Thursday
In astronomy, syzygy describes a lining-up of stars, planets, or moons. In Jungian psychology, it refers to a pairing — the female and male, the conscious and unconscious. At the Museum of Contemporary Art (770 NE 125th St., North Miami), the two meanings find unity in a show that explores self, sex, and spirit from the perspectives of ten Hispanic women artists. Curator Tiffany Madera says she created "Syzygy" with "a lot of diversity in voices, in generations, in mediums" — which include paint, photography, film, and sculpture — while also ensuring that "everything speaks to everything else." Among the alignments that connect the artists, Madera sees "a deep sense of beauty and depth and reflection." "Syzygy"'s opening reception has been postponed due to Hurricane Matthew, but MOCA itself remains open. Admission costs $10; members and North Miami residents get in free. Visit mocanomi.org or call 305-893-6211.
The Wolfsonian's newest exhibition spotlights works that defied the secular rationality of the early 20th Century — and can help you escape today's rational grind too. "The Pursuit of Abstraction" features prints, paintings, a desk, and a long-lost theater curtain, all linked by what curator Matthew Abess describes as "a common yearning for something beyond the confines of modern reason." The "magnum opus," he says, is the seven-by-16-foot theater curtain, which German expressionist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner painted in 1920 for a Swiss amateur theater troupe. Kirchner's depiction of suns, moons, and fantasy scenes later dropped off the map — until curators recently rediscovered it. Kirchner had painted over it in 1931, but the original bled through to the back of the curtain; both sides will be on display. Other artists in the exhibition include modernist Agnes Pelton and Helen Lundeberg — a foundational figure in "wacky, psychedelic West Coast realism," Abess says. The members-only preview party for "The Pursuit of Abstraction," hosted by Abess, has been postponed until next Thursday, October 13; its planned free public open house has been moved to next Friday, October 14. But the Wolf remains open this week. Admission costs $10 for adults and $5 for students, seniors, and children ages 6 to 12; State University System of Florida members, Wolfsonian members, and kids younger than 6 get in free. The show runs through April 16, 2017. Visit wolfsonian.org or call 305-531-1001.
Friday
Going into its fourth year, III Points looks stronger and more stunning than ever. The three-day, Wynwood-based music, art, and technology festival boasts a hearty lineup of national and international musical headliners, from LCD Soundsystem to M83, Thievery Corporation, Method Man, and Red Man. But music is only one of the fest's three legs. Artistically speaking, the biggest attraction at Mana Wynwood (318 NW 23rd St., Miami) will be local performance and visual artist Aileen Quintana's 6,000-square-foot interactive installation — the world's first vaporwave mall. Itself a stage where experimental locals Otto Von Schirach, Virgo, Rat Bastard, and others will play, it'll be a trippy, multicolored sensory overload that pays homage to everyone's favorite dying shopping centers. Technologically speaking, III Points 2016 plans to outdo itself with an immersive virtual-reality experience — a collaboration between Fusion and NASA that takes participants on the most realistic exploration of Mars' surface ever experienced. III Points kicks off Friday and runs through Sunday evening. Three-day general-admission tickets start at $155; Foresight Passes, which come with front-of-stage access and private bathrooms, cost $299. Single-day tickets run $70 to $135. Despite Hurricane Matthew, all events will run as scheduled. Visit iiipoints.com.
Twice a year, one festival offers films that satiate the queer community's desire for representation onscreen. That fest is MiFo: LGBT Film Festival, recently split into two fests for Miami and Fort Lauderdale. The Fort Lauderdale edition will kick off Friday, when audiences of all persuasions can gather for more than a week of films and events until October 16. This edition of MiFo will feature 50-plus films from around the world. Launching the festival will be the opening-night feature Strike a Pose, a documentary that explores the current lives of the seven young male dancers who joined Madonna on her Blond Ambition Tour 25 years ago. The "Centerpiece" film on October 13, King Cobra, is an audience-puller, boasting a cast including James Franco, Christian Slater, Keegan Allery, Molly Ringwald, and Alicia Silverstone. Find the rest of the feature lineup on mifofilm.com. Screenings and events will be held at the Classic Gateway Theatre (1820 E. Sunrise Blvd.), Cinema Paradiso (503 SE Sixth St.), C & I Studios (541 NW First Ave.), and Gallery of Amazing Things (481 S. Federal Hwy.). An elegant opening-night event will take place Friday at the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale (1 E. Las Olas Blvd). Call 305-751-6305 or visit mifofilm.com.
