Trick-or-Treat: 5 Halloween Kid-Friendly Events in Miami

Oye, Mom, walking through a ritzy 'hood to fill a trick-or-treat bag with stiff gummy bears is cool, pero you know we Miami kids love to party like rock stars on Halloween.

Besides, how about you try walking eight miles in the dark, while wearing a $375 Spider-Man costume? I thought so?! So, hurry up and make plans for the entire family this Halloween. This is the 305.

Don't worry, Mom. Taking the kids out for Halloween in Miami is not as scary as it sounds. Whether you're looking to sneak another bag of Skittles out of your kid's trick or treat bag or sweat lots of sugar on a spooky evening, here are 5 Halloween' Kid-friendly' events in Miami guaranteed to make the entire family feel really cool. 

1.) Hay Maze Miami, October 21-November 6:  Make your way through a 7,000 square foot hay maze at Hay Maze Miami in Downtown Miami (Bayfront Park) with a bunch of your sugar-fueled kiddos, and take pictures of the scarecrows in front of the pumpkin wall - before or after you taste the pumpkin bread and pie. Boo! (Watch out for a special-themed Hay Maze Miami from October 29-31.)

2.) Kiddo-Ween (City Place, Doral), October 29:   Is your favorite Spider-Man all about winning a costume contest, scoring some candy and taking pictures in a booth? The Kiddo-Ween Fest at City Place Doral will be the place to be from 2-8 p.m. as kids will be able to trick-or-treat at the shops and restaurants, take pictures inside a photo booth and enjoy a magic show. A costume contest will also be held at the runway.

3.) Haunted Halloween Trails and Kids Zone (Enchanted Forest Elaine Gordon Park, North Miami), October 28: 

It's an all-ages affair as the city of North Miami puts a scare into the entire family with it's annual haunted trail event at Enchanted Forest Elaine Gordon Park (1725 NE 135th St., North Miami, Florida 33181). All kids will be able to enjoy the Family Fun Zone, which includes a costume parade, hayrides, pony rides, music and more. Food will also be available for purchase throughout the park. Not a kid? No worries. Everyone is encouraged to wear Halloween costumes! Tickets cost $5 per person ($7 on day of event). 

4.) Trick or Treat, Evelyn Greer Park, Pinecrest, October 28: Put on your best or scariest Halloween costume before heading to Evelyn Greer Park in Pinecrest (8200 SW 124th St., Pinecrest, Florida 33156), where from 5-9 p.m. trick or treaters of all ages will be able to enjoy a bounce house, photo ops., music, balloon artists and much more. (Note: Children must be accompanied by an adult and bring their own trick or treat bag to collect Halloween candy.) 

      

Scary stuff: Miami Kids Magazine and the City of South Miami will host 'Safe Streets Halloween' October 31 from 4-7 p.m. 

5.) Miami Kids Magazine/City of South Miami 'Safe Streets Halloween', October 31: A 'Block Party' for kids (on Sunset Drive from US1 to 57th Avenue) ? Yes, indeed. Miami Kids Magazine and the City of South Miami promise to put a scare into all of you on October 31 from 4-7 p.m. with everything from free candy, music, prizes, pumpkin decorating and live entertainment. Tickets to select theme parks will also be available, in addition to a visit by Scooby Doo. Not enough? A Halloween costume contest will also be held, so make sure to dress the kids, if not the whole family up. 

Week 6 College Football Bet Slip: 'Canes (-3.5), Gators (-10.5) make the ticket

*Week 6 is here and you should bacon-wrap ANYTHING (Think: Pork medallions, corn on the cob and scallops) if you want to own your next college football party ... like a boss 

*Are the 'Canes (-3.5), who earlier this week  put all their trust back into QB Tyler Van Dyke, a strong bet as favs vs. North Carolina ?

*Florida (-10.5), double-digit favs at home, might be catching Missouri, coming off an easy ATS cover vs. Georgia, at the right time. 

*Does FIU (+5.5) have enough of a home 'dog smell to validate a betting ticket vs. UConn 

WRAP everything in bacon - if you're going to eat it at your next college football party.

But enough about my preference for bacon-wrapped scallops. My college football best bets were 3-1 last week, including Illinois (+7), Missouri (+29) and the Northwestern-Penn State (U51.5), and at 9-7 in college football (16-11-1 including NFL picks), after an 0-3 start, I'm ready for more winners, if not bacon-wrapped pork medallions. 

Let's go to the college football bet board.

North Carolina @ Miami :  I've been pretty hard on the Hurricanes in recent weeks .. and it's paid off with Middle Tennessee State pouring it on Miami as huge road dogs a couple of weeks ago. However, I liked what Mario Cristobal did earlier this week in putting his trust back in QB Tyler Van Dyke. The 'Canes, getting a host of players back, are getting healthy. North Carolina, for all their success vs. Virginia Tech, is a bit soft on defense. The Tar Heels, making their third road trip on the season, have also been away from home, a lot. Miami hasn't been money at home in recent years, but let's trust the ACC Coastal hopefuls get right on this spot.

