301
N. Biscayne Blvd. (between SE Second St. and NE
Third St.), Miami
(305) 358-7550
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
Blvd. 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 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 AT&T Amphitheater
at Bayfront Park was added. The amphitheater, with a
capacity of 1200, 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.
