showcasing the amazing local talent. Went there to my favorite spot to buy my piece of heaven!! The owner was there waiting for me!! Come and enjoy the food, drinks, live cooking shows, live music, activities for kids of all ages and lots more. Oh yeah, and the ART!! It is a great weekend too enjoy the out doors!! I highly recommend this festival!!

I am certainly dating myself but the character of the CG Arts Festival has changed dramatically in the last decade. It was a festival of the arts. Now it's yet another over commercialized, professionally organized event aimed at a very wide demographic. So welcome to the idiotic placement of the cooking activities to the east. With the constant offshore breeze wafting a smell of greasy meat cooking on an open flame across the artists booths. Horrible food, lame blasting sound and the smell of hand crafted wood replaced by the smell of money flowing from your pocket to some greasy organizers and their civil servant facilitators.

My family and I love going to the local art festivals. It's just a fun way to spend the afternoon seeing different art pieces, eating delicious fatty food and having great drinks. Go early to get parking, otherwise you're going to pay top dollar. Today we decided screw the look for cheap parking and paid $30.00, yes $30.00 for parking. Walked over to the entrance and paid the fee$15.00 for adults children 12 and under free. Locals I believe are $5.00 (may be wrong) but you need your ID to prove you love within he zip code. This year they stretched out the festival and the tents were everywhere which was nice because you could move around easily than last year. It's really neat place to see some really creative art but also some pieces where you think to yourself "who on earth would ever buy that?". Walk around observe art, buy art, sit down at picnic tables and eat your delicious lunch. Turkey leg Chicken gyro Mediterranean salad with BBQ chicken. Delicious!!! Get ready to pay for overpriced beer but hey, walking in the sun it's worth the purchase. My son really took an interest this year looking st the art, he even picked out a piece for a whopping $3,500. Haha that was a big fat no. There are a lot of high priced art, but you can also find great deals. This festival also has a wide variety of plants for purchase-loveeeeeeeeee Come every year and will continue to do so. :-)

Coconut Grove Arts Festival is one of those annual events I always try to check out and this year was no exception. Held February 14-16, it was a great activity for Valentine's Day (aka the day when I can get my boyfriend to do whatever I want) so we headed there in the afternoon. A few things to point out: 1. This year, admission was $15 per person (Coconut Grove residents pay $5). They take credit cards which is nice but inside, you'll need cash for the majority of the vendors. 2. Parking is cray-cray. I usually try to score a spot in the driveway of a house nearby where people offer spots for 5-20 bucks depending on how close you are. The later you go, the crazier it can get! 3. The St. Stephens Art Show takes place adjacent to the big event. It's a separate $2 per person to enter. I didn't go this year but have in years past. I like it because there are more crafty (and cheaper) vendors there so you're more likely to leave with something cool! 4. Once you get inside, it's crowded. I don't mind crowds necessarily but be prepared to weave in and out of people to get to see what you want. For this reason, I prefer to come alone or with just one other person. 5. Food and drinks (plenty of alcohol) are available to purchase but be forewarned, prices are a bit steep (we paid $3 for a water bottle). I'd suggest grabbing a bite at a restaurant in the Grove rather than here. 6. Oh yeah, you're here for the art. What makes this festival stand out amongst most is the variety of artists showcasing a wide range of artistic mediums and styles. The artists come from all across the country to showcase here which is something very special. This is the main reason for the four stars. CGAF is definitely a star among the influx of events Miami sees this time of year. Whether you're an art fiend, indifferent or somewhere in between, there's something here for everyone!

We go every year. It's a great way to enjoy the (usually) gorgeous Miami weather. The art ranges from interesting to "what the heck is that?" Some artists are really engaging, others look down their noses at you. We walk around, enjoy the art and partake in our favorite sport: people watching. We normally bump into friend that we haven't seen in years. We don't bother with the food here, there are plenty of restaurants in the area. $10 to get in. (remember when it was free?) If you're lucky, $10 to park but most likely $20.

