Schlock Fest

I forgot how each year the Mother's Day Concert comes to Peacock Park and each year it is the biggest schlock fest in Miami.

Hundreds, maybe thousands show up for the free concert, but it costs them a lot in the end.


It's basically designed to put money into the pockets of vendors, and making everyone who attends a captive audience for the vendors. You see, people are turned away at the entrance if they have any sort of food or drink. They are required to purchase from the overpriced vendors in the park or go without.

Ironically, outside the park, shady characters show up and set up illegal stands and sell peanuts, water, soda, whatever, and even Nestea was handing out iced tea. And when the people get to the park after purchasing the items or getting the free tea, they are told to throw out the food and drink if they want to enter. Some people have pizza and other items purchased at Grove businesses.


As you can see above, their bags are literally searched in an undignified manner. These guys to the left were told to dump their water bottles. This group to the right were turned away.


This family left dejected. It's either buy from the park vendors, or go without. Not very friendly or welcoming is it? This is the impression of Coconut Grove they all leave with.


In the park, all sorts of crap is sold -- fake jewelry, crummy art and even the Miami Herald is there hawking subscriptions.

It's a tacky un-Grove-like event put on by the City of Miami and some promoter. People leave frustrated, with the feeling of being cheated and ripped off, thinking it is Coconut Grove trying to scam them. Then we wonder why people don't want to return to the Grove.

Roberta Flack was wise to cancel her appearance. She would be associated with this cheap carnival just like the Grove is. I know in my head Jon Secada will always be D-List in my mind, just for associating himself with these promoters.

This event should be like the free movies, and free Shakespeare and other events that we hold in the park, where people can bring their own picnic baskets and coolers and enjoy our small town atmosphere. Even the Great Taste of the Grove doesn't turn people away who walk into the park with food or drinks not purchased at the event, and they are a food festival!

The BID, the Chamber, the NET office or someone needs to start controlling what goes on in Coconut Grove. This schlock fest is not how we want to portray ourselves. It sends mixed messages about the Grove. The people that were turned away yesterday, probably won't return to the real free events like the movies and Shakespeare because they probably don't realize that at those events, they can bring their own picnic lunches.