Thursday
Fluorescent flamingos, bejeweled breasts, a dizzying swirl of palms: This is the opening to Miami Vice, which forever froze Miami in a pastel-colored time warp in the minds of cable consumers across the nation. It's also the focus of David Reed's exhibit at PAMM, which will benefit from a talk by the artist this Thursday. #212 (Vice), Reed's mid-'80s painting that drew from the NBC drama, inspired the new works on display. And if the Miami Vice pilot on loop isn't New Wave enough for you, stick around for Poplife's '80s-themed party on the terrace with music by Lolo. 6 p.m. Thursday at Pérez Art Museum Miami, 1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 786-345-5662; pamm.org. The artist talk is free with museum admission; the '80s party is free with '80s attire, $16 otherwise.
Now in its sixth year, Art Wynwood returns to its namesake tent to exhibit more than 500 artists from 60 galleries hailing from all over the globe. Unique to this year's show is a partnership with the Coral Gables Museum to highlight work from 20th-century Cuban artists; an awards ceremony honoring street artist Shepard Fairey; and a conversation with the artist Friday at 2 p.m. As in previous years, a preview launches Thursday, with general-admission tickets available for the rest of the long weekend. 6 p.m. Thursday and 11 a.m. Friday through Monday at Art Wynwood Pavilion, 3001 NE First Ave., Miami; 305-517-7977; artwynwood.com. Admission costs $25 to $200.
Since 2010, the dance company Ayikodans has found audiences and refuge at the Adrienne Arsht Center. Now in its sixth consecutive season at the venue, the group is set to premiere two dance pieces choreographed by artistic director Jeanguy Saintus, who drew inspiration from Haitian ritual deities and music for one new piece, and the self-realization that comes from human encounters for the other. A short conversation with Saintus is scheduled after the matinee showing Saturday, but any of the four performances are sure to be a culturally enriching and bewitching experience. 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Adrienne Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 305-949-6722; arshtcenter.org. Admission costs $40.
With all of the club parties and rooftop parties and afterparties, it's easy to forget about Miami's most basic gift to humankind: boat parties. If you're in the market for a high-seas-soiree venue (or simply need to dream this weekend), the Miami International Boat Show will have more than 1,300 vessels to choose from, along with the newest tech to pimp your water ride. If you've gone hungry at previous shows, this year's edition promises more than 150 food and drink options, so bring an appetite for libations and luxury. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Monday at Miami Marine Stadium Park & Basin, 3501 Rickenbacker Cswy., Key Biscayne; 954-441-3220; miamiboatshow.com. Admission costs $25 to $100.
Friday
African fashion doesn't just pop up for the sake of an Eddie Murphy comedy or Beyoncé video. It's an international industry that's been gaining steam. Ankara Miami provides a peek into that world through a four-day event that showcases both established and emerging designers from Africa and the African diaspora. The exclusive opening meet-and-greet is already sold out, but the runway shows Friday and Saturday have tickets available, and a free pop-up market Sunday will include pieces hot off the catwalk. 7 p.m. Friday at Macaya Gallery, 145 NW 36th St., Miami; 7 p.m. Saturday at Kovens Conference Center, 3000 NE 151st St., North Miami; and 2 p.m. Sunday at Macaya Gallery; ankaramiamiweek.com. Admission costs $35 to $75 for showcases.
Will Smith didn't feel the need to curse in his raps, and neither do the Mayhem Poets. In fact, this threesome puts on a good show without even mentioning keys, hoes, or beef, probably because these guys are less about proliferating stacks on stacks on stacks and more about proliferating love and understanding for slam poetry. Acclaimed both on record and onstage, Kyle Rapps, Scott Raven, and Mason Granger promise to bring the ruckus — in a family-friendly way, of course. Culture Shock Miami is offering discounted tickets if you bring along someone between the ages of 13 and 22. 8:30 p.m. Friday at the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center, 10950 SW 211th St., Cutler Bay; 786-573-5300; smdcac.org. Admission costs $20.
None of us really knew about apple-bottom jeans or boots with fur before Flo Rida and T-Pain changed our lives in 2008 — a fact that has kept "Low" on the radio for years. If the song still brings you joy (and you know it does), snag a seat for the Flo Rida show at the ritzy BleauLive stage. You can partake of the two-hour open bar with a show package, or go all out with a dinner package that includes a three-course prix fixe to fuel your wildin'-out. 8 p.m. Friday at BleauLive at the Fontainebleau, 4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-674-4641; fontainebleau.com/bleaulive. Admission costs $70 to $99.
