Thursday, July 2
Forget the presidential race. On the local level, November's elections could dramatically shift the course of Miami-Dade County. The call for greater diversity in politics has been answered by Monique Barley, Ludmilla Domond, and Daniella Levine Cava, all of whom are running to be Miami-Dade's first female mayor. On Thursday, the Women's Fund Miami and the League of Women Voters of Miami-Dade County host a virtual forum, Women in Leadership, All Politics are Local Virtual Impact Collaborative, with Barley, Domond, and Cava, as well as the six women running for county commission. The forum will address how women with political power can help communities overcome the challenges they face. 9-10:30 a.m. Thursday via zoom.us. Admission is free with RSVP via womensfundmiami.org. Olivia McAuley
With their angular lines and deconstructed geometric shapes, Dannielle Tegeder's drawings and paintings often look like the blueprints for contraptions that haven't been invented yet. The Brooklyn-based abstract artist has also explored large-scale installations, mobiles, animation, and sound in her work. Miami's Fountainhead Residency offers a glimpse into Tegeder's process and current projects in its next live virtual studio visit on Thursday. Tune into Fountainhead's Instagram for the live broadcast — or, if you miss it, the video will be available later on its YouTube channel. 3:05 p.m. Thursday via instagram.com/fountainheadresidency. Suzannah Friscia
Still craving the impeccably brewed cup of coffee? On Thursday, the Betsy Hotel Culinary Series hosts Panther Coffee cofounder Joel Pollock for its latest virtual talk. The Betsy's chef, Andrew Zarzosa, will chat with the coffee virtuoso, touching on topics relating to the third-wave coffee movement while explaining the stories behind the beans, from scouting small-batch coffee producers across South America and Africa to perfecting the your brew at home. 5 p.m Thursday via facebook.com/thebetsyhotel. Admission is free; RSVP via thebetsyhotel.com for access via zoom.us. Olivia McAuley
June 8 was World Oceans Day, but with everything going on you'd be forgiven if you forgot to take note of it. In solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, Debris Free Oceans held off on its ocean-themed event series until later in the month. Now, the organization wants you to learn how to party with the planet in mind — even when Miami's biggest festivals return. As part of DFO's #ExpertInterviewThursday series, Vivian Belzaguy, founder of Ascendance Sustainable Events, will chat about some of the simple steps that can reduce waste and energy use at major events. Stay tuned after the interview for a live Q&A with Belzaguy. 4:30 p.m. Thursday via instagram.com/debrisfreeoceans. Suzannah Friscia
Friday, July 3
In 2017, after leaving a Wynwood bar, comedian Hannibal Buress bumped into Miami Police Officer Luis Verne and shouted "This cop is stupid as fuck" into Verne's body camera. Verne arrested Buress on a charge of disorderly intoxication that was quickly dropped. The incident is the catalyst for Miami Nights, Buress' first stand-up special in four years. Film at the Olympia Theater in downtown Miami, the special will premiere on YouTube on Friday. Buress tweeted a link to a New Times article about his arrest to promote the special, so it's safe to say the incident will play a role in his routine. 9 p.m. Friday via youtube.com. RSVP via hannibalburess.com. Olivia McAuley
"When you see something that is not right, not fair, say something, do something, get into trouble, necessary trouble," proclaims the voice of social-justice activist and U.S. Representative John Lewis. From award-winning documentary filmmaker Dawn Porter, John Lewis: Good Trouble chronicles the life's work of the longtime Georga lawmaker. The film is a timely retrospective offering insight into his fight for social justice, from his fateful meeting with Martin Luther King Jr. in 1957 to the present day. Now South Florida audiences can catch the documentary, which premiered at this year's Tribeca Film Festival, via O Cinema and Tower Theater's virtual cinemas. Midnight Friday via towertheatermiami.com and o-cinema.org. Tickets cost $10.49 to $12. Olivia McAuley
