Introduction to Davie, Florida
The Florida town of Davie is located in Broward County, Florida, only 9 miles southwest of Fort Lauderdale and about 25 miles north of Miami. Bordered by the Florida Everglades to the west, Davie is ideally located among major thoroughfares such as Interstates I-595, I-75 and I-95, and is minutes away from the Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport. The town's neighboring municipality of Cooper City lies just 3 miles to the west of Davie.
Named after developer Randolph P. Davie, the town was originally carved out of Everglades land. Davie is home to campuses of a large number of educational institutions, including the Central Campus of Broward Community College and the Davie Campus of the University of Florida. Davie is also home to Nova Southeastern University. Movie fans may recognize Davie as the home of Rolling Hills Golf Course, the filming locale of the classic hit "Caddyshack."
Events and Attractions in Davie
Davie is home to Flamingo Gardens, a 60-acre site showcasing rare, exotic and native plants. The town is also home to the Young At Art Children's Museum, a hands-on cultural and educational arts venue where kids can express their creativity in a fun and exciting environment. Also in town is the Bergeron Rodeo Grounds. Located in the historical western-themed district of downtown Davie, this attraction has long served as Davie’s main tourist draw. The indoor/outdoor facility was originally established as a rodeo arena, but later expanded to meet the demand for more diverse events such as top name concert entertainers, circuses, monster trucks, horse shows, dog shows, car shows, air boat shows and industrial shows.
Davie is also the host site of several annual events, some of which are listed below:
- The Orange Blossom Festival, Parade and Rodeo (February): A two-day festival which includes a heritage parade, an arts and crafts fair, a fine arts show, an antique stage coach and wagon display, a livestock fair, a cook-off, a country barbecue, live country entertainment and continuous professional rodeo.
- Diversity Festival (April): Features a multitude of food samplings from around the world.
- Independence Day Family Splash, Crafts and Fireworks: A Fourth-of-July event which includes family entertainment, a petting farm, bounce houses, climbing walls and a huge fireworks show.
- Davieween Happenings (late October): Held at Pine Island Park, this event features Halloween costume contests for both humans and horses.
- Holiday Craft Fair and Green Market (November): A 20-year old craft fair celebrating the finest of country crafts and traditional arts.
- Winter Holiday Lighting of the Greens and Snow Play (December).
Located only 30 minutes away is the city of Miami, home of the following major league pro sports teams:
- National Basketball Association: Miami Heat.
- Major League Baseball: Florida Marlins.
- National Hockey League: Florida Panthers (who play in Sunrise, about 10 miles northwest of Davie).
- National Football League: Miami Dolphins.
Miami Dolphin fans will be interested in knowing that the town of Davie has the distinction of hosting the team's official training facility, located on the campus of Nova Southeastern University.
