Events
South Florida Fair Thrills West Palm Beach Again
Back with rides, food, games and performances, the South Florida Fair presents a wonderful experience for all ages.
January 14th, 2022
by Jenna Lee
There is no missing the South Florida Fair. When driving along Southern Blvd, the towering Ferris wheel, dizzily rotating thrill rides and — at night — multicolored flashing lights provide an atmosphere that practically drags you in.
The South Florida Fair is an annual event, thrilling guests each year at the South Florida Fairgrounds in West Palm Beach. This year, the event opened on January 14th and will run through January 22nd. Each year, the fair follows a different theme and this year’s theme is Rockin’ Robots. The fair features rides adorned with flashing, LED lights, food carts and games on the 100 acres of amusement.
Before you are inundated with the unmistakable smell of funnel cakes and the hallmark screams of patrons on roller coaster drops, the fair takes you through an indoor expo displaying the theme as well as featuring stands with various businesses that sponsor the fair. The most striking part of the expo is the colossal sand sculpture, reflecting the annual theme of the fair. This year’s sculpture had a fittingly mechanical vibe with sized-up robot heads and gears frozen in motion. Being the first thing you see as you walk in, it leaves a strong impression. The expo also featured other robot-themed parts, including an actual dancing robot and a robot fighting arena.
This year’s sand sculpture, reflecting the theme of “Rockin’ Robots.”
Jacqueline Molestina, a representative for Paradise Exteriors, which sponsors the fair, said that her favorite part of the fair is “talking to people.”
“It’s a fair where you generate people from all different areas, so you get to talk to people and you build a rapport with them,” Molestina said. “You’re talking not just about our product, but you’re getting to know a little bit about their background as you’re communicating with them… It’s a good atmosphere.”
Amidst the crowds of people, you can see rides flipping, spinning and amusing guests. They’re met with a mix of screams and laughter, along with a sense of dizziness upon stepping off the ride. They range in level of thrill, allowing many generations to experience the rides together. There was also a wide range in the type of rides such as Ferris wheels, dark rides, carousels and roller coasters.
A thrill ride at the South Florida Fair flips patrons upside-down.
In order to ride, you must purchase a ride wristband, which is $25 Monday through Friday and $40 Saturday and Sunday. However, to skip the long lines, guests can purchase the Gold Access Pass for an additional $12 Monday through Thursday and $20 Friday through Sunday.
Still, if rides aren’t your choice of fun, the fair also holds numerous games and food vendors. The games include ball toss, water balloons, balancing on ladders and so much more. If you’re lucky enough, you could win a giant stuffed prize to take home. But, if your entertainment is simply the food, then rest assure you have a wide range of options. There are the classic vendors serving staples like fries, funnel cake, pizza, cotton candy, roasted corn, candy apples, fried snacks and things on a stick, but there were also stands that served barbecue and mac & cheese combinations. There really are options for everyone at the fair, allowing for anyone to be satisfied.
Every year, one of the highlights of the fair is its extravagant and varied performances. Ranging from ice skating shows to concerts to comedians, the fair has varied entertainment to satisfy everybody. In particular, the ice-skating shows are always dazzling with charismatic performers doing seemingly impossible tricks on the ice. They never fail to get the crowd, including me, pumped during their performances.
Just a perfect weekend activity for the family, the South Florida Fair accommodates all age groups with a little something for everyone. It is truly a unique experience that captures the essence of the classic carnival with modern Florida culture. If you live in South Florida, it is a can’t miss event.
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The Miami born app celebrated a major milestone with a seriously fun South Florida party, but 100,000 downloads are only part of what’s next.
September 26, 2026
Zéya had plenty to celebrate, and they definitely knew how to throw a party.
The Miami-born swapping app recently marked 100,000 downloads, and SFL Insider joined the celebration for a night that felt much more like a fun Miami get-together than a typical tech event.
The atmosphere was lively, social, and genuinely welcoming, which actually made a lot of sense once we learned more about what Zéya is trying to build. This isn’t supposed to be another faceless marketplace where you post something and hope a stranger buys it. Zéya wants swapping to feel social, easy and connected to your community.
And after spending the evening celebrating with the people behind it, that part of the concept clicked.
Because we all have stuff.
The dress you wore once. The bag you loved until you didn’t. The camera you were definitely going to learn how to use. The random purchase that seemed necessary at the time and has barely moved since.
