Miami, Fl - (July 23, 2020) -- The Miami Broward Carnival Host Committee is committed to flattening the curve of coronavirus as they announced today that for the first time in 35 years, Miami Carnival would be produced as a virtual experience from Thursday, October 8-Sunday, October 11, 2020. Miami Carnival is one of the most anticipated Caribbean Carnivals held annually, draws over 75,000 attendees, and contributes to the South Florida area's economic impact during Columbus Day weekend. The Miami Carnival online edition will welcome people from across the globe as they continue the tradition of a top-notch cultural event that celebrates Miami, the Caribbean, music, pageantry, and Caribbean culture over this multi-day experience. For the first time, the Miami Broward Host Committee is making all the elements of Miami Carnival free to access. The virtual experience is expected to draw audiences across the country and the world. The event will be hosted at MiamiCarnival.org.

"Everyone has been deeply impacted by the pandemic. Like others, we have been challenged to pivot and reimagine how we can continue to create space for our annual cultural celebration of Miami Carnival," says Joan Justin, Chair for Miami Broward One Carnival Host committee. "While we will miss hosting attendees into the South Florida area, we are excited to share Miami Carnival with a global audience this year. We know that we will persevere through this time and continue to support our community to recover from the global crisis with which our world is faced."

"While the energy of the Miami Carnival is the in-person connection and feeling the vibration of the beat, the safety of the attendees and all involved are the first priority during this pandemic," said Connie Kinnard, Vice President of Multicultural Tourism & Development with the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Things are evolving, but with the recent worldwide spike of COVID-19, a virtual festival this year is another very effective way to showcase nationally the Miami and Caribbean culture to community and potential visitors. The GMCVB has a long-standing partnership with the Miami Carnival, and we look forward to participating virtually this year and in-person in 2021."

The Miami Broward Carnival planning team's creativity and innovation are woven into a vibrant showcase of all the elements and traditions embraced and celebrated during the Miami Carnival. The event promises to entertain, inspire, and educate. Some of the aspects of this rich cultural content include features of some key local DJs kicking off the Miami Carnival Virtual Weekend experience. There will be performances by the 2019 Junior Calypso winner, 2019 Jr. Steelpan winner as well as a segment to take viewers through a story about Carnival. Viewers will still get to enjoy the pageantry of the costumes and experience the sweet and melodious sounds of the steel pan.

Additional announcements about the online event will be made in the coming weeks.

Visit https://miamicarnival.org for updates.