Citywide Celebrations Are Happening for Miami Vice's 40th Anniversary

You've got to know the rules before you can break 'em.

I don't know who you guys are, but you're dead!

You must take me for a right wanker, son!

We can go on and on with the iconic one-liners from Miami Vice, the action-filled crime drama that was a global phenomenon. The show ran for five seasons from 1984 to 1989, with a total of 114 episodes. And it all began on September 16, 1984, which means this year marks the 40th anniversary of Miami Vice.

In true 305 fashion, there will be parties galore celebrating the milestone. Whether you're a total nut for Don Johnson's bad-assery as detective Sonny Crockett or a complete newbie, now is the time to get in on the action.

Among the coolest happenings, a Miami Vice diehard fan — New York City- and Miami-based actor Derek Hedlund — has curated a string of events September 12-15, dubbed the Cast & Crew Miami Vice 40th Anniversary Reunion. It kicks off Thursday at Avalon Hotel with a Miami Vice Day proclamation from Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner.

Events throughout the four-day span include bus and walking tours of filming locations, special dinners held by cast members, and on Saturday, a cast meet and greet at Royal Palm South Beach, including actors Edward James Olmos, Michael Madsen, Saundra Santiago, and a half-dozen others. A full slate of the dozens of events related to the Cast & Crew Miami Vice 40th Anniversary Reunion is available at miamiviceevents.com.

On the cultural significance of Miami Vice, Hedlund tells New Times, "This is pretty much the show that saved Miami Beach and its art deco history. Those involved with the show came in and repainted all the art deco buildings on Ocean Drive, and all the shots of South Beach just made it look gorgeous and the place to hang out. Plus, Carrera sunglasses, Ferraris in America, matchbox-style powerboats wouldn't be as popular without this show."

Bayside Marketplace is also getting in on the anniversary buzz. Opened in the late '80s and amid Miami Vice's peak, the destination was created to help revitalize the city's image and change its totally bad-boy reputation clad with corruption, drugs, and crime. In many ways, Bayside Marketplace and Miami Vice were considered catalysts for helping Miami become a global destination.

Between Thursday and Sunday, Bayside Marketplace will host a car and boat show exhibit, a special Saint Vitus dance boat tour, a Miami Vice trivia event, and neon face painting for kids. Among its most special components, on Friday, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez will honor the show with a star on the property's Miami Walk of Fame. Later that day, there will be a "You Belong to the City" freestyle concert with Shannon and DJ Sama. (Details on the various events are available via eventbrite.com.)

"We'll be reliving the '80s with the fashion, music, breakdancing, and more," says Claudia Marquez, marketing manager for Bayside Marketplace. "Perhaps more than anything, this is a moment to unite the city and everything it has going for it."