49th Annual Art Deco Weekend 2026

When Radio Was New: John Vassos and Design for Mass Media
2022-01-15 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Wolfsonian-FIU, 1001 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, 33139, United States
What should a radio look like? How should a tuning dial feel to the touch? More than a half-century before the iPhone, pioneering industrial designer John Vassos addressed these questions, recognizing that the right answers could mitigate fears about new media technologies and inspire people to welcome them into their homes. Danielle Shapiro, author of a book about Vassos, will show how he contributed to the shape of radio and television receivers as a lead consultant to RCA in an age when these devices revolutionized how Americans consumed information and entertainment.
Organized with Miami Design Preservation League and presented as part of Art Deco Weekend.
Tickets must be obtained through the Wolfsonian-FIU’s website. To register, click here.

Ocean Drive Architectural Tour
2022-01-15 12:30 - 14:00, 2022-01-15 10:30 - 12:00, 2022-01-14 14:00 - 15:30, 2022-01-14 10:30 - 12:00 | Art Deco Museum and Welcome Center, 1001 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL, 33139, United States
This 1 1/2 to 2-hour walking tour provides an introduction to the Art Deco, Mediterranean Revival, and Miami Modern (MiMo) styles found within the Miami Beach Architectural Historic District. Explore hotels, restaurants, and other commercial structures with a visit to a number of interiors.
Tour takers will be provided with a sanitized wireless receiver and headphones which will transmit audio from the tour guide, in order to allow for social distancing of at least 6 feet between tour takers.
All tours are rain or shine. Please dress for the weather as there are no refunds for inclement conditions.

Jewish Miami Beach Tour
2022-01-15 11:30 - 13:00 | Art Deco Museum and Welcome Center, 1001 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL, 33139, United States
Explores the rise and fall of the Jewish population of Miami Beach over the past 100 years, including a look at the impact of selected key Jewish individuals and institutions, plus an overview of architectural styles in the southernmost part of the city. Tour departs from the Art Deco Welcome Center, 1001 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139.

Sketchwalk #1: Colony Hotel and Classic Car Show
2022-01-15 11:00 - 13:00 | Art Deco Museum and Welcome Center, 1001 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL, 33139, United States
Sketch with us at the Miami Beach Art Deco Historic District to capture the essence of the 1920s Era and the Now into your sketchbook!
Meeting point is in front of the Art Deco Museum and Welcome Center (1001 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139).
Join us as our sketchwalk guide Qais takes us to The Colony Hotel (736 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139). This hotel was designed in 1935 by the famous architect Henry Hohauser. The building facade is representative of the typical Art Deco style. There will be a classic car show in front of the building and along Ocean Dr; so, there will be interesting scenery.
People of all ages and all drawing levels and skills are welcome. A Sketchwalk is an interactive walking tour run by Urban Sketcher leaders, where its participants stop to pull out their sketchbooks and capture the scene in a drawing. These on location from observation sketches tell the story of place, time, and community.
As this event is OUTDOORS be prepared with drinking water, portable chair/stool, and appropriate clothes for the weather. This event is FREE.

Sound and Vision: A Conversation with a Radio Collector
2022-01-15 11:00 - 12:00 | Wolfsonian-FIU, 1001 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, 33139, United States
Beginning with a small, streamlined radio he spotted at an antique show, South Florida collector Harvey Mattel built a collection of radios that now numbers in the many hundreds and includes some of the most coveted receivers in existence. In conversation with Wolfsonian development director Michael Hughes, Mattel will reveal what sparked his passion for radios, share how his collecting interests have evolved, and speak about some of the most significant pieces he has acquired over the years.
Organized with Miami Design Preservation League and presented as part of Art Deco Weekend.
Tickets must be obtained through the Wolfsonian-FIU’s website. To register, click here.

Bike Valet
2022-01-15 10:00 - 20:00 | FL
Park for free at the Bike Valet at Art Deco Weekend!
Sponsored by Better Streets Miami Beach and the Miami Design Preservation League.
Please note: bikes must be picked up before close of festival.

