Between now and the end of December, nearly every public event in Coconut Grove takes place on old ground. There are film nights and a dog market on Ralph Munroe's 1891 bayfront property, embroidery and forest bathing at The Kampong, a pumpkin patch on Fuller Street, and a Latin American art fair inside a seaplane hangar that, by the Coconut Grove Spotlight's account, dates to 1934. The new venues the city approved this year, including a rebuilt Playhouse, a restored theater on Grand Avenue and a redesigned Kirk Munroe Park, are all scheduled for 2027 or later. The largest of the old venues is running on a city waiver that expires when the year does.
The Barnacle Holds the Evenings
Florida State Parks says The Barnacle was built in 1891 as the home of Coconut Grove pioneer Ralph Middleton Munroe. Its hammock grounds date from the period when people reached Miami by sea. The grounds are open Thursday through Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The house can be seen only on guided tours, which start at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
The park has four event dates on its calendar between now and Thanksgiving week.
The AV Club on Tuesday, October 27 is a free outdoor 16mm screening. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the films start at 7:30. The program includes Coconut Grove, a 1974 film, and Always for Pleasure, from 1978, along with a tour of the Barnacle library exhibit, refreshments and information about the King Mango Strut. Showing a 1974 film named after the neighborhood in the yard of its oldest house is about as local as programming gets. The Coconut Grove BID calendar lists another AV Club for Tuesday, November 24. The program for that night has not been posted.
The 18 Wheelers play the lawn on Friday, November 13. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the music starts at 7. Picnics and BYOB are welcome. Pets are not. The Barnacle Society's concert page says the season runs from October through April. For now, its fall listings show only that show and the October 9 Mama Fuma concert, which has already happened.
The next morning, Saturday, November 14, the policy on dogs reverses for the fifth annual Holiday Barkzaar. It runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and includes a dog-friendly holiday market, Santa Paws photos, music and pet activities. Entry is $7, and proceeds go to Paw Patrol Animal Rescue and the park.
The Kampong Covers the Daytime Hours
The Barnacle's events mostly happen in the evening. The Kampong, a garden run by the National Tropical Botanical Garden, fills Saturday mornings and middays. The garden is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with last entry at 3 p.m. Visitors can take self-guided or guided tours, and the guided tours cover both tropical plants and the site's history.
Saturday, October 17 is the fullest day on its fall calendar. The program lists Junior Yoga, an 11 a.m. session of The Embroidered Garden and a 2:30 p.m. sound bath. NTBG describes The Embroidered Garden as a relaxed embroidery workshop inspired by the garden's plants. A four-session watercolor class begins October 31. Foraged Ikebana returns at noon on November 14, which is the same day as the Barkzaar a short drive up Main Highway. Saturday, December 12 brings Forest Bathing at 10 a.m., another round of The Embroidered Garden at 11 a.m., and the last Junior Yoga of the year.
The exhibits stay up longer than the season. EDEN – A Return to Wonder runs from October 2026 through January 2027. The Smell of Banana Flowers opens in November and stays for a year. Out of Darkness: The Ecology of Care opened September 12 and runs to September 11, 2027.
The Season at a Glance
| Date | Venue | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Sat., Oct. 17 | Coconut Grove Sailing Club | Annual OD regatta, Dinghy Fall Series |
| Sat., Oct. 17 | The Kampong | Junior Yoga, Embroidered Garden, sound bath |
| Oct. 23 to Nov. 1 | Fuller Street | Coconut Grove Harvest |
| Tue., Oct. 27 | The Barnacle | AV Club 16mm screening |
| Sat., Oct. 31 | Fuller Street / The Kampong | Halloween celebration; watercolor series begins |
| Fri., Nov. 13 | The Barnacle | The 18 Wheelers concert |
| Sat., Nov. 14 | The Barnacle / The Kampong | Holiday Barkzaar; Foraged Ikebana |
| Nov. 15 and 22 | Coconut Grove Sailing Club | Final Dinghy Fall Series dates |
| Tue., Nov. 24 | The Barnacle | AV Club |
| Dec. 3 to 6 | The Hangar | Pinta Miami, 20th edition |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | The Kampong | Forest Bathing, Embroidered Garden, Junior Yoga |
The water has its own schedule as well. The Coconut Grove Sailing Club's Dinghy Fall Series started September 6 and has three dates left on its published schedule: October 17, November 15 and November 22.
