Hundreds of student musicians will take center stage in Miami Gardens for this community-focused music festival to spotlight the region’s young musicians with live collaborative and solo musical performances.
“From orchestras and bands to vocalists and dancers, we’ll have a diverse array of young artists taking the stage to show what’s possible when we create together,” said Councilwoman Linda Julien. “As a council member, support for the arts across Miami Gardens is incredibly important to me. And that’s why I originally brought this music youth festival five years ago into Miami Gardens.”
Hosting and sponsoring this music fest allows Councilwoman Julien to create a space for local music non-profits like Guitars Over Guns and Young Musicians Unite to showcase the talent of students who are part of their programs:
“I’m proud to be partnering with so many impactful, local cultural arts non-profits through Arts Access Miami, which ultimately provides free music and arts education on a larger scale to as many students as possible,” said Julien. “As an arts access advocate, this is something I’m very passionate about and believe is essential to the health of our community.”
The Miami Gardens Youth Music Festival is an annual event that brings together student performers, educators, families, and local leaders for an afternoon of live music, interactive experiences, and food pop-ups, all designed to bring the community together and showcase emerging talent.
“Now in its fifth year, the festival has grown into a significant platform for youth expression in Miami Gardens. Last year’s festival hosted over 600 student performers across multiple ensembles and brought in over 1,500 attendees. For 2026, we’re expecting to double those numbers and host even more guests,” said Councilwoman Julien, who is a former piano student herself.
Councilwoman Julien’s annual youth music festival was created five years ago to mark the official preview of Miami Gardens’ iconic Jazz in The Gardens Music Fest and takes place exactly one week before JITG.
“Saturday’s youth music festival is the students’ version of JITG and helps the city officially kick off our annual adult music festival– Jazz in The Garden, scheduled for March 7th & 8th. JITG is in its 18th year, celebrating cultural music, art, and community here in Miami Gardens and we’re proud to be the epicenter of vibrant cultural art, music, and creativity,” said Councilwoman Julien.
As an official Greater Miami Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMBCVB) event and one of the leading cultural music & art events, this annual youth music festival has garnered great success for the community over the years, ultimately creating a thriving music and art cultural scene in Miami Gardens.
“We’re proud to set the standard for arts education and community art collaboration. We’re happy to see other surrounding areas, including South Miami-Dade, which have embraced similar event programming. It’s my belief that art is essential to civic life and the more innovative programs, events, and ideas that can be delivered to residents, the greater impact we can have in fostering a healthy, happy, and safe community,” Councilwoman Julien stated.
Generous support from Dan Lewis and Valerie Dillon has allowed Councilwoman Julien to foster art education amongst the youth in Miami Gardens with their enriching and meaningful philanthropic support.
“Both Dan and Valerie have been instrumental in supporting our efforts to empower children and youth in achieving their full potential through arts education and I’m incredibly grateful for that,” Councilwoman Julien stated.
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