KING MANGO GOES DOWNTOWN

     It was strange to walk into the HistoryMiami Museum and see myself. I was looking up at the character I invented 37 years ago, King Mango. He smiled down at me and I smiled back.
  But it was more than that; this manikin was dressed to to look like me when I pretend to be the fruit monarch.

    I been known to do that

for parades, bar mitzvahs, and the occasional wedding. He was even wearing my faded brown Crocs that connect him to the earth.                        
     Next to this guy was a telephone. When I picked it up I heard my monotonous voice explaining the origins of the King Mango Strut Parade. Strange.
     Francesca and I were attending the opening of the museum's new exhibit on local parades and street art. It started with a BOOM! Miami's Bahamian Junkanoo Band appeared from nowhere and started leading us like around like jubilant lemmings. Twenty guys on 6-foot bicycles jumped in and golly, we had a party kicking off the show.
    You can see it too through January of '19.  It includes  bit of Goombay, Gay Pride, and the tall bike parades.  Wynwood graffiti covers one wall. Grove celebrity, Allen "AC" Cohen was there too greeting visitors to his exhibit.
Grove guys, GT and AC

He's the food truck legend who's been selling lemon icees in Kennedy Park for forty years. 
    The museum is located at 101 West Flagler Street in beautiful downtown Miami. 
You can come see the King smile at any time. 
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