Thursday
Imagine if Dan Marino had hidden basketball skills, and footage emerged of him schooling the hoops stars of his day. Well, something similar is happening in the art world. One of the most influential sculptors of the 20th Century, Donald Judd, apparently had a knack with a paintbrush too. His never-before-seen works will soon be on display in Miami. "Donald Judd: Paintings" hits the Institute of Contemporary Art, boasting 14 of the artist's rare paintings originally crafted between 1959 and 1961. On view Thursday through July 15 at the Institute of Contemporary Art, 61 NE 41st St., Miami; icamiami.org. Free admission.
Don't deny it: You sit on your couch every Thursday watching RuPaul's Drag Race, yelling and squealing at the TV. Well, it's time to stop embarking on this journey alone and join your fellow RuPaul fanatics. Every Thursday at 8 p.m. Gramps has a Drag Race watch party, hosted by Queef Latina. To let go of all your built-up excitement, there's karaoke after each week's episode too. 8 p.m. Thursday at Gramps, 176 NW 24th St., Miami; gramps.com. Free admission.
Typewriters are making a comeback, baby. OK, they probably won't be replacing your computer anytime soon (unless your boss is really mean). But they are a centerpiece of a cool local exhibition: "Type In With Exile Books," taking place at the Pérez Art Museum. In addition to checking out a collection of rad typewriter-inspired art and mingling with local poet Jeff Sanford, guests can type up their own written masterpiece (on a typewriter, duh) to be considered for an upcoming publication by Exile Books. 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Pérez Art Museum Miami, 1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; pamm.org. Free admission.
Friday
Want to make America great, but not in the way Trump has in mind? Check out "By the People: Designing a Better America," opening at Miami Dade College's Museum of Art and Design. The exhibit offers some amazing insights – based on two years of research – for building more inclusive and sustainable communities. Touching everything from alternative transportation options to expanding access to education, the exhibit boasts 60 designs of solutions from across the U.S. Now we just need politicians who will embrace them. Opening at 1 p.m. Friday and on view through September 30 at MDC Museum of Art + Design, Freedom Tower, 600 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; mdcmoad.org. Admission costs $12 for adults, $8 for seniors and military, and $5 for students.
The legend of Zorro didn't die with Antonio Banderas' flowing hair in the early 2000s. The colorful and flamenco-packed Zorro the Musical honors the famous swordsman, too, and it's hitting Miami Theater Center for a quick stint. Boasting aerobatics, tunes crafted by the Gipsy Kings, and, yes, sword-fighting, the show promises an action-packed experience. 8 p.m. Friday and select shows (Fridays through Sundays) through April 15 at Miami Theater Center, 9806 NE Second Ave., Miami Shores; mtcmiami.org. Tickets cost $25 to $45.
Girl power! SWAN Day Miami is back again this year and, no, it's not a collection of swans paddling around in a makeshift pond. SWAN stands for Support Women Artists Now and the evening is all about celebrating women artists, spanning genres like poetry, dance, comedy, art, and music. A total of ten women artists will be spotlighted, hundreds of folks are expected to attend, and yes, dudes are welcome. 6 p.m. Saturday at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Peacock Foundation Studio, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; spokensoulfestival.com. Free admission.
Does your casa need some major TLC, or are you just looking to capture the latest trends and apply them to your crib? The South Florida Home Design and Remodeling Show is happening this weekend, featuring local designers Roberta Black, Jessica Boudreaux, and Reginald Dunlap, among several others. Vern Yip of HGTV and TLC's Trading Spaces will also be on hand for a seminar on how to transform your home into a stylish place to live. 4 to 9:30 p.m. Friday; noon to 9:30 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Miami Beach Convention Center, 1900 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; homeshows.net. $10 admission for adults.
A lot of President Obama's go-to guys and gals may be out of their old jobs with the current administration, but that hasn't kept their mouths shut. Pod Tours America and Lovett or Leave It, a couple of podcasts starring speechwriters and communications folks from the Obama White House, are hitting Olympia Theater for a duo of recordings focused on politics, the press, and all the wonderful things stemming from the Trump administration. 7 and 10 p.m. Friday at Olympia Theater, 174 E. Flagler St., Miami; olympiatheater.org. Tickets cost $39.50 to $126.
