Here's a look at these and more of the best free events happening in Miami this week.
June is Pride Month, and Vizcaya Village (across the street from Vizcaya Museum & Gardens) has teamed up with the folks at Gulf Coast Jewish Family & Community Services to make this year's observance more inclusive than ever. This Wednesday, they'll host a discussion titled, "Creating a Welcoming Miami for LGBTQ Refugees and Immigrants." The organization invites community members to join the conversation alongside therapists, case workers, physicians, lawyers, and others. 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 13, at Vizcaya Village, 3250 S. Miami Ave., Miami; eventbrite.com. Admission is free.
Marisha Pessl's Special Topics in Calamity Physics is the best-selling, prize-winning novel that was named one of the New York Times' ten best books of 2006. But Pessl is no one-trick pony. She recently published Neverworld Wake, a young-adult thriller that, like her other best seller, takes on subjects such as cool kids and death. In the vein of the great Christopher Pike, this book will have you and your teens' bums clenched in fear. After you're done ripping off nails in fright, ask Pessl all of your questions about the novel when she discusses it at Books & Books. 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 13 at Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables; bookandbooks.com. Admission is free, but you must RSVP via eventbrite.com to guarantee a seat. The book costs $18.99.
The holiday Juneteenth is celebrated Tuesday the 19th to commemorate the 1865 emancipation of slaves throughout the Confederacy and Southern United States. To remember this momentous day, Pérez Art Museum Miami, in conjunction with the National Museum of African American History and Culture, will host special screenings of Papa Machete and H-2 Worker. The screenings will be followed by a conversation with filmmakers about colorism, identity, geography, and other related themes. 7 p.m. Thursday, June 14, at PAMM, 1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; pamm.org. Admission is free with museum admission.
There's a joke about the infamous 2017 Oscar gaffe in here somewhere as Moonlit Movies presents an outdoor screening of the musical La La Land. Miami is home to Moonlight, the film that won Best Picture over the Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling love story, but if you're still on team La La Land, you won't want to miss this opportunity to ugly-cry with friends under the stars as you sing along to "Another Day of Sun." Complimentary popcorn will be provided by My Ceviche, along with bites from Spris, Rubio’s Coastal Grill, and Subway, so you can eat your feelings. 7 p.m. Thursday, June 14, in Horseshoe Park at the Shops at Midtown Miami, 3201 N. Miami Ave., Miami; eventbrite.com. Admission is free.
MDC's Museum of Art + Design hosts "Race and Urban Space: Overcoming Inequality in Miami" this Friday.
Photo by Angel Valentin
Earth is a mess, y'all. Just look at all the trash lining the streets and plastic circling storm drains. Fortunately, we have groups such as Frost Science's Museum Volunteers for the Environment (MUVE) looking out for Mother Earth. The group's next cleanup effort is a volunteer workday at Virginia Key's North Point, where work will include marine-debris removal, biodiversity monitoring, and invasive-plant documentation and removal. 9 a.m. Saturday, June 16, at Virginia Key North Point restoration site, Arthur Lamb Jr. Road, Miami; frostscience.org. Registration is free.
Radio personality Papa Keith isn't just a smooth voice you hear on 103.5 the Beat. He's also the founder of Papa Keith for People Matter, known as PK4PM, which seeks to positively shape underserved South Florida communities. One way the org does that is through promoting peace, love, and unity at the Father's Day event People Matter Fest. The big day includes fun such as a kids' zone, celebrity flag football, live music and art, a three-on-three father-son basketball tournament, vendors, and food trucks. Noon Saturday in Gwen Cherry Park, 7090 NW 22nd Ave., Miami; peoplematterfest.com. Admission is free.
