MIAMI – August 15, 2022 – August 24 marks the 30th anniversary of Hurricane Andrew, the category 5 cyclone that made a lasting mark on South Florida. In remembrance of this historic day, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens has themed its monthly Vizcaya Late evening program accordingly, calling it a “Hurricane Party.” Every Miamian is familiar with this term and the museum intends to deliver with a lot of fun and prep.
Hannah Griggs said it best in her in-depth Eater.com piece on the topic. “Hurricane parties are a staple of hurricane season in Miami, New Orleans, and throughout the Gulf and Atlantic South,” said Griggs.
“Yet calling them “parties” does not encapsulate their complexity. In places where hurricanes are simply part of life, hurricane parties can be a deeply communal ritual inextricably bound with storm preparation. They’re seasonal fetes … more about camaraderie, food pooling, and safety in numbers.”
In the spirit of coming together, getting prepared and remembering the impact of this 1992 catastrophe, the Vizcaya Late program delivers a full schedule. This includes a series of hands-on activities to get attendees hurricane ready, such as horticulture and collections care sessions. A one-night exhibition of post-Andrew photos from Vizcaya’s archives will also be on display in the Enclosed Loggia.
Like any good hurricane party, the event will feature food and dancing. Among the food trucks on the deck are: Wholly Smokes BBQ, Jealous Fork, Josh’s Pizza and Sushi Vice. DJ Hottpants will take us back to the early 90s as he spins on the East Terrace, overlooking the bay.
No Miami party could be complete without a little pool action. Intimate group tours will venture into the Swimming Pool Grotto to learn how this space, which is normally closed to the public, is affected by storms. Although tour guests will enter the grotto, swimming and in the water will not be part of the tour.
To purchase $10 tickets for Vizcaya Late: Hurricane Party, please visit Vizcaya.org/hurricaneparty. Tickets are only available online and will not be sold at the door. The event takes place on Wednesday, August 24, at 6:00 p.m.
ABOUT VIZCAYA MUSEUM AND GARDENS
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a National Historic Landmark that preserves its cultural and environmental resources to engage people in connecting with the past, understanding the present and shaping the future. Built between 1914 and 1922 as the winter home of farming manufacturer James Deering, Vizcaya is one of the most intact remaining examples from this era in the United States, when the nation’s most successful entrepreneur-built estates were inspired by the stately homes of Europe. Vizcaya features a Main House filled with a decorative art collection, 10 acres of formal gardens, a rockland hammock (native forest), mangrove shore, and a historic village that is being restored to tell Vizcaya’s full story and provide additional spaces for programs and community outreach, including those on agriculture. Vizcaya has been a community hub since it opened to the public in 1953; it welcomes 300,000 visitors annually.
Located on Biscayne Bay at 3251 South Miami Avenue, Vizcaya is open Wednesday through Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed Tuesdays, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. For more information, visit www.vizcaya.org, connect via social media, or call 305-250-9133.