Fuller Street Before Its Makeover
Coconut Grove Harvest takes over Fuller Street from October 23 through November 1. The BID calendar lists a separate Halloween celebration at 6 p.m. on October 31. The Miami and the Beaches event listing mentions a pumpkin patch, a seasonal photo installation at CocoWalk, and Halloween trick-or-treating, a scavenger hunt and family theater. Neither listing gives daily hours, so check the BID calendar before you go.
This may be the last Harvest on Fuller Street as it looks today. Miami Today reported that a $5 million makeover of Kirk Munroe Park and Fuller Street was approved June 25. The plan includes a new play area, a pavilion, a lawn, tennis court work and a more walkable Fuller Street, with construction expected to begin in summer 2027.
The Hangar's December Is on a Deadline
Pinta Miami returns to The Hangar from December 3 to 6 for its 20th anniversary. The fair focuses on modern and contemporary Latin American art and is part of Miami Art Week. It is the biggest event on the Grove's fall calendar, and it falls in the final month of the arrangement that allows The Hangar to host it.
The Hangar is a city-owned building in the Regatta Harbour complex on Dinner Key. The Coconut Grove Spotlight describes it as a former seaplane hangar built in 1934. The paper reports that the 2014 lease for the larger seven-acre property runs for 80 years, with permitted uses centered on marine services, retail and restaurants. The city limits the building to 10 events a year. In June 2025, commissioners waived that cap through the end of 2025. In April 2026, the City Commission approved a second waiver, this one running through the end of 2026.
A more permanent arrangement came up in July. The Spotlight reported on a citywide ordinance that would have let designated historic buildings operate as ongoing event venues, with an exception approved by the Historic and Environmental Preservation Board. The vote had been deferred in January after residents raised concerns about noise, traffic and the commercial use of public waterfront land. According to the paper's July 23 commission recap, commissioners withdrew that proposal.
As a result, The Hangar has no 2027 rules in place yet. Its current waiver covers Pinta's four days, but no new waiver or ordinance for next year had been reported as of this writing. Whether its 2027 calendar looks like this year's depends on a commission vote that has not been scheduled.
What Opens After This Season
The Grove's new cultural spaces are moving forward on longer timelines.
- Coconut Grove Playhouse. The Miami Herald reported that the City Commission voted 5-0 on July 9 to clear zoning exceptions for Miami-Dade County's rebuild. Stabilization of the historic front building is underway, and the county can now begin Phase 2 permitting for the restoration and a new 300-seat theater. Local 10 reported that GableStage will operate the theater and plans five productions a year. On August 27, a West Grove neighborhood group and 18 residents filed a court petition challenging the approval and said they would seek an injunction, the Spotlight reported.
- Ace Theater. Restoration on Grand Avenue is underway, helped by a $200,000 city grant approved in April. As of May, the Spotlight reported that remaining work included leveling the floor, ADA bathrooms and doors, a mezzanine and an elevator, and that reopening was not imminent.
- Little Bahamas Grand Avenue Main Street. The state program launched in September and covers Grand Avenue from Margaret to Brooker, with Miami Dade College as its anchor. Its work plan is expected by fall 2027, according to the Spotlight's October 8 report.
Until those projects open, the Grove's calendar runs on the Munroe grounds, The Kampong's gardens, Fuller Street and a 1934 hangar whose waiver expires December 31.
The Casanova Group pays attention to how the Grove's historic properties are cared for and used, because that history shapes the homes around them. If you own a home near these grounds and want to talk about its history and how to present it, Renier Casanova invites you to request a private consultation.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
