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Miami Beach Pride kicks off its 18th anniversary Thursday with a new event that organizers hope will create a more visible, inclusive and meaningful start to the season.

Why it matters: This year's festival is the first to follow the removal of Miami Beach's Pride crosswalk, part of the state's directive to remove street art.

Advocates argued the move targeted minority groups by removing installations that served as visible signs of inclusion for LGBTQ+ residents and people of color.

State of Pride: The annual event is one of the largest in the nation and is the first of the year, attracting well over 150,000 people annually from around the world.

This year's theme is "Pride Is Infinite," a slogan that reflects the "boundless spirit of the community," board chairman Bruce Horwich wrote.

What they're saying: Pride is a celebration, and each year organizers strive to "create a festival that brings joy, connection and visibility" to the community, Horwich wrote. 

But it's also a protest, he added, "and sometimes the most powerful act is simply showing up as your most authentic self."

Zoom in: The events kick off 5:30pm Thursday with the Pride flag raising ceremony at Miami Beach City Hall, followed by Pride on the Road, the lineup's latest addition, at 6:30pm.

Organized in partnership with the Lincoln Road Business Improvement District, the event offers live performances, food, interactive painting experiences and on-site resources from local advocacy organizations.

Miami-based artist Camilo Rojas is also expected to debut a Pride-themed installation.

What's next: The annual two-day festival at Lummus Park begins April 11, while the Pride Parade is April 12.

This year's calendar includes events throughout the week, beginning this weekend with a family picnic and queer art showcase.

For the full lineup, visit the festival's schedule of events.

Miami Beach Pride returns for 18th year with new events, daily gatherings

The event kicks off Thursday with the flag-raising ceremony.

A large rainbow flag in the middle of a parade. 

The 17th annual Miami Beach Pride Parade in South Beach attracted thousands of event-goers. Photo: Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Miami Beach Pride" data-vars-click-url="https://www.miamibeachpride.com/" data-vars-content-id="6a3a181f-0895-4f63-bb74-91259af31a15" data-vars-headline="Miami Beach Pride returns for 18th year with new events, daily gatherings" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.miamibeachpride.com/" target="_blank">Miami Beach Pride</a> kicks off its 18th anniversary Thursday with a new event that organizers hope will create a more visible, inclusive and meaningful start to the season.Why it matters: This year&#x27;s festival is the first to follow the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="removal of Miami Beach&#x27;s Pride crosswalk" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2025/10/06/miami-beach-pride-crosswalk-removed-lgbtq-month" data-vars-content-id="6a3a181f-0895-4f63-bb74-91259af31a15" data-vars-headline="Miami Beach Pride returns for 18th year with new events, daily gatherings" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2025/10/06/miami-beach-pride-crosswalk-removed-lgbtq-month" target="_self">removal of Miami Beach&#x27;s Pride crosswalk</a>, part of the state&#x27;s directive to remove street art.

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Culture

News

After visiting Frankie & Wally's, I said it filled a gap in what I believed to be Miami's subpar deli sando scene.

And, well, I'd like to apologies to the folks at Jholano's Deli. I wasn't familiar with your game.

Why it matters: This Italian shop, tucked away in an old Coral Gables apartment complex, opened in 2022 and cultivated a loyal customer base following a series of viral videos. 

Its second location opened in Brickell last year.

Apparently, I live under a rock! Or maybe just North Beach.

The intrigue: The only marker is its red door.

There's no sign or dining room, just a small counter where a handful of employees build sandwiches to music that is objectively too loud for anyone older than 23. ("I Ran (So Far Away)" by A Flock of Seagulls was blasting when we walked in.)

Outside, there's a few picnic tables next to the tarped-over communal pool.

Beige building with a bright red door under a rounded red canopy.

If you look close, there's a sign in the window, the only confirmation you get that you're in the right place. Photo: Sommer Brugal/Axios

State of sando: The menu includes about a dozen freshly made sandwiches.

I ordered the "Deep N2 Florencia," a toasted panini-style sando with focaccia, hot soppressata, hot capiola, pepperoni, mozzarella, arugula, dijon mustard and pesto.

My friend Stephanie (who informed me of Jholano's) got the "Tartufo Pesanti," a cold sandwich made with strecci doppio bread, mortadella, truffle burrata, tomato, arugula and balsamic vinegar.

The meat on mine was thinly sliced and the mustard really came through. Steph's many layers of meat with a thick slick of burrata was refreshing.

The bottom line: This is your reminder to explore other parts of town! 

This was a jaunt from North Beach, but well worth it for the delicious meal (and quality time with my childhood friend).

Jholano's Deli is a tiny Italian sandwich shop with big flavor

The menu includes about a dozen sandwiches.

Two deli sandwich halves on a mosaic round table with brown paper wrappers. 

