A bachelorette party, an anniversary and a drag show: Miami Beach gets lit on Memorial Day

Locals and tourists alike are enjoying the sunny skies and good vibes Monday afternoon as they kick it on Miami Beach’s iconic Ocean Drive for Memorial Day.

A couple on rollerblades were skating while holding hands, men were lifting weights and friends were rolling around in rented bicycles along the beachwalk. A few steps away, people were lining up to take photos by a colorful Miami Beach sign.

And the sizzling heat — around 90 degrees, by the way — didn’t stop people from enjoying their South Beach experience. There was little algae in the water and lifeguard towers hoisted green flags, meaning that beach hazards were low. On top of that, traffic wasn’t as stressful as a regular work day and there was still plenty of space left to chill at the beach around 3 p.m.

Bishara Rahman, 36, was out with her sisters and best friends celebrating her bachelorette party at Palace — an LGBTQ+ bar and restaurant known for its drag shows, dance performances and high-spirited crowds. Dancers and drag queens kept the audience entertained with their lively performances while passerby stopped whatever they were doing to take a quick peak of the show.

The bride-to-be told the Miami Herald that she couldn’t have chosen a better city to end the weekend-long festivities.

“This is a great place to decompress and let loose before starting to plan the wedding,” she said.

The Washington D.C. woman told the Herald that she was not interested in getting married before meeting her fiancé, whom she loves wholeheartedly.

“I never wanted to get married but when you know, you know,” she said. “I’m now starting to internalize that I’m marrying in a couple of months,” she enthused.

Los Angeles residents Toni Boykins and Jaliya Quinones were at Palace commemorating their 20-year friendship.

Quinones first met Boykins’ mom, one of her middle school instructors, after she was kicked out of another class and sent to hers for having what she called a “lively personality.”

Then a year later, Boykins started going to the same school — and the now 30-year-olds have been best friends ever since.

“It’s very rare for people to have long-lasting friendships these days,” Boykins said. “So to hold on to a friend for so long, it is special... it is something to cherish.”

Drag queen Josefina, “la mujer de los globos,” told the Herald after her performance that a diverse group of people come to Palace to have fun in a safe environment.

“Everyone is having a marvelous time,” Josefina said in Spanish. “There is no prejudice here.”