Between the current political climate and your abandoned New Year's resolutions, it's totally understandable that you're stressed. But there's a better coping mechanism than drinking heavily while binge-watching old episodes of Parks and Recreation, and it's shaking your rump. The Afro-Cuban funk of Palo! is an ideal catalyst for your stress relief, and the band serves as a good reminder that you're in a tropical paradise that will likely soon sink into the ocean, so enjoy it while you can. 10 p.m. Friday at Ball & Chain, 1513 SW Eighth St., Miami; 305-643-7820; ballandchainmiami.com. Admission is free. Ages 21 and up.
Click next for more things to do in Miami this week.
Saturday
The Coconut Grove Arts Festival is less of an event and more of an institution. More than 50 years since its first iteration, the organization has created scholarships, started a visiting artists program, opened a gallery, and sponsored art events all over South Florida throughout the year. Whether or not you're privy to any of that, this behemoth of an outdoor winter art exhibition is worth the hours of wandering through countless booths. With 360 artists showing work, 14 live performances, and more than half a dozen demonstrations from accomplished chefs, the fest is making sure it'll be impossible to leave without seeing something you like. 10 a.m. Saturday through Monday at 2700 S. Bayshore Dr., Coconut Grove; 877-724-2787; cgaf.com. Admission costs $5 for Coconut Grove residents, $15 for other adults.
Hialeah is no longer known as the confusing Cuban enclave with odd street numbers. Nowadays, it has been blessed with a cultural hot spot, the Leah Arts District. For six months, this district has been promoting #HialeahNow with a series of impressive events. This week, truly talented turntablists DZA, Aliyo, Sharpsound, Mr. Manuvers, Boe, and Louie Arson will battle it out with curated crates while you suck on Jameson shots at the Crate Mates DJ Throwdown. For your eyes, six street artists will paint Jameson crates as part of the Paint YO Crate Battle. RSVP for the secret warehouse location and password. 9 p.m. Saturday in the Leah Arts District, 1501 E. Tenth Ave., Hialeah; leahartsdistrict.org. RSVP at cratemates.eventbrite.com. Admission is free. Ages 21 and older.
While you were sleeping soundly in West Kendall, a bubbly revolution has been brewing just north of downtown Miami. It's time to open those tired eyes for Wakefest, J. Wakefield Brewery's second-anniversary bash. Yes, it was only two years ago when these brewers built upon the hop-master takeover of Miami and moved to Wynwood. The event will concentrate on 40 draught beers and plenty of bottled favorites from more than 80 local, national, and international breweries and will also feature food trucks and tunes by DJ Popeye. Noon Saturday at Mana Wynwood, 318 NW 23rd St., Miami; 786-254-7779; jwakefieldbrewing.com. Admission costs $50 to $250. Ages 21 and older.
Maybe you like the poop humor of Bridesmaids, the informed humor of the Daily Show, or the yasssss humor of Broad City — either way, you're inadvertently endorsing the Upright Citizens Brigade, an improv comedy organization started by Amy Poehler, Matt Besser, Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh, and the catalyst for many careers in comedy. Now if you want it from the source, you're in luck: The New York and L.A. theaters of UCB will make a stop in South Florida to spread the laughs (because we sorely need it). 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday at South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center, 10950 SW 211th St., Cutler Bay; 786-573-5300; smdcac.org. Admission costs $30 in advance and $35 the day of the show.
In an age when many immigrants are no longer welcome in the Land of the Free, Grace Arts Center has gathered dancers from around the world — from New York's Zest Collective to Japan — to perform R&J the Tempest Too, an Afro-Cuban and American ballet mashup of Shakespeare classics. Interwoven with spoken word, history, and current events, Romeo and Juliet and The Tempest are reimagined as one. And the action will all go down in Florida, a wild state founded and populated by outsiders, explorers, immigrants, and migrants. 2 p.m. Saturday at Miami Light Project, 404 NW 26th St., Miami; 305-576-4350; graceartscenter.com. Admission costs $10 to $35 via eventbrite.com.
Churchill's is still hella metal. So when the Official Medusa Agency and DJ Oski Gonzalez decided to put together the tenth Kryptonite Metal Fest, they naturally went with the optimal venue for their sound. The lineup is as long as a headbanger's hair, featuring 35 bands on three stages playing more than 12 hours. The night will feature vendors, door prizes, and a Guitar God Competition for a $100 cash prize. For those brutal dudettes and dudes able to really play, you'll get one minute to wail out anything you want on your axe. 2 p.m. Saturday at Churchill's Pub, 5501 NE Second Ave., Miami; 305-303-3976; churchillspub.com. Admission costs $10.
