Miami Beach Botanical Garden Upcoming Events
Here is what awaits you at Miami Beach's most prized botanical garden.
Join our gardener Nick, every Sunday in April, on a journey exploring our living collection. He will focus on various themes, making each tour a unique experience. Themes may include sensory exploration, conservation, history, ethnobotany, pollinator ecology, and more!
Tour are available on these dates: April 7 & 21: 2pm–3pm • April 14 & 28: 10am–11am
$25 per person (kids under 12 are free) • Limited spaces • Purchase tickets here
MUSIC AT THE GARDEN
Youth Jazz Series
Sunday | April 7 | 5pm–8pm
Join us for an electrifying evening of jazz music at the Youth Jazz Series!
Get ready to groove to the tunes of talented young jazz musicians including YMU's Jazz Collective, The FIU Jazz Bands, YMPA Jazz Combo, Jazz Education Community Coalition Ensemble, and Lobac. The Youth Jazz Series promises to be a memorable experience, filled with infectious rhythms and captivating melodies.
Performing bands include:
MDC Wolfson Jazz Ensemble • Jason P and the 4 Players • The Groove Society • The Jazz Collective • YMPA Jazz Combo • JECC Ensemble • FIU Jazz Band • Lobac
Whether you're a jazz enthusiast or looking for a fun Sunday evening, the Youth Jazz Series is not to be missed. Come join us for an unforgettable evening of toe-tapping beats and soul-stirring performances.
All seatings for tickets are reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Free to attend • Please RSVP
MINDFUL CONNECTIONS
Tea Ceremony with Tara Benmeleh
Wednesday | April 10 | 10am–12pm
Tea ceremony — called "cha do" in Chinese or "The Way of Tea" — combines elements of artistry, spirituality, and connection, providing a gateway to a deeper understanding of oneself and the universe. While not classified as a psychedelic, tea has been recognized for its medicinal and psychoactive properties, making it a potent catalyst for personal growth and mindfulness.
Tara Benmeleh, a practitioner and guide in the world of tea ceremonies, offers a unique and transformative experience through her work. Tea becomes a vehicle for profound connection, both internally and externally. She creates a sacred space that encourages individuals to commune with themselves, fellow participants, and the world at large. Through this shared experience, Tara's ceremonies impart feelings of peace, harmony, and moments of stillness and beauty.
What sets Tara's work apart is its fluid and evolving nature. Her approach through "espiritútara" is experimental and intuitive, reflecting the ever-changing landscape of personal and spiritual growth. Through tea, Tara weaves a tapestry of mindfulness, artistic expression, and unity, inviting all to partake in the transformative power of the ceremony.
$88 per person • Class size is limited • Purchase tickets here
CONCERT
Words Move, Music Moves
with Owen Ruff, New World Symphony Fellow
Thursday | April 11 | 6pm–9pm
A night of poetry and music in the Miami Beach Botanical Garden featuring poetry by TS Eliot and music written and performed by New World Symphony Fellow Owen Ruff. This concert will ponder the relationship between words and music and how they can be blended in different ways to convey new meanings.
The evening’s schedule includes a pre-concert chat at 6pm, Owen’s concert at 7pm, and a post-concert reception at 8:15pm.
Owen Ruff is a first-year Violin Fellow at the New World Symphony and has recently played with the Milwaukee Symphony, Civic Orchestra of Chicago and Billings Symphony. Owen earned a bachelor of music degree from The University of Texas at Austin as a student of Brian Lewis and a master of music degree from Northwestern University as a student of Blair Milton.
Free to attend • Please RSVP
FOR MEMBERS ONLY
Conversation in the Garden with Raymond Jungles & Matthew Whitman Lazenby
Moderated by Allan Shulman
Thursday | April 18 | 6:30pm–8:30pm
Conversations in the Garden, a new members-only series, kicks off with Raymond Jungles, founder of the Miami-based landscape architecture firm Raymond Jungles Inc, and Matthew Whitman Lazenby, president and CEO of Whitman Family Development, owners of the Bal Harbour Shops. This evening on the Banyan Lawn will be moderated by architect, author, editor and curator Allan Shulman.
The evening’s schedule will include cocktails from 6:30–7pm, and a reception from 7:45–8:30pm.
Free to attend FOR MEMBERS ONLY • Please RSVP to reserve your sea
COMMUNITY
Earth Day Celebration at the Garden
Sunday | April 21 | 9am–4pm
There’s so much to do at the Garden’s Earth Day Celebration, sponsored by the Al & Jane Nahmad Family Foundation. Join us for family-friendly activities all day!