Look at the CHEESE on my panini! Photo: Sommer Brugal/Axios

After visiting <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Frankie &amp; Wally&#x27;s" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/02/26/frankie-wallys-is-here-to-satisfy-your-deli-sandwich-cravings" data-vars-content-id="c4d9bf7e-19cc-4d91-875d-af0875f2fe56" data-vars-headline="Jholano&#x27;s Deli is a tiny Italian sandwich shop with big flavor" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/02/26/frankie-wallys-is-here-to-satisfy-your-deli-sandwich-cravings" target="_self">Frankie &amp; Wally&#x27;s</a>, I said it filled a gap in what I believed to be Miami&#x27;s subpar deli sando scene.<ul><li>And, well, I&#x27;d like to apologies to the folks at <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Jholano&#x27;s Deli" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/jholanosdeli?igsh=MW1pNjJ4MWc2a3Q4bw%3D%3D" data-vars-content-id="c4d9bf7e-19cc-4d91-875d-af0875f2fe56" data-vars-headline="Jholano&#x27;s Deli is a tiny Italian sandwich shop with big flavor" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/jholanosdeli?igsh=MW1pNjJ4MWc2a3Q4bw%3D%3D" target="_blank">Jholano&#x27;s Deli</a>. I wasn&#x27;t familiar with your game.</li></ul>

Food and Drink

It's the first weekend of April. And it's going to be busy month!

O, Miami Poetry Festival kicked off yesterday. (ICYMI: Here's our guide.) 

Miami Beach Pride begins today. (More on that here.) 

And the Miami Film Festival starts next week. 

We picked out a few other events happening across town this weekend. 

Coral Gables Gallery Night: Participating galleries and art venues welcome visitors on the first Friday of the month with art, live music and culture.  

See the list of galleries online. 6pm-10pm. Free. 

Fashion In Protest: Organized by Worn Reborn FIU, this immersive runway highlights social activism, cultural identity and student voices. 

Friday, 6pm-10pm, Parkview Multipurpose Room. Free, open to non-FIU students

Miami Zine Fair: The annual event is back with more than 150 artists, writers, illustrators, activists and poets from in and outside of Miami, featuring exhibits, performances and interactive programming. 

Saturday, 12pm-5pm. Miami Design District's Paradise Plaza. Free

Thriftcon: Shop-til-you-drop at this one-day event, featuring 100+ curated vintage vendors, "Vintage by the Pound" bins, collector-level vintage and a live panel.

Saturday, 10am-5pm, Miami Beach Convention Center. Tickets: $19+

TUMBAO: In collaboration with Salsa Z, this event is a night of dancing (think: Reggaeton, Salsa), vinyl sets and good vibes at 1-800 Lucky in Wynwood. 

Things to do this weekend: Gallery night, Thriftcon and more

Illustration of "Weekend" in graffiti on a brick wall. 

It&#x27;s the first weekend of April. And it&#x27;s going to be busy month!

President Trump's foundation released the first images of his planned downtown Miami presidential library this week, depicting a skyscraper that includes a presidential plane and multiple golden statues of Trump.

Why it matters: The renderings offer a look at a project that would be Florida's first presidential library and a dramatic addition to Miami's skyline. 

Zoom in: The 100-second video posted online and set to a "Game of Thrones"-esque soundtrack features one Trump statue at the building's entrance, overlooking Biscayne Boulevard, and another in a large auditorium.

In addition to the presidential plane, multiple smaller fighter jets are also featured.

The video also depicts many visitors, all dressed as if attending a gala, on a golden escalator, outdoors in the gardens, in a ballroom, and inside a replica of the Oval Office.

The word "TRUMP" sits at the top of the tower.

Catch up quick: Miami Dade College's Board of Trustees voted in September to transfer the property, valued at $67 million, to the state.

Immediately following the vote, Attorney General James Uthmeier said the state would dedicate the land to Trump's library.

Historian and activist Marvin Dunn challenged the transfer, arguing it was done without proper notice or community input.

A Miami judge dismissed the complaint in December.

Friction point: The project sits just south of the city's Freedom Tower, known as the Ellis Island of the South, which once served as a refugee center for Cuban asylum seekers and is now a museum.

Cuban-Americans in Florida voted overwhelmingly for Trump in the 2024 election. The U.S. then repatriated more than 1,600 Cubans in 2025, double the number from 2024, according to the New York Times.

Meanwhile, critics of the project told multiple outlets during protests opposing it that the property belonged to Miami Dade College students and the community at large, not the president.

Trump reveals first look at his downtown Miami presidential library

Trump's presidential library design features statues, planes and golden escalators.

Front view of a tall glass building with a large gold square doorway frame and a circular seal above; a dome visible inside, with the sign "DONALD J. TRUMP PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY" at ground level.

