A concert by Spoon and the long-running Calle Ocho Festival and Miami Film Festival round out an eventful few days. Here's a look at the best things to do in Miami this weekend.
Friday
Over the past 35 years, the Miami Film Festival has become one of the most highly anticipated cultural events in South Florida. The festival brings directors, actors, and luminaries to theaters around the city for screenings and panels that offer enlightening glimpses behind the making of films and documentaries that often go on to experience wide acclaim and recognition. A massive lineup of 148 films will screen at this year's festival, including Tully, directed by Thank You for Smoking's Jason Reitman, and Godard Mon Amour (Le Redoubtable), the followup to Michel Hazanavicius' Best Picture-winning film The Artist. Friday, March 9, through Sunday, March 18, at various Miami venues; 305-237-FILM; miamifilmfestival.com. Tickets cost $10 to $13 for single screenings and $30 to $250 for special events.
The City of Hialeah hosts "And Still I Rise: A Collective Art Exhibition Inspired by Maya Angelou" in celebration of Women's History Month. The exhibition is not solely composed of art made by women, but rather it presents art created about women. Moderators have previewed some of the pieces online before the exhibit opens, and the paintings are awe-inspiring. Enjoy wine and cafecito while you peruse the art. 7 p.m. Friday, March 9, at Milander Center for Arts & Entertainment, 4800 Palm Ave., Hialeah; 305-827-0681; milandercenter.com. Admission is free.
Activists at last year's Florida March for Black Women, organized by the Miami Workers Center.
Photo by Maria Esquinca
The folks at the Miami Workers Center have been doing the hard work of advocating for Miami's most vulnerable communities for years. Whether you've been in the fight right alongside them or have only recently awakened to the perils of the less privileged, Femme Saturdays are a great place to start if you're looking to listen and learn. This Saturday's conversation with Paula Muñoz of the Florida Immigrant Coalition will pertain to anti-blackness in the Latinx community. 10 a.m. Saturday, March 10, at the Miami Workers Center, 745 NW 54th St., Miami; 305-759-8717; theworkerscenter.org. Admission is free.
Who run the world? Bring along the entire family to PAMM as the museum celebrates the accomplishments of women artists at this month's edition of Free Second Saturdays. Guests are invited to sculpt their own masterpieces and enjoy a performance by Miami's own Girl Power Choir. Bring a book to donate to the Taylor Moxley library, which repurposes and converts shipping containers into libraries for children. 1 p.m. Saturday, March 10, at Pérez Art Museum Miami, 1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 305-375-3000; pamm.org. Admission is free.
Get bubbly when the Veuve Clicquot Carnaval brings the spirit, music, dancing, and vibrant atmosphere of carnival to Museum Park at a star-studded party overlooking Biscayne Bay. The event, now in its fourth year, offers salsa dancers, a drum line, live music, and a DJ set by May Kwok. Past guests have included Adriana Lima, Solange Knowles, and Prince Royce, so you never know who might make a surprise appearance. Champagne and rosé will be available for purchase, and tickets include a guest pass to PAMM. 1 p.m. Saturday, March 10, at Museum Park, 1075 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; vccarnaval.com. General admission costs $45; access to the Rosé Garden costs $350.
Make celebrating women artists an all-day thing by heading straight to the opening of the photography exhibit "Invisible Woman" in Doral right after PAMM's event. The exhibit is curated by art historian and former Frost Art Museum director Carol Damian. It displays the work of ten women photographers and is an official International Women's Day event. 4 p.m. Saturday, March 10, at Concrete Space Art Gallery, 3400 NW 78th Ave., Miami; 305-219-0811; concretespace.net. Admission is free.
Sunday
Following on the heels of last Sunday's long-awaited performance by Fleet Foxes at the Fillmore Miami Beach, the indie alt-rockers of Spoon finally head to South Florida for a show at Revolution Live. The 2000s icons are on tour in support of their latest acclaimed album, Hot Thoughts. For a band whose discography includes iPod-era classics Girls Can Tell, Gimme Fiction, and Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, critical acclaim has become a way of life, and a discography of that caliber guarantees every song will be a memorable performance. 7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 11, at Revolution Live, 100 SW Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954-449-1025; jointherevolution.net. Tickets cost $28.50 via ticketmaster.com.
Every year, a million people park about a mile away from Miami's Eighth Street and walk in the blazing sun to a massive street festival to celebrate all things Latinx at the Calle Ocho Festival. There'll be live music and DJs playing jams from around the Caribbean and South and Central America. The food will reflect every Latin American nation, from Cuba to Honduras. Calle Ocho is also a fundraiser for Kiwanis Club of Little Havana, something you might have forgotten in past years as you bachata'ed over to that arepa cart. It's 20 blocks of international fun in your backyard. Lace up your dancing sneakers, wrap your flag of origin around you, and salsa away. 10 a.m. Sunday, March 11, between Fourth and 27th Avenues on SW Eighth Street, Miami; carnavalmiami.com. Admission is free.
Aly Raisman was already an idol to many after she became a gold-medal-winning gymnast at the 2012 Olympics and again at the 2016 Summer Games. But her heroics went beyond the balance beam when she became one of a tragically long list of young women who came forward in court to name Dr. Larry Nassar as a serial sexual abuser. She also read a powerful impact statement about her experience as a survivor. Sunday, she'll participate in a meet-and-greet with customers at Aerie's Lincoln Road flagship, where she'll discuss her involvement with the #AerieREAL Role Model campaign, a product collaboration including swimwear, intimates, and activewear. Proceeds of certain items will benefit advocacy organizations such as Darkness to Light, NEDA, I Am That Girl, and the Innocence Project. 1 p.m. Sunday, March 11, at Airie, 900 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach; aerie.com. Admission is free.
Sunday brunch is not just for bipeds anymore. Doral is bringing the most chill meal of the week to canines at the Downtown Doral Puppy Brunch. Your dog will be your best date when you present him or her with treats and food from Le Chien Gourmet. If you don't yet have a puppy pal, you can adopt one onsite. There will also be opportunities to get your pet groomed, and you can pose together in a photo booth. Oh, and humans can eat too. There will be food from the Salty Donut, Threefold Cafe, and Pinch Kitchen, as well as cocktails and mimosas. Live Latin funk acts Xperimento and Cortadito will provide the soundtrack to this perfect day for pups and their best friends. 11 a.m. Sunday, March 11, in Downtown Doral Park, 8395 NW 53rd St., Doral; downtowndoral.com. Admission is free.