There is increasing evidence that grownups are just large children: the adult enthusiasts of movies such as Finding Nemo and Despicable Me, for instance, or products like adult coloring books and Snuggies. Don't buck the trend; embrace your inner child at the 25th Kite Day Festival. Giant squids and Nemos, food, live music, kids' games, and buyable flyables will all be available at this two-day extravaganza of all things kite. Go ahead, bring that kite you made in your fifth-grade art class — it has a home here too. Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Haulover Beach Park, 10800 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-947-3525; skywardkites.com. Admission is free; parking costs $7.
Sunday
Though the space that Electric Pickle occupies has been bouncing with beats for more than a decade, for the past eight years, it has been going strong under its current, cheeky moniker. To celebrate this significant accomplishment, DJs will dig into their roots and crates for an all-vinyl celebration at Waves on a Sunday. It'll feature Dude Skywalker, Will Renuart, Captain Ridiculous, Jeremy Ismael, Michelle Leshem, and others. The only thing that's required of you: Bring your dancing shoes. 5 p.m. Sunday at Electric Pickle, 2826 N. Miami Ave., Miami; 305-456-5613; electricpicklemiami.com. Admission costs $10 to $15.
Monday
As women are joining forces and gathering in the streets against misogyny, more light is being shed upon accomplished females who were already doing the good work of feminism. Author, scholar, and feminist Siri Hustvedt teaches at Columbia University and has penned five internationally acclaimed novels. She'll grace Miami's Books & Books with her wit and wisdom in promoting her new book of essays on art and literature, A Woman Looking at Men Looking at Women. The title doesn't say it all, but it certainly hints at the subject. 8 p.m. Monday at Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables; 305-442-4408; booksandbooks.com. Admission is free.
Tuesday
You get very few chances in Miami to jam to eclectic roots music and camp out under the stars, but the GrassRoots Festival remains a cool chance to do both. You can pitch a tent or bring your camping vehicle to Virginia Key Beach for six nights of healthy, community-building workshops or healing arts at the Zen Village. The live-music portion of the fest takes place at four locations around the city: the Wynwood Yard, Lagniappe, North Beach Bandshell, and Concrete Beach Social Hall. Catch Latin sounds by Locos por Juana, roots music by Donna the Buffalo, experimental reggae by Uma Galera, and many other sounds by musicians with good vibrations. Tuesday through Sunday at Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, 4020 Virginia Beach Dr., Miami; 305-767-4460; virginiakeygrassroots.com. Admission costs $35 per person.
Wednesday
For film buffs with ants in their pants, the Miami Short Film Festival is returning for its 16th year. You can screen the finest in short films at Cinépolis Coconut Grove and Miami Beach Cinematheque from early February through November 11. The fest has a ripple effect and not only benefits moviegoers but also expands its audience with screenings in schools and businesses around South Florida. Wednesday's screening is themed "Shot Through the Heart" and features film picks about love and romance. 8 p.m. Wednesday at Cinépolis, 3015 Grand Ave., Coconut Grove; 305-446-6843; cinepolisusa.com/coconut-grove.aspx. Admission costs $17.
Once a year, Miami welcomes the biggest names in the food industry for the four-day South Beach Wine & Food Festival, presenting 85 events such as tastings, cooking seminars and demonstrations, and the Food Network Awards Show. The weather lures heavy-hitters such as Trisha Yearwood and Andrew Zimmern, along with 65,000 guests. Whether you like your Rachael Ray with a scrumptious burger in a giant crowd or your Anthony Bourdain with an intimate crew, SOBEWFF has a setup for you. Wednesday through Sunday at various locations around Miami Beach; 877-762-3933; sobefest.com. Admission costs $85 to $500.
Lash Wynwood is a new dance party created with females in mind. It's guaranteed to be the crown jewel of the Miami underground scene. Chanteuse and DJ Oly has crafted a perfect grooving night each Wednesday for a city that has become a dancing desert. Each week, this "new outlet" for "feminine wiles" will feature relevant DJs and hosts playing new classics and an installation by cosmetology-focused multimedia artist Porn Nail$. This week, Lash will also act as an afterparty for the first day of the Borscht Film Festival, so expect a crowd. 10 p.m. Wednesday at Gramps, 176 NW 24th St., Miami; 305-699-2669; facebook.com/lashwynwood. Admission is free.
