Thursday
Emilio Sanchez's precise lines and striking colors are reflections of his career spent drawing from Cuban and other Caribbean landscapes and communities throughout the '50s, '60s, and '70s. Although his work hasn't been shown in Miami for more than a decade, it is right at home in our abundance of tropical sunlight and midcentury architecture, which should explain his re-emergence in Miami this winter. Along with works on display at Miami-Dade Public Library and the Inside|Out collection, Sanchez's paintings will be featured in an exhibit at the Lowe Art Museum beginning this Thursday. 7 p.m. Thursday at University of Miami Lowe Art Museum, 1301 Stanford Dr., Coral Gables; 305-284-5587; rsvp.loweartmuseum.org. Admission costs $12.50.
Shane Mauss wants to talk to you about drugs — but not in a D.A.R.E.-pledge kind of way. More like in an experienced-big-brother kind of way, like that scene in Almost Famous in which Zooey Deschanel leaves her record collection to her impressionable younger brother. In his comedy show A Good Trip, Mauss blends personal narrative, standup, and science to demystify and disentangle psychedelics from decades of stigma and misinformation. Whether you're "experienced" or not, the show promises to be both informative and entertaining. 8 p.m. Thursday at Open Stage Club, 2325 Galiano St., Coral Gables; 305-441-7902; havenotscomedy.com. Admission costs $15.
Once upon a time, Miami was all screwdrivers and vodka Red Bull. Then everybody decided they loved beer. If you've hopped on the hops train, yet another beer extravaganza awaits you at the VeritageMiami Craft Beer Tasting. In addition to offering food from local restaurants and beer from 140 breweries, this year's event includes arcade games, giant Jenga, and Connect Four in the Wynwood Garden. (For those new to the party, these are traditionally brew-fueled activities.) Plus, there'll be an afterparty at the Wynwood Yard. Money raised from the event benefits the United Way, an organization improving the health, education, and well-being of your fellow Miamians. 6 p.m. Thursday at Wynwood Walls, 2520 NW Second Ave., Miami; 877-820-3378; veritagemiami.com. Admission costs $55 to $75.
Dance is traditionally meant to be classically beautiful — just think of a ballet, a waltz, or twerking. But dance is also about bodies, and bodies often defy convention, disrupt our expectations, or make us uncomfortable. The Pioneer Winter Collective has created work that not only addresses these bodies but also tells stories by and through them to "democratize performance through the unexpected," according to its artist statement. Forced Entry and Other Love Stories is a continuation of those explorations, as well as the different facets of intimacy and love. 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the Lightbox, 404 NW 26th St., Miami; pioneerwinter.com. Admission costs $30 to $75.
Friday
Just in time for the sappiest month of the year, Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs will grace the Arsht stage this Friday. But don't expect to get all cuddly with your boo during this cabaret-style mashup of classics, pop songs, and monologue: Cumming's raunchy, vulnerable, and biting performance is more of a personal tour de force than a sentimental nostalgia fest. And it's critically acclaimed across the nation, to boot. 8 p.m. Friday at the Adrienne Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 305-949-6722; arshtcenter.org. Admission costs $49 to $89.
The music industry can seem like a pretty disillusioned place. Watch enough musicians' bio flicks and you'll get the idea: Heartfelt artist meets big-time record label to reach momentous success, only to be thwarted, cheated, or otherwise bullied by merciless record execs. GroundUp — the label started by Snarky Puppy — is looking to change that dynamic and generally foster an artist community of mutual support and growth. Its GroundUp Music Festival will be a small affair (only 1,500 attendees per day) for a more intimate and interactive festival experience, with talents such as Esperanza Spalding and David Crosby. 1 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday at the North Beach Bandshell, 7275 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; festival.groundupmusic.net. Admission costs $85 to $825.
The SpokenWord Exchange aims to facilitate compassion and understanding between the United States and other cultures through the use of poetry and performance — a mission that feels urgent and necessary now more than ever. After an initial workshop in Abu Dhabi, the organization expanded to other countries with more participants. This week's Miami event is the second half of an exchange with poets in Leeds, England, who hosted two spoken-word artists there last year. Attend the show for a night of music, poetry, and soulful reflection that has yet to be seen on this side of the pond. 8 p.m. Friday at the Historic Hampton House, 4240 NW 27th Ave., Miami; 305-638-5800; thespokenwordexchange.com. Admission costs $25 to $65.