Aerial Vision at the Wolfsonian-FIU
2022-01-15 10:00 - 18:00, 2022-01-14 10:00 - 21:00 | Wolfsonian-FIU, 1001 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, 33139, United States
November 19, 2021–April 24, 2022
The Wolfsonian–FIU @ 1001 Washington Avenue
Aerial Vision explores how early 20th-century inventions—airplanes and skyscrapers, each considered the embodiment of human achievement and a harbinger of a better tomorrow—sparked an era of remarkable creativity and new systems of seeing the world. Met with awe and excitement, both technologies introduced novel approaches for living, working, and traveling and opened up previously inaccessible vertical perspectives to modern spectators, from artists and designers to urban planners and everyday office workers. This exhibition of paintings, posters, furniture, and more draws from the Wolfsonian collection to examine these heightened positions of power and privilege, revealing connections between newly available viewpoints and their impact on the artistic imagination.
Aerial Vision is made possible by Bradesco BAC Florida Bank and the Arthur F. & Alice E. Adams Charitable Foundation.
The Wolfsonian-FIU admission is free for Florida residents. Ticket and visiting information may be viewed on their website: click here.
Free Fridays, 6–9pm every week
Regular Hours
Wednesday–Sunday: 10am–6pm (Friday 9pm)

Deco Kids Fun Zone in support of Feinberg-Fisher Miami Beach
2022-01-15 10:00 - 17:00 | FL
Join us for the annual Deco Kids Fun Zone at Art Deco Weekend. Bring the kids to participate in bounce house, obstacle course, and other activities. Suggested Donation $5 to support the historic Fienberg-Fisher K-8 in the Art Deco District.
Location: Ocean Drive between 8th and 9th street in Lummus Park.

Classic Car Show by the Antique Automobile Club of America South Florida Region
2022-01-15 10:00 - 15:00 | Ocean Drive between 5th and 10th Street, 601 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL, 33139, United States
Art Deco Weekend welcomes back the Classic Car Show presented by the Antique Automobile Club of America South Florida Region – made up of enthusiasts of antique automobiles of all makes and models of cars, trucks, and motorcycles from the early 1900s up to 1991. On Saturday (1/15) and Sunday (1/16), antique automobiles from all over Florida will be on display along Ocean Drive starting at 5th street going north to 10th street. [No tickets required]

Morris Lapidus: I Did it My Way
2022-01-15 09:00 - 17:00, 2022-01-14 09:00 - 17:00 | Art Deco Museum and Welcome Center, 1001 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL, 33139, United States
A 20-year retrospective on Morris Lapidus (1902-2001) with a focus on his career’s work as it relates to:

His early work in retail design
Working with the Art Deco masters on Miami Beach
Venturing on his own with the Fontainebleau, Eden Roc, and Americana
His legacy in transforming Lincoln Road into one of the most famous pedestrian plazas
His legacy of other building designs including Temples, office buildings, community centers, and more

This exhibition is on view through March 15th, 2022 at the Art Deco Museum. Free for Miami-Dade residents and MDPL Members. $5 general admission.

A Wonderful World
2022-01-14 20:00 - 22:00 | Colony Theater, 1040 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, FL, 33139, United States
A world-premiere musical about jazz legend and singular American icon Louis Armstrong, featuring songs recorded and made popular by Armstrong, and original book by Aurin Squire, the multi-talented Opalocka-raised playwright and TV writer (This is Us, The Good Fight), and co-author of Confessions of a Cocaine Cowboy.
A Wonderful World, traces Armstrong’s odyssey, the musical genre he helped define, and the complex history of race in America, from the birth of jazz in Armstrong’s native New Orleans to international stardom and the Civil Rights era. Squire focuses his musical drama through the prism of the women in Armstrong’s life. Directed by Drama Desk winner and Tony nominee Christopher Renshaw. Music arranged by Annastasia Victory and Michael O. Mitchell.
This event is produced by Miami New Drama. Art Deco Weekend visitors can receive 15% discount on tickets during the festival. Use code ARTDECO at the link below to purchase your tickets between Jan 14-16!
Reserve Tickets