As an outdoors city Arts Festival this one is huge! It has several entrances into the festival costs $15 bucks and $5 if you are a Coconut Groves resident. Ok, I heard before it was for free but even for 15 bucks it worth to spend for a great outdoorsy day. They have plenty of food vendors that are your typical festival foods, grilled food, fried food and funnel cakes which were deliciously unhealthy but satisfied our sweet tooth. There was even a cart of old school soda pops with variety of flavor a where you can get a cool mug and have unlimited refills for the day for 12-15 bucks. The art there ranges from photography, sculptures, jewelry, wood and visuals arts of mixed media. Sure if you have gone every year to this festival you will see several of the same pieces but as a first timer you will definitely be impressed. Even if you are a regular at this festival it's still a fun day to spend out doors. There's a bounce house for the kids and large grass area for them to play and a large stage where they have local artist performing. I did see a lot of of alcohol beer tents for adult fun so art isn't your thing the music and tents will fulfill a Sunday Funday if that's your thing. Parking: closer u park to festival more expensive and traffic there will be so it will be $20 bucks little further away $10 bucks or half Mile away usually for free on the streets!

Despite the brutal heat, this was a good day. The variety and quality of artist booths exceeded my expectations. (Although, side note: mixed media is SUPER trendy right now, jeez.) There was a good variety of food, both fair fare and more gourmet tastings. We did not partake of the wine tasting booth but it looked like fun. The festival was large enough that it certainly held our interest for several hours, and small enough that we were able to "do" the whole thing in an afternoon, without feeling like we rushed or missed a bunch of stuff. Admission was $5/person, and parking was not too stressful - we scored a spot in a nearby garage that ran us $9. The best part? We were at a "Wok Star" cooking demonstration when volunteers circulated raffle tickets. Turns out, I won the grand prize - about $1500 worth of Viking kitchen appliances, including a stand mixer, which I have always wanted but could never justify the price. My friend and I FREAKED out when we found out what I'd scored. I call tomorrow and decide on colors. I am SO PSYCHED.

Honestly, this festival has always been super overrated to me. The entry prices are exorbitant, exhibitor sales are $$$, the food is jacked up for what you get and special event parking prices are ridiculous. Also, the artists are nothing to write home about. It seems like I see the same paintings and photos at every festival. If you want originality, go to Wynwood! It's free. I guess this is aimed at grove residents that pay $5 entry tickets and have the luxury of walking over to Bayshore drive and out of towners who don't know any better. Just skip this unless you're a grove resident. Not worth it folks! TL;DR: It's crap!

Still 3 stars and still I saw many of the same pieces that I saw last year. I don't mind seeing the same artists but I saw several booths with the same pieces as last year. There were a few new booths displays some amazing pieces in wood, leather and books. Plenty of food to choose from and no shortage of restrooms.

There cannot be a better day for an outdoor festival. The art is fantastic. There is plenty to eat and drink. Live rock music,Jimmy Hendrix style, cannot ask for a better experience. Take 836 exit 27th and you will find it. Easy peasy! Parking attendants will direct you for parking. Open until six but they will be open 13,14 & 15th. Feb 2016

Grove Arts is second rate. The food sucks. I can't believe they don't use the great food trucks that this town has to offer but instead keeps on serving the same awful carnie food they've been serving the past 30 years. The art itself is glorified hippie arts and crafts (at best). It's stuff that you buy on an impulse but then you realize 20 minutes later that you're walking around a crowded chongafest sweating off your drunk ass carrying around a $250 mistake. I say this now but somehow I'll be dragged again to go next year. I hope they step it up next time.

