The Best Free Events in Miami This Week

You don't need to shell out big bucks to participate in the two biggest events of this week. Odds are you won't be in the stands at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta this Sunday, but plenty of Super Bowl watch parties will take place in Miami this weekend. Overtown's watch party at the Historic Lyric Theater will be among the most fun, and though VIP options are available, you can also watch the game for free with family and friends.

You might have also heard that Wigwood, Miami's increasingly popular drag festival, will host its kickoff party on a yacht this year. Hopping onto the ship isn't free, but the festival's poolside celebration this Sunday at the Broken Shaker won't cost you a dime.

Here are the best free events happening in Miami this week:

José Martí was one of the greatest intellectuals of the 19th Century. Though it's been more than a century since the poet's death, his Versos Sencillos are still routinely memorized and recited by Cubans both on the island and in exile. This Monday, FIU's Glenn Hubert Library will host a celebration of the freedom fighter's life on what would have been his 166th birthday. Guests will also learn about the university's José Martí scholarship program, and café con leche and tostadas will be served. 8:30 p.m. Monday, January 28, at FIU Glenn Hubert Library, 3000 NE 151 St., North Miami; eventbrite.com. Admission is free.

South Florida has a pending water crisis — with global warming threatening to destroy us all. Flint, Michigan, is in the midst of its own. Photographer and MacArthur Fellow LaToya Ruby Frazier's latest exhibit, "Flint Is Family," zooms in on the town's crisis and the families affected by it. Specifically, it follows three generations of women and their day-to-day lives. It's an impactful warning to Miamians. 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday through April 14 at Frost Art Museum, 10975 SW 17th St., Miami; frost.fiu.edu. Admission is free.
Miami's most creative queer festival is back, bitches. This year's Wigwood theme is "Deep-Sea Creatures," and there are three unique events for attendees to get their mermaid on. First, there will be a four-hour yacht party Friday evening that cruises around Biscayne Bay. Saturday, a daylong festival loaded with DJs and vendors will go down at Gramps. And Sunday, a free pool party and barbecue will be hosted at the Freehand. Friday through Sunday at various locations; wigwoodmiami.com. Admission prices vary from free to $55.

LGBTQ BBQ. That's a lot of letters. But beyond having a great ring to it, the LGBTQ Family BBQ is an event happening Sunday at Greynolds Park. Families of all backgrounds are invited to join the fun, which includes drinks, a face painter, a bounce house, live entertainment, and other diversions in a comfy setting. The event was created by the Aqua Foundation for Women, which has helped thousands of local women through grants, scholarships, and various initiatives. Noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at Greynolds Park, 17530 W. Dixie Hwy., North Miami Beach. Admission is free; RSVP via eventbrite.com.
Looking for big fun while you watch the big game? The Black Archives and Black Smoke are bringing back the annual Super Bowl Watch Party. Sponsored by the Southeast Overtown Park West Community Development Association, this free community gathering will offer much more than football. In addition to watching the big game, enjoy billiards, beanbag toss, a cigar lounge, and cash bars. 6 p.m. to midnight Sunday at the Black Archives Historic Lyric Theater Cultural Arts Complex, 819 NW Second Ave., Miami; eventbrite.com. Admission ranges from free to $500 with VIP options.