Under a brilliant Miami sun, Miami Beach officially renamed 13th Street off Ocean Drive to Gloria Estefan Way, honoring the Grammy-winning artist whose music, heart and heritage have helped shape the city’s cultural identity for decades.
The upbeat ceremony featured city officials, local notables and plenty of fans—all gathered to celebrate the woman who helped put Miami on the musical map. For Gloria, it was a moment she shared with her husband of 47 years, Emilio Estefan.
“It’s euphoric,” Gloria said when asked what it felt like to receive the honor in her hometown.
“I love the fact that it’s Estefan because we have done this together,” she added. “I would not be doing this without Emilio. We have done everything together and I’m going to go up there and put Gloria and Emilio.”
The Miami sound that defined a generation
Emilio reflected on their journey—from playing bar mitzvahs to creating the signature “Miami Sound” that’s now part of the city’s DNA.
“Celebrating the beginning of the sound that we kept—the Miami sound—and I think that’s an important thing and we’re blessed,” he said. “We live in an incredible country… we can never lose that we can dream.”
For the Estefans, Miami isn’t just home—it’s part of who they are.
“We feel a part of the city. We wanted to be a part of its growth,” Gloria said. “That’s why we always invested in our hometown and felt that whatever we can do to be of service—because that’s what makes us happy.”
She also thanked the city for recognizing her as a woman in such a powerful way.
“To be recognized in such an incredible way, a woman, who thanks you to the commissioners that put that out there.”
Fans travel to celebrate a legend
The renaming was championed by Miami Beach Commissioner Laura Dominguez and endorsed by the city’s Commission for Women.
“To honor Gloria in this way shows that she really is a spectacular human being and everything that she does,” Dominguez said.
Fans came from near and far to be part of the celebration. Ashley Roman traveled from Orlando to see her idol.
“She inspires all of us. She inspires her fans. She inspires us to follow her more and she gives us dreams and hopes, you know what I mean?” Roman said.
Mina Yoon flew in from Canada just to be there.
“Her and Emilio… they have such a special relationship with their fans. You don’t see many artists like that who—everything they do—they keep their fans in mind. So you see that their fans are following them along all of these years.”
From chart-topping hits to a street that now bears her name, Gloria Estefan’s journey has come full circle—right in the heart of South Beach.