Clusterfudge..... $10 entree and $5 if you live in a certain Coconut Grove zip code. Ugh. I was excited to come here when I was in town. I did not realize it would've been so crowded. Honestly, I thought the St. Stephan's Art Show ($2) was the art festival but nope until I came out of that and saw the huge crowd lining up for tickets. This festival was disorganized including buying the tickets to enter. OMG as soon as I entered the premises felt like I wanted to leave. So I sucked it up and dived in. Some of the artworks are good but pricey but understood as some were independent artists. There was one piece I saw which I would've loved but for a small piece of artwork it would've cost me $75-125 and I didn't nor would have that much cash on me. The place was huge. A live band and kids arena was also available. Numerous food vendors (nothing to brag about) and alcohol to sell. A whole lot of funnel cakes I can say that. They didn't even have conch fritters and St. Stephan did which was nothing compared to this place. The only thing that attracted me was Wild Bill's Old Fashion Soda and for $10 you get a classic mug with unlimited refills of soda. The mug was awesome and felt like something from the old west. Oh and fried oreos for the babe, it was good but it was whatever. However, we did enjoy it a bit. It was nice after getting through that huge crowd. I'm not sure if I'll come back next time unless I get convinced.

A good time as always at the coconut grove arts festival. Parking was $20 and we were lucky enough to park right next to the entrance. Tickets were $15 per person, not bad at all, but if you're a coconut grove resident, $5. There was not only art, but music, food, and drinks. Amazing time on a Sunday afternoon. I would recommend this next year when it comes back.

We woke up bright and early on Saturday to make it down to the Coconut Grove Arts Festival before it got crazy busy! We were on the road at 9:45am and before we knew it, were overheating the FL sunshine - it was so hot this year! We were talking about how in years past it was so cold. The cold would have been totally welcomed this year. Sooooooo we spent a few hours perusing the amazing artists that comprise the fest. First, stopped and talked to Kimberly Willcox. She's an amazing artist from Gainesville, FL. I have a few of her pieces from way back when I worked at Seldom Seen Gallery, including my amazing jewelry holder. It has to be my most favorite art piece that I own - AND it's functional. She said she gets requests for them all the time, but doesn't make them anymore. I did a little celebration dance that I was able to get one. My next favorite stops are at Mullanium and Fobots by Amy Flynn - I love, love, love both of these artists. We have a Mullanium mirror in our house, (again, back from Seldom Seen days) Along with the mirrors, I'm obsessed with the birds that they make. OBSESSED! The attention to detail on them is absolutely superb, but they are priiiiiiicey!! Woo! Someday, we will make a purchase... someday. The prices for the birds start at about $300 and go up from there.... Maybe when I turn 30.... hint hint, wink wink.... The second artist I mentioned is Fobots by Amy Flynn. Amy is the first person I've seen making these robots going back for years. They are very often imitated (as I've seen at several other art shows), but never quite get the attention to detail that these Fobots (Found Object Robots) carry. Again, they are pretty pricey.... I would say again they start at about $250 and go up from there. 30th birthday again? ;) After doing the first half of the show, we always check out the St. Stephen's Art Show. I applied to get into this show this year and wasn't accepted. Actually, they never notified me whether I was accepted or rejected. My application status on ZAPP still says Received. I think it's safe to say at this point, that I didn't get in. My mom bought a really cool metal flower at St. Stephens - pics to follow! Every year it's an Ackerman family tradition to have lunch halfway through the show in Cocowalk at Cheesecake Factory. This helps to cool down before the second half of the show.... Much needed this time. For the second half of the show, the artist I was most excited to see was Ed King. Ed makes the most amazing pop art and lives right here in Miami. It's his 5th year doing the show and he says it's his fave. His artwork is so bright and cheerful... not to mention so is he. Just a wonderful experience in his booth. I'm totally eyeing his Garden of Ganish piece.... So there it is.... My 2012 Coconut Grove Arts Festival experience. I'm off to Art Wynwood today, my last stop on this crazy art filled weekend - lots of more cool art to come!

