Written by Jessica Finol
Deering Estate was home to wealthy Chicago industrialist, Charles Deering, and his family during the winter months of the 1920s. The estate is a historic site listed on the National Register of Historic Places and welcomes fans of both historical museums and nature. The original buildings on the estate provide a look into the lives of Deering and his family, while the grounds of the estate provide access to Biscayne Bay and nature trails.
DEERING ESTATE AFTER HOURS
This event was a unique opportunity to witness the beauty of Deering estate under the light of a full moon. For those who are not familiar with the estate, it is entered by a walkway which slopes downward towards a wide lawn that overlooks Biscayne Bay. Beautiful during the day, and magical at night, the view of the water from the lawns never disappoints. This was especially true as the moon was rising over the water, illuminating everything so much that it almost seemed like day.
This event was also accompanied by an audio performance from Miami-based art collective Frozen Music, which creates unique audio experiences based on the acoustical characteristics of a given site. Frozen Music describes their work as “the making of otherwise inaudible phenomena audible in science, nature and architecture. Each performance is a kind of acoustical “tuning” or redrawing of the existing aural landscape through direct sound generation and amplification.” Drawing from the natural landscape of Deering, and accompanied by a full moon, the audio experience was a bit spooky to say the least. Tales of the estate being haunted in addition to darkened pathways throughout the estate made for a thrilling evening.
Deering Estate has other moonlight events, such as Yoga and Photography night sessions each month for the full moon. I would highly encourage others to attend one of these events for themselves, as it was such a beautiful thing to witness. I feel like I do not usually take enough time to fully appreciate the beauty of a full moon and was so glad to have this opportunity to do so. In a city such as Miami, where light pollution makes star gazing almost impossible, full moons offer that connection with the sky that many people desire.