Five hours, one ingredient, and local cooks going head to head in a Plátano Showdown. Allapattah is giving the plantain an afternoon of its own.
Festival del Plátano returns to Juan Pablo Duarte Park on Sunday, November 15, 2026, noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Presented by The Allapattah Collaborative CDC, the festival brings together food, live music, dance, neighborhood art and a local market in Little Santo Domingo.
The food court covers sweet and savory, so there is plenty of room for disagreement about the best way to eat a plantain. The competition gives local cooks a chance to make their case. Leave room to try more than one dish.
Food, Music and the Plátano Showdown
The Plátano Showdown puts local cooks and their interpretations of the ingredient at the center of the afternoon, with judges and prizes. Around it, the food court explores the plantain's range.
If a one-ingredient food court sounds repetitive, you have not met the plantain. Green and fried gives you tostones; ripe and fried gives you maduros. Boiled and mashed, it becomes mangú. Fried, mashed and worked with garlic, it becomes mofongo. Same fruit, four very different directions. The festival's individual vendor menus have not yet been confirmed.
Live bands and dance performances run alongside the food. The art display includes carnival masks made by young people and seniors from the neighborhood, a detail that makes the festival feel rooted in the people who live here.
Last year's guest artist was Néstor "Angurria" García, the Dominican painter known for the Doña Patria mural series.
The kids corner includes games, art projects and demonstrations from the City of Miami Police and Fire Departments. Local artists and small businesses will also sell food, goods and handmade items. Do a slow lap before you commit to lunch.
How to Get In
Admission is free. The organizer has a registration page; confirm its current entry instructions before heading over.
Bring money for food and anything that catches your eye at the local market. Confirm vendor payment options and prices on the day.
Things to Do at the Festival
Go for lunch, stay for the music and leave time for the art and market stalls. With food, performances and children's activities in the same park, families have several ways to spend the afternoon.
The festival ends at 5 p.m., so this is a daytime plan. Comfortable shoes, sun protection and optional seating are the organizers' practical suggestions.
Date, Location and Parking
Use this year's date and hours: Sunday, November 15, noon to 5 p.m. The 2025 edition took place on a Saturday from 1 to 6 p.m.; older listings can send you to the wrong day or time.
Parking and transit: The current festival listing does not specify event parking or a recommended transit route. Use the park's map link below to plan your arrival.
Good to Know
When: Sunday, November 15, 2026, noon to 5 p.m.
Where: Juan Pablo Duarte Park, 1776 NW 28th St, Miami, FL 33142, at the park's Mini-Pitches, in Little Santo Domingo.
Cost: Free admission. Bring money for food and market purchases.
Presented by: The Allapattah Collaborative CDC.
For another date on the calendar, browse Miami festivals and fairs. Explore things to do in Miami for more weekend ideas, or visit CultureOwl's Miami page for the wider lineup.
