Going DWNTWN

Wynwood and the Design District have Second Saturdays. Coconut Grove has its monthly art walks. Little Haiti has its Big Night series. Most of Miami’s major neighborhoods can boast at least one festival celebrating its cultural facilities. And downtown Miami — home to arts powerhouses such as the Miami Art Museum (101 W. Flagler St.) and the Adrienne Arsht Center (1300 Biscayne Blvd.) — is finally joining the club. The Miami Downtown Development Authority launches its inaugural DWNTWN Art Days this Friday and Saturday. Much like other neighborhood art walks, it will give locals a chance to browse the area’s galleries and other art institutions. But unlike other art walks, it allows participants free entry to some facilities that usually charge hefty admissions. The two-day agenda is packed with a variety of artsy activities. MAM will offer free access to its Rashid Johnson exhibit. The Miami International Film Festival will sponsor a complimentary screening of Gerhard Richter Painting at Miami Dade College. The Arsht will host a food truck roundup (sadly, you’ll still have to pay for the grub) and offer theater geeks a tour of its facilities. Beached Miami will also take part by organizing a bike tour, and artist Misael Soto, known for toting his giant communal beach towel to Miami Beach, will lay out an oversize picnic blanket at Bayfront Park.
Fri., Sept. 7, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sat., Sept. 8, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., 2012