Zéya’s question is pretty simple: Why keep buying more when someone nearby might want exactly what you already have?
Even better, the app is now getting ready to move beyond swapping just things.
Services are coming too.
And that could make Zéya a whole lot more interesting.
– Creative Director & Strategist: Kateryna Brovkova — @kate.directs – Event Photo & Video Coverage: Yoisker Palmi — @yoiskr7 – Zéya Team: Zéya — @zeya_app – Sounds by: Lacré Studios — @studioslacre
Swipe. Match. Swap.
The easiest way to describe Zéya is old school bartering with a very modern makeover.
You browse what’s available nearby, see something you want and connect with the person who has it.
Then you offer something of your own.
Swipe. Match. Swap.
If the values don’t quite line up, Zéya allows an optional cash top-up to help make the trade work. And now, you don’t necessarily have to swap at all.
Zéya’s new cash-only option is officially live, meaning users can purchase an item directly when they find something they want. That’s a pretty significant shift for an app that started with swapping at its core. You can still trade, add cash to balance out a swap, or now skip the trade altogether and simply buy.
In other words, Zéya is starting to look less like a traditional bartering app and more like a flexible local marketplace where you decide how you want to make the deal.
100,000 Downloads Is a Pretty Big Deal
Zéya has now officially surpassed 100,000 downloads across iOS and Android, an exciting milestone for a company that started right here in Miami.
Founder and CEO Mehdi Taifi sees that number as something bigger than just downloads.
“One hundred thousand downloads is exciting because it shows that swapping can become a real habit, not a last resort,” Taifi said.
That idea stuck with me.
We’re so used to thinking buy when we want something new. Zēya is trying to get us to think swap first.
Earlier this year, the company also closed a $2.45 million strategic growth round led by Storage Innovations LLC, helping support its next stage of development.
Judging by the energy at the celebration, Zéya certainly isn’t treating 100K like a finish line.
– Zéya Team: Zéya — @zeya_app – Founder: Mehdi Taifi — @medimeds – Event Photo & Video Coverage: Yoisker Palmi — @yoiskr7
Zēya 4.0 Makes the Whole Thing Easier
The company has also rolled out Zéya 4.0, designed to make getting from “I want that” to actually completing a swap much faster.
One of my favorite additions is the AI Listing Assistant, mostly because writing listings is probably the least exciting part of selling anything online.
Take a photo, upload it, and the app can generate the item name, description, and category in seconds.
Done.
The update also adds chat before making an offer, group chat, and a visual balance meter that makes it easier to see whether a proposed swap feels fair.
Zéya has expanded its categories too, including Baby & Toddler and Sports & Outdoors.
So that barely used handbag has value.
But so do the golf clubs in the garage.
And Now Zēya Is Moving Beyond Stuff
This might be my favorite part of what’s coming next.
Zéya is adding services.
That changes the whole idea of what you can bring to a swap.
Maybe you don’t have a designer bag to trade, but you’re an amazing photographer.
Maybe you tutor.
Maybe you’re a personal trainer, stylist, graphic designer, pet sitter or the magical person who actually knows how to organize a closet.
Your skills have value too.
The full details of how services will work are still to come, but opening Zēya to services takes it beyond simple bartering. It becomes more about exchanging value, whether that value happens to be sitting in your closet or comes from something you know how to do.
And suddenly the possibilities get much bigger.
It All Feels Very Miami
Maybe that’s another reason I enjoyed the celebration so much.
Zéya feels very Miami.
It’s social. It’s stylish. It’s a little entrepreneurial. And it revolves around discovering something you want without necessarily paying full price for it.
We can absolutely get behind that.
The party reflected that same energy. People were mingling, talking about the app and celebrating what is clearly a big moment for the team, but it never felt overly corporate or stuffy. It felt like a community celebrating something that started locally and is beginning to grow.
That seems especially fitting for a company that wants its marketplace to feel like a community too.
Swap, Don’t Shop
There is an obvious sustainability benefit to giving perfectly good things another life instead of constantly buying new ones.
But Zéya doesn’t make that feel like a lecture.
The appeal is much simpler.
You have things you don’t use. Someone else wants them. And chances are, they have something you want too.
Add AI-assisted listings, local discovery, cash top-ups, cash-only purchases, community features, and soon the ability to exchange services, and it starts looking very different from the bartering most of us remember.