Plant giveaway: 1 plant per person upon completion of a fast event survey (while supplies last)
Animal encounters and conservation information: Troy, founder of Irie Fauna, will be providing info on Florida’s native and invasive species with a chance to encounter an American Alligator, Madagascar Day Gecko, South American Redfoot Tortoise, and African Ball Python. He will also give a short 15-minute talk about his work and how you can get involved in conservation projects.
Compost giveaway: Learn about all about compost with Beata Rikhter and take some home
Children’s book reading: Author Yaeko Knaus will be reading her new book, Sailing with Paros: Our Beautiful World at 12:30pm
Woodturning demonstrations: Learn all about woodturning with members of the South Florida Woodturners Guild
Ceramics demonstrations: Learn all about ceramics with members of the Ceramic League of Miami
City of Miami Beach Environment & Sustainability: Learn about the City’s climate adaptation and mitigation projects having a positive impact on our environment
Kids’s art activities: Get creative with art projects presented by the Sunflower Society
Earth Gratitude Catchers: Create gratitude catchers with the Garden’s nature-guide-in-residence, Karina Del Punta
We're also excited to welcome Plantleggers: An Earth Day Family Celebration activation with Bookleggers and O, Miami – providing a day of fun STEAM activities led by teaching artists and poets, providing hands-on informal family learning. It’s like a pop up children’s museum for plants!
These events require a separate RSVP or ticket (on Eventbrite):
Early Bird Walk at 8am (RSVP here)
Native Plant Propagation Workshop with Corinne of Miami Seed Share at 11am (RSVP here)
Botanical Ink Making Workshop at 12pm (Tickets here)
Food and drink vendors offering goods for purchase include Mama’s Cooking, Crepemaker, Lucca & Livvy specialty beverages – more to be announced.
Free to attend • Please RSVP
EARTH DAY AT THE GARDEN
Early Bird Walk
Sunday | April 21 | 8am–9am
Miami is home to over 400 species of birds, including specialties like Mangrove Cuckoo, Gray Kingbird, and White-crowned Pigeon. We'll look for these and many more as we're led on a guided walk around the Garden led by Rangel Diaz.
Rangel Diaz is a lead naturalist and has been employed by Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces since 2006. He has had the pleasure of being stationed at several different parks where he has managed an educational collection of reptiles, surveyed sea turtle nests, monitored wintering shorebirds and assisted with habitat conservation. Currently, he has been stationed at Deering Estate since 2014 where he is a supervisor in the Conservation and Learning Department.
We’ll meet outside the Garden’s main front gate (SE corner)
Free to attend • Space is limited • Please RSVP
EARTH DAY AT THE GARDEN
Native Plant Propagation Workshop
Sunday | April 21 | 11am–1pm
Join us at the Garden’s Earth Day Celebration and meet Corinne from Miami Seed Share. She’ll be conducting a workshop that will teach attendees the art and science of propagation using native plants!
Free to attend • Space is limited • RSVP required
EARTH DAY AT THE GARDEN
Making Botanical Inks
Sunday | April 21 | 12pm–2pm
Join Gabi from Buenezas at the Garden’s Earth Day Celebration to learn how to make botanical inks from plants, tree barks and flowers that grow in South Florida. Using very easy and accessible techniques we will extract colors that will inspire you to do the same at home. As a group we will share stories and our relationship to the plants that will inspire our painting exercise. Each participant will take a sample home. This class is open to families, children must come accompanied by an adult. Bring a small 1 or 2 oz container or dropper to take some ink home!
Gabriela Serra (she/they) is a multidisciplinary artist, certified Restorative Justice circle-keeper and urban farmer born in Caracas, Venezuela and currently based in Miami, Florida. Her practice comprises filmmaking, photography, and community facilitation (through workshops and support circles), and focuses on the exploration and regeneration of relationships—between humans and non-humans, our bodies and the land, our present selves with our ancestral histories.
With community, family and friends, she is able to co-create intergenerational spaces and projects in which oral tradition is practiced and honored, where we value the love and care of neighbors making food and tending gardens together, where we can be vulnerable with each other. Although her art is often ephemeral, the relationships and connections formed remain transformative.
$25 per person • Purchase tickets here
COMMUNITY
Drag Poetry Slam II: KIN
Created by Harmony Honig
Tuesday | April 23 | 6pm–8pm
KIN is a site-specific drag and poetry performance project that explores the relationship between queer bodies, chosen families, and the natural landscape of Miami.
An immersive one-act play, KIN uses the botanical garden as a stage to delve into the connections between queer identities, chosen families, and the relationships of flora and fauna in South Florida's ecology. Through a synthesis of poetry, botanical research, nature-inspired costumes, and experimental drag soliloquies, a group of poets and drag performers will develop new works about an interspecies dynamic of queer community and agency.
