Miami Carnival 2026 closes its October 3 to 11 run with J’ouvert on Saturday, October 10, and the Parade of Bands and Concert on Sunday, October 11. Both events take place at Central Broward Park and Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, which moves the Sunday finale out of Miami-Dade County this year.
Key Takeaways
- The Parade of Bands and Concert runs Sunday, October 11, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at Central Broward Park and Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill.
- The official J’ouvert starts at 7 a.m. Saturday, October 10, and runs until 3 p.m. at the same Lauderhill site.
- More than 16 masquerade bands are expected to take part in Sunday’s parade.
- Sweet Shells, Bozaq TBG, and The Haitian All-Stars are set to perform before the mas bands take the stage on Sunday.
- Junior Carnival and the Pan Jamboree steelpan event opened the 2026 schedule on October 3 at the Tamarac Sports Complex.
- The 2025 edition drew close to 100,000 attendees over four days, according to organizers.
The Sunday Finale Shifts to Broward County
For first-time visitors, the change in location is the main thing to know about Miami Carnival 2026. In recent years, the Parade of Bands ended at the Miami-Dade County Fair and Exposition grounds in Southwest Miami-Dade. This year, both the Sunday parade and Saturday’s J’ouvert take place at Central Broward Park and Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill.
The festival has always crossed county lines. The Miami-Broward One Carnival Host Committee has produced the event since 1985 and has long spread its programming across both counties. The name stays Miami Carnival, but the main weekend is now based in Lauderhill. Riders coming from Miami should plan for the drive north on Interstate 95 or Florida’s Turnpike.
J’ouvert Opens the Weekend at Dawn
Miami Carnival’s J’ouvert starts at 7 a.m. Saturday. The tradition comes from Trinidad and Tobago and other Caribbean islands, where revelers gather before sunrise covered in paint, powder, and mud and dance behind music trucks into the morning.
This year’s official J’ouvert features Lady Lava with GenX International, Anika Berry with Xia International, Trilla G, Shelly, and other performers with River Land Mas. The event runs until 3 p.m., leaving the rest of Saturday open before Sunday’s parade.
Sixteen Mas Bands Lead the Parade of Bands
Masquerade bands, known as mas bands, are the center of the Miami Carnival parade. International costume designers and local carnival producers create each band’s look, and the finished costumes of feathers, beads, and headpieces often take months to make. Organizers expect more than 16 mas bands to take part on Sunday, with live Caribbean entertainment after the parade.
Before the bands parade, the concert stage features Sweet Shells, Bozaq TBG, and The Haitian All-Stars, with DJ Hard Hitting Harry and DJ Aycee. The lineup includes soca, Haitian kompa, and other Caribbean styles that reflect the range of islands represented in South Florida.
The Business of Carnival in South Florida
Miami Carnival depends on a network of small businesses: costume makers, seamstresses, food vendors, sound crews, and the mas band producers who organize hundreds of masqueraders each. Those businesses have faced rising costs. Before the 2025 edition, organizer John Beckford told CBS Miami that costume, imported material, and food costs had all gone up, and that the team was working to keep ticket prices down.
The cultural base behind the event is large. Broward and Miami-Dade counties together are home to more than 342,000 Caribbean residents, according to Census figures cited in local coverage. Miami Carnival has given that community a yearly gathering point for decades. The Caribbean connection runs deep in Miami’s history too, as seen in the Bahamian roots that still shape Coconut Grove, the city’s oldest continuously inhabited neighborhood.
Junior Carnival and Pan Jamboree Opened the 2026 Run
The festival started a week earlier. Junior Carnival and the Pan Jamboree were held together on Saturday, October 3, at the Tamarac Sports Complex. Junior Carnival gives young masqueraders their own parade, and the Pan Jamboree highlights steelpan, the instrument invented in Trinidad that remains central to carnival music.
Together, these events show that Miami Carnival is more than one parade. It is a series of gatherings across South Florida over Columbus Day weekend that brings together Caribbean communities from both counties.
FAQs
When Is Miami Carnival 2026?
Miami Carnival 2026 runs October 3 to 11. J’ouvert is Saturday, October 10, and the Parade of Bands and Concert is Sunday, October 11.
Where Is the Miami Carnival 2026 Parade of Bands?
The parade takes place at Central Broward Park and Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill. It runs from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday, October 11.
What Time Does Miami Carnival J’ouvert Start?
The official J’ouvert runs from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 10. It is held at Central Broward Park in Lauderhill.
Who Is Performing at Miami Carnival 2026?
Sunday’s lineup includes Sweet Shells, Bozaq TBG, and The Haitian All-Stars. J’ouvert features Lady Lava with GenX International, Anika Berry with Xia International, Trilla G, and Shelly.
Who Organizes Miami Carnival?
The Miami-Broward One Carnival Host Committee produces Miami Carnival. The group has staged the festival since 1985.