Radioland Murders
2022-01-14 19:00 - 21:00 | O Cinema South Beach, 1130 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL, 33139, United States
The secretary at radio station WBN, Penny Henderson (Mary Stuart Masterson) is frantically trying to keep things in order as a broadcast goes on the air. Chaos breaks loose, however, when a series of murders occurs in the building, accompanied by an enigmatic voice over the airwaves. Penny’s writer husband, Roger (Brian Benben), tries to deduce who the killer is, but he also happens to be the prime suspect. As he evades the law, Roger gets closer to uncovering the identity of the murderer.
This event is produced by O Cinema and tickets may be purchased online by clicking below:
Reserve your tickets
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Troy Anderson and the Hot Five
2022-01-14 18:00 - 22:00 | Jazz Age Stage at Lummus Park & 12th Street
Troy Anderson got his first taste for music while growing up in a Bahamian family filled with musicians. At the age of 10, he began playing the trumpet and went on to perform in the Florida Sunshine Band and the Gospel Sounds before being introduced to the world of the drum and bugle corps in school. A later stint with the Florida Vanguards taught him how to be an effective lead soprano soloist while performing in front of thousands of screaming fans. Subsequent tours with the famous Bayonne Bridgemen Drum & Bugle Corps helped hone his showmanship skills.
Anderson first fell in love with the music of Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong while playing with the 2nd AD (Fwd) Jazz Band in Germany where he was stationed as a paratrooper. Following one such performance for some high-ranking officials, the Command Sergeant Major of the U.S Army asked Anderson to put together a show of nothing but Armstrong’s greatest hits. Anderson was known throughout Germany for playing like Satchmo, but singing like him was a different story. Practice, however, made perfect and he soon managed to replicate Armstrong’s trademark growl with stirring accuracy.
After a horrific accident sidelined Anderson’s career as a musician — he was told by doctors he would never be able to play trumpet again — he miraculously recovered to form the Wonderful World Tribute Band with the guidance of South Florida’s Gold Coast Jazz Society Series” Who was Louis Armstrong” teaching elements of Jazz to elementary students through which he’s brought the legendary music of Louis Armstrong to life. Anderson and his ( U.S) Wonderful World Band has made a significant mark of New Orleans flare to the South Florida area and is currently residing in Germany and touring the E.U with his Wonderful World Trio which is based out of Budapest Hungary. Anderson’s Armstrong is too natural to be called uncanny. Starting out with the look, he slips easily into the rest — the dinner jacket, the trumpet and hanky, the roly-poly voice, and above all, the contagious the joie de vivre that made Armstrong so beloved.

Don’t miss the mini swing dance lessons and entertainment between jazz band sets!

South Beach Scandals Tour
2022-01-14 14:00 - 15:30 | Art Deco Museum and Welcome Center, 1001 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL, 33139, United States
This 90-minute walking tour focuses on illegal activities and shady characters in Miami Beach history. Topics include political corruption, illegal gambling, alcohol during prohibition, and organized crime figures. Tour departs from the Art Deco Welcome Center, 1001 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL, 33139. All tours are rain or shine. Please dress for the weather as there are no refunds for inclement conditions.
Please note: this is a specialty tour and as such has a flat ticket rate of $35 per person.

South Beach Scandals Tour
2022-01-14 13:00 - 14:30 | Art Deco Museum and Welcome Center, 1001 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL, 33139, United States
This 90-minute walking tour focuses on illegal activities and shady characters in Miami Beach history. Topics include political corruption, illegal gambling, alcohol during prohibition, and organized crime figures. Tour departs from the Art Deco Welcome Center, 1001 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL, 33139. All tours are rain or shine. Please dress for the weather as there are no refunds for inclement conditions.

