(Image by Miami Today)
Doral, Florida was named The City of Flowers by The Society of American Florists, Florida State Florists Association, and the City of Doral on December 8, 2021. Yola Guz CFD, AIFD and Ruben Consa AIFD PFCI had this concept several years ago, and it finally came to fruition.
Doral is the biggest hub of flowers and floral products in the country. An estimated 86% of the approximate 4.5 billion fresh-cut flowers imported into the United States every year comes through Miami and ends up in Doral. Not only has this city been a vital part of the flower industry, but it has also brought numerous socioeconomic benefits to the neighboring areas.
"The reach of Doral’s floral industry is incredibly significant. It creates thousands of jobs for Doral residents and residents from adjacent cities. We recognize how important this industry is for our local economy and the City of Doral wants to do more to promote it." (Florida State Florist Association)
The Doral Art & Flower Festival
(Photos from @doralartflowers on Instagram)
Every year, the city of Doral holds an Art & Flowers Festival for its community in Doral Legacy Park. Their mission: "To Promote Flowers and Floral Design as an Art Form."
Founded by Ruben Consa AIFD, PFCI, and his wife, Yola Guz CFD, AIFD, the festival is a three-day event held in December, showcasing the best local and floral art designers. The highlight of the event is the floral design competition, where artists compete in nine different categories of design.
"The Doral Art and Flowers Festival encourages the unlimited potential of the floral artist's imagination. Festival visitors will experience the inclusion of natural products such as exotic flowers, plants, foliage, and other organic elements intertwined within structures made out of wood, steel, aluminum, or any limitless other canvas bases intended to serve as the medium for Floral Art."
The History of Doral
Doris and Alfred Kaskel bought 2,400 acres of swampland between NW 36 Street and NW 74 Street, and NW 79 Avenue and NW 117 Avenue for $49,000 in the late 1950s with the aim of creating a golf course and hotel. The Kaskels realized their dream in 1962 when they opened a hotel and country club with the Blue, Red, and Par 3 golf courses. Doral is a mix of the words Doris and Alfred.
Doral has come a long way in a short amount of time, and it is gaining positive attention from Fortune 100 companies, small enterprises, young families, and retirees. Doral is currently undergoing a dramatic makeover, with high-end houses and businesses sprouting up in locations including Downtown Doral, City Place Doral, and Midtown Doral. Doral is becoming increasingly popular as a destination to live, work, invest, learn, and play.
(Image by downtowndoral.com)
"The 'City of Flowers' designation also creates a 'flower awareness', especially to those who may not be familiar with the impact the industry has on the City of Doral. Our city has a unique floral culture that deserves recognition. We believe the 'City of Flowers' designation will create a direct boosting effect, attracting new businesses and reinforcing existing ones. The local floral professionals already understand the power flowers have in everyday life, now we want to share that with the community and the nation at large." (Florida State Florist Association)
Doral deserves this prestigious award, and we congratulate everyone who made this achievement possible.