The audience will navigate through the garden, encountering live performances, drawing parallels between the unique characteristics of plant ecosystems and the diverse expressions of non-nuclear families. The poetry, activated by the artists integrated into the natural surroundings, will weave narratives of healing, refuge, and transformation with stories of drag houses, mutual aid, and trees as community builders.
Where the first Drag Poetry Slam yearned for what home is, KIN answers: home is where we grow. Presented in partnership with O, Miami.
Free to attend • Please RSVP
WORKSHOP
Full Moon Primal Rhythms
A Night of Drumming & Nature Magic
Wednesday | April 24 | 6:30pm–8:30pm
Experience the magic of intimately connecting with nature under the full moon's glow and freely expressing yourself through the drum, all while fostering a sense of community. No prior drumming experience is necessary. Drums will be provided for everyone; just bring an open mind and heart.
This experience will be led by neuroscientist and nature integrator in-residence, Karina Del Punta, PhD (Sense Nature Miami), and artist and ceremonial drummer, Katie Berns Lee (Drum Temple).
$50 per person • Class size is limited • Purchase tickets here
COMMUNITY
Miami Beach Orchid Society Monthly Meeting
Wednesday | April 24 | 6:30pm–8pm
The Miami Beach Orchid Society is thrilled to announce a rare and extraordinary opportunity for orchid enthusiasts and nature lovers in Miami Beach and South Florida. Renowned orchid specialist Drew Mullin, the esteemed orchid curator at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden, will be offering an exclusive tour of his favorite orchids in the Garden's vast and impressive collection.
Drew Mullin, with his extensive knowledge of orchids and dedication to conservation horticulture, is a true authority in the field. As an orchid specialist, Drew holds a master's degree in environmental studies, with a focus on the preservation of endangered native orchids in Florida. His experience as a park ranger in the Everglades region further amplifies his understanding of the challenges faced by our local orchids and the importance of their conservation.
During this exceptional event, participants will have the unique opportunity to join Drew Mullin on a captivating journey through the Miami Beach Botanical Garden. As he guides attendees through the Garden's stunning orchid collection, Drew will share his personal favorites and provide practical insights on orchid care and propagation. This is a rare chance to learn from one of the region's foremost orchid experts and gain valuable knowledge that can enhance your own orchid-growing endeavors.
The event is open to orchid enthusiasts, growers, and nature lovers of all levels of expertise. Whether you are an experienced orchid aficionado or just beginning your orchid journey, this tour promises to be an unforgettable experience that will deepen your appreciation for these extraordinary plants.
Also at every meeting – If you are having problems with one of your own orchids, you are invited to come to the meeting early, at 6:30 pm, for an Orchid RX clinic. Our knowledgeable experts are ready to offer helpful advice.
The Miami Beach Orchid Society meets on the 4th Wednesday of every month with some exceptions. Please note that there will be no meetings in August and December. Our meetings take place at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden and topics vary from month to month. Dues for membership are $30 per year.
Free to attend • Please RSVP
FOR KIDS
Poetry in Pajamas
Friday | April 26 | 6pm–8:30pm
Put on your favorite PJs, and join us for the 7th annual Poetry in Pajamas, presented in partnership with O, Miami! Under a sparkling crescent moon in the enchanting Garden, brothers Sam and Simon along with passionate poet Aria host an open mic for children. Kids of all ages recite their favorite poem, whether original or published, while surrounded by an audience of pajama-clad peers.
Featuring an activation hosted by Wonder Play! The Sensory Sonnet Soiree is a sensory-friendly poetry experience for kids on the autism spectrum and anyone else who may enjoy it.
Be sure to play lawn games and visit our marketplace made by kids, for kids. Miami’s own Afrobeta provides the music while delicious pizza, crêpes, wine, and other treats are available for purchase.
Free and open to the public • Please RSVP
COMPOSTING
Decomposition Compositions Workshop
with Beata Rikhter & O, Miami
Sunday | April 28 | 10am–2pm
In this workshop, we will adapt the composting process to writing. We will begin by journaling, and through prompts and editing, reduce our writing to its elements. This reduced writing will be shared with our workshop neighbor to be responded to or expanded upon.
This process will be repeated several times, expanding and reducing, until we have bunches of poems that could never have happened without the interconnection – just like compost! The final poems will be printed on stickers and shared on the compost collection pick-up bags at Miami Beach Botanical Garden and beyond. The workshop will be followed by an optional dip in the ocean and beach gathering.
Beata Rikhter grew up in Miami, an immigrant from Eastern Europe. She attended Miami-Dade Public Magnet Schools, where she had the opportunity to study art and learn the value of public service.
