With the first month of the year comes the highly anticipated annual King Mango Strut, Coconut Grove’s iconic satirical parade. On Sunday, January 5th, the epic affair will bring wacky costumes, vibrant floats, creative signs and live bands along with all the laughter and mischievousness that has been its hallmark for decades.
Four decades, to be exact, as this year marks its 41st anniversary. The theme for this year is Peace. Love. Mangoes., which is sure to raise a few eyebrows and certainly maintain the parade’s reputation as a tongue-in-cheek affair.
Typically drawing 10,000 onlookers each year, you can laugh, cheer and dance along with the many strutters marching down the roads. As always, all are welcome to participate and are encouraged to wear their most creative costumes.
The King Mango Strut begins at 2 p.m. at Commodore Plaza, before making a left turn onto Main Highway until it reaches the Grand Avenue/McFarlane intersection. From there, it will make a left turn onto Grand Avenue until it arrives back at Commodore Plaza.
As soon as the parade ends, the festivities will continue on! Meet on Commodore Plaza and Fuller Street for epic block parties featuring performances by AfroBeta, Miami Bloco and more, alongside more surprises.
Put on by the non-profit organization King Mango Productions, Inc., the parade originated as a parody of the now defunct King Orange Jamboree Parade by founders Glenn Terry and Bill Dobson. They were denied entry to the parade due to their use of unconventional instruments like kazoos, conch shells and garbage can drums, so they decided to make their own. Inspired by what’s weird and wonderful about Miami and the year that was, the event puts “the ‘NUT’ in Coconut Grove.”
When: Sunday, January 5, 2024
2 – 6 p.m.
Where: The streets of Coconut Grove, beginning at Commodore Plaza