Thursday
As if Cirque du Soleil weren't visually captivating and mind-boggling enough, now there's a production on ice. Crystal marks the 42nd original Cirque show and is the first to be performed on an ice rink. After a successful stint at the BB&T Center in Sunrise earlier this year, the multisensory experience will hit the AA Arena for four days. Amid all the flying folks and skating is a moving story of perseverance. Thursday through Sunday at American Airlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; aaarena.com. Tickets cost $38.50 to $64.
Didn't get invited to an office holiday party? Don't sweat it. Magic Wonderland is Miami Made's annual holiday shindig, perfect for all the startup and creative peeps out there. It's essentially a magical, immersive experience that lets all the startups, free agents, and companies mix and mingle over DJ beats, beverages, grub, and costumes. Magic-themed attire is encouraged, so get creative. 8 p.m. Thursday at Photopia, 363 NE 61st St., Miami; magicholidayparty.splashthat.com. Tickets cost $15 to $150.
For a ninth consecutive year, the HoliGays are coming. A collective event by the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, Pridelines, and the LGBT Visitor Center in Miami Beach, the HoliGay Celebration features all kinds of cheer. Expect free food, an open Bacardi bar, tunes from DJ Jessimix, and a visit from jolly old Saint Nick himself. Bring a new, unwrapped toy benefitting the Miami Beach Police Department's Children's Holiday Relief Fund to gain admission, or fork over 20 bucks. Get the kids something nice — they've been good. 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at LGBT Visitor Center, 1130 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; gaybizmiami.com. Admission costs $20 or one new, unwrapped toy.
Get into the holiday spirit by giving back. The Stanzione x MadLab x Tran An Dinner will unite a group of Miami restaurants to raise funds for Common Threads' programming at Lotus House Women's Shelter, which provides cooking and nutrition courses to residents. Attendees will sample "grandma-style" pizza from Stanzione 87, punchy papaya salad from Tran An, and Instagram-worthy ice cream with glitter and cotton candy from MadLab Creamery. Beer and wine will also be served. All ticket sales will benefit Common Threads. 8:30 to 10 p.m. Thursday at Lotus House Women's Shelter, 217 NW 15th St., Miami; 305-438-0556. Tickets cost $60 via eventbrite.com.
Friday
What's better, guac or Guaco? One is a delicious Mexican staple. The other is a Venezuela-bred tropical band that has been rocking for 50 years. The band comprises nearly 20 musicians playing a range of instruments, including the trumpet, sax, and percussion. Every one of their shows is a massive fiesta, which you can experience in SoBe this week. 8 p.m. Friday at the Fillmore Miami Beach, 1700 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; livenation.com. Tickets cost $52 to $69.
The holidays don't have to be strictly "Jingle Bell Rock" on repeat. Fortunately, Gramps is here to help with its Jazzy Holidaze. Headlining the diverse, music-filled evening are the hip-hop collective Foom!, the indie rockers of Poparazzi, the jazzy Seafoam Walls, and the soulful, hip-hoppin' Butterfly Snapple. After this affair, you'll forget all of that overplayed holiday stuff. 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. Friday at Gramps, 176 NW 24th St., Miami; facebook.com. Admission is free.
Have you even experienced a true holiday season without seeing The Nutcracker? Well, now is your chance. The timeless production hits the Arsht Center this Friday. This Miami City Ballet rendition of George Balanchine's classic has it all — twirling, white-clad dancers, toy soldiers, and the iconic "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy." 7 p.m. Friday and select dates through December 24 at Adrienne Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; arshtcenter.org. Tickets cost $45 to $90.
Some of Miami's most talented folks are hitting the streets. This Friday, musicians, theater groups, comedians, dancers, and others will perform in a number of public spots. It's all part of the sixth-annual Buskerfest Miami Street Performance Festival. Slated to perform are Bonefish Johnny, Curt Big Fooley, Salsa Timba 305, Young Musicians Unite, and a slew of others. They'll hit Metromover's inner loop stations and a number of satellite locations. You can pick up a passport outlining all performers and locations from any Buskerfest volunteer or at Buskerfest's headquarters in Bayfront Park. 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, headquartered at Bayfront Park, 301 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; buskerfestmiami.com. Admission is free.
Any concern that an elegantly mounted, star-studded period piece set during the War of Spanish Succession might have diluted Greek surrealist Yorgos Lanthimos' brand of sadism turns out to be unwarranted. That becomes clear just moments into The Favourite, as soon as Oscar-winning actor Emma Stone falls out of a horse-drawn carriage and into a pile of shit — face first. If anything, The Favourite takes to scabrous new levels the Dogtooth and The Lobster director's fascination with the absurdity of social mores and the thin line between power and humiliation. Opens Friday at AMC Aventura, 19501 Biscayne Blvd., #3001, Aventura; Regal South Beach, 1120 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach; and Landmark at Merrick Park, 358 San Lorenzo Ave., Coral Gables. Ticket prices vary by theater and showtime.
Saturday
That heinous sweater of yours is ready for its moment. The second-annual Ugly Sweater Bar Crawl is set to hit five Brickell hot spots. Participating bars include Fado Irish Pub (where you register), Blackbird Ordinary, Baru Latinbar, Batch Gastropub, and American Social. Crawlers will get one free drink at each stop, and holiday-themed drink specials will be available all night. Just try not to spill anything on that sweater. 7 p.m. Saturday at Fado Irish Pub, 900 S. Miami Ave., Miami. Tickets cost $20 via eventbrite.com.