Depending on whether your glass is half empty, or half full: 1. A great Miami experience! A wonderful way to enjoy another beautiful day in Miami, surrounded by talented artists, music, food & fun for the whole family. Definitely a worthwhile adventure. Or 2. Hot and sticky amongst your odiferous and improperly dressed neighbors (wearing either far too much or far too little). The same tired displays to look at; arepas, gyros and hot dogs to eat along with $5 Pepsi; and $20 parking spots 2 miles away. Nevertheless, definitely a worthwhile adventure!

The Coconut Grove Art festival sis my "upgrade" after many years of Artigras in Jupiter. I am not bashing Artigras, it is still one of the nicest things/events in Palm Beach County. But The CGAF is just...taking it up a notch. The exhibition offers plenty of nice art pieces, from paintings to sculptures to photography. Prices for the pieces vary but I did found a beautiful painting from an artist from Clearwater and it looks just great in the bedroom. It is a nice place, near the water and considering in SoFla we don't have museums like NY or Chicago, if you are looking for some art, it is worth going. Food: more varieties than what you would find in a smaller place like Artigras, but well, don't ask me how it is. The Festival is in the Grove and I am not going to try tacos/hot dog or stuff like that when I can go grab something at Jaguar or Peacock's, both at walking distance. One of the best Open-Air Festivals in South Florida.

Tune in so I can tell you 'about the Good Bad Ugly and Best for the Coconut Grove Art Festival THE GOOD $10 entrance you have artists coming from different places around the nation it is a nice weekend pastime, go browse some affordable things and some interesting things to see, and it is within short walk of Coco Walk your close to good eats and restaurant where you can grab a before and after meal when you are skipping the food at the event THE BAD it is a festival so of-course lot's of people $ 5 lemonades and sodas ... that's a bit too steep, mediocre food that is overpriced which you could do without second rate music and who needed the Verizon's stage with their noise ... redundant THE UGLY lol yes there is some ugly stuff but that's ok there is some good stuff too, parking is ugly but than it is the same everywhere that is busy - be ready to pay a minimum of $10 for parking and $20 for some of the closer parking garages BEST - you get to see a variety of many things and talk to the artists who present their work rather than galleries you can support upcoming artists buy some very affordable pieces brows and give some encouragement to aspiring artists, enjoy a nice afternoon or a morning in some of the nicest days of the year

Went with my hubby for a pre Valentines date, expect to pay $10-15 for parking. The entrance fee was $10pp. I loved the days when it was free, but Its actually a lot more organized now. The food & music is a plus...i had a veggie crepe from La Creperie and it was very fresh but lacked a bit of pizazz. My hubby had his gyro like always and was very happy. They also had wine tastings for $15 & champagne for $10,that was pretty cool. Loved the vendors this year, lots of great stuff. Like I remembered, great time!!

The festival was a great people show. The art inside the actual official show was a bit pricey and professional for me. Not to say it wasn't an excellent show, just not to my art tastes. Now the unofficial art exhibits outside and surrounding the official show was more my speed. The entry fees to the unofficial shows ranged from free to $2.00 for the catholic church show - go figure... I actually enjoyed those shows better than the official show, but we went to them all over two days. Everybody has their art preferences! If you like art or people watching, you'll love the shows.

I always enjoy this festival although the entry fee has increased significantly in the past few years. There's a little bit of everything for everyone with varying price ranges. I'm definitely a fan of photography and love seeing Lisa Kristine and Clifton Henri, among others. There are also very talented Jewry designers that make the simplest necklace or ring into wearable art and Iove it. I would have enjoyed more local foods instead of the generic Greek and Latin kiosks. This would be an amazing opportunity to showcase local food trucks and restaurants since people come from all over the country and world. If the cost is increasing so should the quality of the vendors. Overall it's very organized and plenty if parking. I always support RE a little further down main hwy. oh and the poster this year was cute!

I have been going to the Coconut Grove Art Festival since I can remember. There are tons of artist and cool stuff to see. There is great food, in the middle section of the festival there is an outdoor food court with all types of yummy fair type food. There are activities for the kids to do. Prices have gone up and parking is pretty hard and expensive but I still keep coming back.

