The Best Things to Do in Miami This Weekend

The tail end of summer is a mixed bag. On one hand, endless sweat-induced diaper rash on parts of your body you didn't think could sweat; on the other, the final vestiges of the kind of reckless abandon that only college kids on their off-time could imbue into the air. If you're trying to get all you can out of these last precious weeks, here are the concerts, festivals, and other events to close out your summer break.
Popcorn Frights Film Festival at O Cinema Wynwood. Miami is home to many film festivals, but most of them have a crucial cinematic flaw: the lack of blood-curdling screams and gratuitous gore. That's why the Popcorn Frights Film Festival is here to introduce us to films that embrace the horror drama, ranging from the truly creepy to the tongue-in-cheek. Highlights include Steven Yeun (better known as Glenn from The Walking Dead) wielding a hammer against diseased corporate lawyers, the tale of two young aspiring serial killers, and scares made right here in our own backyard. 7 p.m. Friday through August 17 at O Cinema Wynwood, 90 NW 29th St., Miami; 305-571-9970; o-cinema.org. Badges are sold out; tickets to individual films cost $12.

Sinbad at Parker Playhouse. Sinbad has maintained a low-key successful career for 30 years since his first appearance on The Cosby Show in 1987. At 61, he's somehow remained relevant on TV, in his standup, and in interviews. For a chance to see his energetic, fast-paced routine, make the hike to Fort Lauderdale for a wizened veteran's comedy mixed with an old-school view on current events. 8 p.m. Friday at Parker Playhouse, 707 NE Eighth St., Fort Lauderdale; 954-462-0222; parkerplayhouse.com. Tickets cost $33 to $43.

FamFest at Miami Light Project. If you thought Miami's hip-hop scene was limited to a few young rappers taking nosedives off venue rafters or shuffling in and out of jail, think again. Trick Daddy and Rick Ross aren't the only OGs in town. The Flipside Kings have been carrying the traditions of break dance and hip-hop for more than 20 years, and their annual FamFest is here to remind us what "fam" is really about. Aside from performances by the likes of Spam Allstars, Fusik, and DJ Lean Rock, among others, show up for the B-Boy/B-Girl Battle and live art and graffiti. 6 p.m. Friday and noon Saturday at Miami Light Project, 404 NW 26th St., Miami; 305-576-4350; famfestmiami.com. Two-day passes cost $25.
Miami Paradise and Body//Talk at 1306. If you've ever been new to Miami, you know the scenes here are reminiscent of high-school cliques. Try to talk to strangers and you're met with blank stares at best and an oye, hijo de puta! at worst. That's probably why we needed the folks from Orlando's Body//Talk to join forces with Miami Paradise to show us that a good party builds community and fosters friendship. Aside from art and creative ice-breakers, musicians like Miami-based Triangles, Eons, and Native Youth, along with Orlando artists DVWEZ and Phil Santos, will fuel the social with dance tunes. 9 p.m. Friday at 1306, 1306 N. Miami Ave., Miami; 305-377-2277; 1306miami.com. Admission is free.
Miami Mojito March at Batch Gastropub. Cool mint, tart lime, sweet syrup, and rum make the mojito a perfect Caribbean cocktail: refreshing, light, and boozy. If you're looking to get a good day-buzz going, the Miami Mojito March is using the green-flecked drink as an excuse to take a bar crawl through Brickell. Spots on the way include American Social, Candela Bar, and La Mexicana Cantina, but the party starts at Batch Gastropub. You're guaranteed up to eight mojitos, making this march a decent deal on top of a good time. Noon Saturday at Batch Gastropub, 30 SW 12th St., Miami; miamimojitomarch.com. Tickets cost $55.

