The Best Free Events in Miami This Week

This week's free events offer chances to get informed about the upcoming midterms as well as ways to blow off steam from the incessant negative campaign ads. On Tuesday, join the New Florida Majority's watch party for the Florida gubernatorial debate between Andrew Gillum and Ron DeSantis. If you need a beer by Friday, you'll want to head to Wynwood's Where's Waldo?-themed bar crawl. And if you're looking for musical zen, the Miami Symphony Orchestra and New World Symphony have you covered with free shows over the next few days.

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

The perfect time to meet the author of a book about how to become a vampire is mid-October, so you can prepare for the big day on the 31st. Deborah Harkness penned a novel about that topic, A Discovery of Witches. The New York Times best-selling author will tout her newest book, Time's Convert. It's set in modern-day Paris and London, as well as the American colonies during the Revolution, and deals with the moral dilemmas its main character encounters in becoming an immortal bloodsucker. It's a love story worthy of this supernatural season. 7 p.m. Monday, October 15, at Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables; bookandbooks.com. Admission is free with RSVP.
The 2018 midterm election season is in the home stretch, and with gubernatorial, senatorial, and congressional seats up for grabs — not to mention 12 amendments on this year's state ballot — you need to get informed now if you haven't already. Join the New Florida Majority on Tuesday as they host a watch party for a debate between surprise progressive Democratic nominee Andrew Gillum and Trump disciple Ron DeSantis. OK — so you're probably not on the fence about this one, but at least you'll be able to listen to a combative debate in good company. 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 16, at the New Florida Majority, 10800 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; facebook.com. Admission is free.

It's been a year since Hurricane Maria changed the lives of Puerto Ricans. The documentary Después de María: Las 2 Orillas (After Maria: The Two Shores) examines the island eight months after landfall and zooms in on unique stories of perseverance. The Spanish-language flick is an hour long and has English subtitles. Along the cinematic journey, you'll learn about folks involved with a hydroponics farm, an artistic catharsis project, fish trap rescuers, and others. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, October 18, at Florida International University Graham Center, 10955 SW 15th St., Miami; eventbrite.com. Admission is free.
You've probably heard of New World Symphony's Pulse series: Earlier this year, the event was named New Times' Best Classical Music Experience for its blend of orchestral performances with a dance club atmosphere. Pulse returns to the New World Center on Friday, November 9, but you can get a preview of this installment's theme with Pulsito, a free performance at the Lincoln Road Euclid Stage this Thursday evening. Witness NWS's tribute to Latin music with Miami's own Leslie Cartaya and Pulse DJ Ella Romand. 6 p.m. Thursday, October 18, at Lincoln Road and Euclid Avenue, Miami Beach. facebook.com. Admission is free.

Waldo will be very easy to find this Friday night. That's because the fourth-annual Where's Waldo? Bar Crawl is set to go down in Wynwood. To participate and get awesome happy-hour deals at participating bars, you must be dressed in Waldo-esque red and white stripes. So don't be a party pooper — join your fellow Waldos and Wald-ettes. A full list of participating bars is available on eventbrite.com. 6:30 p.m. Friday, October 19, at Brick, 187 NW 28th St., Miami. Free with RSVP via eventbrite.com.

The symphony is hitting the streets! Every Friday, the Miami Design District Performance Series presents live tunes curated by 19-time Grammy-winning producer Emilio Estefan. It's always a good time. For this week's performance, the Miami Symphony Orchestra will perform its latest works beginning at 6:30 p.m. Yummy grub from Estefan Kitchen will be available for purchase. 6 p.m. Friday, October 19, in Palm Court, 140 NE 39th St., Miami. Free with RSVP via eventbrite.com.

If you drive in Miami, people probably zoom past you on roads all the time. But among those speeding motorists, you might just see some Formula 1 racecars when the F1 Festival roars into downtown Miami this weekend. The two-day spectacle will present car runs from Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, Renault Sport Formula One Team, and the legendary Emerson Fittipaldi. Saturday at 8:30 p.m., Silk City — the new project by Mark Ronson and Diplo — will take the stage for what should be quite a show. Noon Saturday, October 20, and Sunday, October 21, at Bayfront Park, 301 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; formula1.com. Admission is free.

Though the temperatures are still warm in Miami, the autumn vibe makes fall in the 305 a southern corner of heaven. Besides burning pumpkin spice candles, there's no better way to celebrate this season than taking a trip to the Miami Flea. The outdoor market sells the best local artisans have to offer, including stylish secondhand clothing and homemade soaps. There's also music, craft beverages, and tasty fare from food trucks. It's all very nicely curated and vibrating with good feels, the perfect way to enjoy an outing and cool digs during the best time of year. 1 p.m. Sunday, October 21, at Canvas Miami, 90 NE 17th St., Miami; aedistrictmiami.com. Admission is free.