UPDATE Oct. 6, 7:10 a.m.: MiFo has rescheduled its opening night party and several of its screenings. Visit mifofilm.com and facebook.com/mifofilmfest for new dates and times.
Saturday
What did you do for your last birthday? Party all night at the club? Gorge on ice-cream cake? Turn off your phone and pretend you're not aging? Whatever it was, it couldn't have been as epic as the rager the Adrienne Arsht Center (1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami) has planned for this Saturday. Featuring ten hours of free performances, the Arsht's 10th Birthday Party aims to celebrate the past decade of monumental shows and performances — and the community that has supported its work. The bash kicks off at 11 a.m. with a Bahamian Junkanoo parade, followed by family-friendly attractions such as confetti cannons, sweet treats, and rounds of "Happy Birthday" in three languages. From then, performers who've graced the Arsht stage in the past decade — everyone from Delou Africa to Afrobeta and Cirque Dreams — will once again regale audiences with works of theater, music, and dance. It all leads up to the final concert, headlined by CeeLo Green and featuring local bands Spam Allstars and Tiempo Libre. The final concert begins at 7:30 p.m., and tickets cost $10. Admission to all other events is free. Visit arshtcenter.org.
Any self-respecting geek in today's world lives for the con. Luckily, there's no need to travel to San Diego or NYC for an all-star sci-fi and comic-book experience. Ultracon is officially making the move from Broward to Dade — and this weekend marks its first appearance in the 305. Founded by superfan (and GI Joe aficionado) Irving Santiago, Ultracon is a cornucopia of cosplayers, vendors, TV stars, gamers, and sensory stimulation from every angle. It's 50,000 square feet of vendors hawking collectibles; photo ops with sci-fi stars such as Larry Mainland and Jason Douglas from The Walking Dead; creepy creations by Omar Sfreddo and Derek Garcia from Face Off; a massive rave dance party; 32 gaming stations; and an Overwatch fashion show. Plus, you can take selfies with superhero-style vehicles like the Ecto 1M and the Batcraft and enter the cosplay contest with your elaborately crafted Suicide Squad ensemble. In addition, Ultracon is the only comic con that features sanctioned MMA fighting and cosplay wrestling. That's right — cosplay wrestling. The event runs Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (with MMA fighting from 7 to 10 p.m.) at the Miami Airport Convention Center (777 NW 72nd Ave., Miami). Tickets cost $30 and up; kids 10 and younger get in free. Visit ultraconofsouthflorida.com.
From Wide Right to Wide Left to their rap battles, the rabid football rivalry between the University of Miami Hurricanes and Florida State Seminoles has been steeped in crazy endings and program-defining moments. But this rivalry — considered one of the biggest in all of sports, collegiate or professional — has been rather one-sided in recent years. FSU has dominated lately, with its national-championship-contending squads laying waste to Miami's mired-in-mediocrity teams led by the floundering Al Golden. What this rivalry has needed for some time is a shot in the arm, and that seems to finally have arrived in the form of UM's resurgence under new head coach Mark Richt and a Seminoles team that has struggled out of the gate. Both teams are nationally ranked, and both are looking for the turning point. The proverbial playing field, it seems, has evened once again, and the quest for bragging rights is up for grabs. You'll want to hit up Hard Rock Stadium (347 Don Shula Dr., Miami Gardens) this Saturday to witness history. The game is sold-out, but the tailgate is always open.
Sunday
The biggest question at award shows, besides who will win, is "Who's wearing whom?" The answer is often Narciso Rodriguez, a superstar designer who's outfitted everyone from First Lady Michelle Obama to the actors and icons who frequent the runways and red carpets of the world. After receiving his formal education at New York's Parsons School of Design and an initial apprenticeship in the New York garment industry, Rodriguez began working with fashion megastar Donna Karan and later Calvin Klein, who singled him out to oversee his women's collection. Among Rodriguez's many subsequent distinctions was his design for the dress that Carolyn Bessette wore for her wedding to John F. Kennedy Jr. The designer also claims numerous prestigious awards from the international fashion industry, kudos from Time magazine as one of its "25 Most Influential Hispanics in America," and ongoing design contributions to film and television, including the most recent season of the HBO hit series Veep. Be warned: The Frost Art Museum's upcoming exhibit of his stunning creations will ensure you'll never view a department store knockoff the same way again. "Narciso Rodriguez: An Exercise in Minimalism, presented by Elle magazine, will be on display this Sunday through January 8, 2017, at the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum FIU (10975 SW 17th St., Miami). Admission is free. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Call 305-348-2890 or visit frost.fiu.edu.
