Events
SunFest 2023 – REVIEW
A variety of genres gave everyone something to listen to at South Florida’s local music festival, SunFest.
May 5th – 7th, 2023
DAY 1
by Coach, Kate Langford
Smaller is better, that’s the narrative organizers for the long-running annual festival were hoping to illuminate for visitors. Well, it worked and didn’t work for many, afterall in an effort to get bigger name artists, SunFest scaled back from three stages to just two. Yet, that was just one of the missing attractive things from previous years. This year, the festival also was without the large collection of artworks, several vendors with items to purchase and the closing night fireworks display.
Still, even with the changes and consequently more packed stages, SunFest was an absolutely welcomed party. As it has grown tremendously from its inception, the event maintained its status as a must-stop for visitors from all over the country. Featuring a diverse range of music including EDM, rock, pop, reggae, punk and hip-hop, the event also offered a variety of food to appease most everybody. The food ranged from traditional festival fare like funnel cakes and corn dogs to more upscale options like sushi and gourmet burgers. However, it also continued to feature the Captain Morgan barge and a Craft Beer Garden where attendees were able to sample a range of local and regional brews.

Opening night featured headliners: The Chainsmokers and Flo Rida, along with a few up-and-coming artists and local musicians. All night fans were able to enjoy their fun, interactive showmanship, but also the comfort of being next to a picturesque waterfront. I was just blown away by the combination of all the talent and coziness of the backdrop. Notable tracks from the performers included The Chainsmoker’s “Don’t Let Me Down” and “Closer,” plus Flo Rida’s “Good Feeling” and “Right Round.”

DAY 2
by Jenna Lee
Jack Johnson and A Boogie wit da Hoodie Steal the Show. You can hear Sunfest before you see it.
From the minute the first act hits the stage, you can hear the thump of the music all the way down Clematis Street to the SunFest gates. Once you entered, the vibe was unmatched. Inside, you can find attendees wearing everything from cowboy boots to classic grunge attire, reflecting the mix of genres represented through the performances.
The full day event kicked off on May 6th with headliner Jack Johnson and other notable acts like Dropkick Murphys, Allegra Miles and A Boogie wit da Hoodie lighting up the Ford and Ideal Nutrition stages.
Dropkick Murphys were a particular highlight. Their electric set mixed classic Irish bagpipes with a distinct rock sound that had the crowd moshing and singing along. Allegra Miles, who attended local high school Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts, showed off her vocals with original pop tracks.

“I think there’s such a strong sense of community here,” Miles said of the South Florida music scene. “And Sunfest specifically has always included lots of local artists, which is incredible and I’m really grateful for this opportunity.”

However, A Boogie wit da Hoodie and Jack Johnson were the biggest acts of the night, and they played very different sets. Rapper A Boogie wit da Hoodie had a mostly teenage crowd screaming his lyrics to tracks like “Drowning” and “Look Back at It” and moshing while the stage lit up with pyrotechnics and smoke.

Yet, Jack Johnson simply took the stage in a laid-back fashion with his acoustic guitar and sang calmly into his microphone, swaying back and forth and closing his eyes to his soft rock sound. Plenty of hits churned out like “Taylor,” Sitting, Waiting, Wishing,” “Upside Down,” “Flake,” “Better Together” and even covers of Sublime’s “Badfish” and Jimmy Buffet’s “A Pirate Looks at Forty.”

