Thursday
If you're still using a rotary phone or dial-up modem, Pérez Art Museum Miami's Tech Takeover probably won't float your boat. But for everyone else living in 2018 and wanting to explore how tech is shaping the modern Miami landscape, this is the event. This month's free community night at the museum will offer techy exhibits such as augmented-reality tours from organizations including Branger_Briz, Breeze Creative, Code/Art Miami, Daruma Tech, Kairos, 01, and Refresh Miami. 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at PAMM, 1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; pamm.org. Admission is free with RSVP.
Friday
Last year was a roller-coaster ride. How about starting 2018 on a calm and sultry note? The South Beach Jazz Fest hits our sunny shores for three unique shows in three days. An Evening With Branford Marsalis will hit the Colony Theatre January 5, Ignacio Berroa will drum away in the Gleason Room January 6, and pianist Tal Cohen will charm an audience at the Jewish Museum of Florida January 7. Friday through Sunday at various locations in Miami Beach; southbeachjazzfest.com. Tickets start at $28 per show.
Keith Johns will take some folk to the folks when he kicks off his monthly first-Friday residency at the Wynwood Yard. The evening begins at 8 with a sultry performance by Roberta Burke before Johns brings it home with two distinct sets. Johns, a former physicist, has been riding the wave of his latest album, Grateful Fool, since late 2016 and continues to be a mainstay at cozy venues in South Florida and beyond. 8 p.m. Friday at the Wynwood Yard, 56 NW 29th St., Miami; thewynwoodyard.com. Admission is free.
Just when you thought Miami was as wild as a circus, along comes a literal circus. At the Riverside Circus, acrobats, jugglers, dancers, and mimes will perform along the river at the Wharf Miami for three days of fun. Enjoy tunes from the likes of Ray Milan, DJ Spiff, and Hushmoney and stellar daily drink specials (e.g., $1 pints of beer and $3 glasses of wine from noon to 7 p.m. Friday). Noon to 2 a.m. Friday through Sunday at Wharf Miami, 114 SW North River Dr., Miami; wharfmiami.com. Admission is free, and RSVP is encouraged.
According to the Sentencing Project, one in three African-American men will serve a prison sentence in his lifetime. To inspire local teens to make better choices and explore opportunities, Teens Exercising Extraordinary Success (T.E.E.S.) is holding the Smart n' Up Black Male Youth Summit III in Overtown. A continental breakfast, lunch, and refreshments will be provided for local young people looking to be inspired. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday at Art Africa (Old Clyde Killen's Pool Hall), 920 NW Second Ave., Miami; teesmiami.org. Admission is free for those aged 13 to 18.
If a gazillion shopping and dining options aren't enough to get you to Coral Gables' Miracle Mile, maybe some tunes and a street festival vibe will do the trick. Rockers Brothers of Others and multi-instrumentalist Javier Garcia will play for the strolling masses at Giralda Under the Stars: A Miami Winter. The event is held every first Friday of the month and is now anchored by the recently transformed and expansive Giralda Plaza. 7 to 10 p.m. Friday on Giralda Avenue in Coral Gables; shopcoralgables.com. Admission is free.
Saturday
The Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company has been influencing contemporary dance for more than 30 years, often with a poignant yet philosophical eye toward the human experience. Analogy: A Trilogy is a perfect example, using the oral histories of three characters to address the different types of wars we wage personally, socially, and politically. The second part of the series, Lance: Pretty aka the Escape Artist, follows dancer, model, and male escort Lance through his struggles with drugs and the sex trade in the '80s and '90s. All of the pieces were created by Jones and the company. 8 p.m. Saturday at the Adrienne Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 305-949-6722; arshtcenter.org. Tickets cost $30 to $75.
As a kid, did you ever wish your toys were life-sized? How about larger than life? The city of Coral Gables is here to make your — um, your kids' dreams come true. Parked in front of Coral Gables City Hall will be a veritable petting zoo of oversize toy cars, trucks, and specialty vehicles for you — uh, your kids to gawk at, climb on, and otherwise explore at the Big Toy Extravaganza. Add food trucks, face painting, and games to the mix and you have enough fun for the whole family. 10 a.m. Saturday at Coral Gables City Hall, 405 Biltmore Way, Coral Gables; 305-460-5600; coralgables.com. Admission is free.
