Hail the Big Art Openings for the Big Art Event. Miami's galleries and museums are hanging up their top guns for the arrival of Art Basel -- and for the Museum of Contemporary Art that means a solo show from William Cordova: "No More Lonely Nights." He's known for using the minutiae of life in his intimate works, and for this installation he focuses on the minutiae of places -- from Machu Picchu to Overtown to Opa-locka. Cordova incorporates found objects to create this multicultural "space," which reflects both the ancient and modern trappings of our world. Opening at 7:00 p.m. at MoCA, 770 NE 125th St., North Miami. Admission is by donation. Call 305-893-6211. -- By Anne Tschida
Arts Party
Holiday festival boasts creativity
SAT 11/29
Miami Lakes, the 3-year-old toddler of a city, is growing up. The landscaping along a prominent stretch of Main Street is taking root and now the town's Holiday Festival of the Arts is benefiting from the work of a newly created cultural affairs committee. Of course that means the bar has been set a little higher this year: No longer will T-shirt vendors sell their wares next to bona fide crafts-folk. That, says volunteer Irene Berman, is to your benefit. The festival features 85 local exhibitors, art judges, and a Brazilian samba band, Pakkone. The fun starts at 9:30 a.m. today and Sunday, November 30, at Main Street East (east of 67th Avenue), Miami Lakes. Free admission. Call 305-827-3697. -- By Victor Cruz
Feast or Frenzy?
SAT 11/29
The ritualistic carving of turkeys as a gesture of thanks to Native Americans, the people who were subsequently killed and exploited by their Thanksgiving hosts, is the perfect metaphor for man's beastly ways, according to author Karen Davis, president of United Poultry Concerns. Instead of killing a cute, curious, and family-oriented bird, Davis and the members of EarthSave Miami will be feasting on vegetarian victuals at their annual Turkey Free Thanksgiving Dinner. Mealtime is at 6:30 p.m. at Coral Gables Congregational Church, 3010 DeSoto Blvd., Coral Gables. Admission is $30. For reservations call 305-228-1116. -- By Juan Carlos Rodriguez
Tango Palace
Chacarera? Milonga? Party!
SAT 11/29
No doubt everyone is feeling a bit rotund after the high-carb holiday. But instead of rushing off to the mall for your penitence, there's a much slinkier, sexier way to work off that extra helping of potatoes: a heavy dose of tango. With the Florida Second Tango Marathon, sponsored by El Milonguero magazine, you can tango cheek by cheek all day and into the wee hours of the night. Classes for beginners (or rusty novices) start at 10:00 a.m. and are held every hour on the hour, followed by a special chacarera class, a dance to Argentinean folk music, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Then comes the milonga, the all-night dance party common across cities like Buenos Aires, which has as many as 100 such places to move your body. Wear comfortable yet elegant clothes, and remember that tango was once the dance of prostitutes, which is why women still often wear fishnet stockings and red and black colors to a milonga. The dance instructors put on a performance just after midnight, and the marathon ends when the last couple drops. Refreshments and food are available. The marathon is held at Dance Masters of Miami, 12390 W. Dixie Hwy., North Miami. Free. Call 305-534-3417. -- By John Anderson
Creepville
Artists haunt house with creations
SAT 11/29
Wallowing on the dark side is a sweet experience. The four artists in Worm-Hole Laboratory's new exhibit, "Haunted," opening tonight, explore the delicious demons that play in the macabre realms of the imagination. From Diego Singh's psychedelic meditations on suicide to Pepe Mar's playful flirtation with domestic torture and dismemberment, this show promises to be a weird and kinky event unlike any other. Curator José Carlos Diaz draws from Hollywood horror flicks, gothic literature, and the artists' own demons. The opening reception starts at 7:00 p.m. at Worm-Hole Laboratory, 401 NE 22nd St. Admission is free. Call 305-798-6529. -- By Juan Carlos Rodriguez
