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Home My WebLink AboutM-82-0579To A► t� !! _ b T e The Aq0 mericas. .......... A PROJECT OF: The Downtown Miami Hotel Association Downtown Miami Business Association Metro -Dade County Department of Tourism and The City of Miami one biscayne tower • suite 2099 - miami, fla. 33131 • (305) 579-6675 4 J n SALUTE TO THt AMMCAS P Due to its strategic geographical location, Greater Miami has become during the last decade, the "Gateway" of Latin American countries into the United States, and conversely from North American and European countries into Latin America. Businessmen from those countries feel more attracted each day to what is currently known as "Wall Street of the South" --a banking center, which has blossomed in recent years in the core of Downtown Miami as well as the adjacent area--Brickell Avenue. This, together with the possibility of conducting business and shopping in stores with bi-lingual capabilities are among the lures that draw Latin American visitors to the Downtown area and Greater Miami, making it the largest volume exporter in the U.S. to the Western Hemisphere. Latin American tourists are, throughout the year the main support of the tourism industry of the Downtown area, and, of course, also important to Dade County in general. In order to continue attracting Latin American tourists, plus starting to recapture the domestic tourism to our beaches, the Downtown Miami Businessmen's Association, the Downtown Miami Hotel Association, the Metro -Dade Department of Tourism and the City of Miami have joined forces to produce thirteen gala festivals, throughout the year, celebrating the National Independence Day of the United States, Canada, Latin American and Caribbean countries. continued...../ ■ The events that will comprise the various Salute to the Americas peativals will expose a trait unique to bade County -=the blend of the many cultures and races living, working and celebrating together in Miami —the Gateway of the Americas. The Salute to the Americas, will consist of street festivals along Flagler Street, and in some instances, extending into Bayfront Park and on Biscayne Boulevard; theatrical and musical performances, at the Gusman Cultural Center, of top theatrical groups and musicians. Folkloric and musical groups will present on -going cultural performances of the folklore and music of that particular country; arts and crafts will be displayed in strategic areas of Flagler Street; strolling troubadours will liven the Street, with typical music; Downtown Miami restaurants will coordinate special food experiences with wine/liquor tasting from that country. For that special event, Flagler Street will be adorned with banners and special decorations saluting the honored country whose independence is being celebrated. The duration of each one of these festivals will vary, depending upon the variety of scheduled events but should not be less than three days and no more than one week. The festivities will start at 6:00 p.m. and continue through the early evening during weekdays and from 12 noon till 10 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. All the Downtown hotels, stores, restaurants, etc., plus the Downtown Campus of Miami -Dade community College, will participate. The various buildings and condominium associations of the surrounding area will be invited to take part in the celebration. Plaglor gtreet traffic will be closed on the hours of the Pestival. All the marchanta in the area will be asked to keep their stores open, after hours and on weekends. This will facilitate shopping for patrons and will maintain an even flow of shoppers along the ►riain artery of Downtown Miami, Persons employed in Downtown Miami will be enticed into staying after office -hours, and the condominium dwellers will be attracted by the on -going gaiety. Venezuela's Independence Day will kick off, on July 2, these series of festivals. For that particular event, the Venezuelan Minister of Tourism, together with Wass, Venezuela's principal airline, will be invited to co-sponsor the celebration by bringing a sample of the music and folklore of that exciting South American country. Local Venezuelan businesses, banks, corporations, social clubs, student associations and members of the Venezuelan community residing in Dade County will be asked to participate in the making of the festivities. Domestic and worldwide tourism will be generated by these festivals as journalists and travel agencies from those countries, different areas of the U.S.A., Canada and Europe will be invited to participate and cover the event. Trade magazines, newspapers and specialized publications from all over the United States, will write about the festivities that are going on in Miami, "blacking out" the bad image we have generated during the past years. This project will serve to promote tourism, so badly needed in Dade County, and offer a better understanding, to the American people, of the cultural, educational and artistic wealth of the American residents in the Greater Miami area, with its' Latin American and Caribbean origins. SALUtt IO i N�: AM P iCAs Schedule of Activities rridayt 9:00 A.M. tourism Workshop with travel agents from the Festival eounttyj Miami and other selected areas in the U.S. It will be 8ondueted in a ptce`selected hotel. Schedule! 