Dog Friendly South Miami Rotary Art Festival

Save the date for the 32nd annual dog friendly South Miami Rotary Art Festival from February 21-22, 2015! As a member of the South Miami Rotary Club, owner Flavia has enlisted her Equipaws pet sitters to volunteer for the second year in a row at the Art Festival’s “Doggie Hydration Station.” As always, South Miami is very welcoming to well-behaved dogs. Please bring your pups out on leashes to experience one of the best art festivals in South Florida. We will have grain-free treats and fresh, cool water available for them on both Saturday and Sunday!

Dog Friendly Art Festival in Miami

Our pet sitters volunteered at the 31st art festival last year and can confidently say it is a great dog-friendly event. The dogs we met last year were well-behaved, social, and had a fun time hanging out not only with their families, but also meeting other sociable doggies. The street offers covered sidewalks to keep pets’ sensitive paws safe, and there are complimentary doggy-doo bags in addition to cool water and treats that we provide. Wondering if a crowded art festival is the right place for your pup? Keep these in mind:

• If your dog is nervous around crowds of people or other dogs, you should definitely keep them home.
• Senior dogs and puppies can tire more easily; plan around your pet’s endurance levels.
• Is your female pup in heat? Please keep her comfortable at home.
• Brachycephalic dogs need to be carefully monitored for heat exhaustion (pugs, shih tzus, etc.)
• Is your dog unruly on a leash? Go over training with him before bringing him out to an exciting event like this. Set him or her up for success instead of failure! (And please, for the love of your dog, yourself, and those around you, don’t use a retractable leash).

South Miami Rotary Art Festival Details

The South Miami Rotary Art Festival brings over 150 artists to downtown South Miami every year, closing Sunset Drive (SW 72nd Street) from US1 to Red Road (SW 57 Avenue), parallel to The Shops at Sunset Place. The Berti girls grew up going to the art festival and enjoying the area; it’s full of restaurants, great boutique shopping, and historic buildings). This small strip lends itself to a cozy experience for the family-friendly festival. Chances are you have driven by it but not actually walked in; there is always something for everyone, from princess tutus to face painting, fine art to a fine dining food court, beer garden, and live jazz.

We admire that the festival is produced completely by our fellow Rotarians of the Rotary Club of South Miami and its Rotary Foundation. They invite artists from all over North America. It is also a boon to the local economy, bringing 25,000 people for that weekend. Even better, proceeds from the festival go to fund college scholarships for South Miami students, and other service projects, both locally and internationally.

Admission is free for patrons with parking in garages and the street.

Where: 5750 SW 72 St., South Miami, FL 33143

When: February 21-22, 2015, Saturday 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM and Sunday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Saturday night there will be live jazz onstage until 8:00 PM in the beer garden at 58th Avenue and Sunset).

For more information: Email info@southmiamiartfest.org or call 305-769-5977, or visit Southmiamiartfest.org.

Frankie Berti

A founding member of the Equipaws family, Frankie can mostly be found working behind the scenes, helping co-create online branding, managing several social media accounts, designing brand collateral, writing copy, and managing events. She also fills in for pet sitters and dog walkers when needed in Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, and South Miami. Her own small pack consists of Boots the Shih Tzu mix and Nutmeg the Chiweenie.