It’s a scene to behold in the heart of downtown North Miami on the last Friday of the month when the Museum of Contemporary Art hosts their monthly Jazz at MOCA event. It’s become the place to be and it’s no wonder, they get some stellar jazz musicians to play here.

First off, it’s just a nice event, people bring blankets, set up a nice picnic under the stars with wine and other goodies and settle in to watch performers play and sing their hearts out in their cool bandshell.

They’ve hosted such greats as trumpet great Arturo Sandoval, local favorite Ira Sullivan and jazz vocalist Nicole Henry. Great trios and quintets perform too and they get the crowd clappin’ and foot tappin’. As an added bonus, the museum stays open late so jazz lovers can stroll through and see the exhibitions.