In Miami, Celebrating All Things Deco By Gary McKechnie The Washington Post Sunday, January 3, 1999; Page E02

Welcome to Art Deco Weekend, the four-day Kodachromed street carnival of Miami Beach that will bring the area's carefully preserved Art Deco buildings of the past into focus Jan. 15-18. Where fluorescent tropical shirts compete for attention with pastel Deco hotels. Where the Art Deco district takes on the visage of a Busby Berkeley film, and where roller-skating women glide by, the glare of their bikinis arriving long before they do.

Miami's Art Deco Weekend -- a combination jazz fest/flea market/historical tour/art show that satisfies myriad tastes -- lures a crowd of 500,000 each year, from students with tattoos and pierced body parts, to topless men in shorts, to vendors hawking Jamaican jerked chicken, kebabs and smoothies made with fresh "Baaaannanaaaah!" and "Papaaaaaaayah!"

Ocean Drive between Fifth and 15th avenues draws art connoisseurs who peruse Deco posters beneath tents, while antiques hounds sniff out deals on streamlined furniture of the 1950s. But the real appeal are the hotels and apartment houses styled after the smooth lines and graceful curves found in the cars, trains and steamships of the 1930s to 1950s. Miami Beach is the nation's first 20th-century district on the National Register of Historic Places, with more than 800 significant buildings making the grade.

Despite the conflicting personalities that arrive for this historic weekend, the crowd is noticeably civilized and content, perhaps due to the festival's generous embrace of art, architecture, antiques and music. Even if you don't know the difference between Art Deco and Art Linkletter, you'll discover that amusement abounds in this flashy, fashionable corner of the world. You can dine, chill, tan or observe away the weekend -- whatever you desire of this cultural montage is yours.

Strolling from tent to tent like camel traders, browsers haggle over blue glass mirrors, shining brass fans and Heywood-Wakefield furniture. Shoppers sporting retro fashions that stayed alive long enough to witness the revival of swing depart soon after with zeppelin-shaped lamps in hand. Just knowing that you could walk away with an authentic period piece enhances the experience exponentially (similar to juried art festivals, all festival merchandise undergoes a panel review to confirm its authenticity; only then are merchants awarded a coveted space).

Unlike many outdoor festivals, Art Deco Weekend complements the sights and the sales with the sounds of the street. From rock rhythms to 1920s jazz to the staccato taps of a Latin dancer accenting the rich tones of a flamenco guitarist, visitors can tune into casual concerts performed for free nearly every hour of the day. And when the moon over Miami goes to sleep, festival-goers are treated to concerts by swing and big-band greats. The headliners this year: the Ink Spots, performing Saturday at 9 p.m. in Lummus Park.

Take time to follow the festival as it spills into side streets and into the lively business districts of Washington and Collins avenues and to Espanola Way, the Spanish-style street born in 1925. Designed as an entertainment district for the long-gone Romney Plaza Hotel, this is where a young Desi Arnaz introduced the conga to America. Today on Sundays, Espanola's shops are dotted with merchants hawking flowers, hair wraps, incense, hand-carved drums, plants and enough icons to supply a minor religion.

A few blocks north, Lincoln Road Mall has been reborn with the help of a $16 million redesign. Today, the grande dame of Miami is full of art galleries, cafes, bookstores and upscale restaurants.

Educate yourself on Deco architecture on a 90-minute walking, bicycling, or self-guided tour of the Art Deco district. With an expanded schedule for the weekend, the $10 tour reveals the subtle differences between Deco of the '30s, '40s and '50s. And after exploring the city by foot, wrap up the evening with a drink at the Delano, the sensationally surreal hotel on Collins Avenue. Or try the crab cakes at the legendary Joe's Stone Crab Restaurant. Soak up the tropical pulse of the drive from your streetside table and look forward to another day filled with art, antiques, music and . . .

"Papaaaaaaayah!"

For more information on Miami Beach's Art Deco Weekend, including guided and self-guided tours of the Art Deco District, contact the Miami Design Preservation League, 1234 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 305-672-2014. For more details on walking tours: Art Deco Welcome Center, 1001 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach, 305-531-3484.

A few choices on where to stay:

The Beachcomber (1340 Collins Ave, 305-531-3755, rooms $85-$98 per night) is just a block from the action and has large rooms with low rates. Several blocks north of the district, the 1936 Indian Creek Hotel (2727 Indian Creek Dr., 305-531-2727, $130-$240) has lots of character and a friendly staff. The Ocean Front Hotel (1230 Ocean Drive, 305-672-2579, $179-$515) offers Mediterranean elegance on the ocean, with a beautiful courtyard. Loew's Miami Beach Hotel (1601 Collins Ave., 305-604-1601, $285-$380), Miami Beach's first grand hotel in 37 years, is large, luxurious and on the ocean. With 700 rooms, maybe they'll have one left for you.