Besides the music, vendors of all kinds of food and drink lined Flagler Street representing everything from huge brands like Dunkin Donuts to local South Florida businesses. Members of the community — some as young as high school — were seen volunteering at different booths as well as performing specific duties around the event.
“I had a lot of fun, especially last year,” Leigh Cottrell, a volunteer, said of why she came to Sunfest. “I saw all my friends and my co-workers and we hung out and we listened to bands and we got free things and we’re a service to the community, which gives us a nice job to go to every day.”
SunFest has always been a place to showcase the work of local artists and businesses. Between the vendors, kids and adults were painting on different murals stationed down the street. Mobile Murals is the business behind it. Based in West Palm Beach, they go to different events and have people paint-by-color murals of their designs.
“This year for SunFest, we have all these fun characters from sun and robots, little beach animals like a crab and a bird, and what we’re trying to do is engage with the community,” Sydney Woods, the head artist, said. “A lot of people never really get a chance to break out some paint. So we just want to get people involved with the art scene around here and hopefully somebody will pick up something new that they’ve never done before.”
DAY 3
by Coach, Jess Bolivar
While the temperature outside was bearable, the humidity once again made the outdoors feel like a nightmare…but not enough to dampen the fun-loving mood of SunFest’s visitors. Afterall, with libations continuing to swarm over the barges and an avalanche of fans pressing closer and closer to the stages, the faucet-like sweat they bestowed didn’t seem to bother themselves. This day, much like the previous two days was all about sharing in laughter, plus singing and dancing to our favorite tunes. Leading the way were the popular national acts The Killers, 311, Ziggy Marley and All Time Low. While each one provided their own unique sound, they each unified the crowd with one anthem after another.

All Time Low made waves with their massive hit “Monsters” and a fun cover of The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights,” while Ziggy Marley poured through his famous father’s catalog along with his own iconic tracks like “Love is my Religion” and “Look Who’s Dancing.” However, as the day pressed along, the hits kept churning out with 311’s rock-reggae-funk-rap infusion sound. Unbeknownst to several spectators, “You Wouldn’t Believe” how many tracks they knew. From popular tracks such as “Amber” and “Come Original” to early album tracks like “Do You Right,” which catered to longtime fans, everybody seemed “Down” for a sing-along even though some seemed “All Mixed Up” form the jump.

311 performs during Sunfest on May 7, 2023 in West Palm Beach, Florida. ©South Florida Insider
Closing the night off, minus the customary fireworks display, The Killers, set the place ablaze themselves…well that is with cannons firing off confetti and souvenir 1-million-dollar bills during “The Man.” Seriously, if you have not seen Brandon Flowers and his bandmates show before, you’re really missing out. Each show is truly a spectacle as the band really captures an arena/stadium sound to it, which is unlike so many of today’s artists. At SunFest, that sentiment was not watered down in the slightest, but in fact it came across more personable with the smaller numbers. Paired with a trippy, yet vivacious backdrop, concertgoers were on a journey with The Killers to a fantasy land of music featuring hits still popular 20 years later like “Mr. Brightside” and other seasoned tracks such as “Somebody Told Me,” “All These Things I Have Done,” “When You Were Young,” “Human,” “Spaceman,” “Read My Mind,” to more recent hits like “Caution” and “Boy.”

For more information on SunFest visit www.SunFest.com
Events
Inside Palace Bar’s Haus of Gucci Ball
Between flying queens, strong pours, and a room full of Pride week energy, Palace turned Friday night into one of the hottest parties on Ocean Drive.
April 11, 2026
During Miami Beach Pride Week, plenty of venues try to capture the moment, but Palace Bar made Friday night feel like the place everyone wanted to be. The Haus of Gucci Ball brought together drag, fashion, nightlife, and the kind of high energy crowd that made the whole evening feel elevated from the start.
The atmosphere hit immediately. Palace was glowing, the music kept the room alive, and the crowd was fully locked in. It felt vibrant, glamorous, and very Miami Beach. More than just a dinner outing, the night unfolded like a full Pride experience on Ocean Drive.
The clear highlight was a queen whose acrobatic performance completely took over the room. She moved with an incredible mix of strength, control, and confidence, turning the floor into her stage and delivering a routine that felt both dazzling and deeply seductive. At one point, she was flipping around on a man with such effortless precision that the whole crowd seemed to stop at once. It was captivating, sexy, and easily one of the most memorable moments of the night.
The food and drinks absolutely kept up. We had the filet bites and tuna tostones, both perfect for sharing between performances, along with skinny margaritas and lemon drops that were dangerously easy to drink. And yes, Palace was pouring strong, which only added to the fun. The cocktails matched the mood of the night perfectly: bold, smooth, and hard to stop ordering.
What makes Palace Bar work so well during Miami Beach Pride is that the energy never drops. The performers are not just part of the background. They pull the whole room in. The crowd responds, the music keeps moving, and the night keeps building. That kind of momentum is exactly what makes an event feel worth showing up for.
The Haus of Gucci Ball was one part of Palace Bar’s larger Miami Beach Pride Week programming, which has helped make the venue one of the biggest draws on Ocean Drive this week. With events spanning multiple days, Palace has become a go to destination for people looking for drag performances, nightlife, rooftop energy, DJs, and a crowd that wants to celebrate Pride in full.
That is what makes Palace such a fixture during Miami Beach Pride Week. It is not just about location or history. It is about creating nights that actually feel exciting once you are there. Friday night’s Haus of Gucci Ball had the glamour, the chemistry, the performances, and the kind of atmosphere that kept people fully engaged from beginning to end.
If you were at Palace Bar on Friday night, you already know how good it was. If you missed it, this was one of those Miami Beach Pride nights worth hearing about.

