Thursday
Lee Schrager has a knack for making the unobtainable a reality, such as turning a fundraising dinner into one of the world's largest food festivals. Now in its 17th year, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival attracts thousands of people to the sands of Miami Beach for nearly a week's worth of wining, dining, and celebrity-spotting. This year, Food Network celebrities such as Emeril Lagasse, Alex Guarnaschelli, Andrew Zimmern, and Geoffrey Zakarian will host events. The fest's dinner series also highlights collaborations among Miami's best chefs and international culinary greats. Thursday through Sunday at various venues across South Florida; 877-762-3933; sobewff.org. Ticket prices vary by event. See our coverage of SOBEWFF at miaminewtimes.com/restaurants.
At first, an event called "Love Lost" sounds pretty damn depressing. And, yes, this annual exhibit at a pop-up gallery in the Arts + Entertainment District boasts donated personal artifacts that have a local story of anger, pain, loss, and/or trauma. At its core, though, "Love Lost" is an awesome drive to get people to talk about the shared human experience. And though most folks' Instagram feeds are all smiles, let's be real: Everyone has some pain. 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday at Canvas Pop-Up Gallery, 70 NE 17th St., Miami; eventbrite.com. Admission is free.
That Fruit of the Loom T-shirt you've been sporting is incredibly boring compared to what you'll see at Ankara Miami. Florida's only runway production dedicated to African garb is back. This year's spectacle kicks off Thursday with an exclusive, invitation-only event in Miami. Friday, there will be a runway show in North Miami presenting emerging designers, and then, Saturday, it's off to Sunny Isles Beach for a show with established designers. Want to buy awesome items from the show? Sunday, head to the pop-up shop at 1310 Gallery in Fort Lauderdale. Thursday through Sunday at various locations, including Miami, Sunny Isles Beach, and Fort Lauderdale; ankaramiamiweek.com. Prices vary per event, ranging from free admission to $100 for a four-day VIP pass.
Ja Rule and Ashanti go together like peanut butter and jelly. Remember all of their early-2000s hits together? "Always on Time," "Mesmerize," and "Wonderful," are only a few. Now you'll get to see them on a local stage, together again at the James L. Knight Center. The duo will be joined by Fat Joe, Trina, and Plies. What a throwback and what a show. 8 p.m. Thursday at James L. Knight Center, 400 SE Second Ave., Miami; jlkc.com. Tickets cost $48 to $107.
Rhye is venturing all the way from L.A. to visit the Ground to kick off its latest tour. The musical collective, led by Canadian singer extraordinaire Milosh, is touring on the heels of its second studio album, Blood, which dropped in early February. It's a delightfully chill LP that makes for a pleasant evening. Rhye's live experience will likely be much of the same. 9 p.m. Thursday at the Ground Miami, 34 NE 11th St., Miami; thegroundmiami.com. Tickets cost $25 to $38.
You know who really likes Miami? The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. For the tenth year, the group is performing a string of shows in the 305. This year, the Arsht Center will host five performances. The program consists of the signature Revelations as well as Miami native and company standout Jamar Roberts' first piece for the company, Members Don't Get Weary. Thursday through Sunday at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; arshtcenter.org. Tickets cost $29 to $119.
Who could possibly be a better art-museum tour guide than an artist? Each month at Pérez Art Museum (PAMM), an artist gives an in-gallery tour of three to five pieces on display. This month's artist/tour guide is photographer and textile master Michelle Lisa Polissaint. Outside of PAMM, Polissaint recently launched her newest project, Ansanm, which brings art to local working-class communities through meal-centric events. 6 p.m. Thursday at Pérez Art Museum Miami, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; pamm.org. Free with museum admission, which varies from free to $16.
Friday
Just take one look at Satori and his flowing hair, and it's hard not to feel enlightened. And no wonder — his name means "enlightenment and energy." A show by this musical artist is pure, earthy, and multidimensional, often taking fans on a tranquil, electronic, and far-out ride. His show at the Ground, on the first floor of Club Space, is one of two stops on the East Coast for this tour, so you'll want to catch him before he floats off to the magical place from whence he came. 10 p.m. Thursday at the Ground, 34 NE 11th St., Miami; ticketfly.com. Tickets cost $15 to $25.
So much awesome talent has stemmed from YoungArts. Wonder who's next? You can find out at YoungArts Miami, a weeklong collaboration-athon where YoungArts winners spanning several art disciplines attend workshops with internationally renowned artists. This year's guest leaders include composer Emmet Cohen, author Joan Morgan, and cinematographer Rick Delgado. All of the learning culminates in unique performances all weekend. Friday through Sunday at various locations; youngarts.org. Admission for each event varies from free to $15.
What's the deal with Jerry Seinfeld still working? Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just that you'd think the beloved TV star and clean comedian who made a bundle from his eponymous '90s NBC show would chill in his golden years. But Jerry has been back with a vengeance. In his web series, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, he drives around with some of the greatest minds of our generation in gorgeous vintage rides and drinks java at cool eateries. And he's still touting his distinctively perceptive brand of humor on the road too. He'll return to Hard Rock Live for a two-night stint as the master of that domain. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Hard Rock Live, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood; hardrocklivehollywoodfl.com. Tickets start at $80.
Saturday
Happy birthday to Ivy Stranahan, the longtime "First Lady of Fort Lauderdale." And though she passed in 1971, her home, the Stranahan House, remains in downtown Lauderdale. To honor another birthday, the historical estate and museum will host a Victorian High Tea. Paid admission to the tea also includes tours of the estate. Yes, you should absolutely wear that fancy hat you own. 2 p.m. Saturday at the Stranahan House Museum, 335 SE Sixth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; stranahanhouse.org. Tickets cost $25 per person, and reservations are required.