Bicyclists in Miami have it rough. This is the fourth-deadliest city in the nation for two-wheeled travelers, thanks to a confusing mashup of randomly starting and stopping bike lanes and drivers who don't know how to share the road. But this Sunday's Miami Beach Ciclovia offers a respite to the brave souls who venture onto the roads armed with only a helmet. Washington Avenue between Fifth and 16th Streets in South Beach will be a car-free zone, turning the road into a safe space for cycling, strolling, rollerblading, and other nonmotorized modes of getting around. The stretch will also host a series of events and activities, from yoga classes to spa treatments to a silent disco. Experts will be on hand to teach attendees how to fix their rides, properly fit their helmets, and even ride a bike in the first place. Think of it as a bright, shiny diamond in Miami's rough cycling environment. The Ciclovia runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. Call 305-673-7000 or visit the City of Miami Beach on Facebook.
It's that time of year again: Put on your brightly feathered, jewel-studded headpiece and pon di road to the Fair Expo Center (10901 Coral Way, Miami) for the Miami Broward Carnival (MBC). A celebration of all things Caribbean, the fete will feature live music from some of the best groups of the islands, including Trinidad and Tobago's Kes the Band, the "Queen of Soca" Alison Hinds, and the Bahamas' Julien Believe, among other heavy-hitters. Soca, reggae, and calypso aside, there will be typical Caribbean grub and a massive street parade featuring more than 15,000 masqueraders and grand-marshaled by Stacy Ann Rose of the HBO series Ballers, Third World's Cat Coore, and R. City. Going on its 32nd year, the Miami Broward Carnival committee has worked on "providing critical opportunities to the Caribbean people of South Florida to share the Caribbean culture, promote cultural exchange, and build economic cooperation" in the community. And after more than three decades, MBC has done just that — and become one of the largest Caribbean festivals in the region. Join the rager this Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tickets cost $30 to $100 plus fees via miamibrowardcarnival.caribtix.com. Visit miamibrowardcarnival.com or call 305-653-6198.
Tuesday
It's been a rough summer for the Miami Heat. The team watched LeBron James hoist the NBA Finals trophy for the Cleveland Cavaliers, lost Dwyane Wade to the Chicago Bulls, and lost Chris Bosh to blood clots. But the one constant for the Heat has remained Pat Riley. No matter how hard they've been hit, the Godfather has always been there to lead them back to the light. And with a new-look squad built on the shoulders of Hassan Whiteside, Goran Dragic, and Justise Winslow, the Heat is poised to begin a new era with a competitive core of young guns that promises to make the rest of the NBA notice. Tuesday at the American Airlines Arena (601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami), the Brooklyn Nets will be in town to feel the wrath of that new era up close and personal for a preseason hoedown. Yeah, it might be a little weird to watch a Heat team sans Wade. But there's no question that the construct and competitive fire have Riley written all over them. Tip-off is at 7:30. Tickets start at $10 and can be purchased at miamiheat.com.
If you suspect today's crazy reality is some sort of illusion, or perhaps you simply wish it were, The Illusionists — Live From Broadway might be the thing to put it all into perspective. More than merely a magic show, the production combines daredevil stunts, comedic antics, technical pizzazz, and more than a hint of Cirque du Soleil-style wonderment for a state-of-the-art extravaganza. The show's producers have enlisted seven master magicians, all bearing auspicious nicknames that attest to their skills: "The Manipulator," "The Trickster," "The Escapologist," "The Inventor," "The Weapon Master," and "The Anti-Conjuror." (Kinda sounds like your dating history, doesn't it?) Regardless, it's all about the dazzle, and this stop on the show's 50-city tour ought to find an accepting audience. After all, local government has given us substantial experience with illusion, has it not? The Illusionists runs Tuesday through October 16 at the Adrienne Arsht Center (1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami). Ticket start at $27. Call 305-949-6722 or visit arshtcenter.com.