Ready for your next night at Palace? Visit Palace South Beach for reservations, menus, and upcoming events, and follow Palace on Instagram for the latest drag shows, Pride weekend moments, and Ocean Drive updates.
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Zèya Is Ready for Its Next Chapter With the Launch of Zèya 3.0
Some apps are built to help you buy more. Zèya is trying to get people to think a little differently.
March 27, 2026
The Miami-based platform, which centers on swapping and extending the life of everyday items, is stepping into its next phase with the launch of Zèya 3.0, arriving April 1. The updated app is designed to make trading feel smarter, easier, and more intuitive, while still keeping the human side of exchange front and center.
At its core, Zèya is built around a simple idea that feels surprisingly refreshing right now. Most people already have things someone else wants.
For founder Mehdi Taifi, that way of thinking came naturally.
“I was a trader working in finance, so stocks inspired me,” Taifi said. “Bartering came naturally. We all have things other people want, and you don’t even know it.”
That mindset helps explain why Zèya does not position itself as just another resale app. In a digital world full of cluttered listings, questionable sellers, and platforms that often feel impersonal, Taifi sees Zèya as something more social, more direct, and a lot more human.
“On Facebook Marketplace, there are so many bots, you don’t know what’s real and what’s not,” he said. “Every time selling is involved, there are scams. There are no real review systems. On OfferUp, there’s so much noise, you don’t know where things are coming from. Our app has a social component in swiping, which makes individuals more invested. It feels very human. We also have a review system for safety and security.”
Part of what makes Zèya interesting is that it borrows a mechanic people already instantly understand. Swiping is so tied to Tinder and dating apps that most people associate it with attraction, chemistry, and quick decisions about people. Zèya takes that same familiar motion and applies it to stuff instead. It turns swiping into a way to discover items, spark exchanges, and make the whole process feel more engaging than scrolling through endless resale listings.

“We aren’t competing with currency. This is just a different way to think about value,” Taifi said. “We added the swiping mechanism to something that used to feel exclusive to online dating. You don’t have to just swipe on people. We have swiping and swapping.”
It is a clever idea, but the bigger appeal is the lifestyle shift behind it. Zèya is tapping into a growing desire to be more resourceful with what people already have, rather than always defaulting to shopping for something new.
“I want people to look at the things in their home as an opportunity,” Taifi said. “Don’t think about the cost of the things you need. Think instead about how you can acquire or trade in return.”
That framing gives Zèya a bigger ambition than just being useful. The app lives at the intersection of sustainability, community, and convenience, but it also carries a certain optimism. It suggests that value can move between people in ways that feel creative, local, and personal.
Zèya 3.0 reflects that vision with a redesigned experience and more personalized technology aimed at making meaningful swaps easier to find. The launch also marks an important moment for the company as it continues to grow its presence and encourage more people to rethink how they consume.
Taifi is not shy about where he hopes it all goes.
“It’s just a matter of time before Zèya becomes bigger,” he said. “As we grow, the idea of ‘why don’t you just Zèya your purse?’ is my dream. I want it to be a verb. I want a verb associated with the brand. I want it to become a cultural movement and eventually feel normal.”
That kind of confidence is part of the energy surrounding the launch. According to Taifi, the app has already gained 55,000 users in a year, and he believes this newest version will push the concept much further.
“This brand new version is going to make it very different,” he said. “We’re taking it to that next level. For people who looked at Zèya in the past, we encourage them to take a second look.”
And honestly, that may be the real story here. Zèya is not just launching an update. It is trying to make swapping feel normal, stylish, and part of everyday life. In a city like Miami, where image, taste, and reinvention are already built into the culture, that idea may land more naturally than people expect.
With Zèya 3.0 arriving April 1, the Miami startup is betting that the future of exchange feels less like selling and more like possibility.
Download the app HERE

