After a two-year absence, this iconic Coconut Grove event returns to mock everything
2022 comes to an end, the streets of Coconut Grove are about to get a lot funnier.
After a two-year absence thanks to the COVID pandemic, the irreverent King Mango Strut is returning in early January.
To call this satiric and topical parade a historic tradition is not hyperbole. The event, now in its 39th year, has been making fun of Miami, Florida, and the country at large for almost four decades.
Local, national and international political figures get skewered, along with celebrities, trends, current events and any target a creative and snarky mind can conjure. Don’t be surprised to see mockery directed at the Tom Brady/Giselle Bundchen divorce,
Elon Musk or Grove gentrification.
Parade emcee Nathan Kurland says the King Mango Strut is vital to the neighborhood, which is growing swiftly, with new homes, condos, restaurants and businesses popping up seemingly overnight.
“It’s one of those signature events that make Coconut Grove what it is,” says Kurland, who has been involved in the parade for 10 years. “It’s one of the things that make Coconut Grove a special community. The canopy is wonderful, and we’re right on the water — and we’re a little left of center in terms of sense of humor.”
It’s that sense of humor that inspired such groups as the Harley Krishnas, the Fake Nudes and Weapons of Mass Distraction. One year, Kurland says, the parade pretended the Grand MarAs shal was former Toronto mayor Rob Ford and lured the Canadian press into thinking he was really there (he wasn’t — it was just another guy parading around with a crack pipe and a bottle of booze).
This year’s theme is “The queen is dead; long live the king,” but the sky is the limit in terms of material. Virtually nothing is out of bounds if it’s witty enough (the Strut offers suggestions on its website if you need a prompt).
Viewers stake out prime viewing spots on Grand Avenue and Main Highway early on parade day, so arrive promptly. If you live close enough and ride your bike, there’s a free bike valet behind St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church.
About 50 groups are expected to participate this year, Kurland says. This year’s Grand Marshal is The Dan LeBatard Show with
Stugotz, a group that knows more than a little about being funny.
This is key, Kurland says, because Miami needs the Strut more than ever as 2023 arrives.
“This last couple of years, we’ve needed to keep our sense of humor more than ever,” he says. “If you lost your sense of humor, you’ve had a tough two years.”
KING MANGO STRUT
Where: Parade begins at Commodore Plaza, turns onto Main Highway until Grand Avenue/ McFarlane intersection, then returns to Commodore Plaza
When: 1:30 p.m. - 6 p.m. Jan. 8; afterparty starts at 4 p.m. at Commodore Plaza
To participate: Fill out the form at kingmangostrut.org
Connie Ogle: 305-376-3649, @OgleConnie