Thursday, December 24
Christmas Eve: A time for family, feasting — and a drag show. Palace, Ocean Drive's iconic gay bar, restaurant, and drag performance venue, hosts its Christmas Eve Drag Show on Thursday. Resident DJ Cesar Hernandez will be in charge of the ones and twos, with local drag queen Poison Ivy Lords acting as the emcee, performing alongside Shanaya Bright, Yesia Jovovich, and Olga Dantelly, all of whom will be serving the Christmas-themed realness. Admission is free, but reservations are strongly encouraged. 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. Thursday, at Palace, 1052 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach; 305-531-7234; palacesouthbeach.com. Olivia McAuley
Santa's timekeeping abilities will be put to the test on Christmas Eve, as the man, the myth, the legend takes time out of his busiest day of the year to support his favorite mobile library, Bookleggers. The nonprofit knows you can never be old for Storytime — nor too old for Santa. The big man himself will guest read some Christmas classics for the library's weekly virtual literary event series, Storytime for Grownups. The free, festive reading will take place on Instagram Live. 9 p.m. Thursday; bookleggerslibrary.com. Stream via.instagram.com/bookleggers. Olivia McAuley
Friday, December 25
Carey Mulligan stars in Promising Young Woman, a new take on the classic revenge tale, opening at the Tower Theater on Christmas Day. The film by Emerald Fennell (who also directed Killing Eve) tells the story of Cassie, a young woman living a secret double life by night, who seeks to right the wrongs of her mysterious past. In addition to Mulligan, the cast includes Alison Brie, Laverne Cox, Adam Brody, and Sam Richardson. 7 p.m. Friday, at Tower Theater, 1508 SW Eighth St., Miami; 305-237-2463: towertheatermiami.com Tickets cost $10 to $11.75. Suzannah Friscia
O Lounge on Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale has transformed into the Ho Ho Ho Lounge, a pop-up bar brimming with holiday cheer and seasonal cocktails. If you're having trouble getting into the spirit this year, immerse yourself in many decorations and twinkling lights; take festive pictures in the photo booth; and sip drinks with names like the "Snowball Margarita," the "Holiday Redemption" (an adult take on hot apple cider), and the "Cha, Cha, Chai" (espresso, eggnog, and a chai infusion). Through Saturday, December 26, at O Lounge, 333 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-523-1000; yolorestaurant.com/olounge. Suzannah Friscia
Saturday, December 26
The '20s have gotten off to a rough start this century. So why not escape 2020 and journey back to when Prohibition reigned but people managed to keep having fun anyway? Moon River Cabaret and Bar Nancy in Little Havana have teamed up to bring back the Painted Lady for a third edition. The private speakeasy will feature comedy, burlesque and striptease performers, wine and craft cocktails, and tasty snacks. The bar has also amped up its safety measures so everyone — performers and guests alike — can stay healthy. 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, at Bar Nancy, 2007 SW Eighth St.; nancy305.com. Tickets cost $25 to $40 via eventbrite.com. Suzannah Friscia
You may have strolled through the Design District before and noticed that striking art and architecture are all around you — but how much do you know about what you're looking at? To learn more, hop on a free Public Art Tour. As you walk through the neighborhood, your guide will go over some of the history and key ideas behind the architecture and talk about how art has been integrated into each site. Tour stops include Buckminster Fuller's Fly's Eye Dome (the giant sphere in the center of Palm Court), Leong Leong's parking garage, and the installations at Paseo Ponti (the pedestrian mall). 5 to 6 p.m. Saturday, at Palm Court, 140 NE 39th St., Miami; miamidesigndistrict.net. Admission is free with RSVP. Suzannah Friscia
Sunday, December 27
Enjoy a morning on the ocean in a double kayak or stand-up paddleboard with the guided Eco-Adventure Paddle at Jones Lagoon in Biscayne National Park. The clear, calm water is only a few inches deep, so you'll have ample opportunity to observe plenty of marine life. Search for baby sharks, turtles, and the beautiful roseate spoonbill — a rare wading bird colored in striking pink, red, and white. Your guides will also teach you about the history of the area and its ecosystems, so you can learn more about what you're seeing. 9 a.m. Sunday, at Biscayne National Park, 9700 SW 328th St., Homestead; biscaynenationalparkinstitute.org. Tickets cost $79 per person or $469 for a private trip of up to six people. Suzannah Friscia
Dance music guru Damian Lazarus will guide partygoers at Club Space into a new dawn on Sunday morning, delivering the ethereal techno and house sets he's known for. The veteran has spun some of the most buzzed-about parties in the world, with the now-mythologized 18-hour party in the Mexican jungle, Day Zero, as one of the many notches on his belt. Since reopening in October, Space has taken extra precautions to ensure their guests' safety and has introduced a new layout with assigned seating areas and requiring all patrons to wear facemasks. 6 a.m. to midnight Sunday at Club Space, 34 NE 11th St., Miami; 786-357-6456; clubspace.com. Table reservations are required. Olivia McAuley
With the pandemic thrown into the mix, this year's holidays have been extra stressful. That's why the Miami Beach Botanical Garden reminds everyone to slow things down this season with Om Garden, a vinyasa/hatha-style yoga class set in the green oasis designed by landscape architect Raymond Jungles. The 60-minute class, encompassing deep stretches, twists, balancing poses, and breathwork, will leave attendees in the perfect state of mind after the week's indulgences. 10:30 a.m. Sunday, at Miami Beach Botanical Garden, 2000 Convention Center Dr., Miami Beach; 305-673-7256; mbgarden.org; Tickets cost $15 via eventbrite.com. Olivia McAuley
Monday, December 28
If your science-loving kids are on break from school, join Frost Science for its Virtual Winter Camp and dive into exciting experiments, discoveries and investigations. The second week of the camp is dedicated to "Nature's Superheroes," focusing on creatures like the mantis shrimp, known for its extreme speed and strength, and the tiny but nearly indestructible tardigrade. Over four days, kids will find themselves learning about the ocean floor to make their own hydrothermal vents diorama, plotting migration maps for animals that travel long distances to breed or find food, and creating a model to explore the benefits of camouflage. 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday, December 28, through Thursday, December 31; 305-434-9564; frostscience.org. Admission costs $152 for members and $180 for nonmembers. Suzannah Friscia
Tuesday, December 29
Plug in at Gramps on Tuesday for its weekly Synth Battle event. Hosted by Gabo Rio (Vinyl Social Club), the event is a long-standing tradition at the Wynwood-based watering hole and venue, putting a new spin on open mikes by inviting amateur synth enthusiasts to sign up and play/experiment in front of a live audience. There's only one caveat: Participants must incorporate synths into their performance, though computers are also allowed as long as there's a synth in the setup. While the event is less of a battle and more of a creative hang, the best set of the night is chosen to play on the online radio station Empty Plate Radio. 5 to 11 p.m. at Gramps, 176 NW 24th St., Miami; 855-732-8992; gramps.com. Admission is free. Olivia McAuley
Wednesday, December 30
The holidays don't need to end just because you've unwrapped all your gifts. Actors' Playhouse, in conjunction with TBD Pictures, presents A Christmas Carol as you've never seen it before. The Charles Dickens classic is entirely reimagined by Tony Award-winning director Michael Arden specifically for this streamed production featuring Jefferson Mays as Ebenezer Scrooge — as well as the 50 other roles in the play. The filmed play has been making its way around the U.S. this year to benefit partner theatres in the pandemic's aftermath. It's available to stream via the Actors' Playhouse until January 3. Through January 3; actorsplayhouse.org. Tickets cost $50. Olivia McAuley
