Latin Cafe 2000 Marks 8th Annual Pig Pardoning with Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava
- camilarosiaz
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
Latin Cafe 2000 welcomed the holiday season in Brickell with its eighth annual Pig Pardoning Ceremony, joined by Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, continuing a tradition that blends humor, heritage, and community ritual.
Inspired by the presidential turkey pardon, the event has evolved into a distinctly Miami celebration rooted in the region’s culinary culture. Each December, whole-pig roasting—most often prepared in a caja china—becomes central to holiday gatherings across Miami-Dade County. While the tradition originates in Cuban cuisine, it has long crossed cultural lines, becoming a shared seasonal custom throughout South Florida.
At 10 a.m., Mayor Levine Cava officially pardoned this year’s honoree, a pig named SIX SEVEN, symbolically sparing it from the holiday roasting season. The ceremony acknowledges the thousands of pigs prepared annually for Christmas Eve and Día de los Reyes celebrations, while offering one a ceremonial reprieve.
SIX SEVEN was donated by Coral Gables firefighter Ricardo Blasco to Pig Roast Bowl, a collective of first responders and community figures behind the Pig Roast Bowl. Karin Mas, a leader within the group, committed to providing lifelong sanctuary for the pardoned pig.
Latin Cafe 2000, known for serving tens of thousands of pounds of lechón between Thanksgiving and early January, has positioned the annual pardon as a lighthearted reflection of Miami’s multicultural identity. Guests attending the ceremony were served spinach croquetas and cafecito while media and community members gathered for remarks and photos.
The event concluded with interviews, a county proclamation, and appearances by the owners of Latin Cafe 2000 alongside Mayor Levine Cava, reinforcing the ceremony’s role as both a festive kickoff to the season and a celebration of shared tradition.
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