Thursday, February 20
Every third Thursday of the month, Miami Beach makes many of its cultural attractions free to the public during its Culture Crawl. From 6 to 9 p.m., walk, bike, or take the white trolley to see ballet in Collins Park, survey fine art at the Bass, visit the Jewish Museum of Florida, catch a film at O Cinema Miami Beach, or enjoy live music throughout the city. Those are just a few of the exciting happenings, all of which are free of charge (some food and drink vendors might require purchase). 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at various locations in Miami Beach; mbartsandculture.org/culture-crawl. Admission is free.
Friday, February 21
Celebrated sex columnist and podcast host Dan Savage is bringing the Hump! Film Festival to Miami this Friday through February 27. It's the festival's 15th year screening sex-positive short films across the nation and O Cinema's fourth year hosting the Miami run. Hump! isn't your average adult film fest: It showcases creative erotica made by the people, for the people. A rich array of body sizes, ages, ethnicities, sexualities, genders, kinks, and fetishes will be on display, many of which are often overlooked by mainstream porn. Another important factor of the fest: Entrants enjoy relative anonymity, an element that's inherently missing online. Anyone interested in catching raw, honest sexuality depicted onscreen should check out Hump! 7 and 9 p.m. Friday through February 27 at O Cinema South Beach, 1130 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; 786-471-3269. Tickets cost $20 via o-cinema.org.
Thanks to seemingly endless sitcom reruns, Jerry Seinfeld has remained relevant 20 years after his hit TV show ended. Two megasuccessful Twitter accounts — one formed as a parody of the other — were launched with the idea of intuiting what the characters on Seinfeld would be doing if the show were on the air today (the consensus seems to be that Jerry would get an iPad). If you're actually interested in what the man himself is up to, check him out doing two nights of standup at the Hard Rock this weekend. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Hard Rock Live, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood; 954-797-5531; seminolehardrockhollywood.com. Tickets cost $80 to $330 via ticketmaster.com.
It could be the plot for the next hit family movie: Technique Records and Proper Sausages have teamed up to deliver Pet Sounds, the cutest event in record store and artisan meat shop history. Setting up in the parking lot of Technique Records, Hope Express, a mobile pet shelter run by Miami-Dade Animal Services, will bring along some furry friends looking for forever homes. Proper Sausages will also be there to cook and serve delicious cheesesteaks. Maybe you could enjoy one with your new best friend. Complimentary wine will be available to guests who are 21 or older. 4 p.m. Friday at Technique Records, 880 NE 79th St., Miami; 786-717-6622; techniquercords.com.
Eli Brown has carved out a distinct place for himself in the world of house music. He began his musical journey in Bristol, England, and his own music and DJ sets are drenched in the music he grew up with, encompassing everything from jungle and rave to drum 'n' bass and house. The DJ/producer will take his talents to the South Beach techno hub Treehouse, where he'll gift revelers with sounds that have garnered attention from the likes of Carl Cox, Green Velvet, Claude VonStroke, and the Black Madonna. 11 p.m. Friday at Treehouse Miami, 323 23rd St., Miami Beach; treehousemiami.com; 786-318-1908. Tickets are free before midnight and cost $15 for anytime admission via eventbrite.com.
Saturday, February 22
For decades, writer and theater critic Hilton Als has penned hundreds of insightful pieces about performances on and off Broadway, whether in his own books or in the pages of the New Yorker and behind its website's paywall. Now the Pulitzer Prize-winning author is coming to Miami to impart some wisdom to us theater-impaired people in a talk hosted by the Institute of Contemporary Art Miami. The topic will be artistic practices in the current moment. Better put on your monocles for this one, folks. 7 p.m. Saturday in Palm Court in the Design District, 140 NE 39th St., Miami; icamiami.org. Admission is free with RSVP at icamiami.org.
Miami food and culture blogger the Hungry Black Man can be found out and about in Miami Beach this weekend while hosting the third-annual Soul Vegan Festival. The brainchild of Starex Smith, the Hungry Black Man is an online outlet dedicated to championing African-American cuisine in Miami. Produced in partnership with Miami Beach Parks and Recreation, the festival will offer a delicious array of plant-based African-American and Caribbean cuisine. The beachside event promises to be a tasty treat for the whole family. Noon Saturday in Bandshell Park Miami Beach, 7275 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; thehungryblackman.com. Admission is free with RSVP via eventbrite.com.
To hell with your respiratory health. Nothing says fun like inhaling exhaust from tricked-out monster trucks. Whether you've already placed your money on favorites Grave Digger, Bounty Hunter, or Xtermigator, Monster Jam has passed its halfway point on the road to the Monster Jam World Finals XXI in Orlando May 2 and 3. The stakes are high as the 2020 championship schedule brings the drivers and their colossal trucks to Miami. Get your tickets now to watch 12,000-pound machines and their world-class drivers in gravity-defying challenges and racing competitions. 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at Marlins Park, 501 Marlins Way, Miami. Tickets cost $15 to $25 via monsterjam.com.