WallCast nights with the New World Symphony are a blast. This Saturday, you can catch Sounds of the Season inside the New World Center, with delights from Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride, Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker Suite, and other numbers. Your other choice is to catch the performance right outside the venue, streamed live on a massive wall, alongside thousands of other fans, during a free WallCast experience. Happy holidays — you have options! 7:30 p.m. Saturday at New World Center, 500 17th St., Miami Beach. Admission is free.
The always-fun Miami Outboard Club Holiday Boat Parade is set to roll. So where will you watch it? The official viewing site is Bayfront Park, and there will be a ton of snazzy things going on to keep you occupied aside from watching 75 dazzling crafts float by. There will be food for purchase, DJs, a bounce house, and a firework show. How could you not be entertained? 6 p.m. Saturday at Bayfront Park, 301 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; facebook.com. Admission is free.
Homemade goodness and chilled brews are on the menu at MIA Beer Company's Croquetas y Cerveza. MIA's suds will help you wash down warm, doughy, and crisp croquetas fried by some of South Florida's best restaurants, including Dos Croquetas and Masa Craft 305. Though the menu has not been released yet, expect some of the croqueta-and-beer pairings to follow a holiday theme. 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday at MIA Beer Company, 10400 NW 33rd St., Miami; 786-801-1721; mia.beer. Tickets cost $25 via eventbrite.com.
Stock up on breads and pastries at the Wynwood Yard's first Baker's Dozen, a festival presenting Miami's best bakers. Stroll the outdoor hangout and sample goods from more than a dozen vendors, including Lily & Pips, Illegal Bakery, Lulu's Nitrogen Ice Cream, and Dasher & Crank. Be sure to vote for your top bite, because the vendor with the most votes will land a pop-up at the Yard. 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Wynwood Yard, 56 NW 29th St., Miami; 305-351-0366; thewynwoodyard.com. Tickets cost $10 via eventbrite.com.
Sunday
This lineup is quite the gift. Y100's Jingle Ball will ho-ho-ho its way into the BB&T Center, where the annual concert will be headlined by Shawn Mendes, Calvin Harris, and Khalid. As if those three weren't enough to make you jolly, Marshmello, Bebe Rexha, Alessia Cara, Bazzi, Sabrina Carpenter, Anne-Marie, and Jack & Jack will also perform. 7 p.m. Sunday at BB&T Center, 1 Panther Pkwy., Sunrise; thebbtcenter.com. Tickets cost $46 to $151.
Have you seen Bohemian Rhapsody, the Queen biopic that premiered in November? Marc Martel was chosen to record vocals as Freddy Mercury for the flick. His is one of the greatest Mercury-esque voices on the planet, and he even toured with Queen in 2012. Martel will hit the 305 this weekend as part of the Ultimate Queen Celebration. Count on all the classics, from "Somebody to Love" to "Fat Bottomed Girls." This tribute will absolutely make your rockin' world go 'round. 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Adrienne Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; arshtcenter.org. Tickets cost $39 to $79.
Take Fido and Fluffy to brunch at Concrete Beach Brewery's monthly Pups & Pints this Sunday. Expect canine and human fare from local vendors, as well as beer, music, and other dog-friendly pop-up shops. Plus, this month's edition will include a morning session of Puppy Yoga, where adoptable puppies will romp among participating yogis. A portion of the proceeds from Pups & Pints will benefit Paws 4 You, so you can feel even better about sipping suds and stuffing your face. 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Concrete Beach Brewery, 325 NW 24th St., Miami; 305-796-2727; concretebeachbrewery.com. Admission is free.
Monday
A good chunk of Fairchild Garden has morphed into the totally rad NightGarden. See ten-foot-tall dandelion puffs, the talking Tree of Wisdom, flying fairies, and other illuminated treats. If you can stop gawking at the glowing delights for a second, enter the scavenger hunt. 6 p.m. Monday and select evenings through January 6 at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Rd., Coral Gables; thenightgarden.com. Tickets cost $28 for adults and $20 for children; discounts are available.
'Tis the season — for booze. In its second year, Christmas on 10th Street has taken over Fado Irish Pub. You can still order drinks and food from the regular menu, but the seasonal stuff includes an array of cocktails and sweets, such as a peppermint mule ($12) and Christmas the Milky Way ($10), made with a pound of five-layer chocolate cake, dark chocolate mousse, white chocolate caramel mousse, and chocolate fudge frosting. 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Thursday, early to 4 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and early to 2 a.m. Sunday at Fado Irish Pub, 900 S. Miami Ave., Miami; 786-924-0972; christmason10th.com.
Tuesday
The stock market might not know what the hell it's doing, but Atlanta-bred rapper 6lack's stock continues rising. His singles "OTW" (with Khalid and Ty Dolla $ign) and "Switch" climbed the charts, and his latest LP, East Atlanta Love Letter, hit number three on the Billboard 200. Catch him at the Fillmore before he undoubtedly rocks bigger arenas one day. 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Fillmore Miami Beach, 1700 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; livenation.com. Tickets cost $68 to $99.
Wednesday
Bars that give $5 gift cards to their trivia winners are lame. You don't have to worry about that at the Standard. Its prizes include a one-night stay at the hotel, spa passes, comped bar tabs, and more. This Wednesday's trivia night is the Holiday Edition. So brush up on those Hallmark flicks, Bing Crosby tunes, and popular toys from Christmases past. (We're looking at you, Furby.) 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Standard, 40 Island Ave., Miami Beach. Admission is free with RSVP to eventbrite.com.
