The Seven Best Free Things to Do in Miami This Week

This week can be a very expensive: South Florida has no shortage of high-priced New Year's Eve affairs to get you all boozed up and nourished for your big-ticket happenings. You can still have a blast without breaking the bank, starting with the so-fun-you-won't-believe-it's-free Wynwood NYE 2020 celebration Tuesday evening. Post-NYE, hit the Wharf for a Veuve Clicquot Picnic with jams and yard games (and lots of champagne for purchase to help your hangover). Beyond the holidays, you can catch a day full of smooth tunes in Lummus Park on Saturday as part of the South Beach Jazz Festival and enjoy inspiring immigrant success stories with a screening of the documentary Making It in America Sunday at the Koubek Center.

Here are the best free things to do in Miami this week:
There are plenty of rockin' New Year's Eve options in Miami this year, so much so we made a list of the best of them. If you're looking to end the year and start 2020 on a frugal yet high-energy note, Wynwood NYE 2020 at the Wynwood Marketplace will be right up your alley. In addition to offering booze and party favors for purchase, this year's celebration will include a number of Burning Man-esque elements, such as fire dancers and hula hoopers. Pro tip: RSVP and get a free drink at the door. 7 p.m. Tuesday, December 31, at the Wynwood Marketplace, 2250 NW Second Ave., Miami. Admission is free; RSVP via wynwoodnewyearseve.com for a complimentary drink.

If you don't have to work New Year's Day, no one will fault you for trying to keep the party going and spirits flowing as long as possible. This Wednesday, the Wharf will kick off 2020 with the Veuve Clicquot Picnic. In addition to offering its regular stellar jams and food spots such as Mojo Donuts, the Wharf will also sell bottles of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label, Rich Blanc, Rosé NV, and Rich Rosé starting at $100. Noon to midnight Wednesday, January 1, at the Wharf Miami, 114 SW North River Dr., Miami; wharfmiami.com. Admission is free; food and beverage packages can be purchased for $390 to $585 via eventbrite.com.
The picturesque Vizcaya Museum & Gardens stays so beautiful thanks in part to the volunteers who work to keep it that way. If giving back is one of your new year's resolutions, join the volunteer gardening session at Vizcaya this Thursday morning. Bring gloves, sunscreen, mosquito repellant, and your gardening A-game. If you can't make this outing, volunteer gardening at Vizcaya occurs Thursday weekly. 9 a.m. to noon Thursday, January 2, at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, 3251 S. Miami Ave., Miami; vizcaya.org. Admission is free.
Adult nonmember tickets to Pérez Art Museum Miami typically cost $16. But the first Thursday of every month (i.e., this Thursday), PAMM offers free admission to everyone. Among its current exhibits are "José Carlos Martinat: American Echo Chamber" and "Zhao Gang: History Painting," which are joined by other favorite sights such as the Sculpture Garden. If you'd like someone to guide you through the experience, the museum offers public tours Thursdays at noon, 2:30, and 6:30. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, January 2, at Pérez Art Museum Miami, 1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 305-375-3000; pamm.org. Admission is free.

You probably drink coffee every day, so there's no reason it should be anything less than delightful. The folks at the North Carolina-base specialty roaster Counter Culture Coffee open their Little River facility to the public every Friday for the special Tasting at Ten. Try a bunch of types of java, hear about their origins and tasting notes, and be inspired to up your home coffee game the next time you need some beans. 10 a.m. Friday, January 3, at Counter Culture Coffee Miami Training Center, 7450 N. Miami Ave., Miami; eventbrite.com. Admission is free.
The fourth edition of the South Beach Jazz Festival will present a number of international artists when it swings into town this Friday through Sunday. Among the performances that'll take place around town, there are some free options, including a special concert — Jazz in Motion on Ocean — Saturday in Lummus Park. Among the performers you can catch during this six-hour span of jazzy goodness are Alfredo Chacon, Yainier Hora, Magela Herrera, and Ruben Caban. Noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, January 4, in Lummus Park, 1130 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach; eventbrite.com. Admission is free.

A new film, Making It in America, has chronicled immigrant success stories from throughout the years, including a spotlight on Lulu's Ice Cream founder Luisa Santos and concrete titan Luis Garcia. This Sunday, the Miguel Fernandez-directed film will premiere at the Koubek Center, where there will also be a postscreening Q&A with some of Miami's leading immigrant entrepreneurs. 5 p.m. Sunday, January 5, at Miami Dade College Koubek Memorial Center, 2705 SW Third St., Miami. Admission is free; RSVP via eventbrite.com.