The Best Free Events in Miami This Week

Before summer temperatures arrive in full force, head outdoors this week to get some exercise, catch some rays, and enjoy live music. Locos por Juana will ease your hump-day blues with a free concert in Brickell, the newly opened GeckoParX and Paddletopia will host creative ways to get active, and the Key Largo Original Music Fest will offer four days of some of the nation's finest independent songwriters.

Here's a look at all of these and more of the best free events happening in Miami (and beyond) this week.
If you're wondering if that dude you're dating is as smart as he thinks, take him to trivia night at Nancy. There's $50 for first place and $25 for second place for the real smarties in the group. This Little Havana bar has a tiki vibe and looks like a ship headed to the South Pacific. If you grow tired of answering questions — or have trouble getting them right — order a cocktail and check out the courtyard, with decor anchored by part of an old boat. 9 p.m. Monday, May 14, at Nancy, 2007 SW Eighth St., Miami; nancy305.com. Admission is free.

You know when you realize it's only Tuesday and then you need a drink? Concrete Beach has a new beer you might enjoy. At the Stuck on the Palmetto Kölsch release party, the brewery will offer first sips of a perfectly 305 beverage. LoyALEty Club Members get a sneak taste at 4 p.m. in the Social Hall, and the general public can head over at 5. This tropical-tasting beer is brewed with coconut sugar and hearts of palm. 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 15, at Concrete Beach Brewery, 325 NW 24th St., Miami; concretebeachbrewery.com. Admission is free.
In a year when winter lasted well into April for most of the United States, it's hard not to be thankful for the eternal paradise and unparalleled golden-hour sunsets of Miami. Visitors pay thousands of dollars to take in the early-summer breeze and majestic views, but for locals, it's all free. This Wednesday, get even more out of the deal with Tropical Sunsets, a free outdoor concert by Grammy-nominated hometown stars Locos por Juana. Enjoy the sights and sounds, and sip some Caribbean-inspired cocktails by Mac's Pubs. 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, at 700 Brickell Ave., Miami; eventbrite.com. Admission is free.

Join journalist and photographer Thomas Laird as he discusses Taschen Books' latest release, Murals of Tibet. Laird, a world-renowned expert on Tibet, will present the collector's item, which displays surviving murals of Tibetan Buddhist culture in exquisite detail. 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, at Lido Lounge at the Standard Spa, 40 Island Ave., Miami; muralsoftibet.splashthat.com. Admission is free.

Even residents of Miami's paradise need to change up their routine sometimes. Head to Key Largo this weekend when Nashville meets the Upper Keys at the four-day Key Largo Original Music Fest. Enjoy performances by dozens of songwriters from the worlds of folk, blues, country, and Americana while you chow down at some of Key Largo's most popular waterside eateries. Performers include The Voice's Sheena Brook, and the festival wraps up Sunday with a daylong beach barbecue at the Caribbean Club. Thursday, May 17, through Sunday, May 20, at various locations in Key Largo; keylargooriginalmusicfest.com. Admission is free.
When the heat becomes too much for you and your kids to bear, take the playground indoors. Gecko ParX, Weston's newest trampoline and multi-attraction entertainment center, invites families to get to know the facilities at its grand opening this Saturday. Activities include dodgeball, indoor rock-climbing, Double Dare-style jousting, trampolines, and state-of-the-art arcade games. The two-hour opening event will include complimentary admission, pizza, and drinks. 1 p.m. Sunday, May 20, at Gecko ParX, 3305 Corporate Ave., Weston; geckoparx.com. Admission is free.

If you've seen tourists paddleboarding and wanted to try, Paddletopia is the weekend for you. Miami Beach Paddleboard has you covered with free rentals, and the event doubles as a wellness expo with a family boot camp by Sweat Studio, yoga courtesy of Modo Yoga Miami Beach, and goodies such as organic smoothies, juices, and ice cream. 10 a.m. Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20, at 96th Street Park, 9580 Bay Dr., Surfside; eventbrite.com. Admission is free.