What's the deal with Valentine's Day dinners? Let's get bloated and sleepy before going home to try to get athletic? No. You're doing it wrong. Keith Sweat (yes, that's his birth name, which should tell you something), Bobby Brown, Avant, and El DeBarge are all in town to show you how it's done at the Valentine's Music Festival. There's no documentation about how many calories this music burns, but we're guessing it's more than eight digits. A workout requires a good warmup, so please leave it to the professionals. 8 p.m. Friday at the James L. Knight Center, 400 SE Second Ave., Miami; 305-416-5970; jlkc.com. Admission costs $52 to $125.
Street Art for Mankind is creating an opportunity to do something about child slavery through a ten-day exhibition to raise awareness and funds for the rescue and rehabilitation of exploited children. The event's focal point will be an "exquisite corpse" — a surrealist game in which an artist must build on what a previous one has done without being able to see it — made on 20-to-40-foot containers assembled across 12,000 square feet. The event is presented by Villa Azur and Brasserie Azur, and proceeds will benefit the Kailash Sityarthi Children's Foundation. 6 p.m. Friday through February 20 at Street Art for Mankind, 7401 NW Miami Ct., Miami; streetartmankind.org. Admission costs $28 to $150.
Keep reading for the 21 best events in Miami.
Saturday
At a time when the nation is starkly divided, perhaps the only thing that can bridge that schism is filthy humor. Enter the Wet Spots, a comedic singing duo that will appeal to the lewd side of your Trump-loving uncle and Obama-missing aunt. As you can probably guess from the name, these two bring the satire and sing about how you can't buy a dildo in Texas, among other things geared to making you wet — from laughing till you pee, of course. 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Blackbox Theater at the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center, 10950 SW 211th St., Cutler Bay; 786-573-5300; smdcac.org. Admission costs $30 in advance, $35 the day of the show, which is for ages 18 and older.
The economy has you on a budget that doesn't allow for a last-minute Valentine's tryst in gay Paris, but you still want a sexy and sophisticated way to impress your nouveau lovah. The Flamingo Theater is throwing a variety show, Valentine's Viva la Paris, hosted by Erika Moon and South Florida Art Enrichment. The seductive, glam, and amusing performance will be accompanied by a meal if you'd like. There will be showgirls, can-can dancers, comedic routines, and, yes, burlesque. So take your girl to Brickell to set a sexy, fun tone for the rest of the evening. 8 p.m. Saturday at Flamingo Theater, 905 Brickell Bay Dr., Miami; 786-803-8194; flamingotheaterllc.com. Admission costs $35 to $550.
Wife-carrying and extreme ironing are only a couple of the strange sports white people have concocted. Too much time on their hands, poor things. But footgolf — a game in which teams kick soccer balls into large holes on a golf course — is not nearly as sexist and/or absurd, and it looks like fun. If you're intrigued, check out the Miami Footgolf Tournament, where teams of four will compete for prizes based on best score, longest drive, and best team theme. Don't know three white people? Uncommitted players will be formed into teams of their own. Noon Saturday at Greynolds Golf Course, 17530 W. Dixie Hwy., North Miami Beach; kickball.com/season/flmiamifootgolftournamentwinter2017. Admission costs $45 to $50.
Afraid nobody will see you stripped down this Valentine's Day weekend? Try again, sweetie: Cupid's Undie Run is in town. Bust out the bustier for this "mile-ish fun-run" to raise funds for research into neurofibromatosis (nervous-system tumors that typically form during childhood) through the Children's Tumor Foundation. Sneakers will hit the pavement at 2 p.m., but the party runs from noon to 4 with awards, prizes, and an open bar. So get like your favorite Greek god and take a lap for your weekend's worth of eye candy. Noon Saturday at Mana Wynwood, 2250 NW Second Ave., Miami; cupidsundierun.org/city/miami. Registration costs $35 to $55.
Sunday
If you grew up in Kendall, chances are you never heard of the Dominican neighborhood of Allapattah. But once you started hitting up Wynwood for Art Walk, you saw there was a whole different Miami from the one you knew. The Dade Heritage Trust has taken on the big task of educating the city about itself, and this Valentine's Day weekend, it'll host the Allapattah Is for Lovers Bike Tour. Your journey will begin with a short trip from the Brickell Metrorail station to the Allapattah station for an exploration of one of the city's oldest neighborhoods — one whose name is Seminole for "alligator." Departs at 10 a.m. Sunday from the Dade Heritage Trust, 190 SE 12th Ter., Miami; 305-358-9572; dadeheritagetrust.org. Tickets cost $10 for nonmembers and $5 for members.