Pizza may not be able to solve all our problems, but it has a way of making things just a little bit better. That's why Fi'lia Restaurant in Brickell is giving away free pizza to first responders and furloughed workers every Friday with its Eat a Pizza, Give a Pizza initiative. If you're a first responder or a local who's out of work owing to COVID-19, head to the restaurant between 5 and 8 p.m. to pick up your free pie — first come, first serve. To help donate pizza, just add an extra $10 to your bill, and Fi'lia will put it toward that week's giveaway. 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Fi'lia Restaurant, 1300 S. Miami Ave.; 305-239-1330; filiarestaurant.com. Suzannah Friscia
Saturday, July 4
Who knew that the 1996 sci-fi flick Independence Day would turn out to be prophetic? On Saturday, head to the Dezerland Park drive-in movie theater to watch the action-packed classic, starring Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, and Vivica A. Fox, on the big screen. Along with the screening, viewers will be able to enjoy a fireworks display. Parking spots are designated on a first-come, first-serve basis. The movie starts exactly 45 minutes after the ticketed time — so get there early to snag a prime viewing spot. 8 p.m. Saturday, at 14401 NE 19th Ave., North Miami; 786-590-5000; carflixcinema.com. Tickets cost $32.92 per car. Olivia McAuley
No doubt Fourth of July is going to feel a little different this year, so maybe it's a good year to start some new traditions. To enjoy fireworks the socially distant way, head to Blue Moon Outdoor Adventures for its Fourth of July kayak tour. From your floating perch on the Intracoastal, you can catch the display lighting up the night sky over Las Olas and maybe enjoy an adult beverage or two. The tour is recommended for intermediate to advanced paddlers. 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday at George English Park, 1101 Bayview Dr., Fort Lauderdale; 954-781-0073; bluemoonoutdoor.com. Tickets cost $75. Suzannah Friscia
Sunday, July 5
As part of their Safe and Sound streaming series, the Global Arts Project and Collins Park Neighborhood Association want to keep the experience of live arts and culture alive. On Sunday, to wind down the weekend, they'll present a free livestreamed concert featuring three award-winning musicians: percussionist Sammy Figueroa, flautist Nestor Torres and jazz singer Nicole Henry, broadcast from the Miami Beach Women's Club. 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Sunday via globalartsproject.org/livestream. Suzannah Friscia
Monday, July 6
To kick your at-home workout experience to the next level, head to Club Space's Facebook or YouTube channel on Monday nights to join Miami fitness guru and personal trainer Starr Hawkins (AKA @babymommafit) for Intergalactic Bootycamp. DJ Bakke provides the beats to get your blood flowing and your body moving as you power through the 45-minute bootcamp and Pilates-inspired workout, which Starr hosts every Monday night. 6:30 p.m. Monday via youtube.com/officialclubspace. Suzannah Friscia
Tuesday, July 7
Books & Books and the Miami Book Fair host A Virtual Evening with Kent Russell and Karen Russell on Tuesday. Join Miami-born author Karen Russell — winner of the 2018 National Magazine Award for fiction and Pulitzer Prize finalist for her novel Swamplandia! — and her brother, Kent Russell — a novelist and essayist whose work has appeared in the New Republic, Harper's, and GQ — as they discuss Kent's new book, In the Land of Good Living: A Journey to the Heart of Florida. A travel memoir of sorts, In the Land of Good Living draws on the author's thousand-mile journey across the state to take a historical and sociological dive into Florida's quirky — and at times frustrating — personality. 7 p.m. Tuesday via crowdcast.io/e/kentrussell. Admission is free with RSVP. Olivia McAuley
Wednesday, July 8
Quarantine conditions have turned many a thumb green. For those looking to take their horticultural hobby up a notch, look no further than Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden's Introduction to Bonsai class. Bonsai goes beyond just gardening — the process that renders large-scale trees in miniature is a bona fide art form. Fairchild's online class, led by nursery owner and Bonsai Society of Miami member Ray Kincaid, will touch on the history of the ancient art form as well as basic horticultural care and maintenance. 6:30 p.m. via zoom.us. Tickets cost $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers via eventbrite.com. Olivia McAuley