Location: North Beach Compost Hub • 8440 Collins Avenue • Miami Beach, FL 33141
Cost $15–$50 • Purchase tickets here
FOR ORCHID LOVERS
Orchids & Arts Festival
Saturday, May 4 & Sunday, May 5 | 9am–4pm
The Miami Beach Orchid Society, Miami Beach Botanical Garden, and Foundation for Emerging Technologies invite you to experience the inaugural Orchids & Arts Festival at the Garden. Our two-day festival will celebrate all things orchids including orchid and art exhibits, music and dance performances, educational activities, and a vendors market. The festival will also be highlighting our Florida native orchid species, aiming to raise awareness about our beautiful, yet fragile ecosystems. invite you to experience the inaugural Orchids & Arts Festival at the Garden. Our two-day festival will celebrate all things orchids including orchid and art exhibits, music and dance performances, educational activities, and a vendors market. The festival will also be highlighting our Florida native orchid species, aiming to raise awareness about our beautiful, yet fragile ecosystems.
The weekend will include:
Orchid Exhibit
Have a show-stopping orchid? Bring it to the Garden on Thursday, May 2 (2pm–4pm) or Friday, May 3 (9am–11am) to enter it for display in our Orchid Exhibit. American Orchid Society (AOS) judging will take place on Friday afternoon and weekend festival visitors will view the winners.
Arts presentations & performances
The Harold Golen Gallery will be featuring orchid paintings by El Gato Gomez
The Foundation for Emerging Technologies and Arts presents Orchid Adventure by Juraj Kojš – a series of short music, dance and storytelling performance activations about the Florida native Butterfly Orchid (Encyclia tampensis) – featuring Pioneer Winter Collective, Miami Sound Choir, and Betzaida Ferrer (1pm, 2pm and 3pm daily)
Frost Electronic Music Ensemble (FEME) will perform orchid-inspired computer music at 1:30pm, 2:30pm and 3:30pm daily
Rachel Weiss will present a meditative and educational augmented reality installation in the Garden's gazebo
Market featuring orchids & related vendors
Soroa Orchids • Orchid Eros (Hawaii) • So Orchids • Florida Orchid House • Jim-N-I Orchids • Mac's Orchids • Orchids in Bloom • Quest Orchids • OFE International Orchid Supplies • Kawaii Universe Orchid-themed Clothing • Orchidabilia and Ingram's Better Orchid Books • The Branch
Orchid lectures
Experts will share their knowledge about a variety of orchid-related topics (speakers TBA)
$5 per person • Purchase tickets here
HEALTH & WELLNESS WITH FRANCI
Sound Bath Meditation
Sundays | April 14 & April 28 | 9:30am–10:15am
This all-levels practice will guide you to find and connect with a sense of calm that will allow you to feel more resilient to stressors and helps you respond instead of react to your challenges. We will use crystal sound bowls to begin to slow down the revolutions of the mind and support your journey inward. Each class begins with a short introduction to the technique and we practice for 15-20 minutes. There are chairs and a few mats you can borrow for the practice or bring your own yoga mat. It is not necessary to sit cross-legged, you are more than welcome to use a mat and lay down for the practice. Styles of meditation: pure sound, breathing exercises, breath awareness (anapana), mindfulness (insight), loving kindness meditation (metta), or body scanning.
Non-members $20 • Members $18 (call for promo code) • Tickets
Vinyasa Yoga
Sundays | April 14 & April 28 | 10:30am–11:30am
Prepare for the week ahead with a Vinyasa/Hatha style Yoga class. Ground down in the Garden's tropical oasis as the backdrop. Relieve stress by connecting your breath to your movements. The class can be modified for beginners, but is filled with deep stretches, twists, balancing poses and incorporates breath work that will assist in feeling resilient to stress throughout your week.
Non-members $20 • Members $18 (call for promo code) • Tickets
FITNESS
Tai Chi at the Garden
Wednesdays • 10am–11am
Please join teacher Silvia Salinas, AP for Tai Chi at the Garden. The class takes place weekly from 10am-11am, in the Banyan room or on the lawn (weather permitting).
Designed for beginners, but also enjoyable for long-time practitioners, this class focuses on the foundation of the movements. The health benefits of Tai Chi include improved flexibility, strength, and balance. Through its fluid movements Tai Chi stimulates deep breathing and blood circulation, without straining the heart and other muscles, making it safe for all physical levels.
New at the Botanical Boutique!
Next time you're at the Garden, stop by the Boutique to see what's new. We love these -- you'll definitely be able to beat our South Florida summer heat with these beautiful, light and flowy dresses from Toda Boa!
PLEASE NOTE
Our Spring Artisan Market originally scheduled for Sunday, March 17 has been rescheduled. The market will now take place on Sunday, June 9. We hope to see you there!