South Florida will be seeing purple, gold and green – beads that is, when the third annual Greater Miami Mardi Gras hits the streets of downtown Miami on Saturday, February 12, 2005 from noon to midnight. More than 300,000 revelers are expected to gather for the annual event, which will include a spectacular Mardi Gras parade beginning at 2:00 p.m. and will culminate with an international celebration of music, exotic foods, fireworks and pageantry at Bayfront Park.

“Pulsating rhythms, flamboyant costumes and cultural cuisines from across the globe will be featured at the Greater Miami Mardi Gras 2005,” commented Ringo Cayard, event organizer. “This year’s festival will continue the celebration of self expression and cultural unification that was started three years ago. There is no other Mardi Gras event in the world that showcases the cultures of so many countries,” he continued.

In a virtual melting pot of cultures, more than 20 different countries will be represented at the Carnival festival. These include: Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, the Polynesian Islands, Puerto Rico, Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, the USA and Venezuela.

“Miami is proud to once again be host to this flagship event,” commented Miami Mayor Manuel A. Diaz. “As one of the most diverse cities in the world, there is no better place to host this diverse Mardi Gras event than right here in Miami. Miami welcomes this cultural celebration and applauds its unifying effect on the people of our community.”

From Samba, Salsa and Merengue to Reggae, Soca, Calypso and Hip Hop, the 2005 Greater Miami Mardi Gras will be an international showcase of the best that music has to offer. Some of the artists expected to perform include Chingy, Oro Solido, T Vice, Machel Montano, Mr. Vegas, Spragga Benz, Red Rat, Wayne Wonder.

The festival will also feature the Bolivia Magica Ballet Folklorico, Fina Escayola, Ballet Español, Steel Pan Symphony, Haitian Music Fest Productions, Mocko Jumbie Stilt Walkers (Trinidad and Tobago), Ballet Panama Espectacular, Miami Overseas Chinese Association, the Taiko Drummers, Somos Peru, Unidos Da Florida Samba School, Estampa De Colombia and the Party Room Squad.

The Greater Miami Mardi Gras is a Carnival celebration that is free and open to the public. The parade will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Biscayne Boulevard from SE 1st Street to NE 4th Street. For more information visit www.greatermiamimardigras.com.