Saturday
Imagine 15 million ounces of beer ready to be served at one brew-lover's dream event. It's not just a dream; it's Sprung Beer Festival. The sudsy bash takes over Wynwood, featuring unlimited samples of more than 300 beers from the likes of Kona, Magic Hat, Harpoon, Tequesta, and Hialeah Brewing, plus a dog park and food trucks galore. Save a few bucks for the on-site thrift market. 4 p.m. Saturday at Mana Wynwood, 318 NW 23rd St., Miami; sprungbeerfest.com. Tickets cost $40 to $90.
Any play good enough to be a Pulitzer Prize finalist in the drama category is certainly worth checking out here in the 305. Gloria owns the stage at Gablestage for a month starting on Saturday. The plot follows a group of editorial assistants at a big-time magazine, all of whom are generally tired of the daily grind in their own special way. Amid tension and tragedy, the story culminates in deciding who gets a controversy-infused book deal. 8 p.m. Saturday with select showings through May 6 at Gablestage, 1200 Anastasia Ave., Coral Gables; gablestage.org. Tickets cost $42 to $60.
The Sankofa Jazz Fest is all about bringing folks together through the power of jazz. The core of this year's five-hour shindig is a free outdoor concert, headlined by Grammy-nominated vocalist and drummer Jamison Ross. Also on the lineup: the Jesse Jones Jr. Quintet, Melton Mustafa on sax, the Allen Paul Trio, and more. It's a good time to jam to some tunes and mingle with the always-friendly African Heritage Cultural Arts Center staff and alums. 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday at African Heritage Cultural Arts Center, 6161 NW 22nd Ave., Miami; ahcacmiami.org. Free admission; VIP tickets available for $30.
Forget the Gravitron. This Saturday, the Miami-Dade County Youth Fair is all about Nelly. The St. Louis rapper and actor is set to teach the kids some "Country Grammar" on the main stage. Nelly will be sure to bring a high-energy dance party straight from the early aughts, so stretch out those glutes before you arrive. With elephant ears in hand and your name spray-painted across your chest, you're sure to remember this Youth Fair. 8 p.m. Saturday at Miami-Dade County Fair & Exposition, 10901 SW 24th St., Miami; 305-223-7060; fairexpo.com. Admission starts at $12 presale and $14 day of, and includes access to standing areas for concerts. Concert seat tickets cost $10 to $25.
The wacky comedian Katt Williams is actually very different from his standup personality. As he recently told Splitsider, "The difference between perception and reality is why it's still exciting and fun." That's not to say Williams isn't a controversial figure off the stage. He was famously arrested with hip-hop's biggest villain, Suge Knight. But onstage, he's on a whole other level. He just released a new Netflix special, Great America, and his split personality is on tour, headed to the Knight Center April 6-7. 8 p.m. Saturday at the James L. Knight Center, 400 SE Second Ave., Miami; jlkc.com. Admission starts at $59.
Miami is in full drag these days. It's almost like it's 1997 on South Beach, but without all the models and Madonna sightings. Double Stubble, the fabulous Sunday party launched at Gramps in Wynwood, is hosting a special event, Miami's a Drag, at Concrete Beach Brewery. The drag show is hosted by DJ Hottpants, with music by Mystic Bill and performances by Candi Dixx, Dang-Ho, Yu Sickning, LaDonna Sucia, and Persephone Von Lips. 3 p.m. Saturday at Concrete Beach Brewery, 325 NW 24th St., Miami; concretebeachbrewery.com. Admission is free.