9:00 A.M► to 1:00 P.M.- lunch 1:00 P,M..2:00 P.M); resume at 2:00 P.M.-6:00 P.M. 11:00 A.M. Kiosks will open to the public. 12:00 N. Bands will perform in the kiosks area until 2:00 P.M. 12:00 N. RIBBON CUTTING - Official inauguration of the Festival with the participation of high ranking officials from both government as -well as Metro Dade County and City of Miami officials. When- ever available, a band will play.the National anthems of both countries. 6:00 P.M. Flagler Street will open for the Festival. Bands will play from the following sites: Flagler between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. Flagler between 1st and 2nd Avenues. Flagler between N. Miami Avenue and 1st Avenue. Restaurants in the three block area will have seating arrangements in the streets and will serve food and drinks. 8:00 P.M. Gusman Hall opens for ballet or concert, STORES WILL BE REQUESTED TO REMAIN OPEN 10:00 P.M. End of the activities with FIREWORKS on Bayfront Park. IMPORTANT: Media coverage of the event will emphasize Festival Schedule during the next two days. Sat.,12:00 N. Flagler Street opens for Festival as per previous day. to be continued..../ 12:00 N. Lunch for travel agents and participating companies' representatives, in a Downtown hotel, Tduristn personalities, frog.the countries involved, will be .invited,,to serve as guest speakers during the luncheon. 9:00 P.M. Gala Ball (cocktails and dinner) at a pre - selected Downtown hotel, Sunday 12:00 N. Flagler Street opens up for Festival as per previous day. STORES WILL nMAIN OPEN 6:00 P.M. End of the activities. ALL OF THE ABOVE ACTIVITIES WILL BE ADJUSTED IN ACCORDANCE TO THE FACILITIES; ARTISTS] ENTERTAINMENT THAT THE FOREIGN COUNTRY IS ABLE TO SUPPLY. A FILM FESTIVAL FROM THAT COUNTRY WILL BE ORGANIZED•AND PLANNED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AVAILABILITY OF THE FILMS. 5-5-82-VFG ?it i �-� t�AT70NA1� �1�H�H�CH liAiCB �HS�ii�ALS COMM WIVAL __DAgHB - INME1 DENCB_. DAY PHONE Vetiazueia 7/2 - 7/4 July 5 373-4311 Ecuador 8/5 - 8/8 August 10 371-8366 Mekico 9/9 '= 9/12 September 15 16 371--5444 Chile 9/16 - 9/19 September 18 '373--8621 Colombia 12/10 -- 12/12 July 20 373=3087 Panama 10/28 - 10/31 November 3 379-7280 Brazil 11/18 - 11/21 November 7 377-1734 United States 7/2 - 7/4 July 4 350-4155 Jamaica 7/22 - 7/24 First Monday in August 374-8431 1983 Canada July 1 404- 577-6810 Argentina May 373-7794 Peru July 28 373-5061 Bolivia August F 358-3450 Uruguay August 25 358-9350 Guatemala September 15 377-3201 Costa Rica September 15 377-4242 Dominican Republic February 27 373-4862 Paraguay May 15 444-8250 Trinidad/ Tabago August 31 374-2056 Bahamas July 10 373-6295 Barbados To come 645-4145 SAR ICA$ L)►��i,�T�'1!g _. COS �'i`HL ,CgLt* ., Salomon Yuken, The Colultbua Hotel TR R" Juvenal Bina, The Bvarglades Hotel =H-T_RWt tt: Ana -Mari Brrethner, Inter-Ameritan Communications 9B0R1TA1Y: Virginia Flores Oodoy, Metro=bade Dept. of Tourism DIRECTORS: Bernardo Genes, Continental Bank Emilio Calleja, Downtown Miami Businessmen's Association Willy Gort, Little Havana Tourist Authority Aida Levitan, Office of Information and Visitors of the City of Miami Leslie Pantin, Jr., Pantin insurance Roy Kenzie, Downtown Development Authority SUB -COMMITTEES FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION: Juvenal Pins, The Everglades Hotel PUBLICITY, PR, AND MARKETING: Ana -Mari Brechner, Inter -American Communications Alma Guerra, Channel 23 Aida Levitan, Office of Information and Visitors Phil Halpern, Metro -Dade Dept. of Tourism ARTS AND CRAFTS: Margarita Cano, Metro -Dade Public Library System Mickey Carden, Miami -Dade Community College Roberta Griffin, Miami -Dade Community College GASTRONOMICAL: Sol Geltman, The Columbus Hotel Margarita Delgado, Fla. Dept. of Natural Resources Susan Weiner, Sunny Isles Resort Association ENTERTAINMENT: Willy Gort, Little Havana Tourist Authority Ruth Greenfield, Lively Arts Series, MDCC-NWC Ruth Levine, Lively Arts Series, MDCC-NWC MEDIA EVENTS, CEREMONIES AND PARADES: Emilio Calleja, Downtown Miami Businessmen's Association GALA BALL: Celia Touzet, Latin Orange Festival Council Noeli Gonzalez LOGISTICS: Emilio Calleja, Downtown Miami Businessmen's Association Gonzalo Sanchez, Florida Power 6 Light Oompany Roger Carlton, Off -Street Parking Authority FUND-RAISING: Bernardo Benes, Continental Bank TRAVEL AGENCIES WORKSHOP: Manny Centeno, Metro -Dade Dept. of Tourism Peter Weiner, Metro -Dade Dept, of Tourism