Little Havana (Spanish: La Pequeña Habana) is a neighborhood of Miami, Florida, United States. Home to many Cuban immigrant residents, as well as many residents from Central and South America, Little Havana is named after Havana, the capital and largest city in Cuba.
Little Havana is noted as a center of social, cultural, and political activity in Miami. Its festivals, including the Calle Ocho Festival, Viernes Culturales/Cultural Fridays, the Three Kings Parade and others, have been televised to millions of people every year on different continents. It is also known for its landmarks, including Calle Ocho (SW 8th Street/Tamiami Trail), and its Walk of Fame (for famous artists and Latin personalities, including Celia Cruz, Willy Chirino, and Gloria Estefan), the Cuban Memorial Boulevard, Plaza de la Cubanidad, Domino Park, the Tower Theater, Jose Marti Park, the Firestone/Walgreens Building, St. John Bosco Catholic Church, Municipio de Santiago de Cuba and others. It is undoubtedly the best known neighborhood for Cuban exiles in the world. Little Havana is characterized by a robust street life, excellent restaurants, music and other cultural activities, mom and pop enterprises, political passion, and great warmth amongst its residents.
The Little Havana Merchants Association (LHMA) is an organization of local businesses that promotes responsible growth in the neighborhood. Other key organizations in the neighborhood include the Calle Ocho Chamber of Commerce, Little Havana Changemakers, and Viernes Culturales/Cultural Fridays, Inc.
The co-founder of LHMA publishes Little Havana Guide, a guide (with maps) to the neighborhood and online magazine (in English). Local activists have also published a site called LittleHavanaInc to monitor development in the area.
Read more about Little Havana: History, Borders, Demographics, South River Drive Historic District, Viernes Culturales, Parks, Education, Cultural Institutions, Calle Ocho Festival, Places of Interest, Gallery