As a participating ARTIST, what three things about this year's festival did you LIKE MOST? 1) Artist hospitality and amenities, especially the artists ONLY mobile restroom facility. 2) Security - as well as a fellow artist's honesty and solid integrity - in helping me retrieve my iPhone after I inadvertently left it behind in the men's mobile restroom facility. 3) The volunteer staff (i.e.; boothsitters), who were exceptionally gracious and helpful when I needed them most, though I never once received a visit from a show manager - not even a zone captain - making my CGAF experience cold and impersonal, especially in light of the fact that I did not sell anything. As a participating ARTIST, what three things about this year's festival did you LIKE LEAST? 1) The double standard in the CGAF rules that allows digital artists and photographers to sell limited edition reproduction artwork but forbids all other artists from doing so in a show that fails to attract qualified buyers of original fine art. 2) The practice of accepting applications from weekend painters and craftspeople in order to fill preset quotas is akin to bringing in buy/sell con artists: It makes the show look like the artists came from the low rent district. 3) Adding the category of Edible Art to the CGAF program in order to accommodate a local 'cake' purveyor (Maite de Para, #193) who was only interested in commercially promoting his business, and then assigning this exhibit to a space right next to my booth (Patrick Pierson, #192) is evidence that CGAF personnel lack the better judgment essential to manage what I thought was a high-end show and serves to pile on even more insult to an injury that I and my fellow fine artists suffered when craft such as this is pawned off as fine art.

Being new in town and kind of lacking any buddies, I decided to spend the afternoon in Coconut Grove to have a look around. But when I got off the train at Douglas St. I noticed there were A LOT of people who got off there and then boarded a bus......always being up for an adventure I decided to postpone my own plans and jump on the bus with everyone else, having absolutely no clue where anyone was going, but deciding wherever they get off I would get off too. Low and behold I discover this great buzzing area called Coconut Grove and it has a sprawling art show......which was wonderful. The variety of artists exhibiting was wonderful to see and really was up there in terms of talent with some of the international shows I have been to around the world. Some of my favourites were: Lorri Honeycutt, Big World Photo.....the series with the doughnuts made me laugh so much I actually couldn't breathe Ricki L jewelry designs, amazing original pieces made for making a statement - and yes I am tentatively going to be buying a piece. Ricki needs to finish it first though. Leah Cavanah, Through the Viewfinder Photography.....this is amazing, she takes pictures of what can be seen through another camera view finder, to produce photos with such dramatic effect. Lou Michaels has taken some of the most iconic photos such as the lunchtime atop of the Rockfellar Centre construction and created a 3rd sculpture overlay, I so want one but at USD 2K+ it might be a tad outside my price range. Lastly there is an artist whose name I forget who displays these egg sculptures, with the most hysterical names. the broken egg on the ground (like as in humpty dumpty had a great fall) is referred to as scrambled egg. Then there is the egg who is chilled out due to the reefer he is smoking, referred to as fried egg...hehehehehe! So if you haven't been but thinking about it of President's day, it definitely gets my two thumbs up. BUT be warned there is a lot to see, so getting there by 2pm is probably advisable, also, note its a nightmare getting your ticket at the door, its completely disorganised with no-one really directly the floor of people, the lines are ridiculously long. Happy art hunting ;)

I went on Saturday the 18th early in the morning. I had no problem finding parking and I only paid $10. When your walking down the block from Coco Walk you start seeing the road closures and barricades blocking pedestrians from crossing in the middle of the streets. They charge you $10 to enter the Art Show and you can get a stamp too if you want to go in and out several times. As soon as you walking in you are surrounded by vendors selling their Art. As you walk further int to the show you start smelling and seeing vendors selling food and drinks. They also have Beer and Full bar stands throughout the show. I loved seeing the different metals, wood, and hand blown glass sculptures and colorful paintings, lithographs, prints, and Pictures. So many Great Artist that are Local and from All over the World! This Art Show was well organized and had very friendly and helpful staff and volunteers. I would definitely recommend this Art Show to Everyone!