My Pick: Miami (-4)

Missouri @ Florida : The Gators, solid home favs in this spot, appear to be turning the corner, albeit slightly, after taking Tennessee to the wire and a home slip-up vs. Kentucky in which QB Anthony Richardson was hit or miss. Missouri, coming off an easy against the spread cover vs. Georgia, arrives in Gainesville a banged up squad, playing it's second road game in three weeks. I like Florida, a few weeks away from a date with Georgia, to start showing off some of their offensive prowess - against the weary Tigers.

My Pick: Florida - 10.5 

Want to check out my full college football betting board and/or looking for content of any kind? Comment on this very post or send me a message to connect. I'm also available for sports partnerships and podcast appearances. 

Homestead-Miami Speedway to host Nascar Playoffs Weekend

Calling all auto racing fans: Are you ready for a super caliente weekend on the beach as excilarating car speeds turn up the heat inside Homestead Miami Speedway ?

If so, you should be making plans right now to be at the Nascar Playoffs Weekend from October 22-23 as playoff auto racing returns to the Homestead Miami Speedway - with the winner of the Dixie 400 securing a spot in Championship Weekend in Phoenix.

That's not all, auto racing fans. Come get your feet wet at the 20,000 square foot beach located inside of turn 3 while you soak up the excitement of a full weekend of Nascar Playoffs, which will also include the Baptist Health 200 and the Contender Boats 250.

But hurry up, auto racing fans! Back at the Homestead Miami Speedway (1 Ralph Suarez Speedway Blvd., Homestead, Florida 33035) after a pandemic-fueled hiatus, tickets are selling at a ridiculous speed. Buy your Nascar Playoffs Weekend tickets now, including tickets starting at $35 for adults and $10 for kids. For more information, visit https://www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com 

Wheels go round and round: The Nascar Playoffs Weekend returns to the Homestead Miami Speedway, Oct. 22-23. 

Week 5 College Football Preview: Are FSU (-6.5) and Ohio St. (-41.5) cover material?

>(#10) N.C. State vs. (#5) Clemson (-6.5), (#7) Kentucky vs. (#14) Ole Miss (-7), (#2) Alabama (-17.5) vs. (#20) Arkansas, (#9) Oklahoma St. vs. (#16) Baylor (-2.5) and (#22) Wake Forest vs. (#23) Florida St. (-6.5) highlight the Week 5 college football betting board. 

>No. 15 Washington (-3) vs. UCLA features Pac-12 rivals - both with QBs capable of lighting up the scoreboard. The Huskies are one of the most improved teams in the country, too.

>No. 18 Oklahoma (-3) vs. TCU: It's the Horned Frogs, coming off a win vs. SMU, who will arrive undefeated, while the Sooners, a bit leaky on defense for a perceived Big 12 contender, look to bounce back after taking it on the chin at home vs. Kansas St. 

I picked Middle Tennessee St. (+26.5) to beat Miami, and the Blue Raiders not only pulled off the biggest upset of the year to date, they embarrassed the 'Canes at Hard Rock Stadium. UM has now had losing streaks of at least two games in 11 straight seasons. So, should anybody really be surprised? 

No.

That said, Mario Cristobal has plenty on his plate to fix in less than two weeks, when North Carolina comes to town. We'll just move on and try to figure out the Week 5 college football betting board. Note: These are not official betting picks. 

Wake Forest @ FSU (-6.5) : Finally. The Seminoles, one of the country's remaining undefeated teams, are in the Top-25 and appear to be catching Wake Forest, coming off a grueling lost vs. Clemson, at the right time. Florida St. also had the luxury of resting players in last week's 44-14 blowout win over Boston College. Tip: Always keep track of the number throughout the week. This way you have an idea of what way the line is moving. 

Texas A&M @ Mississippi St. (-3.5):  Some would argue that the Aggies were lucky to get a win vs. Arkansas. It's better to be lucky than good. Seriously. Texas A&M, who at times looked offensively-challenged against MIAMI, was able to sustain drives in key moments on their way to victory over the Hogs. Can they score enough to keep pace with Will Rogers and the rest of the Mississippi St. offense, though?

Rutgers @ Ohio St. (-41.5) :  The Buckeyes, 17-9-1 ATS as a favorite in Big 10 games under Ryan Day, welcome the Scarlet Knights, who at 7-1 ATS as a road 'dog since the start of the 2020 season have been a solid bet away from New Jersey. Rutgers has also played to the under in eight straight road games - dating back to the start of last season.

Please follow me on Instagram at miami_by_fernie, where you can DM me and see more of my work. Your comments and feedback are also welcomed on this page.

SEO up: 5 tips to improve your SEO game

 

Rank up: Strong titles and descriptions appear directly in search results, when someone finds your site on a search engine, therefore giving you a good chance to influence searchers to visit your site and improve your overall SEO ranking.

With websites being created, Google searches being performed and tweets being posted in record numbers, or time, changing your marketing and SEO strategies is crucial.