Long ago, before humans assigned every annoying task to machines, we did everything by hand — even computer calculations. Artist Jeff Thompson wants to remind us of that past with his new performance art piece, Human Computers. Thirteen people will perform the project this Saturday at Locust Projects. Over the span of six hours, they'll slowly, meticulously decode a single image file using only pencil and paper. Will watching them provoke new thoughts about our overreliance on technology or make you grateful we don't have to do things by hand anymore? You'll have to check it out to see. Noon Saturday at Locust Projects, 3852 N. Miami Ave., Miami; 305-576-8570; locustprojects.org.
Sunday, February 23
Just because the Miami Heat is doing well doesn't mean we're not still broken up about Dwyane Wade's recent retirement. He was arguably the greatest to play for the Heat, and his long, illustrious career with Miami's NBA team will be chronicled in the ESPN Films documentary D. Wade: Life Unexpected. This weekend, fans can catch a sneak peek of the film during a screening hosted by the Heat. The tickets are only $3 each, making this event probably the cheapest one you'll ever attend at the Triple A. 3:30 p.m. Sunday at American Airlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 786-777-1000; aaarena.com. Tickets cost $3 via ticketmaster.com.
Sweat Records is set to hold another Classic Album Sundays with the help of Soundlux Audio, and this time, things are gonna get funky. Really, though: This week's selection is Everybody Loves the Sunshine, a seminal funk album from composer, vibraphone player, and soul man Roy Ayers. That's right, folks — this man actually plays the vibes. This album is all blue skies and good times, and Wynwood Brewing will be on hand with beer to enhance your enjoyment. 5 p.m. Sunday at Soundlux Audio, 120 NW 25th St., Loft 302, Miami; 305-306-7249; soundluxaudio.com. Tickets cost $10 via eventbrite.com.
Oolite Arts will reflect on the work and life of photorealist pioneer Audrey Flack with a screening of Queen of Hearts: Audrey Flack. The documentary, directed by Deborah Shaffer, traces the artist's path from her early career to her trailblazing work as the sole female photorealist in the 1970s. Queen of Hearts finds room to examine her monumental public sculptures of recent decades even as it follows the seeming entirety of Flack's career as she takes her personal journey and evolves and develops as an artist. Stick around for a catered brunch and mimosas courtesy of Café Crème, as well as a Q&A with Flack, Shaffer, and Oolite Arts president Dennis Scholl. 11:30 a.m. Sunday at O Cinema South Beach, 1130 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; oolitearts.org. Tickets cost $25 for general admission and $5 for Oolite Arts alumni and resident artists.
Monday, February 24
Chef Adriana Urbina's culinary excellence is well documented. She's a three-time winner of Food Network's Chopped and founder of the private dining company Tepuy Dining. If the Venezuela-born chef's hunger-inspiring work in Michelin-starred kitchens wasn't attractive enough, the burgeoning star of the culinary scene also finds time for activism. At Palmar restaurant in Miami this Monday, Urbina will host a dinner in support of Nourishing Hope, a program dedicated to providing food, education, and medical care to 780 children living in rural areas of Venezuela. Look for welcome cocktails from Ron Diplomático, followed by a selection of small bites and a four-course meal curated by Urbina. Wine to pair with the dinner will come courtesy of Veronica Rogov, formerly of Brooklyn Fare and Aska. 6:30 p.m. Monday at Palmar, 180 NW 29th St., Miami; tepuycollective.com. Tickets cost $99 via eventbrite.com.
Tuesday, February 25
In honor of Black History Month, Parkman Creative and the Olympia Theater have teamed up for a three-part event series exploring the black American experience as told through music. The third and final showcase of Flesh Memory will explore the sumptuous sounding world of soul music as proselytized by labels such as Motown and Stax Records. The free event will be soundtracked by the band Djazz and include a spoken-word performance by Shameka Poetry Queen. 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Olympia Theater, 174 E. Flagler St., Miami; olympiatheater.org; 305-374-2444. Admission is free.
Wednesday, February 26
You might have been to the Miami Gardens-based Ethiopian restaurant Awash before, but whether you're a regular patron or new to the joys of injera bread and homemade baklava, now is your chance to experience this unique cuisine on a deeper level. The New Tropic is hosting the Adventures at Awash Community Dinner, offering platters of classic Ethiopian dishes, an authentic Ethiopian coffee ceremony, and even traditional iced tea to wet your whistle. Get ready to explore a unique and foreign culture the best way: by stuffing your face. 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Awash Ethiopian Restaurant, 19934 NW Second Ave., Miami Gardens; 305-770-5100; awashmiami.com. Tickets cost $40 via eventbrite.com.