Monday
If your Valentine is either a figment of your imagination or a generous someone, you might find yourself lounging at the Valentine's Mud Lounge and Rosé at the Standard Hotel in Miami Beach. There is never a wrong time to enjoy the Standard's understated elegance. Expect pink mud at the DIY Mud Lounge and matching rosé upon which to slurp. The hammam is a perfect place to wash away any V-Day blues or prepare your flesh for a romantic encounter the next day. 10 a.m. Monday and Tuesday at the Standard Spa, 40 Island Ave., Miami Beach; 305-673-1717; standardhotels.com/miami/spa. Admission costs $125 for two and includes a spa day pass.
Tuesday
Born Carol Klein in Brooklyn, New York, the songwriting chanteuse Carole King was destined to be a legend. Beautiful: The Carole King Musical is a Tony- and Grammy-winning musical that explores the time between the singer's youthful rise to stardom while penning hits for others, to finding her own musical voice. The production will bring plenty of songs by King and her songwriting partners Gerry Goffin, Barry Mann, and Cynthia Weil to the Arsht Center for a weekend run that is sure to make the earth move under your feet. 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 2 p.m. Saturday matinee; and 1 and 7 p.m. Sunday in the Arsht Center's Ziff Ballet Opera House, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; arshtcenter.org. Admission costs $55 to $150.
There is no shame in meeting a special someone on Tinder. In fact, in 2017 it's totally all right to find your Valentine on the dating app — even if you meet for the first time on Valentine's Day itself. No judgment. So for 12 hours this February 14, the Bitter Truth will host Tinder Tuesday, offering hookups to those who both swiped right on the app. All you have to do is show the hosts that you both were a match, and you get a free fishbowl of punch for two. Fefresh with craft cocktails and sway to some live tunes. 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Bitter Truth, 3252 NE First Ave., #124, Miami; 305-461-2700; bittertruthmiami.com. Admission is free.
Valentine's Day is nothing without a little Marvin Gaye. That's why SoundBite Magazine, an online rag offering info about art, music, food, and fashion, is hosting Let's Get It On, with several creative musicians playing both their own songs and a few covers. Jazzy chanteuse Dama Vicke, psych-folk crew the Citadel, and very young melodic duo Anastasia Max will perform original tunes and bring you not only a little Gaye but also Al Green, Otis Redding, and Stevie Wonder. There will be love-themed raffles for paintings and vinyl. 8 p.m. Tuesday at Churchill's Pub, 5501 NE Second Ave., Miami; 305-757-1807; churchillspub.com. Admission costs $5. Ages 18 and older.
To the uncreative, it might seem Valentine's Day is the saddest day of the year. But V-Day is, in fact, a day made for the unattached. While those in relationships are at home with their high expectations and failed attempts at intimacy, the rest of the world is out looking for fresh meat. And what better place to pick up a beefcake than South Beach? So be sure to celebrate this Singles Awareness Day at Bodega on the playa. You're sure to head home in a pair. 6 p.m. Tuesday at Bodega South Beach, 1220 16th St., Miami Beach; 305-704-2145; bodegasouthbeach.com. Admission is free with purchase of a drink.
Wednesday
The success of Golden Globe-winning Moonlight and its focus on the black community in South Florida has lit the wick of interest in others in black cultural history. Through March 31, Bailey Contemporary Arts in Broward is presenting "Black Florida: Pompano Beach" by Johanne Rahaman, whose work has been written up in Jezebel and the New Yorker. The emerging documentarian is showing her photographs of the "shifting urban and rural spaces occupied by the black community" in this state. She explores these spaces in still-life photos, portraits, and landscapes, capturing them just before they change forever. 6 p.m. Wednesday at Bailey Contemporary Arts, 41 NE First St., Pompano Beach; 954-284-0141; baileyarts.org. Admission is free.
If you were out celebrating Singles Awareness Day the night before or at home with your partner, you'll either have a good story to tell or an eager ear. Thus, February 15 is made for next-day sharing of sexual escapades — whichever end you're on, receiving or giving. Concrete Beach Brewing in Wynwood knows this. So the day after Valentine's, it's hosting Sippin' Singles, with craft brews to nullify your hangover and chocolate for those who can't even with the hair of the dog. There will also be speed dating for those few who somehow couldn't get any the night before. 5 p.m. Wednesday at Concrete Beach Brewing, 325 NW 24th St., Miami; 305-796-2727; concretebeachbrewery.com. Admission is free.