A lot happens during the holidays. Family comes to visit, children are out of school, and gifts need to be shipped, wrapped, retrieved, or returned. It's sometimes more stressful than the day-to-day tension it's meant to alleviate. Reset and decompress with yoga and music at the New World Center's Yoga Refresh 2018. If you're a morning person, get sweaty during the Vinyasa Flow class. If you're hoping to spend your Saturday evening unwinding, attend the Restorative Yoga and Sound Healing session in the evening. The soothing melodies of classical music should ease that holiday pain. 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday at the New World Center, 500 17th St., Miami Beach; 305-680-5866; nws.edu. Tickets cost $30 to $55.
It's rare that an activity centered on fitness and new year's resolutions isn't trying to dupe you into wasting your money or time, but the 2018 Mayor's Fitness Challenge is altruistically looking to help you achieve your goals. Beginning this Saturday and continuing into March, Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert will host yoga, boot camp, Zumba, and water fitness classes three times a week as part of the campaign Live Healthy Miami Gardens. The kickoff event will also provide free health assessments such as BMI, weight, and blood pressure. Get some community support for your new-year new you, and you could even win a prize. 8 a.m. Saturday at Betty T. Ferguson Park, 3000 NW 199th St., Miami Gardens; livehealthymiamigardens.com. Admission is free; register via eventbrite.com.
Sunday
During holidays such as New Year's Eve and Christmas, alcohol seems to be the substance of choice for raging and relaxing alike even though we know there are better options. Royal Tips, maker of high-class smoking tips, is giving you an alternative to start the year off right. At the Royal Soiree, you can enjoy food, hookahs, 420 gifts and giveaways, and live entertainment without all the sloshed amateurs. At this party, start 2018 on a cloud. 3 p.m. Sunday at Blackbird Ordinary, 729 SW First Ave., Miami; 305-671-3307. Tickets cost $40 via eventbrite.com.
There isn't much in South Florida that celebrates Japanese culture. That's one of the things that makes the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens so special. They'll host Oshogatsu, the Japanese New Year, for the 40th year. The event includes a host of activities, such as a sado tea ceremony, the pounding of rice to make mochi cakes, koto music performances, and bonsai demonstrations. You'll be able usher in the New Year with shishimai, the lion dance to the sound of taiko drumming. So celebrate the New Year twice, this time with tiny trees and tea. 5 p.m. Sunday at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, 4000 Morikami Park Rd., Delray Beach; morikami.org. Admission costs $9 to $15; children aged 5 or younger and members get in free.
Miami's skyline is meant to be worshipped in the wintertime from a rooftop pool. That's exactly what you can do at Atton Brickell's Movie Under the Stars. The hotel presents a different movie every Sunday on its rooftop, which boasts a bar and pool, drink and food specials, and complimentary popcorn. The flicks include Miami classics such as The Birdcage and Bad Boys, but this week's movie is the heartwarming tearjerker Marley and Me. Bring your kids and/or a designated driver. 5:30 p.m. Sunday at Atton Brickell Miami, 1500 SW First Ave., Miami; 786-600-2600; attonbrickellmiami.com. Admission is free.
This time last year, the Miami Heat was fizzling hard. The team was doused in so much loser-ade that Burnie seemed as melted as the Wicked Witch of the West. But this year, the fire is burning as brightly as a dried-out Christmas tree left in the care of a pyromaniac. With Hassan Whiteside back on the court, the Heat will take the music out of the Utah Jazz's metaphorical speakers. 3:30 Sunday at American Airlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; aaarena.com. Tickets start at $15.
