Miami Heat Parade on Monday: Area 31 Throws Watch Party

The city of Miami is throwing the Miami Heat a parade on Monday morning, which gives this lousy weather a few more days to play itself out.? Either way, it's going to be a lonely day at Miami-area workplaces, as thousands of fans suddenly call in sick at the start of the work week. Heck - even we feel a cold coming on...

The parade will start at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 25 at the corner of SW 8th Street and 2nd Avenue, head east on 8th Street and then north on Brickell Avenue. The parade will cross the bridge into downtown, head north on Biscayne Boulevard and end at American Airlines Arena. The whole shebang is expected to take about 90 minutes.

You could pack a picnic and camp out on the streets, or you could rise above the crowd and party at Area 31 at the Epic Hotel where, starting at 9 a.m., you can watch the parade from the restaurant's terrace while drinking special Heat-themed bloody Marys and snacking on tasty tidbits.

The bar opens at 9 a.m., with an all-day happy hour on the terrace and in the lounge with $5 cocktails, beer and wine. The featured cocktail is the Miami Heat bloody, made with Hangar One chipotle vodka, house made bloody Mary mix, garnished with a chili-salt rim and smoked shrimp ($5).

Snacks are available starting at 10 a.m. and a "can't beat the Heat" lunch special ($19) begins at 11:30 a.m., offering a choice of appetizers like shrimp ceviche, tuna tartar, or pork sliders followed by an entr?e (choices include smoked chicken salad, black bean goat cheese tacos, or flatbreads).

Discounted valet parking is available at the Epic Hotel. It's up to you to navigate the traffic.

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