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Inside Palace Bar’s Miami Beach Pride 2026 Celebration on Ocean Drive
As Miami Beach Pride 2026 takes over South Beach on April 11 and 12, there is one place on Ocean Drive that feels especially central to the energy of the weekend: Palace Bar.
March 23, 2026
For years, Palace has been one of the most recognizable names in Miami Beach LGBTQ+ nightlife, and during Pride, it becomes even more of a go-to spot for people who want to celebrate in the middle of it all. That connection is not random. Tom, the owner and driving force behind Palace Bar, is also a founding member of Miami Beach Pride, which makes the venue’s role during the weekend feel even more meaningful. The Palace is not just nearby during Pride. It is part of the spirit, history, and celebration of the event itself.
So what can people actually do there during Pride weekend?
For starters, Palace gives people a place to gather, celebrate, and keep the energy going throughout the day and night. If you are spending Pride weekend in Miami Beach, Palace is the kind of place where you can stop in with friends, grab cocktails, enjoy the atmosphere, and be surrounded by the kind of crowd that makes the whole weekend feel alive. It is one of those venues that naturally becomes part of people’s Pride plans because it already carries so much personality, visibility, and South Beach energy.
Guests can also expect Palace to serve as a lively place to experience the social side of Miami Beach Pride. Whether you are meeting up before heading to other events, looking for a fun stop along Ocean Drive, or wanting somewhere iconic to continue the celebration, Palace offers that mix of entertainment, nightlife, and community that people want from a Pride weekend destination.
AJ Prasaguet, General Manager of Palace Bar, is also looking ahead to the venue serving as a home for the celebration alongside Tom. That role feels fitting for a place that has become synonymous with joy, performance, resilience, and queer nightlife in Miami Beach. During a weekend as meaningful and high-energy as Pride, Palace becomes more than just a bar. It becomes part of the experience people remember.
Another big part of the appeal is location. Being right on Ocean Drive puts Palace in the center of the action, which matters during a weekend like Miami Beach Pride. You are not tucked away from the celebration. You are in it. That makes it easy and exciting to work into your plans, whether you want a festive drink, a vibrant social atmosphere, or a classic South Beach Pride stop with real history.
And honestly, that history matters. Palace is not just fun. It is part of the larger story of LGBTQ+ life and celebration in Miami Beach.
At a time when Miami Beach Pride continues to draw attention from across South Florida and beyond, Palace remains one of the clearest examples of what it means for a venue to be both iconic and community-rooted. Pride weekend is always about more than parties. It is about showing up, being seen, honoring history, and celebrating how far the community has come. Palace Bar stands right at the center of that energy.
With its 38-year legacy, deep roots in the Pride community, and one of the most recognizable names on South Beach, Palace Bar offers Pride weekend visitors exactly what they are usually looking for: a place to celebrate, connect, soak up the Ocean Drive atmosphere, and be part of something bigger than just one more night out.
If you are planning your Miami Beach Pride 2026 weekend, Palace Bar is the kind of stop that lets you do more than just go out. It lets you feel like you are right where the celebration lives.

Check out more here!
Website: https://www.palacesouthbeach.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palacesobe
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