Zéya’s tagline is “Swap Don’t Shop.”
After a fun night celebrating 100,000 downloads and getting a closer look at where the Miami company is headed next, we’re curious to see just how far people are willing to take that idea.
Because if swapping can be this easy and this social, maybe we really don’t need to buy everything new.
– Zéya Team: Zéya — @zeya_app – Venue: One K — @onek_socialbar
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Luli Fama celebrates its Paradise Found Cruise ’27 swimwear and resortwear collection with a luxury Miami launch at its Dadeland Mall boutique.
August 20, 2026
Miami swimwear favorite Luli Fama is stepping into Cruise ’27 with Paradise Found, a new swimwear and resortwear collection inspired by tropical escapes, exotic prints and effortless vacation glamour.
South Florida Insider has already taken a closer look at the Luli Fama Paradise Found collection, and it feels made for Miami.
The new Cruise ’27 collection combines the bold, body-confident swimwear Luli Fama is known for with elevated resort pieces designed to move effortlessly from the beach and pool to cocktails and dinner.
On Thursday, August 20, Luli Fama will celebrate Paradise Found with an exclusive evening at its newest Dadeland Mall boutique in Miami, complete with fashion, light bites, personalized surprises, and a luxe espresso martini bar.
Inside Luli Fama’s Paradise Found Cruise ’27 Collection
Paradise Found is inspired by the feeling of discovering a hidden tropical retreat.
Think lush landscapes, warm golden hour light, exotic patterns, and silhouettes made for somewhere beautiful.
The collection features Luli Fama signatures, including flattering ruched details, seamless construction, adjustable fits, and statement swimwear, alongside an expanded selection of resortwear.
We especially love the pieces that blur the line between swim and ready-to-wear.
Flowing dresses, sleek coverups, and body-skimming silhouettes make it easy to transition from a sun-drenched afternoon to an evening out without losing that relaxed resort feeling.
It is sensual, polished, and unmistakably Miami.
Luli Fama Brings Luxury Resort Style to Miami
There is a reason Paradise Found feels so natural in South Florida.
In Miami, resortwear is not reserved for vacation.
A swimsuit can become part of an outfit. A coverup can take you to lunch. A flowing resort dress can carry you from an afternoon by the water straight into cocktails and dinner.
Luli Fama has always understood that lifestyle.
Paradise Found takes it a step further, creating a Cruise ’27 wardrobe that feels as appropriate for a tropical getaway as it does for a weekend in Miami.
The campaign captures that mood beautifully, pairing the collection with palms, lush greenery, tropical architecture and the kind of sun soaked setting that makes you want to extend your vacation indefinitely.
Paradise Found Comes to Luli Fama at Dadeland Mall
Luli Fama will bring the world of Paradise Found to life on Thursday, August 20 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at its newest boutique at Dadeland Mall in Miami.
The intimate celebration will bring together invited guests, influencers, celebrities and media for an early look at Cruise ’27.
Luli Fama is also dressing invited guests in pieces from the brand, allowing the new collection to be experienced the way it was designed to be worn: in motion, styled and out for the evening.
Luli After Hours Espresso Martini Bar
Fashion is only part of the experience.
For the Paradise Found celebration, Luli Fama is introducing Luli After Hours, an Espresso Martini Bar inspired by the glamour of the collection.
Guests will be able to sip three specialty espresso martinis created for the evening.
The Luli Babe puts a polished spin on the classic espresso martini, while Golden Hour pairs salted caramel with edible gold shimmer. Miami After Dark takes a richer approach with chocolate hazelnut and a cocoa dust finish.
Along with cocktails, guests can expect light bites, curated details and a special personalized surprise.
The result feels less like a traditional retail event and more like checking into a private resort for the evening.
A Miami Swimwear Brand Celebrates at Home
For a brand with such a strong connection to South Florida, launching Paradise Found in Miami feels especially fitting.
Luli Fama has built its identity around colorful, confident swimwear and resort fashion with a distinctly tropical point of view.
Paradise Found carries that identity into Cruise ’27 while giving it a more elevated, escapist mood.
And with Luli Fama’s newest boutique now at Dadeland Mall, Miami shoppers have another destination to experience the brand in person.
After getting our own closer look at Luli Fama’s Paradise Found Cruise ’27 collection, we can safely say the name fits.
Paradise has officially been found, and this time, it is in Miami.
Check out the collection HERE
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