1. Try to stay calm when you're in your swimsuit, it's against the law to sing while attired in a bathing suit in Hialeah.
2. In Hialeah, elephants are treated as vehicles. If an elephant is tied to a parking meter, you must pay the same fees as if you parked your car.
3. Iconic aviatrix Amelia Earhart set off for her fateful plane ride from Hialeah.
4. Pick up the pace if you're visiting Hialeah because walking slowly, specifically "strolling or ambling," is a misdemeanor.
5. Many Hialeah locals practice Santeria, a religion of West African and Caribbean origin that encompasses traditional Cuban spiritual healing practices. Hialeah has the largest population of Santeros outside of Cuba, and the religion has a long and controversial history with the city government.
6. Vincent D'Onofrio, best known recently for his role on “Law and Order: Criminal Intent,” moved to Hialeah at a young age and has said that he was inspired to perform when he saw Cuban entertainers do tricks in their small magic shop in Hialeah.
7. Hialeah is the most densely populated city in the United States that does not have a skyscraper.
8. Skateboarding isn't just for play in Hialeah, it's illegal to skateboard without a license.
9. Excuse you. In Hialeah it is illegal to fart in a public place—but only after 6 p.m. on Thursdays.
10. Cuban heritage is a massive feature of the city's culture. Hialeah's Cuban and Cuban-American population is the highest percentage of any city in the entire country.
11. Because of this culture, its background, and the Spanish language influence, to pronounce Hialeah, you say every vowel: Hi-ah-lee-ah.
12. The famous Hialeah Park Race Track, affectionately nicknamed The Grand Dame, received more coverage from the Miami media when it opened in 1925 than any other sporting event in Miami's history, and it still attracts millions of tourists today as one of the greatest in the country. It has played host to legends such as the Kennedy family, Harry Truman, J.P. Morgan, and Winston Churchill.
13. It's not just a racetrack, however. Hialeah Park is also well-known as an Audubon Bird Sanctuary because of its huge population of gorgeous pink flamingos.
14. Hialeah is renowned for its incredible Latin restaurants, including El Rinconcito De Santa Barbara, Chico’s Restaurant, and El Rinconcito Peruano.
15. Make note regarding your weekend plans. It's against the law in Hialeah for a divorced or a widowed woman to skydive on Sunday afternoons.
16. She's an Oscar-nominated actress for two movies, “Being John Malkovich” and “Capote,” and you've definitely seen her in “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” but Catherine Keener was raised in Hialeah, FL.
17. Fighting the good fight against retail giants, Hialeah is known for its strong community of mom and pop stores, most notably Publix supermarkets, which opened another location dedicated to Latin and Hispanic customers, called Publix Sabor.
18. Because of its gorgeous year-round climate, Hialeah was home to Miami Movie Studios, which produced many movies there, including the most popular D.W. Griffith's “The White Rose.”
19. Major Spanish-language television network Telemundo, owned by NBCUniversal, has its headquarters in Hialeah.
20. Harry Wayne Casey, better known as K.C. of the famous musical group K.C. and the Sunshine Band began his career as a record store employee in Hialeah.
21. Hialeah was founded by a teaming up of a cattle pioneer and aviator, James H. Bright and Glenn Curtis.
22. There is a dispute over the origin of the name Hialeah, with some arguing that it's based in Muskogee origin, from the words for “prairie” and “pretty,” “haiyakpo” and “hili.” However, others dispute, saying it if from Seminole words meaning "upland prairie."
23. Hialeah is home to many great professional athletes, particularly in Major League Baseball, including Alex Avila of the Detroit Tigers and Gio Gonzales of the Washington Nationals.
24. Hialeah's fire department is extremely well respected in the country, nationally ranked as a Class 1. Don't know what that means? Well there's fewer than 25 in the whole country, so they’re a pretty elite group.
25. "The fastest sport in the world" is popular in Hialeah, a Spanish-native sport called Jai alai that resembles racquetball or squash and is played on a fronton.
26. Hialeah really respects its animals, because it is against the law to trip a horse with a rope. As far as other tripping instruments go, we can’t say.
27. Two-time Grammy-winning Cuban-American singer and songwriter Jon Secada was born in Havana, but grew up in Hialeah. And if you like Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, or Mandy Moore, you can thank Secada, who has written songs for all of these famous acts.
28. Don Shula, the immensely popular and successful former Miami Dolphins head coach owns a hotel and golf club in Hialeah.
29. Stuck in traffic? Don't worry, you can get some of your grocery shopping done along the way, as vendors often sell fresh mamoncillos and limes—and even seafood like shrimp—on the side of the road to cars passing by.
30. National Historical Site Triangle Park houses the Veterans Memorial, the Cuban Holocaust Monument, and the Cuban Women Prisoners Monument, but during Christmas time, it truly is a place of joy as it all lights up and gets decorated for the holiday.
31. Hialeah is home to Milander Park, which features a 10,000-seat football stadium, as well as the Milander Center for Arts and Entertainment, a popular venue for weddings, events, and quinceañeras.
32. One of the city's oldest slogans is "All Ways Lead to Hialeah." And it still lives on that reputation, as it has access to every major highway in the area.
33. Hialeah is home to the annual Art on Palm Festival, a lively street festival that features local artists, as well as musical acts, street performers, and celebrations of Cuban heritage, including cigar rolling.
34. Hialeah is known as the City of Progress, as it has hosted a large amount of Cuban refugees, who have played a massive role in shaping the culture of the whole city.
35. In major league baseball, former New York Yankee Bucky Dent is best known for his heartbreaking (well, for one team) and tie-breaking home run against the Red Sox that cost them a chance at the World Series. But in Hialeah, he is immortalized in Bucky Dent Park that includes a water park, gym, and pool.
36. Amelia Earhart Park pays homage to the famous aviatrix, and cars line up on weekends to visit the gorgeous park, but even some locals don't know that it also includes one of the best dog parks in the area.
37. Watch out on birthdays, in Hialeah, you are not allowed to release more than 10 balloons in a 24-hour period without specific permission.
What’s your favorite fun fact about Hialeah? Tell us in the comments below!