Inventors, designers, hackers, and DIY fanatics gather at Maker Faires, like the one headed to Miami-Dade College this Saturday. It's a wonderful opportunity to show off incredible inventions and creative endeavors to people who, unlike your mom, really get it. Maker Faire Miami at Wolfson Campus will feature innovative creations like VR, drone racing, Lego empires, robots, and more for two days. It will also feature master classes on things like making sustainable chocolate and driverless cars, including a master class with DJ Kid Koala. 9 a.m. Saturday at Miami Dade College's Wolfson Campus, 300 NE Second Ave., Miami; miami.makerfaire.com. Admission costs $15.
Sunday
Once the land of endless empanadas and strip-mall chain restaurants, Miami has become a hot spot for foodies. Grillin N Chillin, a family event in Wynwood, lures dining trend chasers by kicking off barbecue season with lots of meat and veggies. In its fourth year, the all-day fest includes a chef cookoff, mac-n-cheese event, and a huge barbecue party featuring everything from Carolina to Korean to Brazilian BBQ. The winner of 2017's Burger Bash, Jr's Gourmet Burgers will be featured alongside other notable chefs and vendors. There will be live music, a dog playground and adoption, a kid zone, and even a veggie corner. Noon Sunday at Wynwood Marketplace, 2250 NW Second Ave, Miami; wynwoodbbqfest.com. Admission is free.
Strip down to your Speedo or board shorts, boys and girls, and strap on your rainbow flag cape. It's the Miami Beach Pride Parade! Ocean Drive, one of the gay-friendliest streets in the world, will be pounding with the feet of LGBTQ+ community members and allies this Sunday. There will be drag queens and memorable floats as well as Olympic silver medalist Gus Kenworthy as the grand marshal and Emmy Award winner Roxanne Vargas as ally marshal. Leave your bags at home, and remember, less is more. The only thing you need to wear is sunscreen. Noon Sunday on Ocean Drive, Miami Beach; miamibeachgaypride.com. Admission is free.
It was only a matter of time before someone made a postapocalyptic-type movie with dogs. That person was the king of hipster indie cinema, Wes Anderson, whose Isle of Dogs tells the story of pups exiled from Megasaki City to Trash Island because of a dog flu. Wynwood's O Cinema will celebrate this family-friendly animated adventure with Day of the Dogs. You can bring your canine pets to the 2:30 p.m. screening and they'll receive a special Year of the Dog fortune cookie by Bubba Rose Biscuit Company. Come early for some butt sniffing and cheek kissing. 1 p.m. Sunday at O Cinema Wynwood, 90 NW 29th St., Miami; o-cinema.org. Admission costs $11.
Monday
Could you use a laugh? Yeah, you and the rest of humanity. Hit up 305 Brews for a $4 beer and some jokes. Each Monday, Yo Miami provides seasoned comics presented by cohosts Reginald Desjardins and Abe Perez. The best part? They have Miami Time Open Mic Night afterward at 10:30 p.m., so you can either practice your comedic chops or watch others try their winners and losers out on a new audience. 9 p.m. Monday at 305 Brews, 3535 NE Second Ave., Miami; facebook.com/305brews. Admission is free.
Tuesday
Miami may be a quickly changing city, but it will always bear the influence of Cuban culture. Ambassador Vicki Huddleston, who served under Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush as chief of the U.S. Interests Section in Havana, has written a book, Our Woman in Havana, documenting her struggle with Castro while in this role. She paved the way for Obama to establish diplomatic relations with Raul. She'll be speaking about her experience at Books and Books in Coral Gables, chronicling US-Cuba relations from the perspective of a real insider. 8 p.m. Tuesday at Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables; booksandbooks.com. Admission costs $29.95 and includes purchase of the book.
Wednesday
Get your head trip on this week with "Tino Sehgal: This Situation." The Berlin-based artist crafts "constructed situations," performances that will get you thinking about artistic subjects and objects and how they relate. Sehgal, who won the Golden Lion at the 2013 Venice Biennale, uses language, singing, dancing, movement, and other tactics to get viewers feeling rather than simply viewing. 1 p.m. Wednesday at MDC Museum of Art and Design Freedom Tower, Second Floor, 600 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; mdc.edu. Admission costs $12 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $5 for students; free for members, kids under 12, and MDC students.