Harry Potter fans are legion. Even if you're not a wizarding supergeek, you probably still enjoy dressing up and throwing back some cheap booze. Either way, the latest edition of Potter Crawl is calling your name. The Brickell drink-athon begins at Fado Irish Pub and includes stops at Barú, RedBar, the Craftsman, and American Social. With paid admission, you get a free drink at each stop. It's magical! 7 p.m. to midnight at various bar locations in Brickell. General admission costs $25 via eventbrite.com; discounts are available for groups of four or more.
A decade ago, the only way you could get a local brew in Miami was if you made the beer yourself. But now the microbrews flow like, well, beer from the tap. Three years ago, MIA Brewing joined this sudsy southern revolution and started its own scene. The Doral brewery will throw a huge third-anniversary party, where there will be hip clothing for purchase from vendors, food from local faves such as Ms. Cheezious, live music by beastly beatmaker Otto Von Schirach, and a DJ set by Juan Luv. Most important, the list of brews is long and includes some wild flavors. They'll be available for a mere five bones each. Cheers. 3 p.m. Saturday at MIA Beer Company, 10400 NW 33rd St., #150, Doral; mia.beer. Admission is free.
Remember the 2000s? We entered the millennium worried about Y2K. We wore slip dresses and chunky platform sandals made for twisting ankles. And we listened to bands such as Smash Mouth, Uncle Kracker, Spin Doctors, and Fastball. Some fans are still jamming to those songs today. So Magic City Casino is hosting the Rock2K Fest, bringing all of those bands to town for one nostalgic show. Get out your pageboy hat and brush up on the lyrics to "Two Princes," "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah," and "Walkin' on the Sun." 6 p.m. Saturday at Magic City Casino, 450 NW 37th Ave., Miami; magiccitycasino.com. Tickets start at $20.
Get in position, yogis. The largest yoga festival in the state is returning to South Florida. YogaFest Fort Lauderdale is 12 hours of stretching and connecting with all the usual suspects: artists, musicians, workout freaks, men with long ponytails, women worried about their chakras aligning, and couples who like to touch too much in public. Bring your mats, drums, hoops, and acro skills to experience 50 big-time instructors who will get your body and mind in shape. 9 a.m. Saturday at 1 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Admission costs $20 via yogafestfl.com or $25 at the door.
Do you love indie-mambo and alt-Chicano tunes? GlobalFest will gather beloved bands whose sounds hail from Cuba and Mexico and present at the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center. The mambo makers of Orkesta Mendoza — headed by Sergio Mendoza, who has collaborated with Calexico and Devotchka — will meld cumbia, merengue, and ranchera into a psychedelic fusion. Also performing will be Las Cafeteras, who make socially conscious songs in the Afro-Caribbean son jarocho style. Expect instruments you've never seen live and a lot of brass, as well as a memorable night with songs that will stick to your ribs. 8 p.m. Saturday at South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center, 10950 SW 211th St., Cutler Bay; smdcac.org. Tickets cost $20 to $40.
Sunday
John Higginbotham, AKA JJ Grey, and Daryl Hance met when they were working for an A/C company in Jacksonville. But the two traveled all the way to the United Kingdom to sign with a European label when they began making music together. After a few iterations, they found themselves back where they began, under the moniker Mofro. Hance has since left the project, but JJ Grey & Mofro's soulful Southern rock will still have you dancing like a drunk mom at a bar in Key West. They'll perform live with North Mississippi Allstars, the Marcus King Band, and Bobby Lee Rodgers this weekend. 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Fillmore Miami Beach, 1700 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; fillmoremb.com. Admission costs $30.
Monday
Deadheads across the region were sorely disappointed last year when Dead & Company's BB&T Center show was postponed because John Mayer needed an emergency appendectomy. Now the controversial guitarist is back on tour with original members Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, and Bob Weir, as well as Allman Brothers bassist Oteil Burbridge and Fare Thee Well and RatDog keyboardist Jeff Chimenti. These guys have sold out Madison Square Garden twice, and they'll play this Monday at the BB&T Center, proving the Grateful Dead will never die. 7 p.m. Monday at the BB&T Center, 1 Panther Pkwy., Sunrise; thebbtcenter.com. Admission starts at $45.
Tuesday
If you grew up in the '80s, you heard a lot about the film The Color Purple, the heartbreaking period piece showing the hardships that African-American women faced in the early 20th Century through the story of Celie Harris. Now you can catch Alice Walker's story in its musical version. The Tony Award-winning production will let you explore both your range of sad feelings and black music, ranging from gospel to ragtime, jazz, and the blues. If anything can lighten the spirit, it's music, even if you're watching the tragic story of Celie. 8 p.m. Tuesday through March 4 at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; arshtcenter.org. Tickets start at $29.
Wednesday
Vizcaya is beautiful any time of day, but at night, it's truly magical. The 100-year-old mansion and its surrounding gardens are enchanting under the stars. And a glimpse of the moon over Biscayne Bay from this historic palace could make anyone fall in love with the city. This Wednesday, the museum will host Gardens by Moonlight, which lets you check out this spectacular abode after-hours. It includes a tour of the gardens and "Overload," the Contemporary Arts Program's exhibition of international artists' intense installations that respond to the lovely landmark. 6 p.m. Wednesday at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, 3251 S. Miami Ave., Coconut Grove; vizcaya.org. Admission costs $20.