It's a big day of events in Coconut Grove

Lots going on in the Grove today.

Snow Days starts at noon at the Mayfair Promenade. This is the third year for the highly popular event. The kids get to play in the snow under our nice Miami sun, Santa and Frosty the Snowman make appearances and there is candy, snow cones and lots of fun.

Also, at noon, the City of Miami Police Department will be battling the Florida Highway Patrol in Peacock Park in a softball tournament, remember the days of the Orange Bowl Pig Bowl? It's something like that, but these days, there is much more of a rivalry between the two departments than back in the Pig Bowl days, which I believe was Miami and NY departments.

At night, the Grove turns on the art with the Art Basel event called Art Starts in the Grove. All the Coconut Grove galleries will be open and will feature great new art along with a party at the Mayfair Atrium, where Manuel Carbonell sculptures take center stage (shown above). They have been installing them all week and they are really something great to see. It's a magnificent sculpture garden.

Other featured art include the Marilyn Monroe exhibit at AC Fine Art, see how many incarnations of Marilyn there are, we also hear that an original Andy Warhol will be auctioned off, check it out at AC Fine art at 2911 Grand Avenue.

"Fact or Fiction: The Works of George Rodez" (left) is featured at the RODEZ Art Gallery, including three pieces from George's "Dream" series. The gallery is at CocoWalk, second floor.

"Imagine-Let the Inner Artist Out" is at GroveHouse Artists Gallery. The feature works of Isabelle "Izi" Schuette, a local Grove artist are on display, the gallery is at the Mayfair Promenade, we're hoping the snow from Snow Days is gone by gallery time!

A Fundraiser for Miami Children's Hospital is at Cristina Chacon Gallery on Commodore Plaza. The dynamic works of internationally-known contemporary, Latin American artists Milena Arango, Julio Nieto and Angelo Valenzuela are for sale.

The Max Gallery (2996 McFarlane Roade) is displaying original works from Peter Max, Les Roberts, Romero Britto and Tadeo De La Barra. A variety of artistic pieces including lithographs and serigraphs, glass vases and plates, and hand sculpted statues and sculptures are for sale.

FrameWorks Gallery (3196 Commodore Plaza) is supporting Art Magnet Programs. They will present over 100 pieces by students from South Miami Middle School Magnet Art Program. Enjoy refreshments as you journey through the eyes of our youth, witnessing free expression of art through a collage of genres.

Multiple award-winning photographer Patrick Farrell will be featured at the Hunter Gallery, at the Mayfair Atrium, displaying works by the same series that earned him the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography.

Inviting its 2011 Best of the Best winner back for special showcase exhibition, the Coconut Grove Arts Festival Gallery (at the Atrium) presents the newest pieces by award-winning, Florida glass blower Duncan McClellan.

Alfredo González-Alvarez, also known as Agapop or Alva, will be showing some of his paintings at The Loft (3190 Commodore Plaza), which range in style from the decidedly photo-realist to figurative surrealism and examples of representations of film and television subject matter that the artist calls Photo- Impressionism. One of his pieces, "Exit B2" is shown below.

The Gallery Walk starts at 7 pm and ends at 10 pm.