A. Brad Schwartz: "Broadcast Hysteria: Orson Welles's War of the Worlds and the Art of Fake News"
2022-01-14 12:00 - 13:30 | On-Demand / Pre-Recorded, Miami Beach, FL, 33139, United States
View the event on-demand at the following link: click here. Video will be available starting 1/14 at Noon EST.
On the evening of October 30, 1938, radio listeners across the United States heard a startling report of a meteor strike in the New Jersey countryside. With sirens blaring in the background, announcers in the field described mysterious creatures, terrifying war machines, and thick clouds of poison gas moving toward New York City. As the invading force approached Manhattan, some listeners sat transfixed, while others ran to alert neighbors or to call the police. Some even fled their homes. But the hair-raising broadcast was not a real news bulletin-it was Orson Welles’s adaptation of the H. G. Wells classic The War of the Worlds.
In Broadcast Hysteria, A. Brad Schwartz boldly retells the story of Welles’s famed radio play and its impact. Did it really spawn a “wave of mass hysteria,” as The New York Times reported? Schwartz is the first to examine the hundreds of letters sent to Orson Welles himself in the days after the broadcast, and his findings challenge the conventional wisdom. Few listeners believed an actual attack was under way. But even so, Schwartz shows that Welles’s broadcast became a major scandal, prompting a different kind of mass panic as Americans debated the bewitching power of the radio and the country’s vulnerability in a time of crisis. When the debate was over, American broadcasting had changed for good, but not for the better.
As Schwartz tells this story, we observe how an atmosphere of natural disaster and impending war permitted broadcasters to create shared live national experiences for the first time. We follow Orson Welles’s rise to fame and watch his manic energy and artistic genius at work in the play’s hurried yet innovative production. And we trace the present-day popularity of “fake news” back to its source in Welles’s show and its many imitators. Schwartz’s original research, gifted storytelling, and thoughtful analysis make Broadcast Hysteria a groundbreaking new look at a crucial but little-understood episode in American history.

About the speaker:
A. Brad Schwartz is a doctoral candidate at Princeton University, studying 20th century American history with a special interest in questions of media and journalism, law and policing, and the cultural production of history. His undergraduate thesis at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor explored Orson Welles’s 1938 War of the Worlds radio broadcast, drawing upon an untapped trove of listener letters to challenge the standard narrative of the so-called “panic broadcast.” This research became the basis for his first book, Broadcast Hysteria: Orson Welles’s War of the Worlds and the Art of Fake News (Hill and Wang, 2015). In 2013, he co-wrote a documentary about War of the Worlds for the PBS series American Experience, based in part on his thesis research. His second book, Scarface and the Untouchable: Al Capone, Eliot Ness, and the Battle for Chicago, co-written with Max Allan Collins, was published by William Morrow in 2018.

Peter Sheridan: "Deco Radio: The Most Beautiful Radios Ever Made"
2022-01-14 12:00 - 13:30 | On-Demand / Pre-Recorded, Miami Beach, FL, 33139, United States
View the event on-demand at the following link: click here. Video will be available starting 1/14 at Noon EST.
This is the untold story of the Art Deco radio and the extraordinary contributions of famous industrial designers in the 1930s, who contributed so much to the development of radio and the world-wide spread of the Art Deco style. Enjoy a look at the most beautiful radios ever made.
Dr Peter Sheridan AM BDS MDS FICD Clinical Senior Lecturer, Sydney University
Member, Australian Institute of Professional Photography
Committee Member, Art Deco & Modernism Society of Australia
Peter has been in general dental practice in Macquarie Street Sydney since 1971. An accredited professional photographer specializing in fine art, Peter is also an internationally respected collector, historian and lecturer in the field of Art Deco design. His collections are considered world class and have been displayed by the National Gallery of Victoria and featured by the The National Trust and the Historic Houses Trust. He is the author of 4 major award-winning photographic reference books on design and architecture: Radio Days (2008); Deco Radio (2014); Sydney Art Deco (2019) and Sydney Art Deco & Modernist Walks – Potts Point & Elizabeth Bay (2021)
In 2001 Peter was honored by the Australian government and awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his work with people with Multiple Sclerosis. Peter is an avid tennis player competing in Australia and overseas in Masters’ tournaments.
