Calle Ocho kicks off Sunday

MIAMI (WSVN) -- South Florida is getting ready for the biggest block party of the year.

It's almost that time of year again when cultures and tradition unite at what's called the biggest block party in the nation, Calle Ocho 2013.

Calle Ocho officially kicks off on Sunday, taking over Little Havana's Southwest Eight Street from 27th Avenue until 8th Avenue.

"We also invite all the Latin American countries to stand in one folkloric group of their country, and you're gonna see them parading up and down the street dressed in their native culture, celebrating and dancing," said Kiwanis of Little Havana President Henry Jimenez.

This year marks the 500th anniversary of the discovery of Florida. "At 3 p.m. on Sunday we will be breaking a world record with a 500-liter pitcher of sangria, so we ask everyone to come and join us," said Jimenez.

About 16 stages and 50 performance acts will take over on Sunday. There will also be a tribute to Calle Ocho 1978, which, according to Jimenez, was called Open House 8. "We are going to have a stage with original acts that played here, which were Willy Chirino, Hansel y Raul, Mantrap, Carlos Oliva," he said.

The money made at Calle Ocho benefits the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana, which helps underprivileged children in Little Havana and Miami. "Miami is a melting pot of many cultures, so we unite as a community," said Jimenez. "There are people that come from all over the world and all over the country to celebrate with us."

For more information, click here: http://www.carnavalmiami.com/index.php/calle-ocho

(Copyright 2013 by Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)