Located on the waterfront in the downtown Miami shopping district, Bayfront Park, as it is commonly called, is the quintessential Miami park. An oasis of open green spaces and sparkling emerald waters, the park is across the street from a jumble of skyscrapers. It extends east from congested palm-fringed Biscayne Boulevard to the bay.
The site of many outdoor performances, the park is dotted with several sculptural pieces commemorating various people whose ideals are valued. The Mildred and Claude Pepper Fountain salutes the late Florida congressman who fought for laws that helped the elderly, and his wife. At the north end of the park, the John F. Kennedy Torch of Friendship promotes world harmony. The Perpetual Torch of Friendship bears the coats of arms and flags of Latin American countries. The Liberty Column is a monument to the thousands of unknown Cuban rafters lost at sea while trying to reach the U.S. A statue of Christopher Columbus was donated by a contingent of Italians and there is also a statue of Juan Ponce de Leon. A memorial by Japanese sculptor Isamu Noguchi honors the crew of the Challenger space shuttle disaster.
Previously a landfill, in 1943 the park became the site of a World War II memorial. Then, in 1989 Noguchi redesigned the park. Among other changes, the Amphitheater at Bayfront Park was added. The amphitheater, with a capacity of 12,000, hosts several large outdoor events, including the Annual America's Birthday Bash in July and the Annual Miami Reggae Festival in August. In the vicinity of several ethnic neighborhoods, many nationalities use the amphitheater for special events and festivities. In November, Miami's Haitian community celebrates All Souls Day there with a ceremony to honor the dead. Bands fly in from Haiti to play Voodoo-inspired rhythms amid the aroma of grilled conch and Haitian rice, downed with hearty gulps of Red Stripe.
Bayfront Park is adjacent to Bayside Market, an array of 150 of internationally flavored restaurants, outdoor cafes, and shops on 16 waterfront acres (see shopping). Miami's Metromover passes by Bayfront Park and a Visitor Information Center is close by.
Greater
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