Bearded Villains World Meet at Wynwood Café. Beards possess a strange dichotomy. On the one hand, they are the pinnacle of manliness; on the other, they're the scary stuff of biker gangs. If you have a glistening chin forest but struggle to find true acceptance, look no further than the Bearded Villains World Meet. This band of bushy brothers is hosting an international hangout that includes a swimsuit contest, live graffiti and tattooing, food trucks, and raffles. Of course, no true peacockery is complete without some healthy competition, so lube up your whiskers for a facial-hair face-off. 3 p.m. Saturday at Wynwood Café, 450 NW 27th St., Miami; 786-342-2987; bv305.com. Admission is $10.

¡Mayday! Search Party Tour at Blackbird Ordinary. ¡Mayday! is one of Miami's most enduring and popular hip-hop acts. The six rapper/musicians broke through the neon ceiling that this city's artists find so hard to crack. They reached a national crowd and are even featured on Kendrick Lamar's song "Fragile." Signed to Tech N9ne's label, Strange Music, the crew will play live at the cool Brickell haunt Blackbird Ordinary. The place has fruit-muddling, cocktail-slinging bartenders and now a renovated patio with A/C, a retractable glass roof, and a new stage for ¡Mayday! to christen with its heavy beats and clever rhymes. 9 p.m. Saturday at Blackbird Ordinary, 729 SW First Ave., Miami; blackbirdordinary.com. Admission costs $10.

Farruko at the James L Knight Center. The popularity of "Despacito," the most streamed song of all time, indicates that the world market is craving more Latin sounds and that reggaeton definitely is not a genre of the past. So it's likely that the riddim-loving crowds will turn out for artist Farruko's show, along with performances by Lary Over and Jacob Forever, at the James L. Knight Center. A Daddy Yankee collaborator, the Latin Grammy-nominated Puerto Rican is in town touting his album TrapFicante. 8 p.m. Saturday at the James L. Knight Center, 400 SE Second Ave., Miami; 305-372-4634; jlkc.com. Tickets cost $11.50 to $68.
John Mayer at the BB&T Center. Even after claiming his penis is a white supremacist, John Mayer has continued to make music consumed by the masses. And though he insists he's a reformed "ego addict" with a misguided sense of humor, the real reason his career isn't limited to a washed-up celebrity TV show is the same bluesy acoustic pop that won him seven Grammys. His latest album, The Search for Everything, is the impetus for this tour. So if you can put all the other nonsense aside, head out to enjoy the songwriter's newest repertoire as well as the power-ballad-belting band the Night Game. 7 p.m. Saturday at the BB&T Center, 1 Panther Pkwy., Sunrise; 800-745-3000; thebbtcenter.com. Tickets cost $44.75 to $350.

Design District and Buena Vista East Bike Tour at the Dade Heritage Trust. The Design District and Buena Vista are areas best experienced by bike. Their flat terrain and quiet, laid-back weekends on the road make these neighborhoods perfect places to explore Miami. The Dade Heritage Trust is taking advantage of these perks and bringing Stylin' in the Design District and Buena Vista East Bike Tour, a bike ride through the historic districts beginning at NE Second Avenue and NE 38th Street. The tour will involve discussions about the architecture and cultural richness of the neighborhoods. You can rent a bike in advance through Brickell Bikes or Citi Bike. 10 a.m. Sunday at 190 SE 12th Ter., Miami; dadeheritagetrust.org. Tickets cost $5 to $10.

The Black Market at Churchill's Pub. The Black Market popup slathers Churchill's Pub with vendors slinging vinyl, cassettes, vintage threads, handmade jewelry, and crafts, all to the sounds of live bands, the sights of live art, and the flavors of food from the do-gooder food truck Vibe 305. The soundtrack of your afternoon will feature the skilled music of Deaf Poets, Rip Junior, Pocket of Lollipops, Lone Wolf OMB, and others. Get a spiritual consultation and tarot reading by Reno to find out how you'll fare with your purchases and at the pop-up skate park going up across the street. This month, the Black Market is supporting the Louis Salgar Fund to bring the arts to kids in Overtown, so be a good human and make sure not to skirt the door charge. 3 p.m. Sunday at Churchill's Pub, 5501 NE Second Ave., Miami; churchillspub.com. Admission costs $5.