Spotlight 77-250214

Good morning. What we’re covering in today’s Spotlight:

The Coconut Grove Arts Festival shifts gears to survive
Meet two local artists in this year’s festival
Police amp up festival security in wake of New Orleans attack
St. Stephen’s: This weekend’s Other Art Festival
Miami’s Recycling Blues: How to make the program great again

The Art of Survival

After struggling to recover from pandemic-era setbacks, the Coconut Grove Arts Festival has reinvented itself with new management – and a much healthier bottom line.

By Francisco Alvardo

Coconut Grove Arts Festival Executive Director Camille Marchese says rising ticket prices this year are necessary to keep the event financially stable. (Photo courtesy of Dina Allende)

In 2021 the Coconut Grove Arts Festival’s future was in doubt. Lackluster ticket sales fueled by the pandemic forced organizers to cancel the long-running outdoor event that stretches along McFarlane Road, South Bayshore Drive and Pan American Drive every President’s Day weekend.

To steady the ship, the 12-member board of the nonprofit Coconut Grove Arts & Historical Association, which oversees the festival, approved a major overhaul of its operational structure.

The Artist’s Life

The lifestyle isn’t for everyone but for two local artists the Coconut Grove Arts Festival was the springboard to a full-time career on the nation’s art fair circuit.

By Liz Tracy

The 61st Coconut Grove Arts Festival takes to the streets February 15-17.

Four years ago when James Hilton was laid off from his job at Boston-based shoe manufacturer Sperry, ending a 25-year career in corporate merchandising and design, he was already making painstakingly crafted, vintage-inspired prints.

But his path to full-time artist really began with a visit that same year to the Coconut Grove Arts Festival (CGAF).

After relocating to North Coconut Grove, he and his wife, Kate Minner, explored the festival grounds, vowing to submit his work for consideration the following year, and hoping to be among the select one-third of artists chosen from over 1,000 entrants.

That first year, he made the cut, and for three years now he’s set up a table at the festival alongside his fellow fair artists.

Police Amp Up Security for Art Festival

Miami Police are implementing new security measures for this year’s Coconut Grove Art Festival in the wake of the New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans.

By Ethan Mannello

An estimated 60,000 people are expected to attend this weekend’s Coconut Grove Arts Festival. (Photo courtesy of the Coconut Grove Arts & Historical Association)

With 60,000 people expected to attend the Coconut Grove Arts Festival this weekend, security is a top concern for event organizers and local police, even more so this year than in the past because of the January 1 terrorist attack in New Orleans.

U.S. Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street in the early morning hours of that day, killing 14 people and injuring 57 others.

“There’s always a risk of copycat, whenever there’s a successful terrorist attack,” said Don Aviv, president of Interfor International, a New York security consulting firm. “In this day and age, specifically after the attack in New Orleans, there is a heightened concern.”

St. Stephen’s Art & MakersFest: Stepping Out of the Shadow

What began as a simple hotdog stand during the Coconut Grove Arts Festival has blossomed into a stand-alone event with a national following.

What began in 1988 as a small fundraising effort – selling hot dogs to Coconut Grove Arts Festival visitors – has blossomed into one of the nation’s largest art shows in its own right, attracting an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 attendees each year.

This year’s event – now known as the St. Stephen’s Art & MakersFest – takes place February 15-17, coinciding with the adjacent Coconut Grove Arts Festival. The two events operate independently.

While the St. Stephen’s fair features a mix of fine art, it also includes more crafted artworks than its larger, older neighbor. Another key difference is its admission price – the St. Stephen’s Art & MakersFest is free. Visitors can access the fair from either Main Highway or McFarlane Road, without entering the adjacent Coconut Grove Arts Festival.