Studio Vizcaya’s lantern-making workshops have quietly turned into one of Miami’s most charming summer rituals, pulling in neighborhood families and first-time museumgoers to Vizcaya’s west lawn to build glowing papier-mâché fruit. Lead artist Shawna Moulton, working with museum staff, has shaped the project into low-barrier, conversation-driven sessions that end with an illuminated procession through the historic estate. After a pandemic pause, that parade is finally back, and this Saturday’s finale is set to deliver a waterfront night of art, music and community.
Finale Details And Tickets
According to Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, the finale, Vizcaya Late: The Fruit We Bear, starts at 7 p.m. this Saturday and runs until about 9:30 p.m. Tickets are listed at $15 for adults and $10 for children ages 6–12, while children under five are free. The museum notes that the weekend workshops feeding into the procession are free, open to all ages and include materials and instruction, although registration is required. Visitors can expect participatory activities on the grounds and local food vendors on site to keep the evening lively.
Back After A Pause
As reported by Artburst Miami, the lantern procession is taking place for the first time since 2019 after the program was suspended in 2020. Gabriella Roman, Vizcaya’s community programs manager, told the outlet that the museum is “returning to some of the program’s early roots” and intentionally shaping the workshops to welcome both newcomers and repeat participants. Organizers say the slower, conversation-focused format that developed out of pandemic-era programming has helped deepen connections among attendees.
Artist And Inspiration
Lead artist Shawna Moulton, born in Freeport, Bahamas and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, told Artburst Miami that “Fruit immediately made me think about community,” and that Florida’s landscape supplied the rest of the visual cues for the project. Moulton holds a BFA from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and has led outreach and museum-education programs across South Florida, according to her website (Shawna Moulton). Her practice centers on papermaking and sculpture, and she designed the Fruit We Bear lanterns to spark small conversations about values such as kindness, patience and joy.
What To Expect On The Night
Participants will gather at Vizcaya Village and cross South Miami Avenue at twilight to enter the gardens, where organizers say nine large-scale lanterns, five fruit-shaped and four collage-inspired, will be placed along the route. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens describes the fruit sculptures as representing values including love, joy and patience, and notes that nearly one thousand guests will carry miniature lanterns during the walk. Music and food vendors will round out the experience. Free on-site parking is available, and organizers suggest arriving early to join pre-parade activities.
For workshop registration and finale tickets, call 305-250-9133 or check Vizcaya’s Studio page for updates. Local arts outlets have been tracking the build-up to the procession, and organizers say the project is meant to leave participants with a sense of shared ownership and a bit of surprise at what a community can create together.
