Photos: SOMI Magazine
SOMI ART FEST
The volunteers of the South Miami Rotary International Club presented their 40th Anniversary art festival on our main street on the weekend of February 22 & 23.
Some 118 artists booths, musician stages, pet care area, children’s play zone and, of course, plenty of “festival food” (and drink) welcomed the thousands of visitors to our town center retail and restaurant district walking Sunset Drive and our tree-lined side streets.
The club rebranded the event two years ago – SOMI Art Fest – which has brought a new vibrancy in the event with excellent signage throughout.
Two of the event co-chairs, Flavia Berti and Laura Kahn awarded prize ribbons of the juried art show.
Evan Schwarze, Painting
Michael Chen, Photography
Lizzie Hunter, Painting
DAS RENN TREFFEN
On the weekend of January 18 & 19, Porsche passion poured out of Sunset Place and on to the streets in our hometown, for the eleventh Das Renn Treffen (DRT) event, produced by Porsche devotee Alvaro Rodriguez.
Photo: SOMI Magazine
Two decades ago and for many years, “Al” had teamed up with Volksblast to create a VW event in South Miami. Now however his focus is squarely on the glitz and glamour of Porsche. For this year’s event he had some 1,500 Porsches throughout Sunset Place and out onto the streets around the venue. On the Friday evening before a high-end ICE VIP cocktail reception was held on two levels in Sunset Place in a vacant showcase venue which featured some 80 Porsches.
Al’s passion for promoting the brand has led him down this path to produce an event that is open to the public, with no admission, and noted that anyone taking part here must share their wheels with all the visitors. The cars are here to be appreciated, touched and experienced.
He has partnered with Sunset Place to create a venue that is able to have vacant store fronts turned into showcase boutiques. And while the mall is in the process of envisioning a dynamic new concept, Alvaro is planning to be here for the next couple of years, and will remain a car festival for everyone. “DRT is my Porsche dream come true” exclaims Alvaro.
Photos: SOMI Magazine
DRT’s special guest, hero of the Porsche outlaw icon Magnus Walker is situated in front of Sunset Place, where he signed autographs and posed for selfies. He brought two cars for this year’s event.
