First time at Calle Ocho Miami in 2015! (Coral Gables, Havana: houses, subsidized)

[klmrocks]

From Toronto and went to Calle Ocho in Miami in 2015 and I LOVED it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!! Miami in general was so so (no offense Miami resident's south beach was okay, but it ain't all that). Now Calle Ocho that was well worth the trip! There from 12 pm to 8 pm and loved every minute (would have been there at 11 am, but took too long getting ready). The music, the crowd and engery was amazing! Huge variety of cool entertainers. Too much to ever really take in during one day. I read some very mixed reviews regarding the event, but I have to say I go to many street festivals in my own city each year and this one was certainly one I would go to again and recomend to anyone regardless of age. I walked the full event like twice and there was stuff there for everyone. There was a mixed crowd from small kids to seniors who where all observed having a great time. The crowd was a mix of families, couples and freinds just hanging out. Top class entertainment in a large variety of styles. For those people who read other comments about people feeling unsafe I did not feel unsafe except when we where at the mega stage where the headliners were playing, but that was only because it was a huge crowd and I was with a child and like at any concert or event large crowds can be uncomfortable when popular bands start playing a some people start to rush the stage. We just move a bit more back and to the side and enjoyed the rest of the show in comfort. Even if we were not at Mega stage where I think the largest crowd was there were sooooooo many other things going on that I would have also really enjoyed. The hardest part of the day was choosing where to go because there were soooooooo many great options. Totally fun day and well put together event! Woud love to go again next year.

[Fl1150]

Glad you enjoyed yourself.

[angelscorpio]

Ho-hum.... Are you serious????? It was my first time too and the only thing I saw was a bunch of "chusma" wearing their flags as clothing walking around with strident icky music in every corner. Oh and everybody was doing "business" charging $10-30 dollars for a parking space in front of their houses 2 miles around. No way!!! You know there should be a law to prohibit this type of shady deals that it happens every time there is an event. Now the fare is $30. This is non sense.

[Bjorn_Ironside32]

I only went once, back in 2006. Didn't find the hype about it, so i never went back. The only good thing about this festival is the fine women.

[meiguogubaren]

Used to live around this area and every Calle Ocho day I would have to call off work and stay home because they would close off all of calle 8 and the buses would stop running through there. The entire day would be hectic because traffic from Coral Gables to Little Havana would be unbearable hence why I would need to call off most of the time. Drunk thugs would go and **** all over the place after the festival was done and/or just cause random ruckus. I hated Calle 8 days.

[himain]

I would never go personally but glad to hear you had fun. I'd never make it out alive..

[perry335654]

Calle Ocho is one of the largest festivals in the world

In 1988, Guinness Book of World Records, the longest Conga line was formed with almost 120,000 people who made up this feat.


Little Havana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Winchupuata]

Originally Posted by klmrocks

From Toronto and went to Calle Ocho in Miami in 2015 and I LOVED it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!! ...

Never went but good to know some people enjoyed it.

[miamifloridafan]

I Can't wait to finally go to calle ocho next year, it will be my first time.

[ElGuito]

Originally Posted by angelscorpio

Ho-hum.... Are you serious????? It was my first time too and the only thing I saw was a bunch of "chusma" wearing their flags as clothing walking around with strident icky music in every corner. Oh and everybody was doing "business" charging $10-30 dollars for a parking space in front of their houses 2 miles around. No way!!! You know there should be a law to prohibit this type of shady deals that it happens every time there is an event. Now the fare is $30. This is non sense.

Ha, ha, and more ha. Love the "chusma" reference, Mexican Slang for the lesser people. Some of the icky music was presented by Grammy Award recipients. There is no obligation to pay $30 por a parking spot, if You carry "PayByPhone" it is subsidized by the City and because of lower administrative cost, depending on the area is about 0.50 to 0.60 cents per hour, although for an event like that Metrobus is probably more convenient; and they don't simpply "stop running" during the event, it is easy to see on miamidade.gov/transit the re-routes for that day; it is a great event, for all ages. Except if You arrive already angry with the World, that could give diarrhea.