Miami Music Week 2018 has finally arrived, and with it comes an onslaught of parties and showcases capped off by this weekend's Ultra Music Festival. It's an exhausting, show-hopping marathon for local and visiting music fans alike, but if you've outgrown the crowds or simply need a break between parties, the usual events will continue this week and provide you with worthy alternatives.

Slow the tempo with Spam Allstars at the Wharf Thursday, bring your own vinyl to PAMM, and, most important, march in solidarity with the survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting at the various March for Our Lives demonstrations throughout the region. Here's a look at the best free events in Miami this week.
You'll have the chance to see and hear some of your favorite musicians from all over the world during Miami Music Week, but sometimes the hometown crew does the trick. Slow the breakneck pace of MMW before you hit the after-hours parties by seeing Spam Allstars perform at the Wharf. Enjoy drink specials and food by Garcia’s Seafood Open-Air Fish Market & Raw Bar, King of Racks BBQ, Mojo Donuts, and others. 6 p.m. Thursday at the Wharf, 114 SW N. River Dr., Miami; eventbrite.com. Admission is free.

Miami is a city in flux. As with many major metropolitan areas around the world, economic development in the Magic City has accelerated in recent years. Though that change benefits some wallets, historic areas and building sometimes get the ax without consideration for what they contribute to the living history of the city. Join the Urbanism Summit in one such historic space, Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, for a discussion on the challenges of preserving historic spaces and structures. A mixer on the museum's east terrace will follow the chat. 6 p.m. Wednesday at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, 3251 S. Miami Ave., Coconut Grove; eventbrite.com. Admission is free.
Here's your chance to combine your love of museums, happy hour, and vinyl. You're invited to PAMM's waterfront happy hour with Vinyl Social Club. Guest can bring their own records and spin tunes for up to 30 minutes. Not ready to hop into the DJ booth? There will also be a vinyl exchange, so bring your best jams. 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Pérez Art Museum Miami, 1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; pamm.org. Admission is free.

In spite of the many strides American women have made over the past few decades, it can be lonely at the top for those who have cracked glass ceilings in their respective male-dominated fields. Venture Cafe Miami's the Future Is Female: Founders, Funders, and Fighters aims to remedy this issue via a summit including demos, storytelling sessions, and workshops on branding, social media engagement, and other aspects of business and entrepreneurship. It's all by the women CEOs of today for the women CEOs of tomorrow. 4 p.m. Thursday at Venture Cafe Miami, 1951 NW Seventh Ave., #600, Miami; eventbrite.com. Admission is free.
Students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High have stepped up big time. Will you? If there were ever an opportunity to get out and advocate for school safety and an end to gun violence, it's this weekend. In addition to a massive March for Our Lives event in Washington, D.C., this Saturday, several sister rallies will take place throughout South Florida. Visit marchforourlives.com to find the one nearest to you. Saturday at multiple locations, including Coral Springs, Doral, Fort Lauderdale, Key West, Miami Beach, Parkland, Pembroke Pines, Palm Beach County, and West Palm Beach; marchforourlives.com. Admission is free.

The Magic City has long welcomed gender bending. But gender blending? That's gotten a celebration of its own only for the past year or so. This week, Gender Blender will celebrate its first anniversary. The monthly punk night will present drag performers and gay and queer musicians for an unforgettable dance party at Las Rosas in Allapattah. Special guests include host Abhora from Season 2 of Dragula, Andro Gin, and Persephone Von Lips. DJ Frankie will spin tunes, and live music will come courtesy of Holly Hunt, Antifaces, Death Lottery, and Zig Zag. 9 p.m. Sunday at Las Rosas, 2898 NW Seventh Ave., Miami; lasrosasbar.com. Admission is free.