A look at the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library. Screen capture via Presidential Library Foundation video

President Trump&#x27;s foundation released the first images of his planned downtown Miami presidential library this week, depicting a skyscraper that includes a presidential plane and multiple golden statues of Trump.Why it matters: The renderings offer a look at a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="project" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/15/trump-presidential-library-lawsuit-judge-miami" data-vars-content-id="f47ed0d7-3189-46ed-8b19-6b0db752d5ee" data-vars-headline="Trump reveals first look at his downtown Miami presidential library" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/15/trump-presidential-library-lawsuit-judge-miami" target="_self">project</a> that would be Florida&#x27;s first presidential library and a dramatic addition to Miami&#x27;s skyline.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools is seeking to assert more control over Miami's NPR station, a move the station's embattled board chair calls "an attempted hostile takeover."

Why it matters: The proposed language included in an amended management agreement obtained by Axios could cast doubt on WLRN's journalistic independence, an industry expert says.

Between the lines: The amended agreement, dated March 20, is still under negotiation and not yet final.

The contract between the school district, which holds WLRN's broadcast license, and South Florida Public Media Group (SFPMG), which manages the station, is set to expire in June 2027.

Zoom in: Among the proposed amendments is a clause requiring a "joint committee to recommend a candidate" should SFPMG have a CEO vacancy.

SFPMG CEO John LaBonia's departure has not been publicly confirmed, but WLRN employees told Axios that his office was cleared out following a Feb. 26 mediation session between SFPMG and district officials.

Last weekend, he was denied entry into the station's headquarters, though his access has since been reinstated, Axios confirmed.

What they're saying: Having the broadcast license holder recommend the station's next CEO is "inappropriate," Kelly McBride, senior vice president of the Poynter Institute, a nonprofit journalism research center, told Axios.

"That's not how public media is intended to run," McBride said.

The station's board, she explained, is typically solely responsible for hiring a CEO, as it's that individual's responsibility to hire a news executive and other programming heads.

That hierarchy ensures journalistic independence and loyalty to the audience, she said.

The other side: Bob Martinez, an attorney representing the school district in its dispute with SFPMG, declined to answer Axios' questions, explaining that the mediation process is confidential by court order.

He added the district's policy concerning WLRN's editorial integrity "remains in effect."

Zoom out: Other proposed changes include the school district receiving a second seat on SFPMG's seven-seat board, filled "at the sole discretion" of the school district superintendent.

The amended agreement allows SFPMG to go forward with its planned acquisition of a radio station in West Palm Beach, so long as the license is transferred to the district once finalized.

It also specifies that WLRN's endowment — a key element in the legal battle — can be used solely to benefit the stations and school district.

Friction point: Richard Rampell, SFPMG's board chair, called the district's proposals "a thinly disguised assault on the First Amendment."

In a recent call with Axios, he added he didn't think it was a good idea for any government entity to run a news organization.

Catch up quick: The conflict began over the summer, when SFPMG announced plans to acquire The Flame 104.7 and the school district sued to block the deal.

The district argues the acquisition would be funded by an endowment for WLRN meant to support the school district and the Miami community. SFPMG disputes those claims.

What we're watching: The FCC in February approved the acquisition of the West Palm Beach station, pending the outcome of the district's lawsuit.

Last month, the district filed a petition for reconsideration.

Scoop: Miami-Dade Schools seeks more control over WLRN in legal battle

The district holds the station's broadcasting license.

A sign that reads "Miami-Dade County Public Schools." 

Miami-Dade County Public Schools holds WLRN's broadcast license. Photo: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Miami-Dade County Public Schools is seeking to assert more control over Miami&#x27;s NPR station, a move <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the station&#x27;s embattled board chair" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/02/24/scoop-employees-say-wlrns-future-at-stake-in-latest-escalation-with-leadership" data-vars-content-id="f913de02-937f-4e84-8229-9bdda924c527" data-vars-headline="Scoop: Miami-Dade Schools seeks more control over WLRN in legal battle" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/02/24/scoop-employees-say-wlrns-future-at-stake-in-latest-escalation-with-leadership" target="_self">the station&#x27;s embattled board chair</a> calls &quot;an attempted hostile takeover.&quot;Why it matters: The proposed language included in an amended management agreement obtained by Axios could cast doubt on WLRN&#x27;s journalistic independence, an industry expert says.

Sommer Brugal

Featured stories

Scoop: Miami-Dade Schools seeks more control over WLRN in legal battle

Things to do this weekend: Gallery night, Thriftcon and more

Miami Beach Pride returns for 18th year with new events, daily gatherings

Trump reveals first look at his downtown Miami presidential library

Jholano's Deli is a tiny Italian sandwich shop with big flavor