Cool Events This Summer

July 2025

By Janet K. Keeler, Visit Florida

Florida is open for business, and the activities don’t hide in the air conditioning. The state’s dramatic summer weather is the backdrop for music and food celebrations, but that’s just the tip of the sandbar. Here are some sizzling Florida summer events to keep you busy.

Summer Means Mangoes

The king of fruit gets its due at two mango-riffic events in South Florida. The annual Mango Festival at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables draws attendees from all over the state to taste some of the world’s best mangoes. The festival, set for July 12 through July 13, includes workshops, a market and a special Sunday brunch. Mango trees are also for sale. The same weekend, Pine Island’s MangoMania brings mango lusciousness to the Gulf Coast on July 12 with tastings and food demonstrations. You don’t want to leave this tropical fruit fair without trying a smoothie.

The Scoop on Sharks

SharkCon at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa is a weekend of shark-related education and interactive exhibits. Set for July 12 through July 13, there will be touch tanks, paddleboard lessons and probably more than one reference to the ultracheesy “Sharknado” movies.

A Shell of a Time

Harvest your own scallops during their season, which starts in August along Florida’s Big Bend coast. You’ll need a saltwater fishing license, snorkel, mask and dive flag as you hunt for the sweet shellfish. There are many local outfitters and guides to show you the way and people at the shore who will clean your bounty for you.

Rhythm Is Gonna Get You

Miami Salsa Congress is five nonstop days of cha-cha, mambo and bomba, August 6 through August 10, at the InterContinental hotel. There will be performances, workshops, pool parties and other ways to shake your bonbon. Salsa got its start in 1970s New York, drawing from many Caribbean influences. Today, though, it seems like Miami through and through.

Start Your Engines

Pack the cooler, gas up the RV and get to NASCAR’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 to watch stock cars roar around the famed high banks at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach. The main event is on a Saturday evening, Aug. 23, but the Coke Zero Sugar 400 is more than an all-day affair.

Buggy for Bugs

Bug is a common term of endearment for the Florida spiny lobster, celebrated during Key West Lobsterfest, August 7 through August 10. Lots of recreational divers come to the Florida Keys for the 2-day season, hoping to catch their limits of the succulent crustaceans. Lobsterfest marks the season with a beach party, lobster boil, concerts and a street fair.

Cool Fun for Kids

The Florida Kids and Family Expo, August 23 through August 24 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, is fun for kids of all ages. Exhibitors show off their latest kid-friendly wares, from bouncy amusements to games and educational tools. Interactive offerings include martial arts demonstrations, laser tag and even makeup lessons for teens. On the agenda is party planning help for parents who have run out of ideas.