Folk Life Festival has some of the best food vendors in Miami offering a wide array of delicious cuisine. From fried conch fritters, barbeque ribs, soul food, jerk chicken, to fresh Bahamian conch salad made on the spot, there is something to sink your teeth into every step of the way. There are also vendors offering clothing, books, natural health products, handmade jewelry, and much more lining the pedestrian mall for your shopping pleasure.

The goal of the festival is aimed at stimulating the local economy by offering African American businesses in the Overtown and surrounding Miami Areas a location to sell their products. Folk Life Festival serves as a platform to help these businesses generate revenue and assist them into moving onto being established storefront businesses