Equipment for sailing programs
Seven custom sails are intended for the seven 20-foot keelboats Shake-A-Leg Miami uses in American Sailing Association courses, vocational activities and Community Bay Days. The sails feature designs from the Coconut Grove Arts Festival’s heritage poster collection, including work by Guy Harvey and Romero Britto, along with both organizations’ branding. The festival contributed nearly $25,000 toward their purchase, according to Miami’s Community Newspapers, which reported that the sails were unveiled at a waterfront ceremony last Thursday.
A need the festival helped address
Shake-A-Leg Miami co-founder and CEO Harry Horgan had been planning to seek support from local donors for replacement sails, the Community Newspapers report said. Festival board chairwoman Pamela Mayer said the contribution would bring festival artwork onto the water while supporting the nonprofit’s programs. The report credited David Hill Jr. and Jack Eads with initiating the collaboration; a reception for supporters followed the ceremony.
The organization behind the boats
Shake-A-Leg Miami says it has operated in Coconut Grove since 1990, offering adaptive sailing, kayaking, fishing and summer camps on Biscayne Bay. Its programs serve people with and without disabilities, including veterans and their families, and most are free or low-cost, according to the organization’s website. A Coconut Grove Spotlight report on its 35th anniversary said the summer camp, which began with about 25 children, can now serve more than 200 children a day at times.
What comes next
The two organizations hope to continue working together and have discussed art activities connected to Shake-A-Leg’s programs, according to Miami’s Community Newspapers. The Coconut Grove Arts Festival’s next event is scheduled for February 13–15, 2027, and is expected to include 285 juried artists, live performances and interactive art experiences, the festival’s announcement said.