Monday
Miami is an arts mecca thanks, in part, to Art Basel and foundations such as Knight and YoungArts. This National YoungArts Week is proof. The cultural organization will bring talented youths, who are finalists to receive YoungArts grants, to the Magic City. For a week, these gifted artists of all disciplines take master classes and workshops with leaders in their fields. They get to check out the city, and Miami gets to meet them through performances, readings, exhibitions, and screenings at the New World Center. Monday will kick off the week with classical, jazz, and pop voice performances, but stay tuned for so much more over the next five days. You just might catch the next Kerry Washington or Viola Davis, two of YoungArts' fab alumni. 8 p.m. Monday at New World Center, 500 17th St., Miami Beach; youngarts.org. Tickets cost $15.
Tuesday
You don't have to like them, but you probably love them. The Zombies are coming to Fort Lauderdale. The quintet is best known for its megahits from the '60s that still dominate oldies radio stations, such as "She's Not There," "Tell Her No," and "Time of the Season." These psychedelic Brits actually have a lot of soul and jazz influences. Catch this amazing act for its Odessey and Oracle 50th-anniversary tour in honor of the album by the same name released in 1968. Superfans can get a VIP ticket that includes a meet-and-greet with a band member, a primo seat, and a signed poster. 8 p.m. Tuesday at Parker Playhouse, 707 NE Eighth St., Fort Lauderdale; parkerplayhouse.com. Tickets start at $47.50.
Was one of your new year's resolutions to laugh more or become more cultural? Well, you're in luck! The hilarious musical comedy A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder will hit the stage at the Broward Center this month. Based on the novel Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal, the original Broadway production won four Tonys. You'll enjoy tunes such as "I Don't Understand the Poor" and "Better With a Man" — and those titles will make more sense to your woke self after the show. 8 p.m. Tuesday through January 21 at Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; browardcenter.org. Tickets start at $30.
Wednesday
Pinecrest Gardens was once known as Parrot Jungle, a lush attraction that drew flocks of visitors from around the world to watch birds fly. Though the parrots are gone, the park is still covered in gorgeous vegetation and tree canopies that demand to be seen. Pinecrest Gardens hosts a monthly Florida Is Nature Artist Talk and interactive experience at the "FIN (Florida Is Nature)" exhibit in the Hibiscus Gallery. This month's speaking artist is Xavier Cortada, whose work is recognizable by anyone who has driven around Miami. His murals reflect the mangroves and other native wildlife of the region. Stay abreast of the art coming out of Miami-Dade and our natural environment in one fell swoop at this monthly event. 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Pinecrest Gardens, 11000 Red Rd., Pinecrest; pinecrestgardens.org. The talk is free with $5 park admission.
Miami is not known for its writers, but that doesn't mean there aren't any. Plenty of little poetic gatherings take place under the radar, and many of those are hosted at the Betsy Hotel. Known for its Ocean Drive location, it's also the home of a writers' residency. For a full year, a Women Writers' Group has been meeting at this beachfront hotel to hone their craft. This week, they'll share the product of their hard work in a community reading. Don't miss out. These women are documenting and representing our city through words. 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Betsy Hotel, 1440 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach; thebetsyhotel.com. Admission is free; RSVP is requested.
With The Shape of Water, director Guillermo del Toro has created a haunting sci-fi masterpiece. The movie's screenwriter, Vanessa Taylor, will speak about genre filmmaking with former Miami Herald film critic Rene Rodriguez, Gables Cinema associate director Javier Chavez, and filmmakers Diego and Andres Meza-Valdez during Monsters in the Shape of Water at Books & Books. The film will screen at Gables Cinema next door for those who want to maximize their Aragon Avenue experience. 7 p.m. Wednesday at Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables; gablescinema.com. Admission is free.
Known for playing Greg on the TV show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, actor Santino Fontana is also a singer who voiced the character of Prince Hans in Disney's Frozen. He's a Tony-nominated Broadway performer who, along with his wife, fellow actor and vocalist Jessica Fontana, will sing his way to the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center. The couple costarred in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella in New York and will bring their chemistry to every tune they perform as part of the center's Broadway Concert Series. Don't tell your kids you're going to hear Hans sing, or they might steal your seats. 8 p.m. Wednesday at Aventura Arts & Cultural Center, 3385 NE 188th St., Aventura; aventuracenter.org. Tickets start at $45.