Here are 5 tips to improve your SEO game:

1.) Think About Your Reader (First): Forget about overdoing it with unnecessary keywords. Instead, focus on what value - and impact - your content will have on your niche audience. Hint: If you write about pizza, make sure you go all in on pizza. In turn, you will draw people to your site and improve your search engine rankings. 

2.) Keep An Eye On Your Site Search Data: It's always smart to check what words and phrases your visitors are typing into your internal search bar. Think: Having an idea about what is important to your customers, will help you develop more relevant content and keywords.

3.) Set Up a Google Local Listing: It's all about location. Setting up a Google Local Listing will definitely help your search engine rankings. (You will have a better chance to be found when consumers conduct a search for your given product/service.)

4.) Optimize For Mobile: Since so many consumers are conducting searches on their mobile devices, it's super important that your site is optimized to deliver the best mobile experience possible.

5.) Encourage Reviews/Engage Customers: It's also important you thank customers for posting positive reviews - and address any negative reviews and feedback. It will give your business a big (search engine) lift -- and lots of credibility all over the web.

#seo #marketing #keywords #tips #ranks #business #searchengine #rankings #google #search #data #titles 

NFL/College Football Betting Recap: Dolphins (+6.5), Middle Tennessee (+26.5) cash; 'MNF' total a push

Despite the 'Boys-Giants (39) total resulting in a push, both the Dolphins (+6.5) and Blue Raiders (+26.5) found the cash window as significant 'dogs, resulting in a profitable weekend if you took our advice in this space.

Here's a friendly tip: There's a profitable betting trend on Sunday Night Football - this week featuring the Chiefs and Buccaneers in Tampa - you should already be aware of.

But why bother with a game under serious weather scrutiny -- stay tuned to The Weather Channel, kids -- after scoring with two underdogs, including the Blue Raiders, who walked through the Hurricanes despite being (at or around) 26.5 road 'dogs. 

So, with apologies for just missing out on a clean sweep, not too many people are going to complain, I think, about a 2-0-1 weekend in college football and NFL picks -- especially, if you read this blog and get them for FREE.  

Unless of course, you're still betting that Mario Cristobal will be the savior at 'The U'. 

Here are some quick thoughts .. and FYI: Please wager responsibly and don't spend it all in one place. 

> Reminder: Having betting acumen will help you make strong betting decisions. I think I used mine in this particular spot. I got a few dirty messages from 'Canes fans after predicting Miami would likely be in trouble against Middle Tennessee (+26.5). For one, I didn't like the vibe around the team in the days leading up to the game. I also found Tyler Van Dyke's comments about the home crowds at Hard Rock Stadium a little bit odd. I've never been sold on this Miami coaching staff; just feels like money is being thrown around. Add having to get ready for a quality opponent - after losing to Texas A&M - and I sensed trouble. Just think: Mario Cristobal is four games into a 10-year, $85 deal. Ouch. 

>Outside of a major injury to Josh Allen, perhaps, Buffalo will prove to be better than Miami by season's end. However, I just felt the Bills, playing a third game in 18 days and dealing with injuries to their secondary, would struggle to make enough plays on defense to win in this spot. Note: It took some wild stuff - especially at the end there - for the Dolphins to win as home 'dogs. 

>Scoring with the under total of 39 looked pretty safe 'til three fairly quick touchdowns in the second half derailed any chance of hitting our bet. But we didn't lose any money .. and turned out a solid profit for you ... So, contact me if you're in the market for a sports betting content creator ready to take you to the cash window.

Billboard Latin Music Week 2022: Touring, Publishing and 'Power Players' panels on tab

Does everything about Latin music move you?

If so, you might want to make plans to be in Miami all of next week. 

 (Billboard) Latin Music Week, a six-day conference featuring showcases with varied performances, dozens of panels and the Latin Music Billboard Awards (Show), airing live Thursday, September 29 on Telemundo, returns to Miami for it's 32nd edition from Sept. 26-Oct. 1. 

Here is a rundown of a few of the top panels.

'The Power Players': (Billboard) Latin Music Week's signature panel, brings together Jorge 'Pepo' Ferradas, Eric Perez and Isael Gutiérrez to openly discuss their respective strategies in developing successful music acts such as Camilo and Rauw Alejandro.

'Latin Touring Goes International':  

Well-respected industry manager Rebecca León moderates a discussion on the overall success Latin artists such as Camilo (200,000 tickets sold in his return to Spain this year) and Bad Bunny (top selling artist in ticket sales) are having all over the world. Wisin Y Yandel and Live Nation reps will join León to discuss the magic behind selling tickets at a torrid pace -- while singing in Spanish.

Latin beats: Billboard Latin Music Week returns to Miami, starting Monday, Sept. 26, for it's 32nd edition.

'How To Choose An Indie Distributor' 

With Latin music going super global, a growing number of distributors are always at the ready with options for emerging and established artists - while many eye different territories and countries. Reps from OneRPM and Cinq Music peel back the curtain on a variety of  hybrid deals, including label services and production budgets.

For more information on all events and the award show, visit www.billboardlatinmusicweek.com