Rail service offers $5 fares and weekend-long festivities honoring one year of service to Miami May 17-19 and the grand opening of Central Fare
Brightline, soon to be Virgin Trains USA, will be celebrating its first year of service into Miami with its second annual 305 Weekend, scheduled for Friday, May 17, through Sunday, May 19, at Virgin MiamiCentral. The weekend celebration, which will feature continuous programming and special offers each day, including reduced fares, live music, activations, social media moments and pop ups, also commemorates the much-anticipated opening of Central Fare – Miami’s new hub for all things food, beverage and specialty goods. It will also showcase La Estación, Central Fare’s newly opened American Brasserie by the Juvia Group.
The weekend’s festivities will begin with two full days of special family-focused events, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.including cotton candy machines, face painting and a slime station. Additionally, as part of Brightline’s ongoing Wizard of Oz 80th Anniversary exhibit in partnership with the Miami Children’s Museum, a variety of Wizard of Oz characters will be celebrating with those who attend the events through a series of interactive experiences.
As part of 305 Weekend, passengers who use Brightline will enjoy special discounted fares on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Ticket pricing will start at $5. The 305 Weekend celebration is being sponsored by Brightline’s eCommerce partner, VERB Interactive. VERB is a conversion-focused digital marketing agency that specializes in the travel sector.
“The 305 Weekend is a way for us to celebrate our one year anniversary and grand opening of Central Fare within our Virgin MiamiCentral transportation hub with family fun, entertainment and low fares for our guests,” said Ali Soule, spokesperson for Brightline. “This last year has been a tremendous one for Brightline, full of incredible milestones that has changed the transportation landscape of South Florida. We look forward to celebrating with our guests over this momentous weekend.”
In addition to La Estación, Central Fare guests will also be able to dine at World Famous House of Mac, which officially opens its doors over the celebratory weekend. Additional Central Fare outlets include Bucks Crepes, Patagonia Flavors by Delicatessen Patagonia, Bio Bio Gelato, Parliament Coffee & Espresso Bar, Rosetta Bakery as well as Joe & The Juice located on the ground floor of the station. The Chick-fil-A pop up will be open Friday.
Live entertainment during 305 Weekend at Virgin MiamiCentral includes some of Miami’s most celebrated acts, starting with Saturday performances by DJ Mark Levine from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., DJ Pirate Stereo from 1 – 4 p.m. and Xperimento from 5 – 8 p.m. On Sunday, Envee Jazz Quartet kicks off the day from 11 a.m – 2 p.m., followed by DJ Richie Hell from 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.and DJ Yissel from 5 – 7 p.m.
Poised to reinvent train travel in the United States, Brightline/Virgin Trains USA is the hospitality-driven express intercity passenger rail service that currently connects Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, with expected future service from Orlando to Tampa, and a new system between Las Vegas and Southern California.