Parking stinks! Ok, it's out there. We rode our bikes and had a ball. There are tons of vendors (lots of the same from Beaux Art) and it was really pleasant to be in Coconut Grove walking all around the streets with no cars. There are a lot of FL artists which I think it worth the trip in and of itself. Dress appropriately, bring sunscreen and prepare for a nice long day out.

I'm giving it 3 stars because the admission to get in is now $15 when it used to be free. Also the food is way expensive. I paid $15 for a salad with chicken on top and no drink. Next time I'll eat before I attend. It's still a fun event to attend on this gorgeous mid 60 degree South Florida day. I would have given 4-5 stars but over priced admission and food was a turnoff.

The show was amazing but NEVER buy your tickets online. We parked our car at one of the entrances but was told that we had to walk to the main gate, at the opposite end of the fair to get our tickets scanned. To be fair, the tickets stated that you needed to go to the main entrance but this is only seen after you have purchase them. We walked 15 minutes to get to the main gate only to be told we had to wait on the 'will call' line to redeem the tickets. And the irony is that there were plenty of ticket booths that had no lines. By all means go, but dont buy your tickets online.

Great show. Wonderful exhibits. Excellent Cooking demonstrations, good music and good kids playground.

The Coconut Graove Arts Festival used to be one of the best Miami events and how it became a private enterprise I will never know. If you have lived in Miami and knew how this Festival started you would know it was a group of artists that put their stuff out on the street. This Festival has grown since then and was always about the art but now it is all about the money for the promoter from what I can see. The guy who used to sell the pina colodas and other frozen drinks lost his right to sell these items because he was making too much money and now this concession is run by the Festival. I have also been told that the Women's Club is rented out for the week to prevent them from putting on their small art show during the Festival. Meanwhile, ticket prices have climed to $15 per person and even Coconut Grove residents can not get more than one (1) discounted ticket. Charging for and fencing this event is very un-Coconut Grove like and where this Festival used to attract over a million people attendance has been shrinking yearly. I attended this Festival every year and always bought something each year but now I boycott the Festival over principal. Even if I choose to attend the St. Stephens Festival (who also now charges) I will not go to the CGAF. How they went from having a Corporate sponsor to becoming a money making machine is a mystery but the word around town is payoffs and nothing would surprise me as the City of Miami has been a Banana Republic for years. I cannot bring myself to put money in the promoter's pocket so I refuse to go; anyway, there are plenty of free art festivals around this same time so it's no big loss. Unfortunately, this Festival and Coconut Grove will never be the same because it has fallen victim to greed and commercialism.

I am visiting from the Netherlands , and by surprise I was able to buy 2 paintings from the most amiable , and gifted artist Norman Leathers on lovely Tiger Tale road . The best souvenir ever of your art loving village. Karin Aaftink van Gool

This has been my very favorite south Florida festival since I moved here in 1989. 2017 was the single worst year ever for this festival. They moved the area for the kids and didn't tell anyone and in its place they installed a $60 per person vip area. For the adults they hired a new company to serve the drinks who thought it would be a smart idea to advertise a beer for $7 and the charge $9 for it when you get to the front of of line. Drink service company, if you want to charge $9 for a beer simply write it on your menu board and you will get paid plus a tip. Tell people a different number when they get to the bar and you will get nothing but angry customers and bad reviews. Coconut grove arts festival planning committee, get rid of this year's drink vendor and maybe more importantly, do more to steer people to you new children's area, it was great, but it was also very under utilized. Additionally the Mc at the concert area spent a great deal of his time telling people to buy vip tickets. I think he should have spent an equal amount of time telling people with children to go to the new children's area. We will come again next year but I think that if things don't change it will be our last. Please put the fun folksy spirit back into the festival it was sorely lacking this year. Ira Baker, attending this festival for the 27th time this year.